Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Stanley Direct vs CMC Invest, 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, CMC Invest 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 CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
12 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £138 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
36 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £414 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
120 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £1,380 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 / £120 / £300 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £0 per year, while CMC Invest would cost £0 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 CMC Invest both present robust platforms for share trading, ETFs, funds trading, and investment trusts, catering to various investor needs. However, while both platforms abstain from offering crypto trading, spread betting, and CFD trading, the distinctions in their offerings are notable. Charles Stanley Direct stands out with the ability to trade corporate and government bonds, an advantage not available with CMC Invest, and it also provides advisor services to assist clients in making informed investment decisions.
Despite these additional offerings, Charles Stanley Direct is yet to receive a formal ranking by UK.StockBrokers.com for investment choices, but it does receive a top rating of five stars. On the other hand, CMC Invest, which is ranked 15th among 18 brokers, holds a respectable rating of 4.5 stars. These ratings reflect a strong focus on offering a broad range of investment opportunities, with Charles Stanley Direct slightly edging out in flexibility and support for diverse investment portfolios.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| 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 the trading tools offered by Charles Stanley Direct and CMC Invest, a few key distinctions emerge. Charles Stanley Direct provides a richer set of features including one drawing tool and 14 technical indicators, allowing users more options for chart analysis. They also enable index and stock overlays on charts, offering greater flexibility and customization. Additionally, Charles Stanley Direct supports a browser-based trading platform, making it accessible from various devices. Both platforms provide real-time market data and the ability to set alerts for stock price updates, ensuring traders stay informed. However, neither platform offers the capability to display corporate events like earnings or dividends on charts, nor do they allow users to add notes directly to charts.
In contrast, CMC Invest lacks some of the advanced charting functionalities that traders might find beneficial. With no drawing tools or technical indicators available, CMC Invest falls short in providing detailed chart insights. Also, the absence of options to overlay indices or stocks on charts and no browser-based trading platform means less versatility for traders relying on these features. Nonetheless, CMC Invest matches Charles Stanley Direct in providing critical real-time market data and custom alerts, maintaining a competitive edge in these fundamental aspects. Ultimately, the choice between Charles Stanley Direct and CMC Invest may come down to the importance of detailed charting features and platform accessibility to the individual trader.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When deciding between Charles Stanley Direct and CMC Invest for retirement accounts, both platforms offer a straightforward comparison with similar offerings. Both Charles Stanley Direct and CMC Invest provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making them viable choices for those looking to manage their investments and save for the future. Whether you're considering an ISA or a SIPP, either option provides accessible and user-friendly services to help you plan and grow your retirement savings.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of online brokers Charles Stanley Direct and CMC Invest, both provide apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring accessibility regardless of your device. However, the quality of the app experience sets them apart. CMC Invest's mobile app is highly rated, earning 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com and securing a #7 ranking out of 18 brokers for mobile apps. In contrast, Charles Stanley Direct's app receives a more modest rating of 3.5 stars, with its overall ranking not available, suggesting room for improvement. Whether you're prioritizing user experience or accessibility, CMC Invest appears to have an edge in mobile trading.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the beginner investor educational resources of Charles Stanley Direct and CMC Invest, it’s clear that both online brokers provide educational materials on share trading, funds, and retirement. However, only Charles Stanley Direct offers archived educational webinars available for on-demand viewing, while neither broker provides live webinars. In terms of beginner education, Charles Stanley Direct receives a higher rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, compared to CMC Invest's 4 stars. Additionally, CMC Invest is ranked 13th out of 18 brokers for beginner education, while there is no rank available for Charles Stanley Direct.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of online brokers Charles Stanley Direct and CMC Invest, both platforms provide research reports for funds, shares, and ETFs, making it easy for investors to gather insights on a range of financial instruments. However, Charles Stanley Direct stands out with its unique ability to allow users to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not offered by CMC Invest. Neither broker offers research on CFDs or bonds, focusing their strengths on other investment options. Both platforms are equipped with robust research capabilities, but Charles Stanley Direct delivers added value with its asset allocation feature, catering to those who want deeper insights into how their investments are spread across different classes.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Charles Stanley Direct or CMC Invest? 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
|
CMC Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Education |
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Both Charles Stanley Direct and CMC Invest do not offer crypto trading, making them more suited for traditional investment options rather than cryptocurrency investments.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Stanley Direct | CMC Invest | |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Charles Stanley Direct | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Trading Fees | Charles Stanley Direct | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 - £10 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £10 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £10 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £57.50 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £138 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £414 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £1,380 | £0 / £120 / £300 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £90 - £102 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £60 - £600 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £600 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £600 | £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £600 | £120 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £25 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £25 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £10 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £10 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 minimum | £0 |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Stanley Direct | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Charles Stanley Direct | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Charles Stanley Direct | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Charles Stanley Direct | CMC Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Education |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | CMC Invest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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