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.
Hands-off investors happy to hold only Vanguard index funds and LifeStrategy.
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.
Long-term investors praise the low fund costs and the simplicity of LifeStrategy portfolios.
The £4 minimum monthly fee frustrated smaller investors when it landed, and some reviews mention slow customer service.
Read Vanguard 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 | Vanguard | Hargreaves Lansdown |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | £4/month minimum below £32k; 0.15% above £32k, capped at £375/year | 0.35% on funds up to £250k (tiered lower above); shares capped at £45/year in an ISA and £150/year in a SIPP |
| Share dealing | Not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) | £6.95 per trade (cut from £11.95 in March 2026) |
| Fund dealing | Free | £1.95 per trade (free via regular investing) |
| FX fee | None (GBP funds) | 1% on the first £5k, tiered lower above |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Platform fee applies | Platform fee applies |
| SIPP | Platform fee applies | Platform fee applies |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £100/month or £500 lump sum | £25/month or £100 lump sum |
Vanguard UK is the default answer for one-fund index investing. If your plan is a LifeStrategy or FTSE Global All Cap fund and nothing else, the combination of cheap funds and a capped 0.15% platform fee is excellent, especially above £32,000.
Below £32,000 the £4 monthly minimum changes the maths, and a free platform like Trading 212 or Prosper holding a similar Vanguard ETF can work out cheaper. You also cannot hold individual shares or other fund managers' products.
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.
It depends on what you hold and how often you trade. Vanguard's platform fee is £4/month minimum below £32k; 0.15% above £32k, capped at £375/year, against 0.35% on funds up to £250k (tiered lower above); shares capped at £45/year in an ISA and £150/year in a SIPP at Hargreaves Lansdown. On dealing, Vanguard charges not available (funds and Vanguard ETFs only) for shares and free 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.
Vanguard is best for hands-off investors happy to hold only Vanguard index funds and LifeStrategy. 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 Vanguard's ISA: Platform fee applies. On Hargreaves Lansdown's ISA: Platform fee applies. Neither offers a flexible ISA, so anything you withdraw still counts against your annual allowance. Minimums are £100/month or £500 lump sum at Vanguard and £25/month or £100 lump sum at Hargreaves Lansdown.
Vanguard offers a SIPP (platform fee applies). Hargreaves Lansdown offers a SIPP (platform fee applies).
Vanguard scores 4 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Great) from around 5,000 reviews. Hargreaves Lansdown scores 4.3 out of 5 (Excellent) from over 21,000 reviews. The £4 minimum monthly fee frustrated smaller investors when it landed, and some reviews mention slow customer service. 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. Vanguard 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.
Vanguard 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.
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