Hargreaves Lansdown vs Lime Financial - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

Hargreaves Lansdown vs Lime Financial

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

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…

VS
Lime Financial

Lime Financial

Active traders seeking low-cost DMA

Lime Financial is a US agency broker offering commission-free stock and ETF trading, low-latency DMA, options…

Head-to-head comparison

Hargreaves Lansdown vs Lime Financial
Feature Hargreaves Lansdown Lime Financial
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee £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 $0 commission via market maker venues (domestic accounts); DMA routing: $0.005 per share; extended hours: $0.003 per share surcharge
Regulators FCA FINRA, SEC, NFA, SIPC
Best for UK long-term ISA and SIPP investors Active traders seeking low-cost DMA
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
Bonds
-
Options
-
Futures
-
Funds
-
Ready Made Portfolios
-
Isa
-
Sipp
-
Investment Plans
-
Money Market Funds
-
Margin
-

Pros & cons

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
Lime Financial

Lime Financial

Pros

  • Commission-free stock and ETF trading via market maker venues
  • Low DMA rate of $0.005 per share for direct routing
  • Low options commission of $0.50 per contract
  • Multiple platform choices including Lime Trader, Sterling, CQG, and Bookmap
  • IRA and multiple account types supported
  • Agency-only broker model with no proprietary trading conflicts
  • SIPC membership protects accounts up to $500,000

Cons

  • No demo or paper trading account available
  • Inactivity fee of $15 per quarter for low-activity accounts
  • Minimum account balance of $1,000 for cash accounts, $2,000 for margin
  • No OTC stock trading
  • No GTC (Good-Till-Canceled) orders supported
  • Wire transfer fees for deposits and withdrawals
  • No fractional shares
  • Platform depth may overwhelm beginner traders
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.

Lime Financial

Lime Financial

Lime Financial is a US agency broker offering commission-free stock and ETF trading, low-latency DMA, options, and futures via proprietary and third-party platforms.

Visit Lime Financial Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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