Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs Charles Stanley Direct, 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, eToro 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 - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £57.50 per year.
12 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £138 per year.
36 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £414 per year.
120 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £1,380 per year.
3 fund trades per year - eToro would cost $50 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct 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.
For investors in the UK seeking diverse options, eToro and Charles Stanley Direct both provide share and ETF trading opportunities. eToro sets itself apart by offering distinctive services like crypto and CFD trading, giving it an edge for those interested in these modern investment avenues. While both platforms support traditional investments like shares, Charles Stanley Direct excels in the breadth of its offerings. It allows for investment in funds, corporate and government bonds, and investment trusts, which are not available on eToro.
When it comes to ratings, eToro receives 4.5 stars for its investment choices, whereas Charles Stanley Direct is rated slightly higher with a full 5 stars, reflecting its comprehensive suite of options. UK.StockBrokers.com ranks eToro at #15 out of 21 brokers for investment choices while Charles Stanley Direct takes a more prominent position at #6, highlighting its appeal to those seeking a range of traditional investment vehicles alongside advisory services. Each platform has its unique strengths, catering to different investment strategies.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing eToro and Charles Stanley Direct for trading tools, eToro stands out with a richer toolkit. eToro offers the ability to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, a feature not available with Charles Stanley Direct. eToro boasts an impressive 56 drawing tools for charting, compared to Charles Stanley Direct's single option. Furthermore, traders can utilize 106 technical indicators on eToro, while Charles Stanley Direct offers just 14. Both platforms allow adding index and stock overlays to charts. However, only eToro provides the function to add notes to charts, enhancing analysis capabilities for users.
Both eToro and Charles Stanley Direct deliver browser-based trading platforms, ensuring easy access for traders. Additionally, they offer crucial features such as the creation of alerts for stock price updates and real-time market data, helping users stay informed and responsive to market changes. This comprehensive range of tools and functionalities makes eToro an attractive choice for traders in the UK seeking a platform filled with advanced charting options, while Charles Stanley Direct may appeal to those preferring a more straightforward option.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 14 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 56 | 1 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
When comparing eToro and Charles Stanley Direct for UK retirement accounts, both online brokers offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing you to invest tax-efficiently. However, if you're interested in a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), Charles Stanley Direct might be the stronger choice as they provide SIPP accounts, whereas eToro does not. This distinction makes Charles Stanley Direct an appealing option for those looking to manage their pension investments while still benefiting from ISA opportunities offered by both platforms.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors weighing their options for online brokers with mobile apps, eToro and Charles Stanley Direct both provide apps for iPhone and Android users. However, when it comes to app performance and user satisfaction, eToro shines with a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking 5th out of 21 brokers for its mobile offerings. In contrast, Charles Stanley Direct receives a modest 3.5-star rating, placing it at a lower rank of 20th. Whether you're trading on the go with an iPhone or exploring investments via Android, eToro's mobile app may offer a more reliable and user-friendly experience compared to Charles Stanley Direct.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing eToro and Charles Stanley Direct for beginner investor educational resources in the UK, there are several aspects to consider. eToro does not offer educational webinars or archived sessions on demand, though it provides education on share trading. In contrast, Charles Stanley Direct not only offers webinars but also archives them for later access. Their educational content covers a broader range, including share trading, funds, and retirement. Both platforms are rated 4.5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, with eToro slightly outperforming Charles Stanley Direct in ranking, positioned at #11 compared to Charles Stanley Direct's #12 out of 21 brokers. Overall, beginners may find Charles Stanley Direct's comprehensive offerings on diverse investment topics advantageous for varied learning opportunities.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
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|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of eToro and Charles Stanley Direct for UK investors, it's clear both platforms offer valuable tools. While eToro provides comprehensive research for shares, ETFs, and CFDs, it lacks research reports for funds and bonds. On the other hand, Charles Stanley Direct excels with in-depth research for funds, including research reports, but does not cover CFDs and bonds. Both brokers allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, ensuring effective asset management for investors of all levels.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, eToro or Charles Stanley Direct? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found eToro to be a better trading platform overall.
eToro offers a wide range of assets and instruments and is well-known for its ‘social trading’ approach. It has among the lowest fees and best mobile app experiences of brokers we tested in the U.K., and offers a great starting point for those new to stock trading. Our analysis finds it better suited to short-term traders than long-term investors.
| Feature |
eToro
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Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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eToro offers crypto trading, while Charles Stanley Direct does not provide this feature, highlighting a key difference for investors interested in cryptocurrency options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | eToro | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | eToro | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | ||
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | ||
| Funds | Yes | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | ||
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes |
| Trading Fees | eToro | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 - £10 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £10 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £10 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £57.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £138 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £414 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £1,380 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £90 - £102 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | £60 - £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 | £600 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £25 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £25 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £10 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 minimum |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| 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 | eToro | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 14 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 56 | 1 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | |||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | eToro | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | |||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | |||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | eToro | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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