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.
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 Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB, UK investors will find a range of investment choices tailored to different needs. Hargreaves Lansdown allows share trading and provides access to ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds, and investment trusts. Moreover, investors have access to advisor services, which can be a vital resource for those seeking guidance. Not offering crypto trading, CFD trading, or spread betting, Hargreaves Lansdown focuses on more traditional investment strategies, earning a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and ranking 4th out of 21 brokers for investment choices.
Conversely, XTB caters to traders looking for a more dynamic portfolio, with available share and ETF trading options. Despite the absence of funds, bond, and investment trust trading choices, XTB offers CFD trading, appealing to those interested in leveraging market movements. With no advisor services or options for spread betting or crypto, XTB has a focused range, leading to a 4.5-star rating and a 13th place rank by UK.StockBrokers.com. Both brokers present strengths, depending on whether a UK investor prioritizes traditional investments or seeks trading in CFDs.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
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XTB
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| 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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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Hargreaves Lansdown vs XTB for trading tools: For chart work, Hargreaves Lansdown offers far more built-in studies with 109 technical indicators and 11 drawing tools, and it supports stock overlays. It doesn’t show corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, and you can’t add notes or index overlays. XTB is the opposite: it displays corporate events on charts and lets you add notes and index overlays, plus stock overlays, but has fewer tools overall with 13 indicators and 4 drawing tools.
On platforms and data, both brokers provide a browser-based trading platform and real-time market data. If alerts matter, Hargreaves Lansdown lets you set share price alerts, while XTB does not.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
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XTB
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|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 109 | 13 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 4 |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB are two prominent online brokers offering different retirement account options catered to UK investors. Both provide ISA accounts, allowing individuals to save tax-efficiently. However, when it comes to SIPP accounts, Hargreaves Lansdown leads the way by offering this valuable retirement saving option, which is not available with XTB. For those prioritising a SIPP as part of their retirement strategy, Hargreaves Lansdown may be the more suitable broker, while XTB offers a worthwhile choice for those who only require an ISA account.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing mobile trading, both Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB offer iPhone and Android apps, but XTB edges ahead on quality: UK.StockBrokers.com rates the Hargreaves Lansdown app 4 out of 5 stars and ranks it 10th of 21 brokers, while XTB’s app earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and a 6th-place ranking. Both platforms cover the essentials on the go, yet XTB’s higher rating and better position suggest a slightly stronger mobile experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Comparing Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB for beginner investor education in the UK: Hargreaves Lansdown runs client webinars and offers an on‑demand archive, while XTB does not provide webinars. Both brokers teach share trading, but only Hargreaves Lansdown covers funds and retirement, which is helpful for long‑term planning. Reflecting this broader coverage, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Hargreaves Lansdown 5/5 and ranks it 4th out of 21 for beginner education, compared with XTB’s 4.5/5 rating and 9th place. If you value webinars and learning about funds and retirement as well as shares, Hargreaves Lansdown has the edge; for share trading alone, XTB still scores well.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
Hargreaves Lansdown vs XTB: For market research, Hargreaves Lansdown is more comprehensive, offering research reports for funds, coverage of shares, ETFs, funds and bonds, plus a portfolio allocation view by asset class to track diversification. XTB provides research on shares and ETFs but has no fund research or reports, no bonds research, and no asset‑class allocation breakdown. If you want deeper fund insight and allocation tools, Hargreaves Lansdown is the stronger choice; if you only need share and ETF research, XTB may suit.
| Feature |
Hargreaves Lansdown
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
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.
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XTB
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When comparing online brokers Hargreaves Lansdown and XTB, both platforms do not offer crypto trading options.
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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 | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Trading Fees | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £100 | £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) | |||
| 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 | Up to £1,125 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £1125 - £1750 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £1750 - £3000 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £3,000 - £4,000 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £20 - £50 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £20 - £50 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £11.95 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £11.95 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £20 - £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 109 | 13 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 11 | 4 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Hargreaves Lansdown | XTB | |
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| Review | Hargreaves Lansdown Review | XTB Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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