Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Stanley Direct vs Halifax, 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, Halifax 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 - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £57.50 per year, while Halifax would cost £83.50 per year.
12 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £138 per year, while Halifax would cost £150 per year.
36 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £414 per year, while Halifax would cost £378 per year.
120 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £1,380 per year, while Halifax would cost £1,176 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £0 per year, while Halifax 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.
When comparing investment offerings between Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax, both platforms cater to a range of investment interests but with a key distinction: Charles Stanley Direct allows for share trading, unlike Halifax. Both brokers offer trading services for ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts, providing a variety of investment options to suit different investor needs. However, neither platform supports crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading, aligning both with a more traditional investment approach. Additionally, each offers advisor services for those seeking professional guidance in their investment decisions.
Both Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax are highly rated by UK.StockBrokers.com for their investment choices, each earning a commendable five stars. In terms of ranking, Charles Stanley Direct slightly edges ahead at sixth place out of 21 brokers, while Halifax follows closely at seventh. This indicates a slight preference towards Charles Stanley Direct in terms of the breadth of investment choices available, particularly due to its share trading option.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the trading tools of Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax, investors will notice significant differences. Both platforms provide browser-based trading and the ability to set alerts for stock price updates, but Charles Stanley Direct stands out with several advanced features. It offers 14 technical indicators and one drawing tool for charting, while Halifax does not provide any. Additionally, Charles Stanley Direct includes options to add both index and stock overlays to charts, enhancing visual insight for traders—an option not available with Halifax. However, neither platform displays corporate events on charts or provides the ability to add personal notes.
Access to real-time market data is another distinguishing factor, with Charles Stanley Direct providing this feature, whereas Halifax lacks this capability. Both platforms offer a baseline trading experience, but Charles Stanley Direct clearly caters to users seeking more in-depth tools and market insights. As a UK investor exploring online brokerage options, considering the additional charting features and real-time data offered by Charles Stanley Direct could make a notable difference in your trading experience. Halifax serves well for straightforward trading needs but might fall short for those requiring more technical analysis tools.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 online brokers Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax for UK retirement account options, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISA) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPP). This means that whether you're looking to save tax-efficiently with an ISA or take control of your retirement savings via a SIPP, both Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax provide these accounts to help meet your financial goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax for UK investors, both brokers provide apps for iPhone and Android devices. Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax each receive 3.5 out of 5 stars for their mobile apps as rated by UK.StockBrokers.com, highlighting a similar performance level in the eyes of users. However, when considering the overall mobile app rankings out of 21 brokers, Halifax edges ahead slightly at 18th place, while Charles Stanley Direct ranks 20th. This subtle difference may guide users seeking a comparative evaluation of these two services.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing educational resources for beginner investors, Charles Stanley Direct outshines Halifax with a wider range of offerings. Charles Stanley Direct provides educational content on crucial topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement planning. While neither broker offers live webinars, Charles Stanley Direct archives its educational sessions for on-demand viewing, a feature not available with Halifax. In terms of ratings, Charles Stanley Direct receives a commendable 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com for beginner education, positioning it at 12th out of 21 brokers. Conversely, Halifax holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks 18th, making Charles Stanley Direct a more informative choice for novice investors in the UK.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax in terms of market research capabilities, Charles Stanley Direct offers a more comprehensive suite of features. It provides research reports for funds and allows users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, whereas Halifax lacks these features. Both brokers offer research on shares, ETFs, and funds; however, neither provides insights into CFDs. While Charles Stanley Direct does not offer bond research, Halifax fills this gap, catering to those interested in fixed-income securities. Overall, Charles Stanley Direct delivers a broader range of tools for those looking to dive deep into their investment analysis.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Charles Stanley Direct or Halifax? 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
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Halifax
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In comparing online brokers Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax, neither platform offers cryptocurrency trading options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Stanley Direct | Halifax | |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Charles Stanley Direct | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Charles Stanley Direct | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 - £10 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £10 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £10 | £9.50 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £57.50 | £83.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £138 | £150 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £414 | £378 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £1,380 | £1,176 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £90 - £102 | £64.50 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £60 - £600 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £600 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £600 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £600 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £25 | £9.5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £25 | £9.5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £10 | £9.5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £10 | £9.5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 minimum | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Stanley Direct | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Charles Stanley Direct | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Charles Stanley Direct | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Charles Stanley Direct | Halifax | |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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