The best alternatives to Charles Stanley Direct are
- Interactive Investor - UK stockbroker
- Hargreaves Lansdown - UK-based stockbroker
- Barclays - UK-based stockbroker
Let's see in a bit more detail how the Charles Stanley Direct alternatives compare to Charles Stanley Direct and each other:
| Charles Stanley Direct | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 3.9 |
| Fees score | 3.4 stars | 3.3 stars | 3.1 stars | 3.8 stars |
| Account opening score | 4.6 stars | 5.0 stars | 4.6 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Deposit and withdrawal score | 3.8 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.8 stars | 4.0 stars |
| Web platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.7 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Markets and products score | 1.4 stars | 3.0 stars | 3.0 stars | 1.3 stars |
| Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker |
Why are these brokers considered good alternatives to Charles Stanley Direct? There are many areas based on which Charles Stanley Direct can be compared with others. When we say a given online broker is a good alternative to Charles Stanley Direct we mean these brokers are comparable in the following areas:
- The products they offer, meaning you can buy mostly the same things, i.e. stocks, CFDs, options, etc.
- The type of clients they target, i.e. beginners, experienced investors, or day traders.
Not sure which broker to choose? For a tailored recommendation, check out our broker finder tool. Answer 4 simple questions and get a list of the most relevant brokers.
Charles Stanley Direct alternatives recommendations
Brokers are different in a number of ways, which means each of them may be suitable for different people. Here's how they compare overall:
- Charles Stanley Direct is recommended for beginners and buy-and-hold investors focusing on the uk market
- Interactive Investor is recommended for beginners and investors focusing on the uk market
- Hargreaves Lansdown is recommended for beginners and buy-and-hold investors looking for great customer service and easy-to-use trading platforms
- Barclays is recommended for long-term investors looking for a broker with low fees and solid background
Important factors of finding Charles Stanley Direct alternatives
So far BrokerChooser has reviewed 101 online brokers in detail, which gives this comparison a solid starting point.
Not only that, but all of these brokers are reviewed using the exact same broker review methodology, which makes everything easily comparable. For each broker, we
- open a live account
- check over 100 criteria, with weighting based on readers' preferences
- refresh data regularly
Whether Charles Stanley Direct or one of its alternatives is the best choice for you is on the following five broker characteristics that most interest people:
Fees. There are different types of fees that your online brokerage may charge, and both the number and the size of these fees may vary significantly from broker to broker. Both of these aspects can impact your returns and your overall experience. The amounts Charles Stanley Direct charges you are considered average. When picking an alternative, you could prioritize brokers that are cheaper than Charles Stanley Direct.
Deposit/withdrawal. The number of ways that you can deposit or withdraw money to or from your account matters a lot. For example, while you can make a deposit with a credit card at Charles Stanley Direct, this might not be the case at its alternatives.
Web trading platform. While online brokers are usually available on various platforms like mobile apps, tablet apps or desktop software, most people use them through their web platform in a browser. User-friendly trading platforms that offer many different resources can significantly increase your trading comfort.
Markets and products. A lot of people have specific products they would like to invest in. Knowing whether stocks, forex, mutual funds, and other products are available at the given Charles Stanley Direct alternative is a must.
Now let's dive into the details of how Charles Stanley Direct and its alternatives perform in the most important areas!
Charles Stanley Direct alternatives
Interactive Investor
Interactive Investor (ii) is one of the biggest UK stockbrokers, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It was founded in 1995 and incorporated in its current form in 2003.
Interactive Investor was recently acquired by abrdn, a publicly-listed company that is also part of the FTSE 100 index.
Interactive Investor is considered safe because it has a long track record and is overseen by a top-tier regulator.
