Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers 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, Hargreaves Lansdown offers better pricing than Interactive Brokers 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.
Interactive Brokers vs Hargreaves Lansdown: both let UK investors trade shares, ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Interactive Brokers also offers crypto and CFD trading, which Hargreaves Lansdown does not. Hargreaves Lansdown provides adviser services, while Interactive Brokers does not. Spread betting details are not listed for either provider.
Both earn 5 stars for investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com, yet Interactive Brokers ranks #1 of 21 and Hargreaves Lansdown ranks #5. If you want the widest market access, including crypto and CFDs, Interactive Brokers has the edge; if you prefer advice alongside share dealing and funds, Hargreaves Lansdown may suit you.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For charting tools, Interactive Brokers stands out in an Interactive Brokers vs Hargreaves Lansdown comparison. Interactive Brokers offers 85 drawing tools (vs 11 on Hargreaves Lansdown) and 155 technical indicators (vs 109). It can display corporate events—earnings, splits and dividends—directly on charts, add notes, and apply index overlays; Hargreaves Lansdown lacks those three features. Both let you add stock overlays.
Both brokers provide a browser-based trading platform and price alerts. If live pricing is a priority, Hargreaves Lansdown offers real-time market data, while Interactive Brokers does not; if you want more chart customisation and analysis, Interactive Brokers has the broader toolset.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 109 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 11 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing Interactive Brokers to Hargreaves Lansdown for retirement accounts in the UK, both online brokers provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISA) and Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) accounts to help you reach your financial goals. This makes each a versatile option for those looking to manage their investments while planning for retirement. Interactive Brokers and Hargreaves Lansdown allow investors to take advantages of tax-efficient savings plans, adding flexibility and control over your retirement planning strategy.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
UK investors comparing mobile trading will find both Interactive Brokers and Hargreaves Lansdown offer iPhone and Android apps, but ratings differ: UK.StockBrokers.com gives Interactive Brokers 5 stars and a mobile ranking of 5th out of 21 brokers, while Hargreaves Lansdown earns 4 stars and ranks 11th. If app quality is a key factor, Interactive Brokers edges ahead, whereas Hargreaves Lansdown remains a dependable option for everyday investing on mobile.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Interactive Brokers vs Hargreaves Lansdown for UK beginner investors: both provide client webinars with on‑demand replays and cover essential topics including share trading, funds and retirement. Each earns 5 out of 5 stars for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com, with Interactive Brokers ranked slightly higher overall (#4 of 21) than Hargreaves Lansdown (#5 of 21). If you value live and catch‑up learning across core investing themes, either platform is a solid choice, with Interactive Brokers edging it on ranking.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
For UK investors seeking extensive market research features, both Interactive Brokers and Hargreaves Lansdown provide a comprehensive suite of options. Each platform offers research reports for funds, ensuring investors have access to detailed insights. They also both allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, aiding users in maintaining a balanced investment portfolio. Additionally, research capabilities for shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds are available on both platforms, ensuring that investors have ample resources to make informed decisions across different investment types.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Brokers or Hargreaves Lansdown? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Brokers to be a better trading platform overall.
Interactive Brokers is a sophisticated trading platform aimed at confident and institutional-grade investors. For newer investors, Interactive Brokers is more intimidating, though it's worth exploring the platform to see if you could save money or access more investments compared to other brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
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Interactive Brokers provides investors the option to trade cryptocurrencies, a feature not available with Hargreaves Lansdown, appealing to traders seeking exposure to digital assets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £100 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3 | £11.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3 | £8.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3 | £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 | £0 | Up to £1,125 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £1125 - £1750 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £1750 - £3000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £3,000 - £4,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £20 - £50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £20 - £50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3 | £11.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3 | £11.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | $30 | £20 - £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Brokers | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 109 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 11 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Brokers | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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