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 |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK investors comparing Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown, both offer a browser-based trading platform with real-time market data and price alerts. Neither broker displays corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, and index overlays aren’t available on either service.
In charting tools, Hargreaves Lansdown lists 11 drawing tools and 109 technical indicators, while Trading 212 doesn’t specify totals. Trading 212 does let you add notes to charts, which Hargreaves Lansdown lacks. For overlays, Hargreaves Lansdown supports stock overlays but Trading 212 doesn’t. If you want more built-in indicators and drawing tools, Hargreaves Lansdown may suit you; if adding notes and straightforward web trading are priorities, Trading 212 could fit.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 109 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
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.
UK investors can use both Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown on iPhone and Android, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates Trading 212’s mobile app higher: 5/5 stars and 3rd out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, compared with Hargreaves Lansdown’s 4/5 stars and 10th place. If mobile experience is your priority, Trading 212 edges ahead, while Hargreaves Lansdown still offers full iPhone and Android support.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investor education in the UK, Hargreaves Lansdown offers more breadth than Trading 212: it provides live educational webinars with an on-demand archive and covers share trading, funds and retirement, while Trading 212 focuses on share trading only and does not run webinars or offer on-demand sessions or dedicated education on funds or retirement. Reflecting this, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Hargreaves Lansdown 5/5 for beginner education (ranked 4th of 21 brokers) versus Trading 212’s 4.5/5 (ranked 13th). If you want webinar-led learning and broader topics, Hargreaves Lansdown is stronger; for straightforward share trading basics, Trading 212 suits.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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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
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Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
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Both Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown are online brokers that currently do not offer cryptocurrency trading, catering instead to traditional investment options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Trading 212 | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| 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 | £100 | |
| 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 | £1125 - £1750 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £1750 - £3000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £3,000 - £4,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £20 - £50 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £20 - £50 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £11.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £11.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £20 - £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| 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 | 109 | ||
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | ||
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Trading 212 | Hargreaves Lansdown | |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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