Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Freetrade 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, Freetrade 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 - Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £57.50 per year.
12 trades per year - Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £138 per year.
36 trades per year - Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £414 per year.
120 trades per year - Freetrade would cost £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £1,380 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Freetrade would cost £1 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.
Freetrade and Charles Stanley Direct both provide diverse avenues for investors keen on growing their portfolios. Both platforms enable you to trade shares, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and investment trusts, making them suitable for traditional stock market enthusiasts. However, neither Freetrade nor Charles Stanley Direct currently supports crypto trading, spread betting, or contract for difference (CFD) trading, which may limit options for those looking to tap into more speculative markets.
Freetrade offers a straightforward investment approach with its 4-star rating by UK.StockBrokers.com, yet it misses out on several options available at Charles Stanley Direct. With a 5-star rating for investment choices, Charles Stanley Direct stands out by offering additional services like funds trading, government (gilts) and corporate bonds, and also providing advisor support, giving investors a more comprehensive financial product range to consider.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| 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 of Freetrade and Charles Stanley Direct, it becomes clear that Charles Stanley Direct provides a more comprehensive set of features for charting enthusiasts. While both platforms lack the ability to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends on their charts, Charles Stanley Direct offers more advanced charting options with one drawing tool and 14 technical indicators, whereas Freetrade offers none. Additionally, Charles Stanley Direct allows users to enhance their chart analysis with index and stock overlays, a feature not available on Freetrade.
Despite these differences in charting tools, both platforms share some similarities in other areas. For instance, neither Freetrade nor Charles Stanley Direct supports adding notes to charts. However, both brokers provide a browser-based trading platform and the option to create alerts for stock price updates. Furthermore, real-time market data access is available on both platforms, ensuring users receive up-to-date information for informed trading decisions.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 14 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 1 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
When comparing Freetrade and Charles Stanley Direct for retirement planning, both providers offer attractive options for investors looking to grow their savings. Freetrade provides Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), catering to those interested in tax-efficient savings and personalized pension plans. Similarly, Charles Stanley Direct offers both ISA and SIPP accounts, making it a viable contender for diversifying your investment portfolio while planning for the future. With both platforms providing these essential retirement-focused accounts, investors have the flexibility and resources to choose based on their financial goals and personal preferences.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing Freetrade and Charles Stanley Direct for their mobile trading capabilities, both platforms cater to iPhone and Android users through dedicated apps. However, a closer look at reviews shows Freetrade takes the lead with a 4-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking it 8th out of 18 brokers for mobile app performance. Meanwhile, Charles Stanley Direct earns a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars from the same source, with no specific ranking among the 18 brokers. These insights could be helpful for users deciding which app better suits their trading needs.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing Freetrade and Charles Stanley Direct for their beginner investor educational resources, both platforms offer education on share trading, funds, and retirement, catering well to novices. However, only Charles Stanley Direct archives educational webinars for on-demand viewing, which is a valuable resource missing from Freetrade. Despite this, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Freetrade at 3.5 stars, ranking it ninth for beginner education among 18 brokers. In contrast, Charles Stanley Direct receives a higher rating of 4.5 stars, reflecting its superior educational offerings, although the specific ranking is unavailable. These ratings and features make Charles Stanley Direct a more robust choice for educational support, especially for those who value access to archived webinars.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| 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.
When comparing the capabilities of Freetrade and Charles Stanley Direct for market research, both brokers offer robust research features for shares and ETFs, and they allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class. However, a key difference arises in the realm of funds; Charles Stanley Direct provides research reports for funds, while Freetrade does not offer this feature. Neither platform offers research for CFDs or bonds, making them similar in that respect. Whether you're diving into individual shares or exploring ETF options, these two brokers equip investors with essential insights, but Charles Stanley Direct holds an edge for those requiring detailed fund research.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Freetrade or Charles Stanley Direct? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Freetrade to be a better trading platform overall.
Overall Freetrade is a great platform to help you get to grips with investing. Costs are low, and its user-friendly mobile app offers great investment inspiration. Sophisticated investors, however, may find that other platforms offer a wider range of investment options and tools.
| Feature |
Freetrade
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Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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Freetrade and Charles Stanley Direct both do not offer crypto trading options, providing a clear comparison for investors seeking digital asset opportunities through online brokers.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Freetrade | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Review | Freetrade Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Freetrade | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Freetrade | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £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 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £57.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £138 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £414 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £1,380 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £90 - £102 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £60 - £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 (Basic plan), £59.88 (Standard), £119.88 (Plus) | £600 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £25 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £25 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £10 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | £10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 minimum |
| Broker Screenshots | Freetrade | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Freetrade | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 14 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 1 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | Freetrade | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Freetrade | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Freetrade | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| Review | Freetrade Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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