- 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
Good, quite expensive for foreign...
Good, quite expensive for foreign trades, expensive SIPP charges
Good service but I would...
Good service but I would like to see a wider range of investments
Easy platform to navigate. Customer...
Easy platform to navigate. Customer support readily available and easy to talk to
Good and easy to...
Good and easy to use but expensive
NA
NA
Expensive
Expensive
Very good custome service
Very good custome service
could be cheaper compared to...
could be cheaper compared to others
a bit costly and they...
a bit costly and they don't hold all the shares you might want
Good mobile app, easy to...
Good mobile app, easy to use but the website could be made more user friendly
Super tool for investing
Super tool for investing
OK
OK
Platform is too 'clunky' and...
Platform is too 'clunky' and unnecessarily complex. Charges are high and unjustifiably so for holding funds
To expensive
To expensive
Very good platform that is...
Very good platform that is user friendly
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Expensive and inflexible
Expensive and inflexible
Not the cheapest but using...
Not the cheapest but using the platform is simple. They cut costs a year or so, and there was a downturn in customer service
Rapid access and trading.
Rapid access and trading.
Some serious functionality issues with...
Some serious functionality issues with their Watchlists
- Expert opinion: Hargreaves Lansdown full review