Our Bottom Line
Hargreaves Lansdown hails itself as “the UK’s No.1 investment platform for private investors”, and with over 1.9 million clients and £155bn in assets under administration, it’s hard to dispute that. In terms of its Fund and Share Account specifically, those numbers sit at 505,000 and £34bn, respectively.
Its Fund and Share Account is a flexible, general investment account that lets you invest in a wide range of asset classes like stocks (both UK and international), funds, ETFs, investment trusts, gilts, and bonds.
The platform is clear, functional, and easy to use. Hargreaves hasn’t felt the need to plague investors with flashy redesigns or novelty features, which I appreciate. So, while the service doesn’t offer advanced trading features, it offers everything grown-up investors need rather than a gamified app.
Beyond providing its core investing platform, the HL website also offers a wealth of general investment research and exclusive investor analysis. That said, the platform is not the cheapest out there, especially for investors working with smaller sums of capital.
Pros & Cons
Here are the main advantages of using a Hargreaves Lansdown Fund and Share Account:
- Reputable broker.
- Earn interest on uninvested cash.
- Huge investment choice.
- No annual account fee for holding shares and ETFs.
- Discounted trading fees for more active investors.
- No account inactivity fee.
- Easy to use.
- Complimentary research and market insights.
- High-quality web platform and mobile app.
But these come at the cost of several disadvantages:
- Standard stock trading fees are relatively high.
- Charting tools are relatively simple.
- Limited advanced trading tools.
- Expensive annual service fees for fund investors.
- Cannot buy fractional shares.
Key Features and Services
The Hargreaves Lansdown Fund and Share Account offer a wide range of essential features, allowing investors to trade stocks and funds in real-time.
- Wide range of investments – Choose from thousands of UK and global shares, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, venture capital trusts, gilts, and bonds with no limit as to how much you can invest.
- Real-time trading – View live share prices, buy and sell instantly during market hours, and establish stop loss and limit orders.
- Watchlists & virtual portfolios – Create virtual portfolios to track the performance of funds, shares, and other investments.
- Research hub – Access award-winning original HL research and market insights, ShareCast broker tips, stock screeners, fund shortlists, market data, and alerts.
- App and web access – Manage investments from a desktop web platform or from your mobile phone using the HL app.
- Customer support – HL offers a UK-based helpdesk with responsive email support and additional clear FAQs.
Fees and Trading Costs in 2025
The Hargreaves Lansdown Fund and Share Account have a variety of fees investors must consider that change depending on certain conditions. It’s not the cheapest, but the fee structure is transparent and the platform offers a lot of convenience in exchange.
- Share dealing (online) – By default, HL charges £11.95 per trade. However, if you execute 10 or more trades in a single month, this rate drops to £8.95, or £5.95 if you execute 20 or more trades.
- Share dealing (phone & post) – HL charges 1% of the trade value as a fee when trading via the phone or through postal dealing. There is a minimum £20 trading fee, but the maximum charge is £50 per trade.
- Foreign exchange – When trading internationally, HL charges a foreign currency exchange fee depending on the size of the transaction. This fee is 1% for the first £5,000, 0.75% for the next £5,000, 0.5% for the next £10,000, and 0.25% for any amount over £20,000.
- Fund charges – When holding investment funds in an account, HL charges an annual holding fee. The amount is based on the value of your investment. The first £250,000 incurs a 0.45% fee. If investments are worth between £250,000 and £1m, the fee decreases to 0.25%. If investments are worth between £1m and £2m, the fee decreases again to 0.1%. And any value beyond £2m incurs no fees.
- Account charges – Beyond the previously mentioned Fund charges, there are no annual account fees for using a Fund and Share Account.
- Deposit fee – None.
- Withdrawal fee – None.
Fund and Share Account Requirements
Here are the minimum requirements for investors to be eligible for an HL Fund and Share Account.
- Minimum opening amount – Accounts can be opened with as little as £1.
- Minimum trading amount – There is no minimum trading amount set by the HL platform. The exception is for funds that require a minimum of £100. Note that, depending on the investment or asset class, there may still be a minimum investment requirement not set by Hargreaves Lansdown.
