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Written by: Gyula L. Updated: Dec 2022
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Our top alternative brokers to Charles Stanley Direct
Interactive Investor
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Hargreaves Lansdown
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Charles Stanley Direct Alternatives

The best alternatives to Charles Stanley Direct are

  1. Interactive Investor - UK stockbroker
  2. Hargreaves Lansdown - UK-based stockbroker
  3. Barclays - UK-based stockbroker
  4. AJ Bell Youinvest - UK discount broker

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 alternatives comparison
Charles Stanley Direct Interactive Investor Hargreaves Lansdown Barclays AJ Bell Youinvest
Overall score 4.4 stars 4.7 stars 4.5 stars 4.3 stars 4.6 stars
Fees score 3.2 stars 3.4 stars 3.0 stars 3.5 stars 3.0 stars
Account opening score 4.6 stars 5.0 stars 4.6 stars 3.5 stars 5.0 stars
Deposit and withdrawal score 3.8 stars 4.3 stars 3.8 stars 4.0 stars 3.8 stars
Web platform score 3.5 stars 4.3 stars 3.7 stars 3.5 stars 3.7 stars
Markets and products score 1.5 stars 3.2 stars 3.2 stars 3.2 stars 3.4 stars
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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.

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
  • AJ Bell Youinvest is recommended for beginners and investors with small and medium portfolios focusing on the uk market

Important factors of finding Charles Stanley Direct alternatives

So far BrokerChooser has reviewed 102 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 reliable 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

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Fees
3.4

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
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Interactive Investor: Trading fees
Interactive Investor Charles Stanley Direct
Apple benchmark fee $15.1 -
Vodafone benchmark fee $15.7 $29.3
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

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Account opening
5.0

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
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Interactive Investor: Minimum deposit, time to open an account
Interactive Investor Charles Stanley Direct
Minimum deposit $0 $24.8
Time to open account 1 day 1-3 days

If you are interested more in Interactive Investor minimum deposit, this overview will help you.

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Deposit and withdrawal
4.3

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
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Interactive Investor: Withdrawal options
Interactive Investor Charles Stanley Direct
Bank transfer Yes Yes
Credit/debit card No No
Electronic wallets No No
Withdrawal fee $0 $0

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Web trading platform
4.3

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
Web trading platform of Interactive Investor, a Charles Stanley Direct alternative
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Interactive Investor: Trading platform scores
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.

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Markets and products
3.2

Interactive Investor offers stocks, ETFs, funds, and bonds, but funds and bonds cover only the UK market.
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Interactive Investor: Markets and products
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

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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 3.4 stars
Recommended for Beginners and investors focusing on the UK market

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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

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Fees
3.0

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
Low fund fees
Currency conversion fee
No withdrawal fee
Low fees for funds and bonds
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Hargreaves Lansdown: Trading fees
Hargreaves Lansdown Charles Stanley Direct
Apple benchmark fee $29.9 -
Vodafone benchmark fee $30.4 $29.3
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

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Account opening
4.6

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
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Hargreaves Lansdown: Minimum deposit, time to open an account
Hargreaves Lansdown Charles Stanley Direct
Minimum deposit $0 $24.8
Time to open account 1 day 1-3 days

If you are interested more in Hargreaves Lansdown minimum deposit, this overview will help you.

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Deposit and withdrawal
3.8

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
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Hargreaves Lansdown: Withdrawal options
Hargreaves Lansdown Charles Stanley Direct
Bank transfer Yes Yes
Credit/debit card No No
Electronic wallets No No
Withdrawal fee $0 $0

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Web trading platform
3.7

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
Web trading platform of Hargreaves Lansdown, a Charles Stanley Direct alternative
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Hargreaves Lansdown: Trading platform scores
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.

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Markets and products
3.2

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.
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Hargreaves Lansdown: Markets and products
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

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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 3.0 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 product portfolio
Solid company background
Current bank account is needed for mobile platform
Great fundamental research
Poor customer support

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Fees
3.5

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
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Barclays: Trading fees
Barclays Charles Stanley Direct
Apple benchmark fee $15.2 -
Vodafone benchmark fee $15.7 $29.3
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

Visit broker More

Account opening
3.5

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
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Barclays: Minimum deposit, time to open an account
Barclays Charles Stanley Direct
Minimum deposit $0 $24.8
Time to open account >3 days 1-3 days

If you are interested more in Barclays minimum deposit, this overview will help you.

