- Good Money Guide experts rate Hargreaves Lansdown highly for its extensive selection of around 280 index funds and a well-curated Wealth Shortlist, which aids investors in building diverse portfolios. However, they caution that the platform can become costly for larger portfolios due to various fees, including account charges that can add up significantly.
- Across 1775 user reviews on Good Money Guide, averaging 3.8/5, customers frequently commend the platform's ease of use and intuitive app, along with responsive customer service. However, there are notable criticisms regarding high fees, particularly for trading, and some users express frustration with customer support availability and account management issues.
Hargreaves Lansdown Index Funds Investing Expert rating
Our expert rating is the average of the areas listed here, each scored out of 5 by our team.Our experts have rated Hargreaves Lansdown Index Funds Investing across five key areas of our review framework.
- Pricing3.5
- Market Access4.5
- Online Platform4.0
- Customer Service4.0
- Research & Analysis4.0
Pros
- £1 minimum deposit
- Wide range of index funds available
- Wealth Shortlist offers investment ideas
Cons
- No cap on fund fees
- Fees can be high
- Phone support only available between 8am and 5pm on weekdays
See full expert review
Our verdict
Hargreaves Lansdown is a good choice for those who want to access a wide range of index funds. However, the platform can get expensive for large index fund portfolios. To make index fund investing easy Hargreaves Lansdown analysts have selected a number of index funds from across the major sectors for the Wealth Shortlist.
Capital at risk.
Is Hargreaves Lansdown good for index funds?
Yes, Hargreaves Lansdown has around 280 index funds in their screener (excluding ETFs). HL also have what they call a "Wealth Shortlist" where their experts have curated a best buy list of index funds across a broad range of sectors to help investors build a diverse portfolio.
A good choice for those who want to include index funds as part of their overall portfolio. However, it can get expensive for large index fund portfolios.
Market Access: Hargreaves Lansdown offers access to over 330 standard index funds on its platform. There are also thousands of ETF index funds available.
Pricing: For Stocks and Shares ISA investors, Hargreaves Lansdown charges £2 per trade to buy regular index funds and £6.95 for ETF trades (£3.95 if you made more than 20 trades the previous month). Customers also need to pay account fees.
For portfolios with ETFs, account fees are 0.35% (capped at £12.50 per month). For portfolios with regular funds, fees are:
| Value of funds | Annual account charge |
| Up to £250,000 | 0.35% |
| £250,000 - £1mn | 0.25% |
| £1mn - £2mn | 0.10% |
| Over £2mn | No charge |
App & Platform: Hargreaves Lansdown’s platform and app are well designed and easy to use. However, they don't offer features that some of the newer platforms offer such as commission free-trading and fractional shares.
Customer Service: Hargreaves Lansdown’s customer service is reasonable. Staff are helpful if you have a query, however, support is only available between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday and 9.30am to 12.30am on Saturday.
Research & Analysis: Hargreaves Lansdown offers a good amount of index fund research on its platform. To make index fund investing easy, its analysts have selected a number of funds from across a range of sectors for a preferred list called the Wealth Shortlist.
Customer reviews for Hargreaves Lansdown
Customer ratings come from reviews left on this site. Every review is read and approved before it is published.Based on 1,775 reviews
- Excellent27%
- Very good38%
- Basic24%
- Poor7%
- Bad4%
Read customer reviews
Excellent App but high buying fees
HL is an excellent platform as it’s easy to use and set up. It does however have rather large fees when buying a share. Considering the number of clients they have I’m surprised they remain high and is the reason I am looking for an alternative for my Stocks and Shares ISA
My trust in their knowledge is key
When you are a newbie to investing, it can be overwhelming, there are sharks in the tank that you need to avoid, along with many obstacles to overcome. While no financial organisation can deliver guidance with a crystal ball - I have found Hargreaves's Lansdown to operate with expertise and business integrity with a focus on client satisfaction. This has led me to confidently invest in a safe and secure environment with top class educated guidance. I don't think you can do better than that.
Great value for Junior ISAs
Set up Junior ISAs for my kids last year with 0% commission on all trades into and out of the Junior ISAs has been an excellent way to get them started in investing. I use other resources for keeping track of my portfolio but the overall service provides excellent value for money.
SAFE AND SECURE LIKE A TRUSTED OLD FRIEND
I have been a customer of Hargreaves Lansdowne for many decades, and I use the platform to manage my stocks and shares ISA, my SIPP, plus my Fund and Share Account.
The platform is easy to navigate
The choice of investments is wide ranging.
The customer service is very good, though not as good as it used to be since a cost saving exercise about a year ago.
Obviously, other platforms are cheaper, and for that reason I cannot give it five stars.
It is safe and secure like a trusted old friend, and long may that continue.
