Hargreaves Lansdown Review 2026: The UK’s Leading Investing Platform

Hargreaves Lansdown is the UK’s largest investment platform, trusted by over 2 million clients with more than £172 billion in assets. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Bristol, it has spent over 45 years helping people save, invest, and plan for retirement. Whether you’re looking for a SIPP, ISA, or a straightforward investment account, HL offers one of the broadest ranges of products and investments available in the UK — all in one place.

Hargreaves Lansdown is the most complete investment platform available to UK private investors. The product range is unmatched — from Junior SIPPs and Bare Trusts to Active Savings and ready-made portfolios — and the quality of research, tools, and customer service justifies the premium positioning.

Fees are not the cheapest in the market. Investors with larger portfolios holding primarily shares will want to compare HL against flat-fee platforms like Interactive Investor. But for most UK investors — particularly those who value breadth of choice, platform stability, and quality of support — HL is hard to beat.

Hargreaves Lansdown Review Summary Box

Best For: UK investors seeking a comprehensive, all-in-one investment platform with an unmatched product range and award-winning customer service
Main Pro: The widest product range of any UK investment platform — from Junior SIPPs and Bare Trusts to Active Savings and ready-made portfolios — backed by industry-leading research and tools
Main Con: Not the cheapest option for larger portfolios invested primarily in shares; flat-fee platforms like Interactive Investor may offer better value above certain thresholds
Rating: 4.5/5

---

Hargreaves Lansdown Products & Services

• Stocks and Shares ISA: HL’s most popular account. Invest up to £20,000 per tax year free from UK income and capital gains tax. Choose from thousands of funds, UK and overseas shares, ETFs, investment trusts, and bonds — or pick a ready-made portfolio for a hands-off approach. Regular investing starts from £25 per month with no dealing charge. Annual account charge: up to 0.35% (funds), capped at £12.50/month for shares.
  
• SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension): HL’s SIPP is one of the most widely used in the UK, with over half a million clients. Pay in up to £60,000 per tax year and benefit from 20–45% tax relief on contributions. Access your pension from age 55 (57 from 2028), with up to 25% tax-free cash available. Includes the HL Ready-Made Pension Plan for those who prefer expert management. Annual account charge: up to 0.35% (funds), capped at £12.50/month for shares.
  
• Fund and Share Account: HL’s general investment account with no annual contribution limits. Invest in funds, shares, ETFs, investment trusts, gilts, bonds, and more advanced options like VCTs and LTAFs — with no ISA or pension restrictions. Particularly useful for investing beyond your annual allowances. Annual account charge: up to 0.35% (funds), capped at £12.50/month for shares.
  
• Junior ISA: One of the most competitive Junior ISAs available in the UK. HL removed all account and dealing charges in 2023, meaning the only costs are those built into the investments themselves. Invest up to £9,000 per tax year for a child, completely free from UK tax. Can be opened with a £100 lump sum or from £25 per month. Annual account charge: 0% — no platform fee, no dealing charges online.
  
• Lifetime ISA: For first-time buyers and retirement savers aged 18–39. Invest up to £4,000 per year and receive a 25% government bonus — up to £1,000 annually. Use it to buy a first home (properties up to £450,000) or withdraw tax-free from age 60. Choose your own investments or select a ready-made option. Annual account charge: 0.25% (funds); shares capped at £3.75/month.
  
• Junior SIPP: A pension for children, managed by a parent or guardian until the child turns 18. Contribute up to £3,600 per year with tax relief applied. Invest across thousands of funds and shares, or use the Ready-Made Pension Plan. One of the few UK platforms offering a Junior SIPP with a genuinely broad investment range. Annual account charge: up to 0.35% (funds), capped at £12.50/month for shares.
  
• Bare Trust Account: The most flexible option for investing on behalf of a child, with no contribution limits unlike a Junior ISA or Junior SIPP. Particularly useful for grandparents or inheritance tax planning purposes. Assets are held in trust until the child turns 18 (16 in Scotland). Note: this account must be opened by post, not online. Annual account charge: up to 0.35% (funds), capped at £12.50/month for shares.
  