- Minimum Direct Debit amount – Direct Debit payments can be made starting from a minimum of £25 a month.
- Eligibility – The Fund and Share Account is available to all UK residents aged 18+. You’ll need a National Insurance number and a debit card to get started. Non-UK residents may still be able to open an account, but need to contact Hargreaves Lansdown directly.
- Account opening time – Opening an account online only takes a few minutes. However, you may be asked to perform ID verification, which can take up to three working days.
Platform and App Experience in 2025
The HL investment platform (rated 4.3/5 on Trustpilot) remains refreshingly consistent. Navigating through the platform is incredibly easy, with all options clearly displayed with the ability to seamlessly switch between multiple portfolios and accounts. You can customise the way holdings are displayed, create custom watchlists to keep tabs on interesting opportunities or craft a virtual portfolio to practice your investing skills.
The HL mobile app (rated 4.8/5 on Google Play and 4.7/5 on the Apple App Store) has gradually improved since its launch. Similar to the web-based platform, you can customise and organise investment dashboards and execute trades with ease.
Both the web platform and HL app provide easy access to a ton of in-house research content, particularly for UK shares and popular funds. This includes daily market updates, broker ratings, sector analysis, IPO launch information, and real-time price data for equities.
As research packages go, it’s a pretty generous toolkit for DIY investors, although it’s not tailored as personalised advice. And with filtering features available, you can select which updates interest you the most to stop your email inbox from being bombarded with content.
Turning our attention to customer support services, the HL website has a plethora of FAQs and detailed guides to help customers solve most problems, such as changing passwords, buying and selling investments, completing account transfers, etc.
However, if these resources don’t prove helpful, you can call the UK-based help desk between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday or 9.30am to 12.30pm on Saturdays. The helpdesk is closed on a Sunday.
Is A Hargreaves Lansdown Fund and Share Account Right For You?
There’s little to fault with the Hargreaves Lansdown Fund and Share Account. It’s a reliable mainstream investment platform offering real human support and helpful investor tools. For most long-term investors, HL offers seemingly all the essentials, although, for short-term traders looking to establish complex strategies and hedges, it’s likely not a great fit.
Yes, the fees are slightly higher than other trading platforms, but that doesn’t appear to be putting people off, given the additional perks provided, such as its research hub.
But for investors who already have access to other 3rd party investment research, these additional benefits may not justify the higher cost. That’s why it’s important to compare all fees and any potential hidden charges (HL is transparent, but not all platforms are the same) when deciding which platform to use.
Remember, whenever you invest — be it directly in shares, ETFs, bonds, tracker funds or managed funds, your capital is put at risk, and you may not get back all the money you originally invested. So, if you’re ever unsure about the suitability of an investment for your circumstances, please consider obtaining appropriate independent financial advice prior to investing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Hargreaves Lansdown platform good for beginners?
Yes. The Hargreaves Lansdown investment platform is considered to be one of the most beginner-friendly investing solutions in the UK. The online platform and mobile app are easy to use, and come with plenty guides and research tools to help novices get started.
Can I trust Hargreaves Lansdown?
Yes. Hargreaves Lansdown is a FTSE 100 company used by over 1.9 million clients and is regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Is Hargreaves Lansdown too expensive?
It can be. Investors who trade frequently or hold large fund-focused portfolios can end up paying significantly higher fees compared to other platforms. However, this higher cost does come with the advantage of additional research tools that other platforms don’t provide.
Is there a fee to close a Hargreaves Lansdown account?
No. Even when transferring stocks to another account, there are no fees.
What happens if the Hargreaves Lansdown investment platform were to go bust?
All investments are held in your name and separate from Hargreaves Lansdown assets. Therefore, if the company failed, all of your investments would be safe, although you may not be able to access them for a short period of time. Any remaining cash held in your account is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £85,000.
Alternatives To Consider
If you’re interested in platforms that are of great value for frequent and regular investors and have some excellent research materials for beginners, you should also take a look at: