- Experts rate Hargreaves Lansdown's General Investment Account highly, noting its extensive range of account types and a robust research portal that supports informed investment decisions. The platform is praised for its wide market coverage, offering access to thousands of shares, funds, and bonds, although it can be costly for larger fund portfolios.
- Across 1779 user reviews on Good Money Guide, averaging 3.8/5, customers frequently commend the user-friendly app and website, alongside responsive customer service. However, some users express dissatisfaction with high fees and occasional difficulties in navigating the platform. Additionally, while many appreciate the comprehensive investment options, a number of reviews highlight concerns regarding customer support and account management issues.
Hargreaves Lansdown General Investment Account 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 General Investment Account across one key area of our review framework.
- Excellent5.0
Pros
- Thousands of UK and international shares, bonds & funds
- Ready-made portfolios with different levels of risk
- Excellent research and analysis
- An established and listed company on the LSE.
Cons
- Can be expensive for large fund portfolios
- Data not as good as it used to be
See full expert review
Our verdict
Hargreaves Lansdown (HL) has plenty of account types including a GIA and several types of ISA, plus an excellent research portal. There's access to thousands of UK and international shares, funds, ETFs, investment trusts and corporate bonds. Capital is at risk.
Capital at risk
Is HL's GIA a Good Account?
HL is good for investors looking for more than just somewhere to buy and sell shares. The platform offers the most account types of all the investment platforms we compare, including a GIA, stocks and shares ISAs, lifetime ISAs, and junior ISAs. Plus, it has one of the best research portals to help you choose your own investments. And it boasts some of the widest market coverage, including thousands of UK and international shares, over 3,000 funds, ETFs, investment trusts, and corporate bonds.
Fees
There is no account charge for shares in a GIA with HL. Funds are charged at 0.45% for the first £250,000. There's no charge for buying funds, but shares are charged at £11.95 per deal or £5.95 if you do over 20 deals per month.
Is HL's GIA Better than its ISA?
It makes sense to open a GIA only after you have exhausted your ISA allowance. With the GIA from HL, you can invest as much as you like but with an ISA you're limited to £20,000 a year in the tax-free wrapper.
What is HL's Platform Like to Use?
HL's investment platform is one of the best around. HL provides a huge amount of technical and fundamental data to help you choose investments.
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 1,779 reviews
- Excellent27%
- Very good38%
- Basic24%
- Poor7%
- Bad4%
Read customer reviews
No serious complaints but could...
No serious complaints but could improve in some areas.
good all round service.
good all round service.
Good value easy to use...
Good value easy to use good app
Reliable and safe but not...
Reliable and safe but not the cheapest
Excellent no fees model for...
Excellent no fees model for child clients is very good value, adult share fees are too high for me
good service and offerings but...
good service and offerings but dealing fees way to high still.
Trading fees are still too...
Trading fees are still too high with HL. Still prefer the HL app to AJB or II.
5/5
Very responsive - good mobile...
Very responsive - good mobile platform
Good analysis tool
Good analysis tool
easy to use
easy to use
Ok
Ok
Dealing services excellent!
Dealing services excellent!
Very good for DIY funds,trusts...
Very good for DIY funds,trusts in ISA. Trading can be expensive. Trustworthy platform so far(10yrs).
Good
Good
Meets all my needs
Meets all my needs
Was with them for 30...
Was with them for 30 years but they have lost their way on customer service
Very easy to use &...
Very easy to use & good research tools
Appreciate better pricing through it's...
Appreciate better pricing through it's size
Good platform, easy to navigate.Bit...
Good platform, easy to navigate.Bit slow to load sometimes though.
- Expert opinion: Hargreaves Lansdown full review