No fees on JISA is Great - Webstite Needs Improvement
Love the lack of fees on the product for the junior ISA. Really draws me in to make the most of the contributions that are made to it. However I really don't enjoy using the HL website to manage the JISA. It lacks a lot of the ease of use that you find in other products e.g. Invest Engine, Trading 212 that HL should be able to compete with. Just changing my contribution / d
Good
Good service speed, feedback clear website
Investors
My Friend made a small investment in Hargreaves Lansdown PLC . They are a United Kingdom-based digital wealth management service administering company. The Company provides a range of services, including stocks and shares individual savings account (ISA), Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), share dealing, fund dealing, drawdown, cash savings, lifetime ISA and junior ISA.
There is so much to like about this company. They have money in the bank. The returns are enormous with ROC of 50% ROE of 46% and a healthy margin of 48%. Gearing is low. Liquidity is good. Analyst sentiment is reasonably positive. The fundamentals are excellent . Revenue is increasing . Operating profits are steady. Cash flow and working capital are all good.
I had a few reservations. New investment last year was 38% down year on year. However, this is understandable in a cost of lockdown crisis. In addition, compared to their peers, such as AJ Bell, they are not doing that badly.
Another drawback is that HL are not competitive for those who are just getting started with investing. Investors with a large portfolio are ok because of the platform fee cap. However, HL could well lose out to new platforms offering commission free trading and no platform fees.
I like the sound of the new CEO and a potential British ISA may bring in more clients.
All in all, this is a quality company that I bought at a low price (P/E 11) with a great dividend story (expected 6.6% this year). which they have consistently paid over the past 8 years: with no share dilution.
This will be a stock that I will hold and enjoy the dividend and probable capital accumulation
Will be transferring a JISA here as it is fee free!
I will be transferring a JISA to HL as it is fee free and also pays interest on any cash held which my current provider does not.
Stocks & Shares JISA
Been using HL to invest for my daughter’s future. All transactions are quick and simple to execute. Buy & sell orders fulfilled smoothly. I also was impressed with their customer service and help in transferring in a cash JISA from Nationwide. The application process was easy and the response was swift.
Reliable and User-Friendly, but High Fees Make It Worth Exploring Alternatives
I've been a Hargreaves Lansdown customer for many years, and the platform does exactly what it says on the tin. It's generally user-friendly, reliable, and offers a wide range of investment options and app. However, it is undeniably expensive compared to other platforms. The fees add up, especially if you're an active investor. While I plan to continue using it for now, the market has become increasingly competitive, and it's worth exploring other options that offer similar functionality at a much lower cost.
HL is not acting in my best interests, I have been waiting over 6 weeks for my drawdown funds.
HL pensions staff have not been helpful, open or transparent with my drawdown application. I am still waiting after 6 weeks and have no confidence in their internal work processes. HL are not acting in my best interests.
I wish I had checked Good Money Guide and other sites before as others have experienced similar issues. Delayed payment appears a deliberate HL policy.
Hargreaves Lansdown Excellent
HL currently is a market leader to my investment experience. Top service, top platforms, safe an secure with a large portfolio and great analytics. I would recommend.
Easy to use app. Moderate plans
App is pretty intuitive and decent value
Investment guide
I’ve been following Hargreaces Lansdown it has been helpful to understand present money and investing guide.
Good and safe
They hold my shares. It’s an easy website to navigate.
Excellent service
I like the HL app which allows me to follow markets and my investment with ease. It was also very simple to set up.
investments
professional competent and efficient
keep you updated trustworthy
AVOID AT ALL COSTS
1. I Sold isa to pay deposit for house. 2. I Changed my address which stopped me nominating a bank for transfer.
3. Spoke to them was asked to provide proof of house purchase which I did.
4. 10 days later despite an email saying they would be in contact in next few days I heard nothing.
5 Rang them , nothing had been done! I wasn't allowed to speak to the relevant department they don't speak to customers.
6. Looks like at least another week before I can even nominate my bank for a transfer exchange date is before that.
IF YOUR HAPPY TO BE ABUSED AND DONT WANT CONTROL OVER YOUR FINANCES HARGREAVES LANSDOWN IS THE COMPANY FOR YOU, FOR OTHERS AVOID THESE SOULLESS COMPANY.
Professional & efficient
People & platform - professional, competent & efficient. Overall, great value.
Does the job
No fuss - just really good platform and service
Yes, Hargreaves Lansdown is good for buying index funds in the UK. HL is one of the UK’s largest stockbrokers and investment platforms, and it launched a new range of four “ready-made” index portfolio funds in July 2025. The funds invest using the firm’s active asset allocation methodology, applied to a portfolio of index funds and ETFs selected by BlackRock, one of the world’s largest index investors.
Hargreaves Lansdown is introducing the multi-asset index portfolio funds in response to a growing demand for index investing from its client base which has increased by 80% over the last two years according to the Bristol-based broker.
HL Ready-Made Index Funds
The new index funds will be available from June 6th and will complement the firm’s existing HL-managed ready-made fund range that was launched in 2023.
The four new Hargreaves Lansdown index funds are ranked by risk from most potentially profitable to least:
- HL Multi-Index Adventurous – asset allocation typically 100% shares – aiming for 90-110% volatility of global equity markets.
