Nutmeg vs Hargreaves Lansdown

You might recognise the names of both of these investment platforms, but they don't quite offer the same thing.

Nutmeg is a robo-advisor, which means that it manages your investments on your behalf based on your risk appetite. Hargreaves Lansdown is an established investment platform that’s typically used for share dealing, but it does have some ready made portfolios for those looking for a robo-advisor. We’ve compared them side by side on their products, portfolios, features and costs to help you choose.

Nutmeg vs Hargreaves Lansdown: Vital statistics

Nutmeg stocks and shares ISAHargreaves Lansdown
Finder score★★★★★★★★★★
Customer satisfaction survey★★★★★★★★★★
Costs score★★★★★★★★★★
Stocks and shares ISA available?
FSCS protected?
More InfoGo to site
More Info

Both Nutmeg and Hargreaves Lansdown have individual savings accounts (ISAs) available. These let you invest up to £20,000 in the 2024/2025 tax year without paying any tax on your profits.

Both providers are FSCS protected. This means that up to £85,000 of your deposits are covered if they were to go bust.

Round 1: Products

Nutmeg stocks and shares ISAHargreaves Lansdown
Stocks and shares ISA
Lifetime ISA (LISA)
Pension (SIPP)
Keep in mindCapital at riskCapital at risk
More InfoGo to site
More Info

Both providers have stocks and shares ISAs, lifetime ISAs and pensions available.

As we mentioned before, a stocks and shares ISA lets you invest up to £20,000 in the 2024/2025 tax year without paying any tax on your profits. A lifetime ISA is another type of tax wrapper that lets you save up to £4,000 per year towards your first home or retirement and get a top of from the government.

A private pension locks away your savings until you turn 55, and you get a top up from the government for it too.

  • Winner:Tie

Round 2: Portfolios

Nutmeg stocks and shares ISAHargreaves Lansdown
Portfolios rating★★★★★★★★★★
Risk assessment quiz
Number of portfolios on offer306
Ethical portfolios on offer
Managed portfolios on offer
More InfoGo to site
More Info

Hargreaves Lansdown has 6 ready-made portfolios available to invest in – 3 income and 3 growth. This is on par with its competitors, where you generally see up to 5 portfolios. You get a choice of 3 different risk profiles for each type. It doesn’t have a dedicated portfolio for ethical investing.

Nutmeg has the highest number of portfolios from the robo-advisors we’ve reviewed, with 30 in total. You can choose between Smart Alpha, fixed Allocation, socially responsible and fully managed portfolios. Each one has either 10 or 5 risk profiles to choose from.

  • Winner:Nutmeg

Round 3: Costs

Nutmeg stocks and shares ISAHargreaves Lansdown
Costs score★★★★★★★★★★
Annual cost of investing £10,000£105.00£45
Annual cost of investing £100,000£1050.00£250
Annual cost of investing £1m£6,900.00£1000
More InfoGo to site
More Info

Both Nutmeg and Hargreaves Lansdown charge based on how much you invest. They have very similar costs, but which one you decide to go with will depend on how much you are investing.

Nutmeg’s fees are pretty simple. For its fully managed portfolio, it charges 0.75% on investments up to £100,000 and then 0.35% on investments beyond that. Nutmeg also charges a 0.19% investment fund cost and a market spread cost of 0.07%.

Hargreaves Lansdown has a very similar charging structure. It charges 0.45% on investments up to £250,000, 0.25% on investments between £250,000 and £1 million, 0.1% on investments between £1 million and £2 million, and investments over £2 million are free.

We got Nutmeg’s figures from the handy calculator on its website. You can enter in the amount that you plan to invest and it’ll give you the cost. In the case of Hargreaves Lansdown, we did it the old fashioned way, with a calculator, pen and paper and the costs outlined above.

  • Winner:Hargreaves Lansdown

Round 4: Mobile and web features

Nutmeg stocks and shares ISAHargreaves Lansdown
Features rating★★★★★★★★★★
Desktop or web access
iPhone app
Android app
In-app news and research
In-app top-up
Keep in mindCapital at riskCapital at risk
More InfoGo to site
More Info

Both Hargreaves Lansdown and Nutmeg have desktop access and iPhone and Android apps. You can access news and research in both apps and top-up within the app.

  • Winner:Tie

Round 5: Learning resources

Nutmeg stocks and shares ISAHargreaves Lansdown
Resources rating★★★★★★★★★★
Guides
Videos and walkthroughs
In-depth learning tools (training courses, etc.)
Demo account
Advice
More InfoGo to site
More Info

Hargreaves Lansdown is the clear winner here for its learning resources as it’s got guides, videos, walkthroughs, a demo account and an advice service. Nutmeg has some guides on its products available and a paid for advice service.

  • Winner:Hargreaves Lansdown

Overall winner: Is Nutmeg better than Hargreaves Lansdown?

Nutmeg is suitable if you are interested in basic investing with pre-made portfolios, but if you’re looking for share trading or DIY portfolios then you’re more suited to Hargreaves Lansdown. Hargreaves Lansdown covers all bases with basic investing, share trading, share dealing, a pension, lifetime ISA and ready-made portfolios. It also has competitive prices, as you can see above.

All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.

Zoe Stabler DipFA's headshot
Senior writer

Zoe was a senior writer at Finder specialising in investment and banking, and during this time, she joined the Women in FinTech Powerlist 2022. She is currently a senior money writer at Be Clever With Your Cash. Zoe has a BA in English literature and a Diploma for Financial Advisers. She has several years of experience in writing about all things personal finance. Zoe has a particular love for spreadsheets, having also worked as a management accountant. In her spare time, you’ll find Zoe skating at her local ice rink. See full bio

Zoe's expertise
Zoe has written 176 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Share dealing
  • Reviews and comparisons of trading platforms
  • Robo-advisors
  • Pensions
  • Banking

More guides on Finder

  • How to buy SPDR FTSE UK All Share UCITS ETF Acc

    Ever wondered how to invest in FTAL ETF? Learn more about it now and find out where you can invest in it. Compare ETF brokers to start investing today.

  • How to buy Franklin FTSE United Kingdom ETF

    Ever wondered how to invest in FLGB ETF? Learn more about it now and find out where you can invest in it. Compare ETF brokers to start investing today.

  • How to buy HSBC FTSE 100 UCITS ETF

    Ever wondered how to invest in HUKX ETF? Learn more about it now and find out where you can invest in it. Compare ETF brokers to start investing today.

  • How to buy Flutter Entertainment shares

    Thinking about buying shares in Flutter Entertainment? We explain how to do it and compare a range of providers who will give you access to global markets.

  • How to buy Dettol shares | 4400p

    Sales of Reckitt Bencksier products like Dettol have risen due to coronavirus. Here’s how you can invest in Dettol, by buying Reckitt Benckiser shares.

  • How to buy AT&T shares

    Ever wondered how to buy shares in AT&T? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including AT&T.

  • How to buy Wincanton shares

    Ever wondered how to buy shares in Wincanton? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Wincanton.

  • How to buy United Utilities Group shares

    Ever wondered how to buy shares in United Utilities? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including United Utilities.

  • How to buy Relx shares

    Find out how to buy shares in RELX, see its share prices over the last three months and check out our must-do checklist if you’re looking to invest.

  • How to buy Reach shares

    Ever wondered how to buy shares in Reach? We explain how and compare a range of providers that can give you access to many brands, including Reach.

Go to site