AJ Bell vs Hargreaves Lansdown (HL)

Ever wondered who would come out on top in a battle between AJ Bell vs HL? Well, read on to find out how they compare for features, fees and much more.

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AJ Bell vs HL: At a glance

AJ Bell logoHargreaves Lansdown logo
Finder Score9.3Excellent8.7Great
Customer satisfaction survey★★★★★★★★★★
Stocks and shares ISA available?
Fees score7.5Great6.6Standard
Keep in mindCapital at riskCapital at risk
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Round 1: Products

AJ Bell logoHargreaves Lansdown logo
Stocks and shares ISA
Lifetime ISA (LISA)
Interest on cash balances
Keep in mindCapital at riskCapital at risk
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Round 2: Investment choice

AJ Bell logoHargreaves Lansdown logo
Investment choice score9.1Excellent9.1Excellent
Available markets 244+
Number of investments19,00011,000+
Number of ETFs/funds3,5001,500
Fractional shares
Min. initial deposit£250 (or £25/month)£1
Keep in mindCapital at riskCapital at risk
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Round 3: Fees

AJ Bell logoHargreaves Lansdown logo
Fees score7.5Great6.6Standard
Platform fees0.25% per month (max. £3.50)0.35%
Price per trade£5£6.95
Funds/ETFs£1.50£1.95 funds
£6.95 ETFs (frequent trader discounts apply)
Foreign exchange fee1%0.99%
Regular investingYes (from £25/month and commission drops to £1.50)
Yes from £25/month (no commission)
£3.95 (20 or more trades in previous month)
Withdrawal fee£0£0
Deposit fee£0£0
Inactivity fee£0£0
Keep in mindCapital at riskCapital at risk
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Round 4: Ease of use

AJ Bell logoHargreaves Lansdown logo
Ease of use score9.6Excellent10Excellent
Apple iOS rating4.7/54.7/5
Google Play rating 3.2/53.2/5
UI/UXGoodGood
Desktop or web access
Mobile app
Keep in mindCapital at riskCapital at risk
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Round 5: Tools, resources and features

AJ Bell logoHargreaves Lansdown logo
Features score10Excellent8.3Great
Analysis features
Social features
Learning resources
Keep in mindCapital at riskCapital at risk
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Overall winner: Is AJ Bell better than HL?

Although both AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown offer pretty similar services, targeting the same type of investors – it’s AJ Bell that comes out on top.

This is because AJ Bell offers a slightly better investment choice and much cheaper fees for share dealing.

There’s not much between AJ Bell vs HL, but our comparison shows AJ Bell has the edge.

Winner: AJ Bell

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.


George Sweeney, DipFA's headshot
Deputy editor

George is a deputy editor at Finder. He has previously written for The Motley Fool UK, Nasdaq, Freetrade, Investing in the Web, MoneyMagpie, Online Mortgage Advisor, Wealth, and Compare Forex Brokers. He's focused on making personal finance and investing engaging for everyone. To do this he draws from previous work and his Level 4 Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA), sharing what he’s learnt. When he’s not geeking out about money, you’ll find him playing sports and staying active. See full bio

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