- Experts highlight Hargreaves Lansdown Active Savings as a convenient platform for managing multiple savings accounts, allowing users to access competitive interest rates without the hassle of opening numerous accounts. The service is praised for its user-friendly interface and the ability to switch savings easily, although there are concerns that better rates may be available directly from banks.
- Across 1779 user reviews on Good Money Guide, averaging 3.8/5, customers frequently commend the intuitive app, responsive customer service, and the convenience of managing investments alongside savings. However, some users express dissatisfaction with high fees and occasional difficulties in navigating the platform, alongside concerns about customer support responsiveness during critical situations.
Hargreaves Lansdown Active Savings 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 Active Savings across five key areas of our review framework.
- Rates4.5
- Market Access5.0
- App & Platform5.0
- Customer Service5.0
- Research & Analysis5.0
Pros
- Constantly updated interest rates
- Wide range of providers
- Cash ISA available
Cons
- Potentially better rates by going direct
- Cash can be tied up for a set period
See full expert review
Our verdict
Hargreaves Lansdown’s Active Savings won "Best Savings Platform" in the 2025 and 2024 Good Money Guide Awards. HL's savings product was launched by the investment broker in 2018 and lets customers pick and choose from a range of the best easy-access and fixed-term savings accounts. The Active Savings portal is now five years old and as of the end of December 2022, they have helped over 146,000 clients savings, over £6.3 billion.
How does Active Savings work?
The key advantage is that you can get the best interest rates for your savings, by constantly switching savings accounts without actually having to move your money around or open lots of different savings accounts.
You get started by depositing a minimum of £1,000 which you can allocate to as many savings accounts as you want. You’ll receive monthly statements and a warning when rates are about to expire. Hargreaves Lansdown Active Savings is a similar product to raisin, which also lets you manage multiple savings accounts from a single platform.
Emma Wall, head of investment analysis and research at Hargreaves Lansdown said that:
Active Savings provides a solution for the 49% of people who haven’t moved their savings in the past 5 years, and the 35% who’ve never switched. Through one single application, savers can move money between accounts with different banks and building societies in just a few clicks, removing the need to ever complete another application.
Best Rates: You can see the savings products available in Hargreaves Lansdown's Active Savings portal.
“Active Savings is the only UK service where people can manage their investments and savings in one place,” says Hargreaves Lansdown’s head of communications, Danny Cox. “This makes managing your money so much easier than multiple accounts.”
At the moment, the service offers access to over 70 different savings accounts, so you have a good chance of finding some of the best savings providers with the highest interest rates. Hargreaves Lansdown hopes to add more providers in time, which will increase choice.
You can also save money in a cash ISA which reduces your tax bill. However, if you want better returns and are prepared to take more risk, a stocks and shares ISA maybe more appropriate.
The biggest potential disadvantage of the service is that you might be able to get better rates by going to the banks directly. This is because Hargreaves Lansdown doesn’t charge you directly, instead they charge the providers you save with. This means the same or similar products offered directly by the banks and building societies may have different interest rates to those available on Active Savings.
So you are paying a small amount for the convenience of HL managing the process.
And while switching is easy, you need to be sure you’ll take notice of the email warnings about soon-to-expire rates.
If you’re a Hargreaves Lansdown customer, Active Savings is probably going to be the most convenient savings option out there. And with more banks set to come on board, the choice of accounts – and hopefully rates – will soon increase.
Fixed-Term Cash ISAs: Hargreaves Lansdown is also one of the only (and first) investment and savings platforms to offer Fixed Term Cash ISAs that sit alongside existing easy access and limited access options, meaning clients can now spread their Cash ISA allowance across multiple products.
Is HL Active Savings safe? Yes, your savings are protected by the FSCS but this only applies once the money is deposited into an FSCS-protected partner account but not while in the HL holding account.
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
Useful
Helpfull phone support and an easy to use app and website
Excellent
Everything is clearly explained, and the interest rate on the cash isa is very good
Transparent
Clear policies and excellent documentation with reasonable charges in managing ISA savings and SIPP pensions
Reliable
Provides excellent rates with a solid reputation.
hideous experience
just speechless! I created the kids accounts. They changed the primary person on my child's account without telling either parent, locked me out when I Phoned about a login issue, then dictated what I do in my own home and with whom. Never had an experience like that!
Website
Excellent platform for stocks, shares and cash investing.
Class
Amazing customer service
Efficient
Very simple app. Brilliant customer service. Good range of ETFs, which I use for long-term investing. Brilliant Cash ISA also, with great interest rate. Trusted and credible. I trust my money is in a safe place.
Good
Communication
Intuitive
Good, intuitive app. Very responsive customer service.
Excellent
Easy platform to use
Confidence
Easy to use platform, very supportive and excellent telephone service.
fantastic
They listen then execute the right strategy
Accessible
Easy to use and patient/friendly when contacted. 5he brand provides access at all investment skill and money levels.
Great for junior ISA
Provide good junior stocks and shares ISA
Quality
Been with them for years and I have always felt they provide me with the best service for my needs as being retired now , not the force of old but heh ho still looking . Pb
Bereavement Support - Incompetent and Difficult
Where do I start.
Claiming they sent forms when they didn't. Then sent them in an email, but the forms were not attached.
Provided all information requested.
Week later I get an email requesting more information. We are all HL clients but they have made a bad situation so much worse because of their incompetence and awkwardness.
I have NEVER dealt with a more difficult organisation in thise who bereavement process.
They offer good products but I am seriously considering moving my considerable financial invesment away from HL.
Utterly appalled.
Overall good but the app could be easier to use.
One of only a few providers of a JISA where you can pick and manage your investments. Setting up the account was reasonably easy. The app UI is ok but not great. Can only fund the account through a card payment is a little frustrating but not a deal breaker.
Free JISA and app is great
Opened up a JISA on HL due to fees and ease of use. Good stock universe and the app works very well. Got no complaints
Good but room for improvement
HL Junior ISA is okay but their website and app need improvement compared to competitors like InvestEngine and Trading212.
Compare Hargreaves Lansdown Active Savings Against Other Savings Platforms:
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