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.
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.
For UK investors exploring online trading options, Hargreaves Lansdown and Vanguard UK Investor offer distinct paths based on one's trading preferences. Hargreaves Lansdown stands out with an expansive range of investment choices, including share trading, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Its diverse offerings are complemented by advisory services, appealing to those seeking professional guidance. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor focuses primarily on ETFs and funds, forgoing share trading and bonds, positioning itself as a more straightforward platform for investors prioritizing these options.
When evaluated by UK.StockBrokers.com, Hargreaves Lansdown earned an impressive five-star rating for its investment choices, securing a notable 4th place out of 18 brokers. Meanwhile, Vanguard UK Investor received a more moderate 3.5-star rating, finding itself at 18th in the ranking. This highlights Hargreaves Lansdown's breadth of investment avenues and flexibility compared to Vanguard's more focused selection, allowing UK investors to tailor their broker choice to their specific trading goals and preferences.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing the trading tools of Hargreaves Lansdown to those of Vanguard UK Investor, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out for its advanced features. Hargreaves Lansdown offers the ability to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, a feature missing from Vanguard UK Investor. Additionally, it provides 11 drawing tools and 15 technical indicators for charting, whereas Vanguard UK Investor offers none. Both platforms allow users to run their trading through a browser-based interface, but Hargreaves Lansdown adds the flexibility of index and stock overlays, as well as real-time market data, which Vanguard UK Investor lacks.
Furthermore, Hargreaves Lansdown enables the creation of price alerts, keeping investors updated on stock price changes, a functionality not available with Vanguard UK Investor. While neither platform allows users to add notes to charts, Hargreaves Lansdown's layered charting capabilities and real-time data considerably enhance the trading experience compared to what is available with Vanguard UK Investor. This makes Hargreaves Lansdown a more equipped choice for those interested in detailed chart analysis and timely market insights.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
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.
For UK investors seeking seamless mobile trading, both Hargreaves Lansdown and Vanguard UK Investor offer apps available on iPhone and Android devices. However, Hargreaves Lansdown stands out with a higher mobile app rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, compared to Vanguard's 3.5 stars. Additionally, Hargreaves Lansdown ranks 10th out of 18 brokers for mobile app performance, while Vanguard UK Investor lags behind at 19th place. These insights provide a clear edge for those who prioritize user-friendly mobile investing experiences.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to beginner investor education, Hargreaves Lansdown and Vanguard UK Investor offer different experiences for UK clients. Hargreaves Lansdown excels with live educational webinars, but lacks archived sessions, whereas Vanguard UK doesn't host live webinars but does provide on-demand viewing. Both brokers offer educational resources on funds and retirement, but Hargreaves Lansdown also covers share trading—a topic Vanguard UK Investor does not. Rated 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com for beginner education, Hargreaves Lansdown ranks 4th among 18 brokers, highlighting its robust educational offerings. Vanguard UK Investor, receiving 3.5 stars and ranking 17th, offers useful resources but with less variety compared to Hargreaves Lansdown.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing market research features between Hargreaves Lansdown and Vanguard UK Investor, both platforms offer research reports for funds and the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class. However, Hargreaves Lansdown provides an edge with research offerings for shares, ETFs, and bonds, while Vanguard UK Investor falls short in shares and bonds research, but maintains parity with ETFs and funds research. Neither platform offers research for CFDs, making them equal in that respect.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| 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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Neither Hargreaves Lansdown nor Vanguard UK Investor offers crypto trading, making them comparable choices for investors seeking traditional investment options without the inclusion of cryptocurrency trading.
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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 | No | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| 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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| Platforms & Tools | Hargreaves Lansdown | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Hargreaves Lansdown | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Hargreaves Lansdown | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | 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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