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.
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 Investor 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.
Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown both give UK investors a wide choice of accounts and investments. With either platform, you can buy and sell shares, ETFs, funds, investment trusts, corporate bonds and government bonds (gilts), while neither offers CFD trading, spread betting or crypto trading. Both also provide adviser services, so they suit people who want help as well as those who prefer to manage their own portfolio.
In UK.StockBrokers.com’s investment choices ratings, both brokers score 5 out of 5 stars, showing they are equally strong for account investment options. However, Interactive Investor is ranked #3 out of 21 brokers for investment choices, ahead of Hargreaves Lansdown at #5, which may make Interactive Investor the slightly better pick if you want a broader top-tier selection.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown for trading tools, both platforms give UK investors a browser-based service, price alerts and stock overlays, and neither lets you show company events such as earnings, splits or dividends directly on charts. Interactive Investor offers slightly more drawing tools for charting, with 12 compared with Hargreaves Lansdown’s 11, and it also lets you add notes to charts, which Hargreaves Lansdown does not.
Hargreaves Lansdown has the edge on technical indicators, offering 109 versus Interactive Investor’s 104, and it also provides real-time market data, which Interactive Investor does not. For most everyday investors, the choice comes down to whether you value more chart notes and a few extra drawing tools, or prefer a slightly larger set of indicators and live pricing information.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 109 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 12 | 11 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
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.
Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown both offer iPhone and Android mobile apps for UK investors. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor’s app is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 8th out of 21 brokers, while Hargreaves Lansdown’s app is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 11th. On these scores, Interactive Investor edges ahead for mobile app performance, though both provide app access on iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors, both Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown offer strong educational support, with client webinars that can also be watched later on demand, plus learning content on share trading, funds and retirement. UK.StockBrokers.com gives both brokers 5 stars for beginner education, though Interactive Investor ranks slightly higher at #3 out of 21 brokers compared with Hargreaves Lansdown at #5.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
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.
When comparing the market research features of Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown, both online brokers provide UK investors with comprehensive insights. They offer research reports for funds, allowing you to make informed decisions. Both platforms also allow you to view your portfolio allocation by asset class, helping you understand where your investments stand. For those interested in shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds, each broker offers detailed research across these investment types. Hence, whether you choose Interactive Investor or Hargreaves Lansdown, you can access a wealth of information to guide your investment strategy efficiently.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
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 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.
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 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 | No | 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 | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £100 | |
| 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) | |||
| 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 | £71.88 / £179.88 | Up to £1,125 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £179.88 | £1125 - £1750 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £179.88 | £1750 - £3000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £179.88 | £3,000 - £4,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £3.99 | £20 - £50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | £20 - £50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | £11.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | £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 | 109 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 12 | 11 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| 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 | 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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