Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Charles Stanley Direct, 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, Interactive Brokers 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.
Interactive Brokers vs Charles Stanley Direct: both let UK investors buy and sell shares, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, gilts, and investment trusts. Interactive Brokers also offers crypto and CFD trading, while Charles Stanley Direct does not support crypto or CFDs. Spread betting availability is not specified for either.
For investment choice, each scores 5/5 with UK.StockBrokers.com, and Interactive Brokers is ranked #1 out of 21 brokers (no ranking available for Charles Stanley Direct). If you want advice alongside your account, Charles Stanley Direct provides adviser services; Interactive Brokers does not.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Interactive Brokers offers far deeper charting than Charles Stanley Direct. You can display corporate events like earnings, splits and dividends on charts, add notes, and use index or stock overlays. It also packs 85 drawing tools and 155 technical indicators, versus just 1 drawing tool and 14 indicators on Charles Stanley Direct.
Both brokers provide a browser-based trading platform and let you set price alerts. If live prices are key, Charles Stanley Direct supplies real-time market data, while Interactive Brokers does not. If you want advanced charting and analysis features, Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick; if you prefer simpler charts with live pricing, Charles Stanley Direct may suit you.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 14 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 1 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
For UK investors seeking retirement accounts through online brokers, both Interactive Brokers and Charles Stanley Direct offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). Interactive Brokers provides a platform for diverse international investments, making it suitable for those interested in accessing a wide range of global markets. Charles Stanley Direct, known for its straightforward service, may appeal to investors who prefer guidance and a user-friendly experience for managing domestic investments. Whether seeking global market access with Interactive Brokers or straightforward services from Charles Stanley Direct, both options support ISAs and SIPPs, offering flexibility for retirement savings strategies.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
UK investors comparing mobile apps will find both Interactive Brokers and Charles Stanley Direct offer iPhone and Android options. UK.StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers’ app 5 stars and ranks it 5th out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while Charles Stanley Direct’s app is rated 3.5 stars with no ranking available. If app ratings and standing matter to you, Interactive Brokers has the edge, though both provide mobile access.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing Interactive Brokers and Charles Stanley Direct, both offer education on share trading, funds, and retirement, but their webinars differ: Interactive Brokers runs educational client webinars and provides an on-demand archive, while Charles Stanley Direct does not host client webinars but does offer archived, on-demand sessions. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks 4th out of 21 for beginner education, whereas Charles Stanley Direct scores 4.5 stars with no published ranking. If live webinars and a higher-rated learning experience matter, Interactive Brokers has the edge; if you’re happy with on-demand materials across key topics, Charles Stanley Direct also fits the bill.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | 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 it comes to market research features for investors in the UK, both Interactive Brokers and Charles Stanley Direct offer comprehensive research reports for funds and shares. Investors with either broker can view portfolio allocations across different asset classes, which helps in assessing diversification. Both platforms provide insights into exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and funds, aiding informed investment decisions. However, a key difference lies in bond research: Interactive Brokers provides extensive resources, whereas Charles Stanley Direct does not currently offer this feature. Overall, both brokers present solid research options, with Interactive Brokers having the edge if bond insights are a priority.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Brokers or Charles Stanley Direct? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Brokers to be a better trading platform overall.
Interactive Brokers is a sophisticated trading platform aimed at confident and institutional-grade investors. For newer investors, Interactive Brokers is more intimidating, though it's worth exploring the platform to see if you could save money or access more investments compared to other brokers.
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Interactive Brokers
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Charles Stanley Direct
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When comparing interactive brokers, it's important to note that Interactive Brokers offers crypto trading options, unlike Charles Stanley Direct which does not provide such services, giving crypto investors an edge with Interactive Brokers.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual 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 | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3 | £0 - £10 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3 | £10 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3 | £10 | |
| 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 | £0 | £60 - £600 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £600 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £600 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £600 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £25 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | £25 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3 | £10 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3 | £10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | $30 | £25 minimum |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| 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 | Interactive Brokers | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 14 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 1 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Brokers | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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