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Charles Stanley Direct vs Halifax 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

April 17, 2025

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.

Charles Stanley Direct
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £0
  • ISA: Yes
  • SIPP: Yes
Halifax
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £0
  • ISA: Yes
  • SIPP: Yes

Fees

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.

query_stats 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.

Investment Choices

Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax both offer a variety of investment opportunities tailored to suit different investor needs. Those looking to participate in share trading will find both platforms accommodating, as Charles Stanley Direct provides this service. While neither platform supports crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading, both make up for it by offering robust selections in other areas. For instance, you can trade Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts through both Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax, ensuring a well-rounded experience for investors.

When it comes to advisory services, both brokers can assist investors in making informed decisions. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax receive impressive ratings of five stars each for their investment choices. However, their rankings differ slightly, with Charles Stanley Direct edging ahead in sixth place out of 21 brokers, while Halifax follows closely in seventh. This subtle distinction could be a deciding factor for investors prioritizing a wider range of investment choices in their online brokerage experience.

Feature Charles Stanley Direct logoCharles Stanley Direct
Halifax logoHalifax
Share Trading info Yes
CFD Trading info
ETFs info Yes Yes
Funds info Yes Yes
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes info Yes
Investment Trusts info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info
Crypto Trading info
Advisor Services info Yes Yes
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

Featured Offers


4.5/5 Stars

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4.5/5 Stars

Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.

Trading Tools

When comparing Charles Stanley Direct with Halifax for trading tools, UK investors will find some notable differences. Charles Stanley Direct stands out with its enhanced charting capabilities, offering 14 technical indicators and a single drawing tool for chart analysis, whereas Halifax lacks both drawing tools and technical indicators. Additionally, Charles Stanley Direct allows users to apply index and stock overlays to charts, a feature not specifically provided by Halifax. Both platforms offer browser-based trading, as well as the ability to set alerts for stock price updates, making market monitoring convenient for their users.

In terms of data insights, Charles Stanley Direct offers real-time market data, providing users with timely and accurate information, while this feature is not clearly available with Halifax. However, neither of the platforms mention support for displaying corporate events like earnings, splits, or dividends directly on their charts, nor do they offer the ability to add notes to charts. These differences in charting and data features highlight Charles Stanley Direct’s strengths in delivering a more enriched trading and analysis platform compared to Halifax.

Feature Charles Stanley Direct logoCharles Stanley Direct
Halifax logoHalifax
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 14 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 1 info 0
Charting - Notes info
Charting - Display Corporate Events info
Charting - Stock Overlays info Yes
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes

ISAs and SIPPs

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.

Mobile App

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.

Beginners and Education

When comparing the beginner investor educational resources of Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax, Charles Stanley Direct holds a distinct advantage. It provides on-demand, archived educational webinars covering key topics like share trading, funds, and retirement, while Halifax lacks these features. In terms of beginner education, Charles Stanley Direct earns a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking 12th among 21 brokers, which outshines Halifax’s 3.5-star rating and 18th position ranking. This makes Charles Stanley Direct a more comprehensive choice for UK beginners seeking to enhance their investment knowledge.

Feature Charles Stanley Direct logoCharles Stanley Direct
Halifax logoHalifax
Client Webinars info
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes
Education (Share Trading) info Yes
Education (Funds) info Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.

Market Research

When comparing market research features between Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax, UK investors may find subtle differences that could impact their investment choices. Charles Stanley Direct excels with comprehensive research reports for funds and offers insight into portfolio allocation by asset class, something Halifax lacks. Both brokers provide thorough research on shares, ETFs, and funds. However, Halifax stands out with its coverage on bonds, which Charles Stanley Direct currently does not offer. These nuances in research capabilities can cater to different investment strategies, making it essential for users to align their broker choice with their specific needs.

Feature Charles Stanley Direct logoCharles Stanley Direct
Halifax logoHalifax
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info Yes

Charles Stanley Direct vs Halifax Winner

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 logoCharles Stanley Direct
Halifax logoHalifax
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile App 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Website 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Charles Stanley Direct or Halifax?

When comparing online brokers, Charles Stanley Direct does not offer crypto trading, while Halifax also does not provide cryptocurrency trading services.

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Compare

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Overall Rating Charles Stanley Direct Halifax
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile App 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Website 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Review Charles Stanley Direct Review Halifax Review
Winner check_circle
Investments Charles Stanley Direct Halifax
ISA info Yes Yes
SIPP info Yes Yes
Share Trading info Yes
CFD Trading info
Funds info Yes Yes
ETFs info Yes Yes
Bonds - Corporate info Yes Yes
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes info Yes
Investment Trusts info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info
Crypto Trading info
Advisor Services info Yes Yes
Trading Fees Charles Stanley Direct Halifax
Minimum Deposit info £0 £0
Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month info £0 - £10 info £9.50
Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month info £10 £9.50
Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month info £10 £9.50
5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £57.50 £83.50
12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £138 £150
36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £414 £378
120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £1,380 £1,176
3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £90 - £102 £64.50
Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 info £60 - £600 £36
Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K info £600 £36
Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m info £600 £36
Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over info £600 £36
Bonds - Corporate - Fee info £25 £9.5
Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee info £25 info £9.5
ETFs - Fee info £10 info £9.5
Investment Trusts - Fee info £10 £9.5
Telephone Dealing Fee info £25 minimum £25
Broker Screenshots Charles Stanley Direct Halifax
Website Gallery (click to expand)
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand)
Education Gallery (click to expand)
Platforms & Tools Charles Stanley Direct Halifax
Web Platform info Yes Yes
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 14 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 1 info 0
Charting - Notes info
Charting - Display Corporate Events info
Charting - Stock Overlays info Yes
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes
Research Charles Stanley Direct Halifax
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info Yes
Education Charles Stanley Direct Halifax
Education (Share Trading) info Yes
Education (Funds) info Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes
Client Webinars info
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes
Overall Summary Charles Stanley Direct Halifax
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Mobile App 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Website 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Review Charles Stanley Direct Review Halifax Review
Winner check_circle
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