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.
Both Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown offer a variety of investment choices that cater to UK investors looking to trade shares, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Neither platform provides options for crypto trading or CFD trading, and they also do not offer spread betting services. However, Hargreaves Lansdown does stand apart with its advisor services, a feature not provided by Interactive Investor.
When evaluated for investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both brokers highly with a solid 5-star score. Despite this, Interactive Investor holds a slightly higher position, ranking 3rd out of 21 brokers, compared to Hargreaves Lansdown's 4th place. For those deciding between the two, the rankings and specific offerings, such as advisor services, may inform their choice depending on their individual needs and preferences.
| 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 | 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.
For charting, Interactive Investor lets you plot corporate events like earnings, splits and dividends directly on charts, and you can add your own notes—two handy touches Hargreaves Lansdown lacks. Both brokers support stock overlays but not index overlays. When it comes to indicators, Interactive Investor offers 104 while Hargreaves Lansdown has 109. Hargreaves Lansdown lists 11 drawing tools; Interactive Investor doesn’t state a number.
Both Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown provide browser-based trading platforms and price alerts. If you need real-time market data, Hargreaves Lansdown offers it, whereas Interactive Investor does not. For UK investors, that means HL edges it for live pricing, while Interactive Investor stands out if you want events on charts and the ability to annotate them.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 109 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | 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.
UK investors comparing mobile apps from Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown will find both offer iPhone and Android options, but UK.StockBrokers.com scores Interactive Investor higher at 4.5/5 stars with a 7th-place ranking out of 21 for Mobile Apps, while Hargreaves Lansdown has 4/5 stars and ranks 10th—making Interactive Investor the stronger choice for app quality.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing educational resources, Interactive Investor and Hargreaves Lansdown both cover share trading, funds and retirement and each earns 5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com; the key difference is webinars—Hargreaves Lansdown runs educational webinars and offers on-demand replays, while Interactive Investor does not. Among 21 brokers, Interactive Investor ranks #2 for beginner education and Hargreaves Lansdown ranks #4, so choose HL if you value live and catch-up sessions, or opt for Interactive Investor if you prefer highly rated self-paced learning.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | 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.
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.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
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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 | |
| 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 | No | 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 | £59.88 / £143.88 | Up to £1,125 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £1125 - £1750 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | £1750 - £3000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £143.88 | £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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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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 | 11 | ||
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | 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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