Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Fidelity International 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, Fidelity International 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 - Fidelity International would cost £127.50 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £57.50 per year.
12 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £108 or £180 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £138 per year.
36 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £144 or £360 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £414 per year.
120 trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £270 or £990 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £1,380 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Fidelity International would cost £1000 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.
Fidelity International and Charles Stanley Direct both serve UK investors with a variety of investment choices tailored for different needs. Both platforms excel with their offering of share trading and ETFs, ensuring accessibility to popular investment avenues. Additionally, they provide trading options for funds and investment trusts, along with advisory services to guide your investment journey. However, where Charles Stanley Direct shines is in its availability of corporate and government bond trading (gilts), drawing those interested in bond investment. This added range contributes to its higher ranking in investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com.
While Fidelity International enjoys a commendable rating of 4.5 stars, Charles Stanley Direct edges slightly higher with a full 5 stars. Ranked 12th out of 21 brokers for investment choices, Fidelity remains a strong contender but slightly trails behind Charles Stanley Direct, which is positioned at 6th. For investors seeking a broader array of traditional investment options, Charles Stanley Direct appears to offer a more comprehensive selection, making it an attractive choice for those looking to explore beyond stocks and funds.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
|
|
Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Fidelity International provides a comprehensive set of trading tools for UK investors, allowing users to display corporate events, such as earnings and dividends, directly on charts. With five drawing tools and 21 technical indicators, investors have enhanced capabilities to analyze market trends. Fidelity also enables users to add index and stock overlays to charts, and create alerts for stock price updates using their browser-based platform. However, it remains unclear whether real-time market data is offered.
Charles Stanley Direct, on the other hand, also offers the ability to overlay index and stock data on charts, along with a browser-based platform and alert functionalities for stock price updates. While it lacks the feature to display corporate events on charts and offers only one drawing tool compared to Fidelity's five, Charles Stanley Direct provides 14 technical indicators that cater to a range of investment strategies. A distinct advantage is its provision of real-time market data, which can be crucial for active traders managing quick investment decisions.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 21 | 14 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 5 | 1 |
| Charting - Notes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
When planning for retirement, both Fidelity International and Charles Stanley Direct offer attractive options for investors in the UK. Fidelity International provides ISA and SIPP accounts, enabling savers to grow their investments with tax efficiency. Similarly, Charles Stanley Direct also offers both ISA and SIPP accounts, providing a range of investment choices for those preparing for their financial future. Choosing between the two largely depends on personal preferences and specific services desired, but both firms cater to those looking for flexible and beneficial retirement savings solutions.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Fidelity International and Charles Stanley Direct both offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, making it convenient for investors on the go. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Fidelity International's mobile app is rated 4 out of 5 stars, placing it at 15th out of 21 brokers for mobile app quality. Meanwhile, Charles Stanley Direct's app is rated slightly lower at 3.5 stars, ranking 20th among the same group. These ratings suggest that while both apps provide essential brokerage services, users might find a smoother experience with Fidelity International's offering.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources for beginner investors offered by Fidelity International and Charles Stanley Direct, both provide valuable content suitable for those new to investing. Fidelity International shines with its well-rated resources, receiving a five-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, placing it at number 7 out of 21 brokers for beginner education. They offer educational webinars, available both live and on-demand, covering topics like share trading, funds, and retirement. Charles Stanley Direct also offers educational webinars that can be watched later, with comprehensive material on share trading, funds, and retirement. While they receive a solid 4.5-star rating and rank at number 12, Fidelity International takes the lead in terms of wider recognition for beginner education. Nevertheless, both platforms offer a trustworthy introduction to the world of investing for UK investors.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Fidelity International and Charles Stanley Direct in the UK, both platforms provide insightful research reports on funds, allowing investors to make informed decisions. Each service offers tools to view your portfolio allocation by asset class, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of your investments. For shares, ETFs, and funds research, both brokers stand on equal footing, catering to various investor needs. However, when it comes to bonds research, Fidelity International goes a step further by offering this additional resource, whereas Charles Stanley Direct does not. Neither platform provides research for CFDs, keeping their focus on more traditional investment options.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Fidelity International or Charles Stanley Direct? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Fidelity International to be a better trading platform overall.
Fidelity offers thousands of investments to choose from and also offers financial advice for those wanting more direction. It's best suited to traditional investors who hold a range of accounts through the platform, enjoy the great research material available and who may also use Fidelity for financial advice. The platform can be expensive for those with portfolios of less than £20,000 and those with portfolios above £40,000.
| Feature |
Fidelity International
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Charges & Fees |
|
|
| Investment Choices |
|
|
| Mobile App |
|
|
| Website |
|
|
| Ease of Use |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
When comparing online brokers, Fidelity International does not offer crypto trading, while Charles Stanley Direct also lacks the capability to trade cryptocurrencies, highlighting a similarity in their investment offerings.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Fidelity International | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Review | Fidelity International Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Fidelity International | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Fidelity International | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1000 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | £0 - £10 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | £10 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £1.50 or £7.50 | £10 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £127.50 | £57.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £108 or £180 | £138 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £144 or £360 | £414 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £270 or £990 | £1,380 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £105 | £90 - £102 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £90 - £875 | £60 - £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £500 - £1,000 | £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £1,000 - £2,000 | £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £2,000 | £600 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £25 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £25 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £7.50 | £10 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £7.50 | £10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £30 | £25 minimum |
| Broker Screenshots | Fidelity International | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
| Platforms & Tools | Fidelity International | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 21 | 14 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 5 | 1 | |
| Charting - Notes | |||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Fidelity International | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Fidelity International | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Fidelity International | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Charges & Fees |
|
| |
| Investment Choices |
|
| |
| Mobile App |
|
| |
| Website |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Review | Fidelity International Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
Trading 212 Review
Interactive Brokers Review
Hargreaves Lansdown Review
XTB Review
IG Group Review
eToro Review
Saxo Review
CMC Invest Review
Freetrade Review
Halifax Review
Vanguard Review