Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Stanley Direct vs Freetrade, 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, Freetrade offers better pricing than Charles Stanley Direct for share dealing.
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 Freetrade both let UK investors buy and sell shares, ETFs, funds, gilts and investment trusts. Neither offers crypto or CFD trading. A key difference is fixed income: Charles Stanley Direct also offers corporate bonds, while Freetrade does not. Charles Stanley Direct provides adviser services, whereas Freetrade does not. Spread betting isn’t listed by either provider.
For investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Charles Stanley Direct 5 stars (6th of 21) and Freetrade 4.5 stars (17th of 21). In short, Charles Stanley Direct offers a wider range, especially for bonds and those who want guidance, while Freetrade suits straightforward share and ETF investing.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Charles Stanley Direct vs Freetrade: for charting tools, Charles Stanley Direct is ahead. Neither platform shows corporate events on charts or lets you add notes, but Charles Stanley Direct offers 1 drawing tool and 14 technical indicators, while Freetrade has none. Charles Stanley Direct also supports index and stock overlays on charts; Freetrade does not.
On platforms and data, both brokers provide a browser-based trading platform and let you set price alerts. However, only Charles Stanley Direct offers real-time market data, while Freetrade does not—something to keep in mind if timely pricing matters to you.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | 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 |
When comparing Charles Stanley Direct and Freetrade for UK investors looking to plan for retirement, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making them suitable options for saving on taxes and growing your pension pot. Charles Stanley Direct provides a comprehensive approach, supporting users with a range of resources, while Freetrade appeals to investors seeking a sleek, user-friendly experience through its mobile app. Each platform caters to different investment styles, allowing individuals to choose the best fit for their retirement needs. Whether you prefer a more traditional interface or an app-centered experience, both Charles Stanley Direct and Freetrade deliver essential retirement account options to UK investors.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Comparing UK online brokers, Charles Stanley Direct and Freetrade both offer iPhone and Android mobile apps. However, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Charles Stanley Direct’s app 3.5/5 and ranks it 20 out of 21 brokers, while Freetrade’s app scores 4.5/5 and ranks 12 out of 21, suggesting Freetrade provides the stronger mobile experience for investors who want to manage their portfolios on the go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing Charles Stanley Direct and Freetrade, both offer clear guides on share trading, funds and retirement, but only Charles Stanley Direct provides an archive of educational webinars to watch on demand; neither runs live webinars. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Charles Stanley Direct scores 4.5/5 and ranks 12th of 21 for beginner education, while Freetrade scores 4/5 and ranks 16th, making Charles Stanley Direct the stronger pick if you want on-demand webinars and slightly higher-rated learning support.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
For UK investors comparing Charles Stanley Direct vs Freetrade on market research, Charles Stanley Direct comes out ahead: it offers shares, ETFs and funds research, plus research reports for funds, while Freetrade provides none of these. Both platforms let you view your portfolio split by asset class. Bonds research is not specified for Charles Stanley Direct, and Freetrade does not offer it.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Bonds | 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 Freetrade? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Charles Stanley Direct to be a better trading platform overall.
Charles Stanley Direct allows you to invest in a wide range of products, including stocks and ETFs, using various accounts like tax-advantaged ISAs and SIPPs. However, fees are more expensive than similar platforms, although clients receive £50 worth of credit every six months to bring down the overall trading cost.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
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While both Charles Stanley Direct and Freetrade do not offer crypto trading, they cater to investors seeking traditional investment options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Stanley Direct | Freetrade | |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Charles Stanley Direct | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Trading Fees | Charles Stanley Direct | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| 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) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | £60 - £600 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £600 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £600 | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £600 | £59.88 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £25 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £25 | £0 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £10 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £10 | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 minimum | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Stanley Direct | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| Platforms & Tools | Charles Stanley Direct | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Bonds | No | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Stanley Direct | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Freetrade | |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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