Recommended for beginners and investors focusing on the uk market
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly trading platforms | • Limited product portfolio |
| • Fast and easy deposit and withdrawal | • Basic charting and analytic tools |
| • Great phone customer service | • Monthly account fee |
Fees
Interactive Investor has average trading fees, including low fund fees, while regular investments are free. On the other hand, there is a monthly account fee.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low fund fees | • Monthly account fee |
| • Regular investments are free |
| Interactive Investor | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $22.6 | - |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $23.1 | $33.6 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | - | - |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
Opening an account with Interactive Investor is fast, fully digital, and involves no minimum deposit, but only UK addresses are accepted.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fast | • Only UK residents accepted |
| • Fully digital | |
| • No minimum deposit |
| Interactive Investor | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $28 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | 1-3 days |
If you are interested more in Interactive Investor minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
Deposit and withdrawal are easy, quick and mostly free. On the negative side, electronic wallets and credit/debit cards are not accpeted for withdrawal.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • No credit/debit card withdrawal |
| • No deposit fee | |
| • Free withdrawal in GBP or EUR |
| Interactive Investor | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
Interactive Investor's web trading platform is user-friendly and easy to use, but the platform cannot be customized.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Clear fee report | |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| Interactive Investor | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.3 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.8 stars | 3.7 stars |
| Desktop platform score | - | - |
Learn more about Interactive Investor's web trading platform in the detailed Interactive Investor review.
Markets and products
Interactive Investor offers stocks, ETFs, funds, and bonds, but funds and bonds cover only the UK market.
| Interactive Investor | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | No |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Options | No | No |
| Futures | No | No |
| CFDs | No | No |
| Crypto | No | No |
Verdict
Interactive Investor is one of the biggest UK brokers, and is regulated by the top-tier FCA.
It has a user-friendly and well-designed web trading platform and mobile app. Deposit and withdrawal are easy and fast, and phone customer service is great, giving you quick and useful answers.
Interactive Investor has some drawbacks though. Its product offer covers only traditional products, like UK funds and a rather average selection of stocks. Technical research tools are limited, and there is a monthly account fee.
As there is no minimum deposit and you can use great trading platforms, feel free to try Interactive Investor.
| Interactive Investor | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Interactive Investor is a UK-based investment service provider. It is regulated by the top-tier FCA. |
| Fees score | 3.3 stars |
| Recommended for | Beginners and investors focusing on the UK market |
Charles Stanley Direct alternatives
Hargreaves Lansdown
Hargreaves Lansdown is one of the biggest UK-based stockbrokers. It was founded in 1981 and is regulated by the top-tier Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In addition, it is a listed company and a constituent of the FTSE 100, a stock index of the biggest listed companies in the UK.
Hargreaves Lansdown is considered safe because it has a long track record, is regulated by a top-tier authority, and is listed on a stock exchange.
Recommended for beginners and buy-and-hold investors looking for great customer service and easy-to-use trading platforms
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Easy-to-use trading platforms | • High fees for stocks and ETFs |
| • High-quality educational tools | • Offline account opening for clients outside the UK |
| • Great customer service | • Only GBP base currency |
Fees
Hargreaves Lansdown has low fund and bond trading fees and there is no inactivity fee. However, the stock and ETF fees are high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low non-trading fees | • High stock and ETF fees |
| • No withdrawal fee | • Currency conversion fee |
| • Low fees for funds and bonds |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $33.7 | - |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $34.2 | $33.6 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | - | - |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
Hargreaves Lansdown's account opening process is quick and easy as long as you're in the UK and electronic verification works. If this fails or you live outside the UK, you have to send photocopied documents by post.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fast | • Offline account opening for non-UK clients |
| • No minimum deposit | |
| • Fully digital for UK clients |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $28 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | 1-3 days |
If you are interested more in Hargreaves Lansdown minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
Depositing and withdrawing money is easy and free with a debit card or fast bank transfers at Hargreaves Lansdown. Unfortunately, accounts are available only in GBP.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • Only one account base currency |
| • Free withdrawal | |
| • No deposit fee |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
Hargreaves Lansdown's web platform is user-friendly and easy to use. However, it lacks a two-step login and customizability.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • No two-step (safer) login |
| • Clear fee report | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Good search function |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 3.7 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.9 stars | 3.7 stars |
| Desktop platform score | - | - |
Learn more about Hargreaves Lansdown's web trading platform in the detailed Hargreaves Lansdown review.
Markets and products
Hargreaves Lansdown offers a lot of funds, and you can access a good number of stock markets. However, other products such as forex, CFDs, options or futures are not available.
| Hargreaves Lansdown | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | No |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Options | No | No |
| Futures | No | No |
| CFDs | No | No |
| Crypto | No | No |
Verdict
Hargreaves Lansdown is one of the biggest UK brokers and is regulated by a top-tier authority.
