Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Hargreaves Lansdown vs Saxo, 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, Hargreaves Lansdown offers better pricing than Saxo 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 - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 per year.
12 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 per year.
36 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 per year.
120 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £396 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1 per year, while Saxo would cost £0 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 a wide range of investment options, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Saxo offer highly rated choices. Hargreaves Lansdown allows its users to engage in share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts, while also providing advisor services. On the other hand, Saxo matches Hargreaves Lansdown's offerings in share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts, but it stands out by also offering CFD trading.
Both platforms have received impressive ratings from UK.StockBrokers.com for their investment choices, with both earning a five-star rating. However, Saxo has a slight edge in the rankings, placing first among 21 brokers, whereas Hargreaves Lansdown comes in at fourth. This makes Saxo particularly appealing to investors seeking the most highly regarded platform for a diverse range of investment opportunities.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| 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 Hargreaves Lansdown and Saxo, both platforms offer some solid features that cater to different trading needs. Hargreaves Lansdown allows users to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts. It also provides charting with 11 drawing tools and 15 technical indicators. Meanwhile, Saxo goes further with the ability to display corporate events on charts and offers a more extensive range of 20 drawing tools alongside 64 technical indicators.
Saxo stands out by allowing users to add notes to charts, a feature not provided by Hargreaves Lansdown. Both platforms support adding index and stock overlays, offer browser-based trading platforms, and provide real-time market data. Furthermore, they both allow traders to set up alerts for stock price updates, ensuring that investors stay informed. Ultimately, Saxo offers more comprehensive charting features, while Hargreaves Lansdown provides straightforward tools suitable for those who prefer a simpler setup.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 64 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 20 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
When comparing online brokers Hargreaves Lansdown and Saxo for UK investors seeking retirement account options, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). This means you can choose either broker if you want to invest tax-efficiently through an ISA or take control of your retirement savings with a SIPP. While both options provide similar account types, it's crucial to weigh aspects such as fees, customer support, and platform usability to determine which broker aligns best with your investment goals and preferences.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of online brokers Hargreaves Lansdown and Saxo, both provide apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring accessibility across major devices. However, Saxo takes the lead with a perfect 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, clinching the top spot among 21 brokers for its mobile app. In contrast, Hargreaves Lansdown holds a respectable 4.5-star rating and ranks 10th. UK investors seeking the best mobile trading experience may be inclined towards Saxo due to its superior app ranking and rating.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources for beginner investors, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Saxo offer valuable options, yet they differ in some aspects. Hargreaves Lansdown provides live educational webinars and covers a wide range of topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement. Saxo also offers educational webinars, which are additionally available on demand for later viewing. However, Saxo has more limited topic coverage and does not specifically offer education on share trading, funds, or retirement. Despite these differences, both platforms are highly rated by UK.StockBrokers.com with 5 stars for beginner education. In terms of rankings among 21 brokers, Saxo slightly edges out Hargreaves Lansdown, securing the 3rd spot compared to Hargreaves Lansdown’s 4th position.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of Hargreaves Lansdown and Saxo, both online brokers provide comprehensive research reports for funds, shares, ETFs, and bonds, ensuring investors have access to detailed information across these asset types. They also both enable users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, giving a clear picture of their investments. However, one notable difference is that Saxo offers research for CFDs, whereas Hargreaves Lansdown does not provide this feature. This distinction may be crucial for investors interested in trading CFDs. Overall, both platforms deliver a wide array of research tools, but Saxo stands out for those specifically needing insight into CFDs.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| 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, Hargreaves Lansdown or Saxo? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Hargreaves Lansdown to be a better trading platform overall.
As the U.K.’s biggest investment platform for individual investors, Hargreaves Lansdown offers a wide range of investment choices for either beginners or seasoned investors. However, its fees are generally more expensive than rival brokers, which can become an issue for large investment pots.
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Hargreaves Lansdown
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Saxo
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Hargreaves Lansdown does not offer crypto trading, whereas Saxo provides access to cryptocurrency trading, making Saxo the preferable choice for investors interested in crypto markets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Hargreaves Lansdown | Saxo | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Saxo Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Hargreaves Lansdown | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Hargreaves Lansdown | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £11.95 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £8.95 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £5.95 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £396 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £135 | 0.4% + 0% commission: £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | Up to £1,125 | Up to £800 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | Up to £625 | £500 to £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | Up to £1,250 | Up to £1,998 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | Up to £1,000 | £1,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £20 - £50 | €20 minimum | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £20 - £50 | €20 minimum | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | From $1 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | From $1 / £3 / €10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £20 - £50 | £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | Hargreaves Lansdown | Saxo | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Hargreaves Lansdown | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 64 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 20 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Hargreaves Lansdown | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Hargreaves Lansdown | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | ||
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Hargreaves Lansdown | Saxo | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Saxo Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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