Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Hargreaves Lansdown vs XTB, 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, XTB offers better pricing than Hargreaves Lansdown 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 XTB would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. per year, while XTB would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. per year, while XTB would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. per year, while XTB would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Hargreaves Lansdown would cost £1 per year, while XTB would cost £0 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.
Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB both offer share trading and the option to invest in ETFs, yet their available account choices differ significantly. Hargreaves Lansdown excels in providing a wide array of investment options including funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Additionally, the broker offers advisory services, making it a well-rounded choice for investors looking for comprehensive support. In contrast, XTB offers opportunities like CFD trading and also supports share and ETF trading, yet lacks options such as funds and bonds.
Across the board, Hargreaves Lansdown scores higher in terms of investment offerings, earning a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and ranking 4th out of 21 brokers. XTB, while also highly rated at 4.5 stars, ranks 13th. Whether you're searching for a broad range of investments or specific options like CFDs, each platform provides distinct advantages, catering to varied investor needs in the UK.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | |
| 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 comparing the trading tools provided by Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB, both brokers allow users to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts. However, XTB offers a richer selection for technical analysis enthusiasts, providing 20 drawing tools and 39 technical indicators compared to Hargreaves Lansdown’s 11 drawing tools and 15 technical indicators. XTB also stands out by allowing traders to add notes to their charts, enhancing their ability to keep track of trading strategies and important insights.
Both Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB support index overlays, though Hargreaves Lansdown extends this with stock overlays as well. A key similarity is that both brokers provide browser-based trading platforms, making them accessible from any device, and they offer vital features like real-time market data and stock price alerts. These elements ensure up-to-date trading experiences for users on both platforms, delivering the essential tools necessary for informed decision-making.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 39 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 20 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
When comparing the online brokers Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB, UK investors will find both offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), providing a tax-efficient way to save and invest. Hargreaves Lansdown further extends its services by offering Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) accounts, granting users more flexibility for retirement planning. XTB, however, does not offer SIPP accounts, which may influence investors focused on personalized pension plans. With these differences, Hargreaves Lansdown caters more comprehensively to retirement-focused investors looking for diverse account options, whereas XTB provides essential savings opportunities through its ISA offerings.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring convenient access for busy traders on the go. UK.StockBrokers.com rates both apps at an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars, reflecting strong user satisfaction. However, in a comparison of 21 brokers, XTB pulls slightly ahead, securing the #6 spot for mobile app quality, while Hargreaves Lansdown holds the #10 position. This ranking suggests a slight edge for XTB in overall mobile app performance according to the evaluations.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK seeking educational resources from online brokers, Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB both offer notable features. Hargreaves Lansdown excels with educational client webinars and a comprehensive range of resources covering share trading, funds, and retirement planning. Their educational offerings are highly rated, with a perfect 5-star score from UK.StockBrokers.com and a ranking of 4th out of 21 brokers for beginner education. In comparison, XTB, although lacking in some areas like educational client webinars, provides resources on share trading and offers a commendable 4.5-star rating for beginner education, placing them 9th in the same ranking. The combination of diverse educational topics and excellent ratings makes these brokers strong contenders for anyone starting their investment journey.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | ||
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
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|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of online brokers Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB, UK investors will notice some differences in their offerings. Hargreaves Lansdown provides research reports for funds, shares, ETFs, and bonds, making it a comprehensive choice for those who want detailed information across various asset classes. It also allows users to view their portfolio allocation by asset class. On the other hand, XTB offers shares and ETFs research and is strong in CFDs research, providing tools for those interested specifically in contracts for difference. Like Hargreaves Lansdown, XTB also lets users see portfolio allocation by asset class. However, it does not extend its research offerings to funds or bonds. This comparison highlights Hargreaves Lansdown's broader research resource availability, while XTB focuses more on CFDs.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Hargreaves Lansdown or XTB? 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.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
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XTB
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|---|---|---|
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While Hargreaves Lansdown does not offer crypto trading, XTB provides a platform for trading cryptocurrencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | XTB Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | ||
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | ||
| Funds | Yes | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | ||
| Spread Betting | Yes | ||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £11.95 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £8.95 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £5.95 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.75 / £104.75 if in ISA. | £0 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £143.40 / £188.40 if in ISA. | £0 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £430.20 / £475.20 if in ISA. | £0 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £1,074 / £1,119 if in ISA. | £0 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £135 | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | Up to £1,125 | 0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | Up to £625 | 0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | Up to £1,250 | 0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | Up to £1,000 | 0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £20 - £50 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £20 - £50 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £5.95 - £11.95 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £20 - £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 15 | 39 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 20 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
| Research | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) |
| Overall Summary | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | XTB Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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