- 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
4/5
Cons:
Money account interface on their app
4/5
3/5
3/5
Cons:
Simpler to access
2/5
Cons:
Overcome the 15 minute delay when you are dealing in the market. Also reduce charges as too high.
3/5
4/5
3/5
Cons:
Be more transparent with funds recommendation
5/5
Cons:
Become more competitive on charges
4/5
Cons:
Reduce fees
4/5
Cons:
More competitive fees and charges
3/5
Erik Pattison @ 05/06/2020 01:00
Good phone service but has not improved for years. They give far too much time boosting funds (the worst being the Neil Woodford fan posts) because that is where they make money.
The online platform completely fails to deal with index-linked gilts and sometimes quotes prices which are days old or fails to give a value at all. I have been with them for years but I am losing faith,
L Lagham @ 09/09/2019 12:51
Nearly four weeks now after my request to transfer my now-cash-only stocks and shares ISA to another firm, and still no progress from HL... still no responses to my several e-mails and secure messages on the topic when chasing them. I decided to move to another platform because: (a) HL fees are completely unjustifiably high compared with the whole market (b) research articles are generally quite shallow and somewhat trite (c) iPhone App is weak compared with closest competition (d) website is rather dated, somewhat 90's-ish and clunky to use (e) customer service appears to be getting worse and worse [no replies to messages generally - or if so, only days or weeks later].
Add the Woodford saga which will probably sadly continue for quite some time, and it does seem that unfortunately there is no longer much going for this firm - which used to have such a fantastic reputation and which is seems to be going into a sharp decline.
William Rutherford @ 04/28/2019 11:33
If you can bear the fee structure it has an excellent online platform for research
- Online Platform 5/5
- Customer Service 5/5
- Fees & Pricing 3/5
Jason Farrington @ 04/28/2019 02:14
I have had a stocks and shares ISA with Hargreaves Lansdown since April 2016 and it's been a roller-coaster ride but through the highs and lows (for me, more often the lows) Hargreaves Lansdown have provided an excellent service. If I ever have to call them, the phone is answered straight away and my question dealt with professionally and promptly. There are many funds and shares to invest in and the website and mobile app are easy to use and informative. However, I feel their charges for trading are pricey at £11.95.
- Online Platform 4/5
- Customer Service 5/5
- Fees & Pricing 3/5
Neil
- Trading Platform 5/5
- Customer Service 5/5
- Mobile Apps 5/5
- Spreads & Pricing 5/5
- Market Range 5/5
- Trade Execution Speed 5/5
- Added Value 5/5
Excellent service but the service change is high for regular traders.
(Trading stocks, indices, commodities and fixed income with Hargreaves Lansdown  for 2-5 years on a weekly basis)
Fai Hann
- Trading Platform 5/5
- Customer Service 5/5
- Mobile Apps 5/5
- Spreads & Pricing 3/5: I have found much more lower fees - just look at Vanguard at 0.07% platform fees
- Market Range 5/5
- Trade Execution Speed 5/5
- Added Value 4/5: Would like call up to discuss trade specials with me
A great broker very responsive when having issues with trade platform.
Super website - clear concise and very easy to navigate. Love the mobile app simply cannot live without it. SIMPLY NUMBER 1
Customer service very professional and knowledgeable.
Great in depth level of investments to trade and are very happy to add ETFs from other international stock markets add no extra cost which is AWESOME!
Fees are the 1 BIG let down. I simply cannot afford trading on a daily basis with charges as high as £11.95.
The pension platform fees are capped T £200 WHICH BETTER THAN VANGUARD'S!!!!
Hargreaves Lansdown: no nonsense, low risk trading for the beginner.
HL is a great place to start if you're new to trading. You can see your low risk longterm investments like ISAs alongside your fund account. So you have it all in one place. But it's expensive: if you're doing regular trades you'll ramp up your fees in no time. But it's great for your standard ISA funds and the customer service on the phone or email is superb.
Great for granddads, not so great for whippersnappers.
- Trading Platform 3/5: It's a basic, easy to use platform. But the charges are steep: £15 or thereabouts for each trade.
- Customer Service 5/5
- Mobile Apps 4/5: It's a good app but not quite modern enough. It does what you need it to.
- Spreads & Pricing 3/5: This isn't really my neck of the woods.
- Market Range 4/5: One big glaring omission: cryptocurrencies!
- Trade Execution Speed 5/5
- Added Value 5/5
(Trading stocks and commodities with Hargreaves Lansdown for over 5 years on a monthly basis)
- Expert opinion: Hargreaves Lansdown full review