Are you confused about whether to choose Freetrade vs Hargreaves Lansdown as a broker for your investing needs?
In this side-by-side comparison, we analyse Freetrade vs Hargreaves Lansdown to help you understand how these apps compare on some of the most common features and make a better-informed decision about the best broker for you.
Below, you’ll find the pros and cons of each broker, as well as a comparison table that features the different fees charged, the financial instruments supported, the regulation, and more. Keep reading!
Freetrade vs Hargreaves Lansdown: In a Nutshell
UK investors looking for a cheap ISA/SIPP
Freetrade is a commission-free UK stockbroker. It is an excellent choice for investors looking to build a long-term portfolio of stocks and ETFs with low fees.
They operate under a freemium (free+premium) business model. As you go up the pricing plans, users get extra features, such as ISA and SIPP, 3% interest on cash, and more.
Although Freetrade is only available for UK residents, the company plans to expand to Europe (you can follow the all-new developments here).
Reliability and security (UK investors only)
Hargreaves Lansdown is one of the biggest UK platforms for individual investors. It serves more than 1.5 million clients with over £120 billion AUMs.
You will find the most relevant financial instruments (Stocks, ETF, funds,…). It’s a bit pricey, but it makes up for it by being one of the most reliable brokers.
It is well-established, secure and regulated by the FCA. The customer service is market-leading, and their educational resources are superb.
Pros and Cons
Freetrade
Pros
- Free stock and ETF trading
- GIA, ISA, and SIPP
- No inactivity, account, or withdrawal fees
- No minimum deposit
- Great community (forum) – where users share ideas and learn about investing
- Nice and user-friendly app
Cons
- Limited asset classes (only stocks, ETFs, REITs, and investment trusts)
- Limited research and education
- Graphs and portfolio tracking still need some development
- No web or desktop platform yet (Beta version in Plus)
- No phone support – however, live chat support is very fast and efficient
- No 24/7 support
Hargreaves Lansdown
Pros
- Excellent research and educational tools
- Great customer service
- No inactivity fee
- No withdrawal fee
- No minimum deposit
- High reliability and security
- Listed in the FTSE 100 index
- Has ISA, SIPP, and other products and services catered to british investors
Cons
- High trading commissions (UK and overseas shares, investment trusts, ETFs, gilts and bonds)
- Annual account charges for funds (up to 0.45%)
- No demo account
- Only one base currency: GBP
- High currency conversion fee (up to 1%)
Freetrade vs Hargreaves Lansdown: Side-by-side Comparison
- General Information
- Founded in
- Demo Account
- Account Minimum
- Interest on unninvested cash (annually)
- Products
- Stocks
- ETFs
- Bonds
- Funds
- Options
- Futures
- CFDs
- Leverage Products
- Forex
- Cryptocurrencies
- Commodities
- Fees
- US stocks
- EU stocks
- ETFs
- Cryptocurrencies
- Custody Fee
- Inactivity Fee
- Withdrawal Fee
- Connectivity Fee
- Currency Conversion Fee
- Security
- Regulators
- Investor Compensation Scheme(per person, per institution)
Franklin is a CFA Level III Candidate with 3 years of experience in Wealth Management as a Fund Research Analyst and the Host of the "Edge Over Hedge" YouTube Channel.
