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, Interactive Brokers offers better pricing than Hargreaves Lansdown 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 - Interactive Brokers would cost £15 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £36 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £108 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £360 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Brokers would cost £0 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1 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.
For UK investors looking to explore their options with online brokers, both Interactive Brokers and Hargreaves Lansdown stand as strong contenders with their diverse investment offerings. Interactive Brokers supports an impressive variety, including share trading, crypto trading, ETFs, CFDs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. In comparison, Hargreaves Lansdown also offers share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. However, it doesn't provide options for crypto trading or CFDs, focusing instead on offering advisor services, which Interactive Brokers does not.
When it comes to investment choices, both brokers boast a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, reflecting their well-rounded platform capabilities. Nonetheless, Interactive Brokers edges ahead with a #2 ranking out of 21 brokers for investment choices, while Hargreaves Lansdown follows closely at #4. This ranking highlights Interactive Brokers' slightly broader range of services, which may better suit investors keen on diversifying into areas like crypto and CFDs. Meanwhile, Hargreaves Lansdown can be a preferred choice for those seeking the added benefit of advisory services.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the trading tools of Interactive Brokers and Hargreaves Lansdown, both platforms allow users to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends on their charts. Interactive Brokers stands out with a vast array of 80 drawing tools and 96 technical indicators, surpassing Hargreaves Lansdown's offerings of 11 drawing tools and 15 technical indicators. Interactive Brokers also provides the added functionality of writing notes directly on charts, a feature not available with Hargreaves Lansdown, enhancing the analytical capabilities for traders who rely heavily on charting.
Both brokers allow for the addition of index and stock overlays on charts, supporting comprehensive analysis. They each offer browser-based trading platforms, catering to different user preferences. While both platforms support the creation of alerts for stock price updates, only Hargreaves Lansdown provides real-time market data, which may be crucial for traders who require the latest market information. Overall, Interactive Brokers offers more advanced analytical features, but Hargreaves Lansdown delivers real-time market data, appealing to those who prioritize immediate market access.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 96 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 80 | 11 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
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.
Interactive Brokers and Hargreaves Lansdown both offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android devices, meeting the needs of their tech-savvy users. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers leads with a top-tier mobile app rating of 5 stars, ranking 4th out of 21 brokers for mobile apps. By comparison, Hargreaves Lansdown enjoys a respectable 4.5-star rating and places 10th in the same ranking, providing a commendable yet slightly less celebrated mobile trading experience for its users.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Interactive Brokers and Hargreaves Lansdown both provide beginner investors with valuable educational resources, including webinars, which are essential tools for new investors in the UK. Both platforms offer insights into share trading, funds, and retirement education. Interactive Brokers takes things further by archiving these webinars for on-demand viewing, allowing flexibility for learners. Despite these offerings, Hargreaves Lansdown is rated slightly higher for beginner education, scoring 5 stars compared to Interactive Brokers’ 4.5 stars, according to UK.StockBrokers.com. In terms of ranking within a pool of 21 brokers, Hargreaves Lansdown holds the 4th position while Interactive Brokers comes in at 8th, indicating a slightly higher standing for beginner education.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | 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.
Both Interactive Brokers and Hargreaves Lansdown offer a comprehensive range of market research features to UK investors. They each provide research reports for funds and allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class. Investors can access shares, ETFs, and funds research with both brokers, ensuring a thorough analysis before making investment decisions. While Interactive Brokers extends its research offerings to include CFDs, Hargreaves Lansdown does not provide this feature. However, both platforms offer resources for bonds research, making them versatile options for those wanting detailed insights across various investment types.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | 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.
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Interactive Brokers
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Hargreaves Lansdown
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Interactive Brokers offers crypto trading, while Hargreaves Lansdown does not currently provide cryptocurrency trading options.
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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 | ||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| 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) | £15 | £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £36 | £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £108 | £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £360 | £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 / £14.85 | £135 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | Up to £1,125 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | Up to £625 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | Up to £1,250 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 | Up to £1,000 | |
| 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 | £5.95 - £11.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £5.95 - £11.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £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 | 96 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 80 | 11 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| 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 |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Brokers | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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