BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON

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Checked September 24, 2026

Tool Comparison

Freetrade vs Hargreaves Lansdown

Paid from
—
Free plan
No
Platforms
Web, Mobile

Best if

    Paid from
    —
    Free plan
    No
    Platforms
    Web, Mobile

    Best if

    • You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth

    Pick Freetrade if

    Freetrade logo

    Freetrade

    freetrade.io

    Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction · Web · Mobile

    Pick Hargreaves Lansdown if

    Hargreaves Lansdown logo

    Hargreaves Lansdown

    hl.co.uk

    Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction · Web · Mobile

    • You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth

    Skip both if: These two cover the same ground; it really comes down to price and which interface you enjoy using.

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    Our take

    The bottom line

    Freetrade and Hargreaves Lansdown cover a lot of the same ground (5 shared categories, including brokerage, advanced order types, and portfolio), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. On paper they're closely matched, so let pricing, platform fit, and the details below break the tie.

    What readers say

    Freetrade

    No votes yet. Cast the first one.

    Hargreaves Lansdown

    No votes yet. Cast the first one.

    Freetrade logo

    What Freetrade does best

    1. Commission-free dealing in the available stocks, ETFs, investment trusts, funds, gilts, and UK Treasury bills.
    2. A free Basic plan with GIA, Stocks and Shares ISA, Junior Stocks and Shares ISA, and SIPP access.
    3. Optional Standard and Plus plans with lower FX fees and higher capped GBP cash interest.
    4. Supported US stock fractions are bought by GBP value; EU shares can be fractional in recurring orders.
    5. Recurring orders, limit orders, stop losses, portfolio monitoring, and watchlists.
    Hargreaves Lansdown logo

    What Hargreaves Lansdown does best

    1. Fund and Share Account, Stocks and Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, junior accounts, SIPP, Junior SIPP, and Bare Trust access.
    2. Thousands of funds plus UK and overseas shares, ETFs, investment trusts, gilts, and corporate bonds.
    3. HL research, live share prices, watchlists, portfolio tracking, charts, stop losses, and limit orders.
    4. Regular monthly investing with selected dealing fees waived.
    5. Interest paid on cleared investment-account cash using account-specific balance tiers.

    Side by side

    Pricing & plans
    Starting price
    Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction
    Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction
    Free tier
    No
    No
    Free trial
    —
    —
    Platforms & access
    Web app
    Yes
    Yes
    Mobile app
    Yes
    Yes
    API access
    No
    No
    Coverage & data
    Asset types
    StocksETFsBondsMutual Funds
    StocksETFsBondsMutual Funds
    Export formats
    CSVPDF
    PDF

    Pricing comparison

    Free plan
    Free“Basic”
    —
    Entry paid plan
    £5.99/mo“Standard”
    —
    Top plan
    £11.99/mo“Plus”
    —

    See for yourself

    Side by side

    Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.
    Show
    Side-by-side comparison of Freetrade and Hargreaves Lansdown
    Attribute
    Freetrade logo
    Freetrade
    Hargreaves Lansdown logo
    Hargreaves Lansdown
    Pricing & plans
    Starting price
    Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdictionTransaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction
    Free tier
    NoNo
    Free trial
    ——
    Platforms & access
    Web app
    YesYes
    Mobile app
    YesYes
    API access
    NoNo
    Audience & fit
    Experience level
    Beginner, IntermediateBeginner, Intermediate, Advanced
    Best for
    ——
    Categories covered
    55
    Regions
    Europe, North AmericaEurope, North America
    Try itVisit FreetradeVisit Hargreaves Lansdown

    Standout features

    The best features of Freetrade and Hargreaves Lansdown.
    Show
    Freetrade logo

    What Freetrade does best

    1. Commission-free dealing in the available stocks, ETFs, investment trusts, funds, gilts, and UK Treasury bills.
    2. A free Basic plan with GIA, Stocks and Shares ISA, Junior Stocks and Shares ISA, and SIPP access.
    3. Optional Standard and Plus plans with lower FX fees and higher capped GBP cash interest.
    4. Supported US stock fractions are bought by GBP value; EU shares can be fractional in recurring orders.
    5. Recurring orders, limit orders, stop losses, portfolio monitoring, and watchlists.
    Hargreaves Lansdown logo

    What Hargreaves Lansdown does best

    1. Fund and Share Account, Stocks and Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, junior accounts, SIPP, Junior SIPP, and Bare Trust access.
    2. Thousands of funds plus UK and overseas shares, ETFs, investment trusts, gilts, and corporate bonds.
    3. HL research, live share prices, watchlists, portfolio tracking, charts, stop losses, and limit orders.
    4. Regular monthly investing with selected dealing fees waived.
    5. Interest paid on cleared investment-account cash using account-specific balance tiers.

    All details

    Every attribute we track for Freetrade and Hargreaves Lansdown.
    Show
    Attribute
    Freetrade logo
    Freetrade
    Hargreaves Lansdown logo
    Hargreaves Lansdown
    Coverage & fit
    Asset types
    StocksETFsBondsMutual Funds
    StocksETFsBondsMutual Funds
    Experience
    BeginnerIntermediate
    BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
    Regions
    EuropeNorth America
    EuropeNorth America
    Coverage details
    Identifiers: Ticker and ISIN
    Identifiers: Ticker and ISIN
    Access & integrations
    Export formats
    CSVPDF
    PDF
    Plans & trust
    Vendor & support
    Freetrade LimitedCountry: United KingdomSupport: Chat and Email
    Hargreaves Lansdown Asset Management LimitedCountry: United KingdomSupport: Phone and Email

    Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.

    Pricing

    Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.
    Show
    Plan-by-plan pricing comparison of Freetrade and Hargreaves Lansdown
    Tier
    Freetrade logo
    Freetrade
    Hargreaves Lansdown logo
    Hargreaves Lansdown
    Free plan
    Free“Basic”
    —
    Entry paid plan
    £5.99/mo“Standard”
    —
    Top plan
    £11.99/mo“Plus”
    —

    Questions we keep getting

    What's the difference between Freetrade and Hargreaves Lansdown?

    Freetrade leans toward brokerage, advanced order types, and portfolio, while Hargreaves Lansdown puts more weight on brokerage, portfolio, and watchlist. They overlap in 5 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.

    How much do Freetrade and Hargreaves Lansdown cost?

    Neither has a free plan; you'll need a paid subscription for the full feature set of either. Check each tool's current plan details before buying.

    Which is better for beginners: Freetrade or Hargreaves Lansdown?

    Honestly, neither is aimed at beginners. Expect a learning curve either way; that's the trade-off for the depth they offer.

    Can I export data from Freetrade and Hargreaves Lansdown?

    Freetrade exports to CSV. Hargreaves Lansdown is stingier about getting data out.

    Can I track my portfolio with Freetrade or Hargreaves Lansdown?

    Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.

    Feedback

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    Curation & Accuracy

    This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

    Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.