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.
Your capital is at risk.
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 UK investors exploring online brokers, eToro presents a dynamic platform with options for share and ETF trading, along with opportunities in crypto and CFD markets. With a 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro is ranked 15th out of 21 for its diverse investment choices. However, it does not offer trading in funds, bonds, or investment trusts, nor does it provide advisor services, which may be a consideration for those seeking a broader range of investment options.
In contrast, Charles Stanley Direct is tailored more for traditional investors who are interested in comprehensive investment choices. It supports share and ETF trading, but unlike eToro, it does not facilitate crypto or CFD trading. Instead, it provides access to funds, corporate and government bonds, and investment trusts, complemented by advisor services. With a full 5-star rating and a 6th place ranking for investment choices according to UK.StockBrokers.com, Charles Stanley Direct is ideal for those prioritizing a wider array of traditional investment avenues.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing eToro to Charles Stanley Direct for charting and trading tools, a clear distinction emerges in terms of versatility and features. eToro excels with an impressive suite of 56 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators, offering traders extensive options for detailed analysis. In contrast, Charles Stanley Direct provides only 1 drawing tool and 14 technical indicators, which might appeal to those seeking simplicity. Both platforms, however, lack the feature to display corporate events like earnings or dividends directly on their charts.
In terms of additional features, eToro allows users to add notes to charts, a useful tool not available on the Charles Stanley Direct platform. Both brokers do offer index and stock overlays on their charts, facilitating a broader perspective for analyzing market trends. Additionally, both eToro and Charles Stanley Direct provide real-time market data and the ability to set up alerts for stock price updates, ensuring traders stay informed with up-to-date information. With both offering browser-based trading platforms, accessibility remains straightforward, catering to a broad range of trading preferences.
| 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 | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
For UK investors considering online brokers for retirement accounts, eToro and Charles Stanley Direct provide different options. Both platforms offer stocks and shares ISAs, allowing you to invest tax-efficiently. However, when it comes to self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs), there's a clear distinction; eToro does not provide SIPP accounts, while Charles Stanley Direct does, making it a suitable choice for those looking to manage their retirement savings personally with a wider range of investment options. In summary, if your priority is an ISA, either broker is suitable, but for SIPPs, Charles Stanley Direct is the provider to choose.
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.
For beginner investors in the UK comparing eToro and Charles Stanley Direct, both platforms boast a 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for their educational offerings, with eToro ranked slightly higher at #11 compared to Charles Stanley Direct at #12. eToro provides resources on share trading but lacks coverage for funds or retirement, and does not offer educational webinars. Charles Stanley Direct also covers share trading and extends its educational reach to funds and retirement, alongside archived webinars for on-demand viewing, filling some gaps that eToro leaves open for beginners learning about investing.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | 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 users, both platforms provide the ability to see portfolio allocation by asset class, as well as research for shares and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). However, eToro stands out by offering research for contracts for difference (CFDs), which Charles Stanley Direct does not. On the other hand, Charles Stanley Direct excels in providing research reports for funds, an area where eToro falls short. Additionally, Charles Stanley Direct supports bonds research, whereas eToro does not. This balance of offerings makes each platform suitable for different types of investors based on their specific research needs.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | 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
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| Overall Rating |
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eToro offers cryptocurrency trading, while Charles Stanley Direct does not, providing investors the opportunity to engage in digital asset transactions with eToro but not with Charles Stanley Direct.
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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 | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | 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 | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | eToro | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | 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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