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Deposit and withdrawal
4.0

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
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Barclays: Withdrawal options
Barclays Charles Stanley Direct
Bank transfer Yes Yes
Credit/debit card No No
Electronic wallets No No
Withdrawal fee $0 $0

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Web trading platform
3.5

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
Web trading platform of Barclays, a Charles Stanley Direct alternative
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Barclays: Trading platform scores
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.

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Markets and products
3.2

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.
Charles Stanley Direct vs. Barclays: Markets and products
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

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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 3.5 stars
Recommended for Long-term investors looking for a broker with low fees and solid background

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Charles Stanley Direct alternatives
AJ Bell Youinvest

AJ Bell Youinvest was founded in 1995 and it is one of the biggest discount brokers in the UK. It is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and it is  listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

AJ Bell Youinvest is considered safe because it has a long track record, it's listed on a stock exchange, and is regulated by a top-tier regulator.

Recommended for beginners and investors with small and medium portfolios focusing on the uk market

Pros
Cons
Fast account opening
Limited product offer
Easy to use trading platforms
Basic technical research tools
Great customer service

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Fees
3.0

AJ Bell Youinvest has low fund fees and the non-trading fees are also reasonable. Deposit and withdrawal are free. On the negative side, you will be charged a custody fee based on your trading history and asset volume.
Pros
Cons
Low non-trading fees
Custody fee
No withdrawal fee
Average stock fees
Low mutual fund fees
Charles Stanley Direct vs. AJ Bell Youinvest: Trading fees
AJ Bell Youinvest Charles Stanley Direct
Apple benchmark fee $25.0 -
Vodafone benchmark fee $25.5 $29.3
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

Visit broker More

Account opening
5.0

Expect a quick, user-friendly and fully digital account opening process without a required minimum account balance. The downside: it's only available to UK residents.
Pros
Cons
Fast
Available only to UK residents
Fully digital
No minimum deposit
Charles Stanley Direct vs. AJ Bell Youinvest: Minimum deposit, time to open an account
AJ Bell Youinvest Charles Stanley Direct
Minimum deposit $0 $24.8
Time to open account 1 day 1-3 days

If you are interested more in AJ Bell Youinvest minimum deposit, this overview will help you.

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Deposit and withdrawal
3.8

Deposits and withdrawals are free and the process is user-friendly. However, accounts are available only in GBP and one-off deposits cannot be sent via bank transfer.
Pros
Cons
Credit/Debit card available
Only one account base currency
Free withdrawal
Bank transfer is not available for one-off deposits
No deposit fee
Charles Stanley Direct vs. AJ Bell Youinvest: Withdrawal options
AJ Bell Youinvest Charles Stanley Direct
Bank transfer Yes Yes
Credit/debit card No No
Electronic wallets No No
Withdrawal fee $0 $0

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Web trading platform
3.7

AJ Bell Yoinvest's web platform is user-friendly and well-designed. Two-step login is available and the fee reports are clear. On the negative side, customizability is limited and price alerts are not supported.
Pros
Cons
User-friendly
Limited customizability (for charts, workspace)
Clear fee report
No price alerts
Two-step (safer) login
Web trading platform of AJ Bell Youinvest, a Charles Stanley Direct alternative
Charles Stanley Direct vs. AJ Bell Youinvest: Trading platform scores
AJ Bell Youinvest Charles Stanley Direct
Web platform score 3.7 stars 3.5 stars
Mobile platform score 4.2 stars 3.7 stars
Desktop platform score - -

Learn more about AJ Bell Youinvest's web trading platform in the detailed AJ Bell Youinvest review.

