Betterment vs Hargreaves Lansdown - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

Betterment vs Hargreaves Lansdown

Compare Betterment and Hargreaves Lansdown side by side: fees, regulation, platforms.

Betterment

Betterment

Hands-off automated investors

Betterment is a US robo-advisor offering automated ETF portfolios, tax-loss harvesting, self-directed investi…

VS
Hargreaves Lansdown

Hargreaves Lansdown

UK long-term ISA and SIPP investors

Hargreaves Lansdown is the UK's largest retail investment platform, offering ISAs, SIPPs, funds, shares, ETFs…

Head-to-head comparison

Betterment vs Hargreaves Lansdown
Feature Betterment Hargreaves Lansdown
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee No commissions for self-directed investing accounts £6.95 per online trade (0-19 trades/month); £3.95 per trade (20+ trades/month); £29 by phone; free via monthly Direct Debit regular investing
Regulators SEC, FINRA, SIPC FCA
Best for Hands-off automated investors UK long-term ISA and SIPP investors
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
Crypto
-
Bonds
Fractional Shares
-
Ready Made Portfolios
Investment Plans
Savings Vaults
-
Money Market Funds
Funds
-
Isa
-
Sipp
-

Pros & cons

Betterment

Betterment

Pros

  • No account minimum (invest from $10)
  • No deposit, withdrawal, or inactivity fees
  • Automated tax-loss harvesting included
  • Broad portfolio options including socially responsible and crypto ETF
  • Cash Reserve earns competitive APY with FDIC insurance up to $4M
  • Self-directed investing with no commissions
  • Goal-based planning tools and portfolio rebalancing included

Cons

  • $5/month fee is relatively high on small balances (up to ~0.6% annually on $10,000)
  • $75 fee to transfer an account out to another brokerage
  • Crypto portfolio carries a 1% annual management fee
  • Premium plan requires $100,000 minimum balance
  • No dedicated human advisor - Premium uses team-based CFP model
  • No direct indexing for tax optimization
  • No demo account for practice before investing
Hargreaves Lansdown

Hargreaves Lansdown

Pros

  • UK's largest retail investment platform with over 2 million clients
  • Wide product range: funds, shares, ETFs, bonds, gilts, investment trusts, VCTs
  • ISA, SIPP, Lifetime ISA, Junior ISA, and Junior SIPP accounts available
  • No inactivity or withdrawal fees
  • Free monthly Direct Debit regular investing for both shares and funds
  • Extensive research tools, analyst ratings, and educational content
  • Segregated client funds and FSCS protection up to £85,000
  • No account charge for Junior ISA holders

Cons

  • No demo account available
  • Share dealing fee of £6.95 is higher than several UK competitors
  • Fund annual charge is uncapped for smaller portfolios and can be expensive at scale
  • New £1.95 fund dealing fee introduced from March 2026 where trades were previously free
  • Annual share charge cap raised to £150 per year per account from £45
  • FX conversion fees apply on all overseas share trades
  • No CFDs, forex, crypto, or spread betting products
Betterment

Betterment

Betterment is a US robo-advisor offering automated ETF portfolios, tax-loss harvesting, self-directed investing, and cash management with no account minimum.

Visit Betterment Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Hargreaves Lansdown

Hargreaves Lansdown

Hargreaves Lansdown is the UK's largest retail investment platform, offering ISAs, SIPPs, funds, shares, ETFs and ready-made portfolios to over 2 million clients.

Visit Hargreaves Lansdown Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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