• Active Savings & Cash ISA: HL’s savings hub gives access to competitive easy access and fixed-rate products from over 20 banking partners, all managed through a single login. Current headline rates include up to 4.30% AER on easy access Cash ISA and up to 4.08% AER on 1-year fixed rate savings. No HL fees — the platform charges banking partners instead.

---

Hargreaves Lansdown Full Fees & Charges

All charges are annual, billed monthly. Fund charges reduce to 0.25% between £250k–£1mn and 0.10% between £1mn–£2mn, with no charge above £2mn. Phone and postal dealing costs £29 per trade across all accounts.

---

Hargreaves Lansdown Pros & Cons

---

Is Hargreaves Lansdown FCA Regulated?

Yes. Hargreaves Lansdown is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and is a member of the London Stock Exchange. Client money is held separately from HL’s own funds, and eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

For savings held through HL’s Active Savings and Cash ISA products, FSCS protection applies per banking licence — meaning the limit varies depending on which banking partner holds your money. It is worth checking which banking partners hold your savings deposits to understand exactly how your protection applies across different institutions.

Key regulatory protections include:

• FCA authorisation — Hargreaves Lansdown Asset Management Ltd is fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
• FSCS protection up to £120,000 — Eligible investments and deposits are covered under the UK’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme
• Client money segregation — All client assets are held separately from HL’s own corporate funds, providing an additional layer of protection
• London Stock Exchange member — HL is listed on the LSE, adding a further layer of regulatory oversight and public accountability

---

Hargreaves Lansdown User Reviews & Customer Experience

Trustpilot: 4.4/5 stars from over 20,000 reviews — rated “Great”
Apple App Store: 4.7/5 stars from 66,000+ ratings
Google Play: 4.3/5 stars from 14,900+ reviews (1 million+ downloads)

What Works Well

Positive reviews consistently highlight the breadth of investment options, the quality of research and tools, and the knowledgeable phone-based support team. The platform’s award record speaks for itself: HL won “Best for Customer Service” and “Best for Investment Research” at the Boring Money Awards for two consecutive years, and the Junior ISA has been named Best Buy JISA for two years running.

Long-term investors frequently praise the ease of managing multiple account types — ISAs, SIPPs, and savings — under one login, and the reliability of the platform during periods of market volatility. The ready-made portfolio options also receive strong feedback from investors who prefer a managed, hands-off approach.

Concerns and Criticisms

SIPP navigation complexity: Some users report that the SIPP account portal is harder to navigate than the main investment platform, with certain pension-related actions requiring phone or postal contact rather than being available online.

Paper correspondence delays: A small number of reviews flag delays in receiving paper correspondence, though the general consensus is that phone resolution is prompt and effective. Android users also report a slightly weaker app experience compared to the iOS version, with occasional issues around chart loading and limited in-app functionality.

---

Hargreaves Lansdown App Performance

4.7/5 stars (Apple App Store, 66,000+ ratings)
4.3/5 stars (Google Play, 14,900+ reviews)

Strengths: The HL app has won “Best Investment App” for four consecutive years at the Boring Money Awards 2026. Long-term users consistently praise the clean interface for portfolio monitoring, watchlists, and access to research. Investors managing multiple account types benefit particularly from seeing all holdings — ISA, SIPP, savings, and general investment accounts — consolidated within a single dashboard.

iOS vs Android: The iOS experience is markedly stronger, rated 4.7 on the App Store. Android users report more frequent issues with charts failing to load and limited functionality compared to the desktop version. Active traders may find the desktop platform more reliable for executing deals at pace.

Missing features and reported issues: Common criticisms include slower transaction speeds than some users expect, difficulty completing trades in-app rather than online, and occasional compatibility issues following app updates. The app performs best as a monitoring and research tool; those placing frequent or complex trades tend to prefer the full desktop platform for execution.