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Markets and products
3.4

AJ Bell Youinvest has a limited product portfolio, including stocks, ETFs crypto and funds. Popular assets like forex, options, futures, and CFDs are missing. Bonds can be traded only via phone orders.
Charles Stanley Direct vs. AJ Bell Youinvest: Markets and products
AJ Bell Youinvest Charles Stanley Direct
Stocks Yes Yes
ETFs Yes Yes
Forex No No
Funds Yes Yes
Bonds No Yes
Options No No
Futures No No
CFDs No No
Crypto Yes No

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Verdict

AJ Bell Youinvest is one of the biggest UK discount brokers regulated by the top-tier FCA.

The broker's fees are average and the account opening process is fast and easy. The web and mobile trading platforms are user-friendly. Its customer service is great, you will get relevant answers in a short time.

There are some drawbacks though. You can trade only stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds and technical research tools are limited.

As there is no minimum deposit and no inactivity fee, feel free to try AJ Bell Youinvest.

AJ Bell Youinvest
Summary AJ Bell Youinvest is a UK direct-to-investor investment platform. AJ Bell is listed on the London Stock Exchange and regulated by the FCA.
Fees score 3.0 stars
Recommended for Beginners and investors with small and medium portfolios focusing on the UK market

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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
3.2

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 alternatives trading fees
Charles Stanley Direct Interactive Investor Hargreaves Lansdown Barclays AJ Bell Youinvest
US stock - $7.4 $14.8 $7.4 $12.3
UK stock $14.3 $7.4 $14.8 $7.4 $12.3

Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k

Account opening
4.6

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 alternatives minimum deposit and account open times
Charles Stanley Direct Interactive Investor Hargreaves Lansdown Barclays AJ Bell Youinvest
Minimum deposit $24.8 $0 $0 $0 $0
Time to open account 1-3 days 1 day 1 day >3 days 1 day

Learn more about Charles Stanley Direct minimum deposit here.

Deposit and withdrawal
3.8

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 and alternatives withdrawal options and fees
Charles Stanley Direct Interactive Investor Hargreaves Lansdown Barclays AJ Bell Youinvest
Bank transfer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Credit/debit card No No No No No
Electronic wallets No No No No No
Withdrawal fee $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

Web trading platform
3.5

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 - Web trading platform
Charles Stanley Direct and alternatives trading platform scores
Charles Stanley Direct Interactive Investor Hargreaves Lansdown Barclays AJ Bell Youinvest
Web platform score 3.5 stars 4.3 stars 3.7 stars 3.5 stars 3.7 stars
Mobile platform score 3.7 stars 3.8 stars 3.9 stars - 4.2 stars
Desktop platform score - - - - -

Learn more about Charles Stanley Direct's web trading platform in the detailed Charles Stanley Direct review.

Markets and products
1.5

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 and alternatives markets and products
Charles Stanley Direct Interactive Investor Hargreaves Lansdown Barclays AJ Bell Youinvest
Stocks Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
ETFs Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Forex No No No No No
Funds Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Bonds Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Options No No No No No
Futures No No No No No
CFDs No No No No No
Crypto No No No No Yes

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 3.2 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.

Charles Stanley Direct alternatives
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
AJ Bell Youinvest UK discount broker Beginners and investors with small and medium portfolios focusing on the UK market

Still unsure? Use our broker finder and find the best broker for you or learn more about investing your money.

Author of this article

Gyula Lencsés, CFA

Author of this article

Gyula has more than 10 years of experience in the financial industry. He spent most of his career in the wealth management business as a portfolio manager of mutual funds. He has trading experience in a wide range of asset classes, including stocks, ETFs, bonds, commodities, forex, and derivatives markets. He joined BrokerChooser in 2020 and his aim is to make finding the best brokers in a rapidly changing investment world as easy as possible.

Gyula Lencsés, CFA

Head of Content

Gyula has more than 10 years of experience in the financial industry. He spent most of his career in the wealth management business as a portfolio manager of mutual funds. He has trading experience in a wide range of asset classes, including stocks, ETFs, bonds, commodities, forex, and derivatives markets. He joined BrokerChooser in 2020 and his aim is to make finding the best brokers in a rapidly changing investment world as easy as possible.

Everything you find on BrokerChooser is based on reliable data and unbiased information. We combine our 10+ years finance experience with readers feedback. Read more about our methodology

Our top alternative brokers to Charles Stanley Direct

Interactive Investor Hargreaves Lansdown

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