Its customer service is great, providing you with quick and relevant answers. The web and mobile trading platforms are user-friendly and the educational tools are high-quality.
It has some drawbacks though: it has high fees for stocks and ETFs, account opening for clients outside the UK is not fully digital, and there is only one base currency (GBP).
As there is no minimum deposit and no inactivity fee, Hargreaves Lansdown is a good choice for opening a trading account.
| Hargreaves Lansdown | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Hargreaves Lansdown is a UK broker, regulated by the top-tier FCA. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100, a stock index of the biggest listed companies in the UK. |
| Fees score | 3.1 stars |
| Recommended for | Beginners and buy-and-hold investors looking for great customer service and easy-to-use trading platforms |
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Charles Stanley Direct alternatives
Barclays
Barclays is a UK-based financial service company with a long history, the origins of which date back to the 17th century. Barclays is listed on multiple stock exchanges, including the LSE and the NYSE.
Barclays provides a brokerage service for UK customers through its subsidiary, Barclays Smart Investor. Barclays Smart Investor was founded in 1992 and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Barclays Smart Investor is considered safe because it has a long track record and a good reputation, is listed on a stock exchange, has a banking background, discloses its financials, and is regulated by a top-tier financial authority.
We use Barclays Smart Investor and Barclays interchangeably, but we always refer to Barclays's brokerage service.
Recommended for long-term investors looking for a broker with low fees and solid background
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low fees | • Limited to UK products |
| • Solid company background | • Current bank account is needed for mobile platform |
| • Great fundamental research | • Poor customer support |
Fees
Barclays Smart Investor provides low trading fees for stocks, ETFs, bonds, and funds. It's also great that no deposit, withdrawal, or inactivity fees are charged. On the other hand, there is a volume-based monthly customer fee for holding assets.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low stock, ETF, fund, and bond fees | • Volume-based monthly customer fee |
| • No withdrawal fee | |
| • No inactivity fee |
| Barclays | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | - | - |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $17.5 | $33.6 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | - | - |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
Barclays Smart Investor offers a fully digital account opening with no minimum deposit. On the negative side, the account verification took long and only UK residents can open an account with Barclays.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Slow |
| • No minimum deposit | • Account opening only for UK residents |
| Barclays | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $28 |
| Time to open account | >3 days | 1-3 days |
If you are interested more in Barclays minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
Depositing and withdrawal is free of charge with a debit card or bank transfer and is usually processed fast. On the other hand, you can't use electronic wallets and we experienced some difficulties having different bank accounts accepted.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • Missing electronic wallets |
| • Free withdrawal | |
| • No deposit fee |
| Barclays | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
Barclays Smart Investor has a user-friendly and well-designed web trading platform. It also offers good search functions and transparent order confirmation. However, the platform is not customizable and there is no two-step login option.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • No two-step (safer) login |
| • Clear fee report | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Good search function |
| Barclays | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 3.5 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Mobile platform score | - | 3.7 stars |
| Desktop platform score | - | - |
Learn more about Barclays's web trading platform in the detailed Barclays review.
Markets and products
Barclays Smart Investor offers stocks, ETFs, bonds, and mutual funds. Unfortunately, the product portfolio covers only the UK market and the number of available products is far from robust.
| Barclays | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | No |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Options | No | No |
| Futures | No | No |
| CFDs | No | No |
| Crypto | No | No |
Verdict
All in all, Barclays Smart Investor is a transparent and secure brokerage held by a financially stable global UK bank and is regulated by the top-tier FCA.
We rated Smart Investors favorably because of its low fees, the safety it provides for account holders and great fundamental research.
Some of its drawbacks include a limited product offering and missing mobile trading platform, as well as poor customer support.
