Both are FCA-regulated and FSCS-protected. The real difference is fees, account types and how each platform feels to use. Verified against each provider’s published charges.
Fees verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Beginners who want a simple app and are happy with shares and ETFs.
Investors who want the fullest service, research and support and will pay a premium for it.
Tick what you need. No account, no email. The answer is on this page.
Tick what you need above and we'll tell you which of the two covers it.
Account availability verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Around seven in ten reviewers rate it excellent, citing the clean app and helpful customer service.
Critical reviews focus on the 0.99% FX fee on the free plan and features being moved behind subscriptions.
Read Freetrade reviews on TrustpilotService quality is the recurring theme: phone answered quickly, knowledgeable staff, smooth transfers.
Price. Even after the cuts, reviewers and commentators note cheaper alternatives for the same investments.
Read Hargreaves Lansdown reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | Freetrade | Hargreaves Lansdown |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | £0 on Basic; Standard £4.99/month; Plus £9.99/month (annual billing) | Funds: 0.35% up to £250k, 0.25% £250k-£1m, 0.10% £1m-£2m, nothing above £2m. Shares, ETFs and investment trusts: 0.35%, capped at £150 a year in the ISA, SIPP and Fund & Share account |
| Share dealing | £0 commission | £6.95 per trade (cut from £11.95 in March 2026) |
| Fund dealing | Free; FX fee applies on non-sterling trades | £1.95 per trade (free via regular investing) |
| FX fee | 0.99% Basic, 0.59% Standard, 0.39% Plus | 1% on the first £5k, tiered lower above |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Included on all plans | Platform fee applies |
| SIPP | Included on all plans | Platform fee applies |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £2 | £25/month or £100 lump sum |
A 0.25% yearly fee gap sounds small. On £50,000 over 20 years it is about £5,900 (illustrative). Add your ISA and pension balances to Delphina yourself and see what your charges cost by retirement and whether you're on track.
See what my fees costIllustrative: £50,000, 5% a year growth before charges, 0.25% vs 0.50% a year in charges, no further contributions. Not a recommendation of Freetrade or Hargreaves Lansdown. Delphina is guidance, not financial advice.
Freetrade helped bring commission-free investing to the UK and keeps a free tier that now includes an ISA and a SIPP. The app is one of the simplest ways to buy your first share.
The catch is the FX fee. On the free plan you pay 0.99% every time you buy or sell a US stock, which adds up quickly. If most of your money goes into US shares, either upgrade to a paid plan for lower FX fees or compare against Trading 212's flat 0.15%.
Hargreaves Lansdown is the UK's largest DIY investment platform and leans into service: fast phone support, deep research and every account type you might need. The March 2026 fee cuts made it meaningfully cheaper, with fund fees down to 0.35% and share dealing at £6.95.
It is still rarely the cheapest option. You are paying for service and breadth, so the honest question is whether you will use them. If not, AJ Bell offers similar range for less.
Freetrade charges a plan fee rather than a percentage: Basic £0, Standard £4.99 a month (£59.88 a year) and Plus £9.99 a month (£119.88 a year), billed annually. HL charges 0.35% a year on funds up to £250,000, and 0.35% on shares, ETFs and investment trusts, capped at £150 a year in the ISA, the SIPP and the Fund & Share account.
Freetrade charges no commission on shares, ETFs, investment trusts or funds. HL charges £6.95 per online share deal and £1.95 per online fund deal, with regular investing free.
At Freetrade, FX fees apply to non-sterling trades: 0.99% on Basic, 0.59% on Standard and 0.39% on Plus. Buying £1,000 of US shares costs £9.90 in FX on Basic, £5.90 on Standard and £3.90 on Plus. We have not listed HL's FX charge here, so check it before comparing on overseas shares.
Both offer a Stocks & Shares ISA and a SIPP, and Freetrade includes both on all plans. HL also offers a Lifetime ISA and a Junior ISA. You can usually access a personal pension from 55, rising to 57 from 6 April 2028.
Freetrade tends to suit people who want no platform fee and no dealing commission, and who mostly buy in sterling or are happy to pay for a plan with a lower FX rate. HL tends to suit people who want a Lifetime ISA or Junior ISA with the same provider as their ISA and SIPP, and who are comfortable with a percentage fee and per-deal charges.
It depends on what you hold and how often you trade. Freetrade's platform fee is £0 on Basic; Standard £4.99/month; Plus £9.99/month (annual billing), against funds: 0.35% up to £250k, 0.25% £250k-£1m, 0.10% £1m-£2m, nothing above £2m. Shares, ETFs and investment trusts: 0.35%, capped at £150 a year in the ISA, SIPP and Fund & Share account at Hargreaves Lansdown. On dealing, Freetrade charges £0 commission for shares and free; FX fee applies on non-sterling trades for funds, while Hargreaves Lansdown charges £6.95 per trade (cut from £11.95 in March 2026) for shares and £1.95 per trade (free via regular investing) for funds. Fees verified July 2026.
Freetrade is best for beginners who want a simple app and are happy with shares and ETFs. Hargreaves Lansdown is best for investors who want the fullest service, research and support and will pay a premium for it. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On Freetrade's ISA: Included on all plans. On Hargreaves Lansdown's ISA: Platform fee applies. Freetrade offers a flexible ISA and Hargreaves Lansdown does not. Minimums are £2 at Freetrade and £25/month or £100 lump sum at Hargreaves Lansdown.
Freetrade offers a SIPP (included on all plans). Hargreaves Lansdown offers a SIPP (platform fee applies).
Freetrade scores 4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Great) from over 7,000 reviews. Hargreaves Lansdown scores 4.3 out of 5 (Excellent) from over 21,000 reviews. Critical reviews focus on the 0.99% FX fee on the free plan and features being moved behind subscriptions. Price. Even after the cuts, reviewers and commentators note cheaper alternatives for the same investments.
Yes. UK platforms accept ISA and SIPP transfers in, and you start the transfer with the receiving provider rather than the one you are leaving. Freetrade charges free on withdrawals and Hargreaves Lansdown charges free. Transfer as cash and you are out of the market while it settles; transfer in specie and you keep your holdings but it takes longer.
Freetrade or Hargreaves Lansdown, the account is the easy part. What decides when you can retire is how much goes in and for how long. Delphina works that out from what you already hold and what you pay in each month.
Free to check. No card required. Takes about two minutes.