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Charles Stanley Direct vs Halifax 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

July 31, 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

Your capital is at risk.

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

When comparing Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax for UK investors, both platforms present a solid array of investment options. Charles Stanley Direct offers share trading, making it an attractive choice for those interested in buying and selling shares directly, a feature not available with Halifax. Both brokers support trading of ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts, offering comprehensive options for portfolio diversification. Neither platform provides access to crypto trading or CFD trading, and spread betting details are unspecified for both. Additionally, each broker offers advisory services to guide investors in making informed decisions.

In terms of performance evaluation by UK.StockBrokers.com, Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax both enjoy a high rating of five stars for their investment choices. However, Charles Stanley Direct slightly edges out Halifax in the rankings, securing the 6th spot among 21 brokers, while Halifax ranks 7th. This distinction may influence preference for investors seeking a broader selection in their investment journey. Overall, both platforms cater adequately to various investment needs, offering reliable options for both novice and experienced investors in the UK.

Feature Charles Stanley Direct logoCharles Stanley Direct
Halifax logoHalifax
Share Trading info Yes No
CFD Trading info No No
ETFs info Yes Yes
Funds info Yes Yes
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes info Yes
Investment Trusts info Yes Yes
Spread Betting info No No
Crypto Trading info No No
Advisor Services info Yes Yes
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 5/5 Stars

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Trading Tools

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 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 No No
Charting - Display Corporate Events info No No
Charting - Stock Overlays info Yes No
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes No

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 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 logoCharles Stanley Direct
Halifax logoHalifax
Client Webinars info No No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Education (Share Trading) info Yes No
Education (Funds) info Yes No
Education (Retirement) info Yes No
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.

Market Research

When comparing Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax for their market research features, UK investors will find that Charles Stanley Direct offers comprehensive research reports for funds, a feature not available with Halifax. Additionally, Charles Stanley Direct provides insights into portfolio allocation by asset class, whereas Halifax does not support this feature. Both platforms offer research on shares, ETFs, and funds, but neither provides research on CFDs. Notably, Halifax does offer bonds research support, which is lacking from Charles Stanley Direct. In summary, Charles Stanley Direct stands out for fund research reports and portfolio allocation insights, but Halifax takes the lead with bonds research.

Feature Charles Stanley Direct logoCharles Stanley Direct
Halifax logoHalifax
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info No No
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes No
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info Yes No

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?

In comparing online brokers Charles Stanley Direct and Halifax, neither platform offers cryptocurrency trading options.

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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
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Investments Charles Stanley Direct Halifax
ISA info Yes Yes
SIPP info Yes Yes
Share Trading info Yes No
CFD Trading info No No
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 No No
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)
A chart showing the Lloyds share price on the Halifax website. Filling out a trade ticket to purchase Lloyds stock on the Halifax website. Trade ticket confirmation page when purchasing stock on the Halifax website. Available research on Lloyds stock on the Halifax website. Browsing the ETF Quicklist on the Halifax website. Selecting a ready-made investment on the Halifax website. Opening an account for a person aged 18 to 25 on the Halifax website. Landing page of the Halifax website.
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand)
The Save and Invest home page on the Halifax mobile app. Investing home page on the Halifax mobile app. Filling out a trade ticket on the Halifax mobile app. Filling out a trade ticket for international stock on the Halifax mobile app. Finding funds to invest in on the Halifax mobile app. Fund pricing page on the Halifax mobile app.
Education Gallery (click to expand)
Halifax Share Dealing mobile funds education Halifax Share Dealing website education ETF Academy
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 No No
Charting - Display Corporate Events info No No
Charting - Stock Overlays info Yes No
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes No
Research Charles Stanley Direct Halifax
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info No No
Research - Funds info Yes Yes
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes No
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info Yes No
Education Charles Stanley Direct Halifax
Education (Share Trading) info Yes No
Education (Funds) info Yes No
Education (Retirement) info Yes No
Client Webinars info No No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
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
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