If you are looking for a solid, safe online broker, you can go ahead and give Barclays Smart Investor a try, as the trading and non-trading fees are generally low, the security of your funds are protected to a high level, and the account opening is fully online.
| Barclays | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Barclays is a UK-based bank. Barclays Smart Investor is the brokerage service provided by Barclays and regulated by the top-tier FCA. |
| Fees score | 3.8 stars |
| Recommended for | Long-term investors looking for a broker with low fees and solid background |
Charles Stanley Direct alternatives
Charles Stanley Direct
Charles Stanley Direct is a UK-based stockbroker founded in 1985. It is regulated by the top-tier UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In 2022 it was acquired by Raymond James Financial, Inc., which is an NYSE-listed financial services company, a constituent of the blue-chip S&P 500 index.
Charles Stanley Direct is considered safe because it has a long track record, its parent company is listed on a stock exchange, and is regulated by a top-tier regulator.
Recommended for beginners and buy-and-hold investors focusing on the uk market
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low fund fees | • Limited product portfolio |
| • Great customer service | • Limited education materials |
| • Easy deposit and withdrawal | • Basic research tools |
Fees
Charles Stanley Direct has low fund fees and low non-trading fees, but its stock and ETF fees are not the most competitive on the market.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low non-trading fees | • Average stock and ETF fees |
| • Low fund fees | |
| • No withdrawal fee |
| Charles Stanley Direct | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | - | $11.2 | $16.7 | - |
| UK stock | $16.1 | $11.2 | $16.7 | $8.4 |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k
Account opening
If you have a UK passport, the account opening procedure is quick and easy. If not, you have to mail in photocopied documents, making the process less convenient.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Available only to UK residents |
| • Low minimum deposit | |
| • User-friendly |
| Charles Stanley Direct | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $28 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | >3 days |
Learn more about Charles Stanley Direct minimum deposit here.
Deposit and withdrawal
Depositing and withdrawing money is easy and free with bank transfer at Charles Stanley Direct. Unfortunately, accounts are only available in British pounds.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • Only one account base currency |
| • Free withdrawal | |
| • No deposit fee |
| Charles Stanley Direct | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
The web trading platform is user-friendly and delivers some of the usual basic functions. However, it lacks a safer two-step login, customizability and advanced order types.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • No two-step (safer) login |
| • Clear fee report | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Price alerts | • Limited order types |
| Charles Stanley Direct | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.7 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.7 stars | 3.8 stars | 3.9 stars | - |
| Desktop platform score | - | - | - | - |
Learn more about Charles Stanley Direct's web trading platform in the detailed Charles Stanley Direct review.
Markets and products
Charles Stanley Direct offers only UK stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and bonds. International stocks or bonds can be traded offline, but options, futures or CFDs are missing completely.
| Charles Stanley Direct | Interactive Investor | Hargreaves Lansdown | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | No | No | No |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | No | No | No | No |
| Futures | No | No | No | No |
| CFDs | No | No | No | No |
| Crypto | No | No | No | No |
Verdict
Charles Stanley Direct is a UK stockbroker regulated by the FCA. Its parent company Raymond James Financial, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
On the positive side, it has low fund fees. Customer service is great, offering quick and useful answers. Deposit and withdrawal are easy and free.
The service has some drawbacks though. You can only trade UK stocks, ETFs and mutual funds online. Educational and research tools are limited.
As the minimum deposit is low and no inactivity fee is charged, feel free to try Charles Stanley Direct.
| Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Charles Stanley Direct is a UK broker, regulated by the top-tier FCA. It was acquired by Raymond James Financial, Inc in 2022, which is an NYSE listed financial services company, a constituent of the blue-chip S&P 500, a stock index of the biggest listed companies in the USA. |
| Fees score | 3.4 stars |
| Recommended for | Beginners and buy-and-hold investors focusing on the UK market |
Charles Stanley Direct alternatives
Bottom line
Based on our analysis, there are several good alternatives to Charles Stanley Direct. They all offer similar products and target similar customers. Here's a recap of the results in a table.
| Broker | Info | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Charles Stanley Direct | UK-based stockbroker | Beginners and buy-and-hold investors focusing on the UK market |
| Interactive Investor | UK stockbroker | Beginners and investors focusing on the UK market |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | UK-based stockbroker | Beginners and buy-and-hold investors looking for great customer service and easy-to-use trading platforms |
| Barclays | UK-based stockbroker | Long-term investors looking for a broker with low fees and solid background |
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