Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 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, Trading 212 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.
For UK investors exploring online brokers, Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown both offer a range of investment opportunities. With Trading 212, you can engage in share trading, ETF trading, CFD trading, and investment trusts. However, it doesn't support crypto trading, funds trading, bonds, or advisory services. Conversely, Hargreaves Lansdown provides a broader spectrum with share trading, ETF trading, funds, corporate and government bonds, investment trusts, and professional advisory services, though it lacks CFD and crypto trading options.
When it comes to choosing an online broker, Hargreaves Lansdown shines with a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for investment choices, ranking as the 4th best out of 21 brokers. Trading 212, while highly rated at 4.5 stars, comes in at the 16th position. Whether you prioritize a broader variety of investment options or specific trading features, both brokers bring distinct strengths to the table for UK investors.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
|
|
Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Trading 212 vs Hargreaves Lansdown: when it comes to charting tools, Hargreaves Lansdown lets you display corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) and add both index and stock overlays to charts, plus it lists 11 drawing tools and 15 technical indicators. Trading 212 supports adding notes to charts but doesn’t show corporate events or allow index/stock overlays, and it doesn’t publish a set number of drawing tools or indicators. Both offer a browser-based trading platform.
For live monitoring, both brokers provide real-time market data and price alerts. If you want event markers and defined overlays with a clear toolkit, Hargreaves Lansdown fits well; if adding notes on charts matters most and you prefer a simple web platform with alerts and live pricing, Trading 212 is a solid pick for UK investors.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
For UK investors seeking online brokerage services, Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown each offer distinct retirement account options. Both platforms provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing users to invest tax-efficiently. However, those looking to invest in a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) will only find this option available with Hargreaves Lansdown, as Trading 212 does not offer SIPP accounts. This key difference may sway investors depending on their retirement planning needs. Choosing between the two depends on whether you prioritize access to a SIPP or are satisfied with an ISA for your savings strategy.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
In the UK, both Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown provide mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, making them conveniently accessible for investors on the go. Trading 212 shines brightly with a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, securing the third spot out of 21 brokers for its mobile app, reflecting its high user satisfaction and functionality. Meanwhile, Hargreaves Lansdown offers a competitive experience with a respectable 4.5-star rating, ranking tenth among its peers. Both options are solid choices for mobile investing, with Trading 212 slightly edging out in terms of user acclaim and rank.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing educational resources, Trading 212 offers helpful guides on share trading but does not provide client webinars, on‑demand webinar archives, or education on funds and retirement. Hargreaves Lansdown runs live educational webinars (not archived) and covers share trading, funds, and retirement, giving wider learning options. Reflecting this, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Trading 212 at 4.5/5 (13th of 21 brokers) and Hargreaves Lansdown at 5/5 (4th of 21). If you want broader coverage and live sessions, Hargreaves Lansdown is the stronger pick; for straightforward share trading basics, Trading 212 is a solid choice.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
In comparing the market research features of Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown, UK investors can find notable differences. Trading 212 lacks research reports for funds and bonds, which Hargreaves Lansdown provides comprehensively. Both platforms enable users to review portfolio allocation by asset class and offer research tools for shares and ETFs, catering to those interested in these investment types. Yet, for those seeking deeper insights into funds and bonds, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out as the more resource-rich platform, offering extensive research options that Trading 212 does not.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Trading 212 or Hargreaves Lansdown? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Trading 212 to be a better trading platform overall.
Trading 212 offers commission-free share dealing and is a great option for those looking to simply execute share or ETF trades. Novice investors or those looking for more diversification through mutual funds may find better options elsewhere.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Charges & Fees |
|
|
| Investment Choices |
|
|
| Mobile App |
|
|
| Website |
|
|
| Ease of Use |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown are online brokers that currently do not offer cryptocurrency trading, catering instead to traditional investment options.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Trading 212 | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Review | Trading 212 Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Trading 212 | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Trading 212 | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £11.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £8.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £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 | £0 | Up to £1,125 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | Up to £625 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | Up to £1,250 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | Up to £1,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £20 - £50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £20 - £50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £5.95 - £11.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £5.95 - £11.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £20 - £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Platforms & Tools | Trading 212 | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | ||
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | ||
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | Trading 212 | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Trading 212 | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Review | Trading 212 Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
Trading 212 Review
Interactive Brokers Review
Hargreaves Lansdown Review
XTB Review
IG Group Review
eToro Review
Saxo Review
CMC Invest Review
Freetrade Review
Halifax Review
Vanguard Review