Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Hargreaves Lansdown vs Vanguard UK Investor, 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 Vanguard UK Investor 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 Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
12 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
36 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
120 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
3 fund trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost £500 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.
When comparing investment options between Hargreaves Lansdown and Vanguard UK Investor, UK investors may find notable differences in the range of services offered. Hargreaves Lansdown offers a comprehensive suite of trading opportunities, including share trading, trading of ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Additionally, Hargreaves Lansdown provides advisor services to clients. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor extends its investment choices to trading ETFs and funds, earning a rating of 3.5 stars for investment choices compared to Hargreaves Lansdown's 5 stars, as reported by UK.StockBrokers.com.
In terms of rankings among 21 brokers, UK.StockBrokers.com places Hargreaves Lansdown at an impressive 4th position for investment choices, while Vanguard UK Investor is positioned at 18th. Although both platforms cater to ETF and funds trading, those seeking a wider array of investment options might favour Hargreaves Lansdown due to its diversified offerings. However, if a simpler approach with fewer choices is preferred, Vanguard UK Investor could be a suitable alternative.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | 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 it comes to trading tools, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out with a more comprehensive offering compared to Vanguard UK Investor. Hargreaves Lansdown provides the ability to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, offering a deeper insight into investment patterns. Vanguard UK Investor, however, lacks this feature. Furthermore, Hargreaves Lansdown users benefit from 11 drawing tools and 15 technical indicators for chart analysis, while Vanguard UK Investor does not offer any drawing tools or technical indicators.
Hargreaves Lansdown also allows investors to overlay both indices and stocks on charts, enhancing the analytical experience. In comparison, Vanguard UK Investor does not provide these options. Both platforms offer browser-based trading, but Hargreaves Lansdown takes it a step further with features like creating alerts for stock price updates and real-time market data access, which are not available with Vanguard UK Investor. This extensive suite of tools positions Hargreaves Lansdown as a more feature-rich online broker for UK investors looking to deepen their market analysis.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
When comparing Hargreaves Lansdown and Vanguard UK Investor, both brokers offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), catering to those interested in saving for retirement. Hargreaves Lansdown provides a wide array of options, making it ideal for investors seeking flexibility and a range of fund choices. Meanwhile, Vanguard UK Investor is known for its low-cost approach, offering a simplified selection of funds, which can be attractive for cost-conscious savers. Both platforms are reputable choices in the UK for managing retirement savings, each with unique features to suit different investment styles and financial goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
In the UK, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Vanguard UK Investor offer apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices, ensuring easy access for users across platforms. When it comes to app quality, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out with a commendable 4.5-star rating by UK.StockBrokers.com, positioning it at the 10th spot out of 21 brokers for mobile app performance. On the other hand, Vanguard UK Investor’s app earns a 3.5-star rating, ranking it 19th. These differences in ratings can guide potential users in choosing their preferred mobile investment experience, depending on the importance they place on app performance and user satisfaction.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK, choosing between Hargreaves Lansdown and Vanguard UK Investor depends on your educational needs. Hargreaves Lansdown provides live educational webinars and has a comprehensive range of topics including share trading, funds, and retirement planning. However, it does not offer on-demand access to these webinars. Vanguard UK Investor excels with accessible on-demand webinars but offers fewer educational topics, focusing only on funds and retirement. Rated 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out for its educational offerings and is ranked 4th among 21 brokers in this category, while Vanguard, rated 3.5 stars, earns a 17th place ranking.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | 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 Hargreaves Lansdown and Vanguard UK Investor, both platforms provide valuable research reports for funds and allow investors to view portfolio allocation by asset class. Hargreaves Lansdown sets itself apart by offering a wider array of research options, including shares, ETFs, and bonds, whereas Vanguard UK Investor matches these features with funds and ETFs research only. However, neither platform offers research on CFDs. These distinctions make Hargreaves Lansdown a more comprehensive choice for investors seeking in-depth market insights across a broader range of investment types.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Hargreaves Lansdown or Vanguard UK Investor? 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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Vanguard UK Investor
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|---|---|---|
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When comparing the online broker services of Hargreaves Lansdown to Vanguard UK Investor, potential investors should note that neither platform currently offers cryptocurrency trading options, making both more suitable for traditional investment portfolios.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Hargreaves Lansdown | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Hargreaves Lansdown | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | ||
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | ||
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Hargreaves Lansdown | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £500 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £11.95 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £8.95 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £5.95 | N/A | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. | N/A | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. | N/A | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. | N/A | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. | N/A | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £135 | £108 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | Up to £1,125 | Under £32,000: £48 / Over £32,000: 0.15% | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | Up to £625 | £375 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | Up to £1,250 | £375 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | Up to £1,000 | £375 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £20 - £50 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £20 - £50 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | 0.02% to 0.14% | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £20 - £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Hargreaves Lansdown | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Hargreaves Lansdown | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | |||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
| Research | Hargreaves Lansdown | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | ||
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Hargreaves Lansdown | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | ||
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Hargreaves Lansdown | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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