- HL Multi-Index Moderately Adventurous – asset allocation typically 80/20 split between shares and bonds – aiming for 70–90% volatility of global equity markets.
- HL Multi-Index Balanced – asset allocation typically 60/40 split between shares and bonds – aiming for 50-70% volatility of global equity markets.
- HL Multi-Index Cautious – asset allocation typically 30/70 split between shares and bonds – aiming for 30-50% volatility of global equity markets.
Hargreaves Lansdown CIO, Toby Vaughan said:
“HL clients’ investment in index funds has risen by more than two and a half times over the last 7-years, and the number of clients holding index funds as their main investment has increased by 80% over the last 2 years.”
“Our new ready-made multi-index investment portfolios add further choice for investors to meet that demand and are an easy cost-efficient solution for those looking to get started with investing.“
He added that
“They are part of our evolving strategy, which aims to expand and improve the range of investment options we provide to clients at all stages of their investment journey, from beginners to highly experienced investors.”
A move towards managed investments
Robo-advisors or digital wealth managers are becoming more and more popular as new investors enter the stock market in search of better returns. However, as HL has traditionally been a DIY investing platform, some investors may have been put off by having to choose their own investments. With that in mind the HL Index funds aim to be:
- Straightforward – investors can choose from either an active or index all-in-one portfolios
- Managed – there is no need to pick investments as expert fund managers make investment decisions
- Diversified – you can gain exposure to a range of investment styles and approaches in global investments.
- Rebalanced – the investment managers update portfolios to stay on track and stay aligned to the chosen level of risk.
- Clarity – it is possible to view investment performance, online or via the Hargreaves Lansdown app 24/7.
A balancing act
Hargreaves Lansdown built its reputation and its business by being a platform, offering third-party products and low-cost brokerage services to retail investors.
One can see why the firm, which has more than 2.0 million active investment accounts and £142.0 billion of assets under administration wants to offer more in-house products to its end customers, rather than just be a re-seller of and portal for other firms’ funds and services.
However, it must not lose sight of the values and business model that built the firm in the first place. Not least because its 40% share of the UK investing platform market makes it the number one target for its competitors.
Compare Hargreaves Lansdown To Alternative Index Fund Investing Accounts
| Name | Logo | GMG Rating | Customer Reviews | Annual Fees | Dealing Fees | CTA | Feature | Expand |
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Annual Fees 0.1% - 0.25% |
Dealing Fees £1.50 |
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Annual Fees 0.1% - 0.45% |
Dealing Fees £5.95 - £11.95 |
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interactive investor Index Fund Investing Expert ratingOur expert rating is the average of the areas listed here, each scored out of 5 by our team.4.6Excellent Our experts have rated interactive investor Index Fund Investing across five key areas of our review framework.
Pros
Cons
Our verdictInteractive Investor offer a wide range of index tracker funds. A good choice for large index fund portfolios, as they offer good coverage and the fixed-fee model means that the bigger your account size gets, your costs stay the same. You can either pick your own or choose from some featured funds from their Super 60 investment list. Is interactive investor good for buying index funds in the UK?Interactive Investor is a sound choice for those seeking access to a broad range of index funds and a flat-fee structure. For those with large portfolios, it can be a very cost-effective platform. Market Access: Interactive Investor offers access to hundreds of standard index funds and thousands of index ETFs. Pricing: With this platform, there are three different fee plans:
App & Platform: Interactive Investor’s platform and app are well designed and offer a clean interface for long-term investors looking to track portfolios and execute trades. However, some users find the app a little basic. Customer Service: Interactive Investor scores well for customer support. However, while the phone team is generally knowledgeable and helpful, email support can be a little slow. Research & Analysis: On its website, Interactive Investor has a Research Hub which offers analysis and tools designed to help investors make better decisions. It also offers a Highly Rated Funds tool, to help investors build their portfolios.
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GMG Rating |
Customer Reviews |
Annual Fees £0 |
Dealing Fees £0 |
Start Investing Capital at risk |
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Richard is the founder of the Good Money Guide (formerly Good Broker Guide), one of the original investment comparison sites established in 2015. With a career spanning two decades as a broker, he brings extensive expertise and knowledge to the financial landscape.
Having worked as a broker at Investors Intelligence and a multi-asset derivatives broker at MF Global (Man Financial), Richard has acquired substantial experience in the industry. His career began as a private client stockbroker at Walker Crips and Phillip Securities (now King and Shaxson), following internships on the NYMEX oil trading floor in New York and London IPE in 2001 and 2000.
Richard’s contributions and expertise have been recognized by respected publications such as The Sunday Times, BusinessInsider, Yahoo Finance, BusinessNews.org.uk, Master Investor, Wealth Briefing, iNews, and The FT, among many others.
Under Richard’s leadership, the Good Money Guide has evolved into a valuable destination for comprehensive information and expert guidance, specialising in trading, investment, and currency exchange. His commitment to delivering high-quality insights has solidified the Good Money Guide’s standing as a well-respected resource for both customers and industry colleagues.