---

Our Final Verdict & Hargreaves Lansdown Recommendation

Hargreaves Lansdown delivers on its core promise: a comprehensive, reliable, and well-supported investment platform that brings together more product types and investment choices than any comparable UK competitor. For investors who value breadth, platform stability, and the reassurance of award-winning customer service, HL is the benchmark against which other platforms are measured.

The main caveat is cost. HL is not the cheapest option for investors with large portfolios concentrated in shares, and frequent traders will find per-deal charges accumulate quickly. In those specific scenarios, flat-fee platforms like Interactive Investor are worth a direct comparison. But for the majority of UK investors — especially those spreading assets across multiple account types for themselves and their families — the breadth, quality, and reliability of HL justifies the premium.

✓ Choose Hargreaves Lansdown if:

• You want everything in one place — ISA, SIPP, Junior ISA, savings, and more
• You value strong customer service and award-winning research tools
• You are investing across multiple account types for yourself and your family
• You prefer a ready-made or managed portfolio approach

✗ Look elsewhere if:

• You have a very large portfolio invested mainly in shares and want to minimise platform costs
• You are a frequent trader where per-deal costs of £6.95 add up significantly over time

---

Hargreaves Lansdown FAQs: People Also Ask

Is Hargreaves Lansdown regulated by the FCA?

Yes. Hargreaves Lansdown is fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and is a member of the London Stock Exchange. Client money is held separately from HL’s own funds, and eligible investments are protected up to £120,000 under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

What is the annual charge on a Hargreaves Lansdown ISA?

The Stocks and Shares ISA charges up to 0.35% per year for funds, capped at £12.50 per month for shares. Fund charges reduce on larger balances: 0.25% between £250k–£1mn, 0.10% between £1mn–£2mn, and no charge above £2mn. Dealing charges apply per trade — £6.95 per deal online, or £3.95 for investors who place 20 or more deals in the previous month.

Does Hargreaves Lansdown charge for a Junior ISA?

No. Hargreaves Lansdown removed all account and dealing charges on the Junior ISA in 2023. There is no annual platform fee and no dealing charges for online trades. The only costs investors pay are those built into the fund’s own charges (the Ongoing Charges Figure, or OCF). This makes the HL Junior ISA one of the most competitively priced children’s investment accounts available in the UK.

Is Hargreaves Lansdown good for beginners?

Yes, HL is well-suited to beginners. The platform offers ready-made portfolios, a comprehensive range of educational resources, and an award-winning app rated 4.7 on the App Store. Phone support is consistently praised for being knowledgeable and patient. Beginners who prefer a hands-off approach can start with a ready-made portfolio from a relatively modest initial investment, while those who want to build their own portfolio have access to thousands of funds, shares, and ETFs.

At what age can I access my HL SIPP?

You can currently access your HL SIPP from age 55, with up to 25% of your pension pot available as a tax-free lump sum. From 2028, this minimum access age will rise to 57 in line with government legislation. It is important to plan your retirement contributions with this change in mind, particularly if you are in your early fifties.

Is money in HL Active Savings FSCS protected?

Yes, but with an important nuance. FSCS protection for Active Savings and Cash ISA products applies per banking licence of the individual banking partner holding your money — not per HL account. This means if you hold deposits with multiple banking partners through HL’s savings hub, each partner’s £120,000 FSCS limit applies separately. HL provides a clear breakdown of which banking partners hold your savings, so you can manage your protection accordingly.

How does Hargreaves Lansdown compare to competitors?

HL offers the broadest product range of any mainstream UK investment platform, making it the strongest choice for investors who want multiple account types under one roof. On cost, HL is competitive for smaller portfolios and fund-based investing, but flat-fee platforms like Interactive Investor become more cost-effective for larger share-based portfolios. Zero-commission apps like Freetrade or Trading 212 are cheaper for frequent share trading, but offer a much narrower range of account types, research tools, and customer support.