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 considering online brokers, both Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown offer a wide array of investment choices, earning a commendable 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com. Among their offerings, both platforms provide share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Neither broker, however, offers crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading. A key distinction is the availability of advisor services, which Hargreaves Lansdown offers, providing additional support for those who value professional guidance.
In the competitive landscape of investment options, Interactive Investor holds the impressive rank of third place out of 18 brokers according to UK.StockBrokers.com, just ahead of Hargreaves Lansdown, which sits at fourth. This makes both brokers attractive choices for investors seeking a comprehensive range of investment opportunities in the UK, depending on their individual needs for advisory services.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | 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.
When comparing the trading tools of Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown, both platforms offer unique features that cater to traders in the UK. Interactive Investor shines with its extensive charting capabilities, providing users with 18 drawing tools and 104 technical indicators, significantly more than Hargreaves Lansdown's 11 drawing tools and 15 indicators. Additionally, Interactive Investor allows users to add notes to charts, a feature not available on Hargreaves Lansdown. Both brokers enable the display of corporate events on charts and offer the option to include index and stock overlays, ensuring traders have access to essential market insights.
For traders who prioritize a browser-based experience, both Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown deliver. They also both offer features like creating alerts for stock price updates and access to real-time market data, facilitating prompt and informed decision-making. While each platform has its advantages, Interactive Investor provides a broader range of chart customization options, making it a compelling choice for those interested in detailed technical analysis and interactive charting tools.
| 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 | No |
| 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.
For UK investors comparing online brokers, both Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown provide mobile apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices. These apps streamline the trading experience, making it easy and convenient for users on the go. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, both brokers achieve an impressive 4.5-star rating for their mobile offerings. However, Interactive Investor stands out slightly higher in the rankings, placing 7th out of 18 brokers, whereas Hargreaves Lansdown is ranked 10th. This suggests a slightly better overall user experience with Interactive Investor’s mobile app according to this specific analysis.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors seeking educational resources, Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown both offer valuable options, with slight differences that might guide your choice. Both platforms host educational webinars covering share trading, funds, and retirement topics. However, Interactive Investor has an edge with on-demand viewing of archived webinars, offering flexibility in learning. Both companies hold a perfect 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for their beginner education, but Interactive Investor is ranked 2nd among 18 brokers, whereas Hargreaves Lansdown is 4th. Depending on your preference for archived content and rankings, these distinctions can influence your decision on which platform to choose for educational support.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| 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.
When comparing the market research features of Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown, both online brokers excel in providing comprehensive resources for investors in the UK. Each platform offers detailed research reports for funds, shares, ETFs, and bonds, making them suitable choices for individuals looking to diversify their investments. Both brokers also enable investors to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, aiding in portfolio management. However, neither Interactive Investor nor Hargreaves Lansdown provide research for CFDs, which may be a consideration for those interested in this type of trading. Overall, both platforms offer a wide range of research tools to support informed investment decisions.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| 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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Hargreaves Lansdown
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Neither Interactive Investor nor Hargreaves Lansdown offer crypto trading services.
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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 | No | No | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | 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 | No | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| 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 | No |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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