Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Stanley Direct vs Capital.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Alongside the cost per trade, most UK online brokers also charge a monthly, quarterly, or annual management fee, which varies based on the account type and balance. Based on our thorough review, Capital.com offers better pricing than Charles Stanley Direct for share dealing.
Assuming a £30,000 portfolio size, here are the total annual costs for share dealing with both brokers, given different monthly activity scenarios.
5 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £57.50 per year, while Capital.com would cost N/A per year.
12 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £138 per year, while Capital.com would cost N/A per year.
36 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £414 per year, while Capital.com would cost N/A per year.
120 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £1,380 per year, while Capital.com would cost N/A per year.
3 fund trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £0 per year, while Capital.com would cost £20 per year.
What type of trader are you?
New to the world of investing? See our picks for the Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners. More experienced traders should read our guide to the Best UK Trading Platforms for Active Traders.
Charles Stanley Direct and Capital.com both provide opportunities for online share trading, but they cater to different investor needs with their respective offerings. Charles Stanley Direct excels in traditional investment options, offering a comprehensive range of choices including ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds, and investment trusts. Additionally, Charles Stanley Direct provides advisor services, making it an appealing platform for those seeking hands-on guidance with their investments. Rated 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment choices, Charles Stanley Direct clearly focuses on delivering a robust variety of traditional investment instruments to its clients.
On the other hand, Capital.com emphasizes modern trading methods by featuring CFD trading, although it does not offer ETFs, funds, or bond trading options. This platform lacks specialized advisor services and is rated 2.5 stars for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking 17th out of 18 brokers evaluated. Despite not offering the wide array of traditional investments that Charles Stanley Direct does, Capital.com might appeal to investors interested primarily in CFD trading. Each platform has its unique strengths, allowing investors to choose one that aligns best with their investment strategy and goals.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing Charles Stanley Direct and Capital.com in terms of trading tools, both platforms fall short in displaying corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends on charts. However, Capital.com significantly outshines Charles Stanley Direct with 18 drawing tools and 77 technical indicators, compared to just 1 drawing tool and 14 technical indicators offered by Charles Stanley Direct. Moreover, Capital.com provides the added functionality of allowing users to add notes to charts, an option missing from Charles Stanley Direct's offerings. Despite these differences, both platforms deliver the convenience of a browser-based trading platform, the ability to set alerts for stock price updates, and access to real-time market data.
While Charles Stanley Direct lets users add index and stock overlays to charts, this feature is conspicuously absent from Capital.com, possibly making it a more suitable choice for investors focused on overlaying market data. On the flip side, Capital.com's robust selection of charting tools and the ability to annotate charts could be more attractive to traders who require more advanced features for intricate chart analysis. Each platform presents distinct advantages depending on individual trading needs, so selecting the right one depends on the specific charting functionalities a trader values most.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 77 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 18 |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing online brokers Charles Stanley Direct and Capital.com for retirement accounts, Charles Stanley Direct emerges as a more comprehensive choice. It offers both ISA and SIPP accounts, providing flexibility for UK investors seeking tax-efficient savings and retirement planning options. In contrast, Capital.com does not currently provide access to ISA or SIPP accounts, which may limit options for those prioritizing these specific savings and investment vehicles. For investors focused on maximizing savings and retirement strategies through tax-efficient accounts, Charles Stanley Direct offers a clear advantage.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile trading options of Charles Stanley Direct and Capital.com, both brokers offer apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices, ensuring accessibility for users on the go. According to ratings by UK.StockBrokers.com, Charles Stanley Direct's app garners a 3.5-star rating, while Capital.com's app is highly rated at 4.5 stars. Although Charles Stanley Direct's specific ranking out of 18 brokers for mobile apps is not available, Capital.com holds the 11th position, highlighting its competitive edge in mobile trading experiences.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources available for beginner investors at online brokers Charles Stanley Direct and Capital.com, Charles Stanley Direct clearly stands out. While neither broker offers real-time educational webinars, Charles Stanley Direct provides archived webinars for on-demand viewing, a feature absent from Capital.com. Charles Stanley Direct offers comprehensive educational materials on share trading, funds, and retirement, while Capital.com lacks in these areas. This robust offering contributes to Charles Stanley Direct receiving a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for beginner education, compared to Capital.com's lower rating of 3.5 stars. Furthermore, among 18 brokers, Capital.com is ranked at 17th for beginner education, whereas Charles Stanley Direct's exact ranking is not specified but suggests a significantly better educational value for newcomers.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of Charles Stanley Direct and Capital.com, Charles Stanley Direct emerges as a robust option for fund research needs, providing reports and insights into shares, ETFs, and funds, but it lacks CFDs and bond research. On the other hand, Capital.com caters to CFD investors with dedicated research in that area, though it falls short in offering reports for funds, shares, ETFs, or bonds. Both brokers provide insights into portfolio allocation by asset class, accommodating investors seeking a detailed view of their investment distribution.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Charles Stanley Direct or Capital.com? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Charles Stanley Direct to be a better trading platform overall.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
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Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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Comparing online brokers, both Charles Stanley Direct and Capital.com do not offer crypto trading options, which may influence investor decisions depending on their interest in digital currencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Stanley Direct | Capital.com | |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Capital.com Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Charles Stanley Direct | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | No | |
| SIPP | Yes | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Trading Fees | Charles Stanley Direct | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £20 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 - £10 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £10 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £10 | N/A | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £57.50 | N/A | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £138 | N/A | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £414 | N/A | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £1,380 | N/A | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £90 - £102 | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £60 - £600 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £600 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £600 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £600 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £25 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £25 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £10 | N/A | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £10 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 minimum | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Stanley Direct | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Charles Stanley Direct | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 77 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 18 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Charles Stanley Direct | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Stanley Direct | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Charles Stanley Direct | Capital.com | |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Capital.com Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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