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.
Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown both let UK investors buy and sell shares, ETFs and investment trusts, so each platform covers the basics for building a portfolio. Trading 212 also offers CFD trading, while Hargreaves Lansdown does not. On the other hand, Hargreaves Lansdown gives access to funds, corporate bonds, gilts and adviser services, which Trading 212 does not currently provide.
For investment choice, Hargreaves Lansdown has the wider range and is rated 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking #5 out of 21 brokers. Trading 212 is still a strong option for simpler investing and is rated 4.5 stars, ranking #10 out of 21 for investment choices.
| 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 | ||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown for trading tools, both platforms give UK investors a browser-based trading platform, real-time market data and price alerts. Neither lets you show corporate events such as earnings, share splits or dividends directly on charts, and neither offers index overlays.
Trading 212 edges ahead for chart use in some areas, with 15 drawing tools and the option to add notes to charts, while Hargreaves Lansdown has 11 drawing tools but a slightly larger choice of technical indicators at 109, compared with 104 on Trading 212. Hargreaves Lansdown also offers stock overlays, which Trading 212 does not, so the better pick depends on whether you want more chart annotations or a few extra indicators and overlays.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 109 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 15 | 11 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown both offer ISA and SIPP accounts, so UK investors can use either provider for tax-efficient saving and retirement planning. Trading 212 may appeal to those looking for a simple, low-cost online broker, while Hargreaves Lansdown is often chosen by people who want a more established investment platform with a wider range of support and services. If you are comparing retirement accounts, both providers cover the main options, so the best choice depends on your fees, features and how much help you want with managing your investments.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing online brokers, both Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown offer iPhone and Android mobile apps; however, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Trading 212’s app 5 out of 5 stars and ranks it 3rd out of 21 brokers, while Hargreaves Lansdown’s app earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 11th, making Trading 212 the higher-rated choice for mobile investing.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investor education, both Trading 212 and Hargreaves Lansdown cover key topics such as share trading, funds and retirement, but Hargreaves Lansdown has the edge thanks to live client webinars that can also be watched on demand, which Trading 212 does not offer. This stronger learning support is reflected in UK.StockBrokers.com’s ratings, where Hargreaves Lansdown scores 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 21 brokers, while Trading 212 scores 4.5 stars and ranks #10.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
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.
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 is a popular investing platform best known for its commission-free trading, easy-to-use mobile app, and support for low-cost investing in stocks and ETFs.
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Hargreaves Lansdown
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While Trading 212 provides users with the option for crypto trading, Hargreaves Lansdown does not offer this service.
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↓×Compare
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 | Yes | 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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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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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 | 104 | 109 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 15 | 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | 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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