Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor vs Hargreaves Lansdown, 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, Interactive Investor 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 Investor would cost £79.83 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £107.76 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £203.52 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £538.68 per year, while Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Investor 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 seeking diverse investment options, both Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown shine with excellent ratings. Offering an extensive range of choices, both online brokers provide share trading, ETF trading, funds trading, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. However, neither offers crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading. While Hargreaves Lansdown distinguishes itself with advisor services, this is an area where Interactive Investor remains silent.
In recognition of their comprehensive investment offerings, both Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown have been awarded 5-star ratings by UK.StockBrokers.com. Despite the shared accolade, Interactive Investor holds a slight edge, securing the third spot among 21 brokers for investment choices, compared to Hargreaves Lansdown’s fourth position. For UK investors prioritizing a wide array of investment options, either platform promises to be a solid choice.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown both offer online trading platforms suitable for UK investors, but they differ notably in their charting tools. Interactive Investor provides a comprehensive set of 18 drawing tools, significantly more than the 11 available with Hargreaves Lansdown. Additionally, Interactive Investor offers 104 technical indicators compared to just 15 from Hargreaves Lansdown, potentially making it a better fit for traders who prefer in-depth technical analysis. Both platforms allow users to display corporate events such as earnings and dividends on charts, add index and stock overlays, and feature browser-based trading capabilities.
Both Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown support real-time market data and allow for the creation of stock price alerts, delivering on timely information access. However, an advantage of Interactive Investor is the ability to add notes directly to charts, a feature not provided by Hargreaves Lansdown. When choosing between the two, traders should consider these differences, especially if having a wide array of charting tools and customization options is crucial for their investment strategies.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 11 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
When comparing Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown for retirement account options in the UK, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making them viable choices for investors seeking flexibility and potential tax benefits. Interactive Investor provides a selection of investment options with competitive pricing and a straightforward platform. In contrast, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out for its extensive research resources and customer support, which might appeal to those who value guidance and information. Ultimately, the choice between these two online brokers depends on personal investment goals and the level of service desired.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown, both brokers provide convenient options for users on iPhone and Android devices. Interactive Investor's app, rated 4.5 out of 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, ranks 7th among 21 brokers for mobile app performance. Similarly, Hargreaves Lansdown’s app also boasts a 4.5-star rating, though it is ranked 10th in the same category. This comparison highlights how both brokers offer highly-rated apps, though Interactive Investor edges slightly ahead in overall ranking, making it a strong contender in the mobile trading space within the UK.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown for beginner investor educational resources, both online brokers excel in providing comprehensive support. Each offers educational webinars and covers essential topics like share trading, funds, and retirement, ensuring that newcomers are well-equipped to start their investing journey. However, Interactive Investor stands out by offering archived webinars for on-demand learning, a feature not mentioned for Hargreaves Lansdown. Rated equally at 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor holds a slight edge in the rankings, coming in at #2 compared to Hargreaves Lansdown's #4 among 21 brokers. This distinction may make Interactive Investor a more appealing option for those seeking readily accessible educational materials.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
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.
For UK investors seeking comprehensive market research features, both Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown offer robust options. Each platform provides research reports for funds and allows users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, ensuring informed decisions about asset distribution. In terms of covering different types of investments, both brokers excel, offering research on shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds. However, neither platform provides specific insights into CFDs. This similarity in research offerings makes both Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown strong contenders for those prioritizing thorough market insights.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| 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 Investor or Hargreaves Lansdown? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Investor to be a better trading platform overall.
The standout feature at Interactive Investor (ii) is its low flat-rate fees. Other investment platforms typically favour percentage fees for fund investing, although more brokers are now opting for flat fees. Our view is that Interactive Investor is a great platform for any investor, offering a wide range of investments for cheap prices on the whole.
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Interactive Investor
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Hargreaves Lansdown
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Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown are distinguished online brokers, yet neither provides direct cryptocurrency trading options, inviting investors to explore traditional investment avenues.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £11.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £8.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £5.95 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.83 | £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £107.76 | £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £203.52 | £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £538.68 | £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £71.85 | £135 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £59.88 - £143.88 | Up to £1,125 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £143.88 | Up to £625 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | Up to £1,250 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £143.88 | Up to £1,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £3.99 | £20 - £50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | £20 - £50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | £5.95 - £11.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | £5.95 - £11.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | £20 - £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 11 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Investor | 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 Investor | 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 Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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