Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB vs Halifax, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Alongside the cost per trade, most UK online brokers also charge a monthly, quarterly, or annual management fee, which varies based on the account type and balance. Based on our thorough review, XTB offers better pricing than Halifax for share dealing.
Assuming a £30,000 portfolio size, here are the total annual costs for share dealing with both brokers, given different monthly activity scenarios.
5 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Halifax would cost £83.50 per year.
12 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Halifax would cost £150 per year.
36 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Halifax would cost £378 per year.
120 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Halifax would cost £1,176 per year.
3 fund trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Halifax would cost £0 per year.
What type of trader are you?
New to the world of investing? See our picks for the Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners. More experienced traders should read our guide to the Best UK Trading Platforms for Active Traders.
When exploring investment options with XTB and Halifax, investors will find distinct differences in their offerings. XTB caters to share and ETF trading enthusiasts, with additional options for CFD trading, making it a robust choice for those targeting these markets. However, it does not currently provide options for crypto trading, spread betting, funds, bonds, or advisory services. Conversely, Halifax stands out with a more extensive array of investment choices, including funds trading, bonds, and investment trusts, alongside advisory services, though it lacks in areas such as share and CFD trading.
From an evaluative perspective, UK.StockBrokers.com rates XTB at 4.5 stars for its investment choices, whereas Halifax secures a perfect score of 5 stars, underscoring its comprehensive range. In a ranking of 18 brokers, XTB is placed at the 14th position, while Halifax claims a stronger 7th rank, reflecting its more diverse investment options. Investors should consider these differences when selecting a broker to align with their investing goals and preferences.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing the trading tools of XTB and Halifax, it's clear that XTB provides a more comprehensive suite of features. XTB allows traders to display corporate events, such as earnings, splits, and dividends, directly on their charts, which Halifax does not. Additionally, XTB offers 20 drawing tools and 39 technical indicators for chart analysis, while Halifax provides neither drawing tools nor technical indicators. XTB also supports adding notes to charts, an option Halifax doesn't offer.
Both XTB and Halifax provide browser-based trading platforms and allow users to create alerts for stock price updates. However, XTB takes the lead with its offering of real-time market data, a feature Halifax lacks. Neither platform supports adding index or stock overlays to charts, but overall, XTB's toolset is more robust and varied, catering to a wide range of trading needs.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing online brokers XTB and Halifax for retirement accounts, there are some key differences to consider. Both XTB and Halifax offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), giving investors a tax-efficient way to save. However, when it comes to Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), only Halifax provides this option, allowing for more personalized retirement planning. This distinction might make Halifax more appealing to those specifically seeking a SIPP account, while both brokers cater well to ISA account holders. Understanding these offerings can help investors make informed decisions based on their individual retirement planning needs.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of online brokers XTB and Halifax, both platforms provide access for iPhone and Android users, ensuring traders can manage their investments on-the-go. XTB boasts a higher user satisfaction with a 4.5-star rating and ranks as the 10th out of 18 brokers according to UK.StockBrokers.com. In contrast, Halifax earns a 3.5-star rating and holds the 14th position in the same ranking, suggesting that XTB's mobile app is generally more favored among users.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources for beginner investors offered by online brokers XTB and Halifax, XTB comes out ahead. Neither platform provides educational webinars or archives for on-demand viewing, but XTB offers education specifically focused on share trading, whereas Halifax does not cover this topic. Neither broker addresses education on funds or retirement. Additionally, XTB is recognized for its higher quality beginner education, receiving a 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, as opposed to Halifax’s 3.5-star rating. In terms of overall rankings among 18 brokers for beginner education, XTB is placed at #8, whereas Halifax is further behind at #16.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | No | No |
| Education (Retirement) | No | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing XTB and Halifax in terms of market research features, both platforms offer research on shares and ETFs, providing users with robust insights into these investment options. However, differences emerge as XTB excels with its capability to analyze CFDs and provides tools to view portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available with Halifax. On the other hand, Halifax stands out by offering detailed research on funds and bonds, areas where XTB lacks resources. Neither platform provides research reports for funds, so investors interested in this might need additional sources. Ultimately, the choice between XTB and Halifax rests on whether a user prioritizes detailed fund and bond research or specialized insights into CFDs and asset allocation.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, XTB or Halifax? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found XTB to be a better trading platform overall.
XTB has set itself up as a strong competitor in commission-free share trading. Its low fees and solid educational content will make XTB particularly attractive to newer investors. It does not, however, offer an ISA or SIPP.
| Feature |
XTB
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Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Mobile App |
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| Ease of Use |
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Both XTB and Halifax do not offer cryptocurrency trading options to their users, making them similar in this regard for those considering online brokers based on crypto trading availability.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | XTB | Halifax | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | XTB | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | XTB | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £83.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £150 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £378 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £1,176 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £64.50 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | 0 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | 0 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | 0 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | 0 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £9.5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Halifax | |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | XTB | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | XTB | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | XTB | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | No | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | XTB | Halifax | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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