Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Hargreaves Lansdown, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Your capital is at risk.
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, IG offers better pricing than Hargreaves Lansdown for share dealing.
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.
IG and Hargreaves Lansdown both let UK investors buy shares, ETFs and investment trusts, and both are rated 5 out of 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com for investment choices. In the wider ranking of 21 brokers, IG sits at #6 and Hargreaves Lansdown is slightly ahead at #5, making both strong options for people who want a good range of mainstream investments in a UK account.
The main difference is that Hargreaves Lansdown offers a broader selection overall. It supports funds, corporate bonds, gilts and advice services, while IG does not offer these and instead focuses more on trading-style products such as CFDs. Neither broker offers crypto trading or spread betting here, so for long-term investing Hargreaves Lansdown has the wider choice, while IG may suit investors looking more at share and ETF trading.
| Feature |
IG
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Comparing IG and Hargreaves Lansdown for trading tools and charting? IG lets you display corporate events like earnings, splits and dividends directly on charts; Hargreaves Lansdown does not. IG also provides 19 drawing tools (vs 11 on Hargreaves Lansdown), while Hargreaves Lansdown offers a larger set of technical indicators (109 vs 33 on IG).
For everyday platform features, both brokers offer a browser-based platform, real-time market data and price alerts. IG lets you add notes to charts and apply index overlays, as well as stock overlays; Hargreaves Lansdown supports stock overlays but not chart notes or index overlays.
| Feature |
IG
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 109 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 11 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When considering online brokers in the UK for retirement accounts, both IG and Hargreaves Lansdown offer appealing options. Each provides Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making it easy for investors to plan their financial futures. IG's platform offers a streamlined approach that caters to those seeking simplicity in managing their investments. Meanwhile, Hargreaves Lansdown is renowned for its extensive research resources and customer service, particularly beneficial for those who prefer comprehensive support alongside their investment tools. Both brokers cater to a range of investment needs, but the choice between them may hinge on the user’s preference for either IG’s straightforward platform or Hargreaves Lansdown’s in-depth resources.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing online brokers, IG and Hargreaves Lansdown both offer iPhone and Android mobile apps. UK.StockBrokers.com rates IG’s mobile app 5 stars and ranks it #2 out of 21 brokers, while Hargreaves Lansdown’s app receives 4 stars and ranks #11, suggesting IG is the stronger choice if you prioritise app quality and rankings.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing IG and Hargreaves Lansdown, both online brokers run educational webinars and keep them available on demand, and both cover funds and retirement. Hargreaves Lansdown also teaches share trading, while IG does not. Even so, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both 5/5 for beginner education; IG ranks #1 of 21 brokers and Hargreaves Lansdown ranks #5. If you want on-demand webinars plus fund and retirement learning, either fits, but for share trading lessons choose Hargreaves Lansdown, while IG leads overall in the rankings.
| Feature |
IG
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
Comparing IG and Hargreaves Lansdown for market research, both let you view portfolio allocation by asset class and offer research on shares and ETFs, plus each provides research reports for funds. However, Hargreaves Lansdown goes further with dedicated research on funds and bonds, while IG does not offer bond research and lacks a fuller funds research section beyond its fund reports. For UK investors seeking broader coverage across asset types, Hargreaves Lansdown has the edge; if you mainly need shares and ETF insights with basic fund reports and allocation tools, IG covers the essentials.
| Feature |
IG
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, IG or Hargreaves Lansdown? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found IG to be a better trading platform overall.
IG is an investment platform aimed at experienced investors looking to make frequent trades on the stock market, with thousands of shares, trusts and ETFs to trade. It offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use trading platform that is used by both private and professional investors.
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In comparing online brokers, IG offers cryptocurrency trading, providing investors with more diverse digital asset options, whereas Hargreaves Lansdown does not currently support crypto trading, focusing instead on a wide range of traditional investment products.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Review | IG Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | IG | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £100 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £11.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £8.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £5.95 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | N/A | Up to £1,125 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £1125 - £1750 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £1750 - £3000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £3,000 - £4,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £20 - £50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £20 - £50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £11.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £11.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £20 - £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Platforms & Tools | IG | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 109 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 11 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | IG | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | IG | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Review | IG Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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