Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor 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, Interactive Investor 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 - Interactive Investor would cost £79.83 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £57.50 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £107.76 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £138 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £203.52 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £414 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £538.68 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £1,380 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £0 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.
Interactive Investor and Charles Stanley Direct are two prominent online brokers in the UK, each offering a diverse range of investment options suitable for both novice and seasoned investors. Both brokers support share trading, ETFs, and investment trusts, providing a robust platform for those focused on traditional investment assets. They also enable trading in funds, corporate bonds, and government bonds, making it easy for investors to diversify their portfolios. However, both lack options for more speculative trading such as crypto, spread betting, and CFDs. While Interactive Investor does not offer advisory services, Charles Stanley Direct fills this gap, catering to clients seeking professional guidance.
In terms of ratings, Interactive Investor shines with a 5-star ranking from UK.StockBrokers.com, standing out as the 5th among 18 brokers for investment choices. Charles Stanley Direct also enjoys a 5-star rating, but its ranking is not specified among the top investment platforms. Overall, both brokers provide comprehensive investment options, though Interactive Investor holds an edge in the rankings. Choosing between these brokers may depend on the need for advisory services, with Charles Stanley Direct offering more support in that area.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | 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 offered by Interactive Investor and Charles Stanley Direct, Interactive Investor stands out with features that enhance chart analysis. Interactive Investor allows users to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, a functionality that Charles Stanley Direct lacks. Furthermore, Interactive Investor provides a wide array of 18 drawing tools and 104 technical indicators for charting, compared to Charles Stanley Direct's single drawing tool and 14 technical indicators. Both platforms allow users to add stock and index overlays to charts and offer browser-based trading platforms, ensuring flexibility and accessibility for traders.
Interactive Investor further distinguishes itself by allowing traders to add personalized notes on their charts, a feature not available with Charles Stanley Direct. Moreover, both platforms provide real-time market data and enable users to set alerts for stock price updates, ensuring that traders can stay informed and react swiftly to market changes. Overall, Interactive Investor's robust toolkit empowers traders with more advanced analysis capabilities, making it a favorable choice for those seeking comprehensive charting features.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 14 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 1 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
When comparing retirement account options between Interactive Investor and Charles Stanley Direct, both platforms stand out with their diverse offerings. Interactive Investor and Charles Stanley Direct each provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), ensuring that users have access to tax-efficient investment opportunities for both short-term and long-term planning. With each broker offering these essential account types, investors can enjoy flexibility and choice in managing their retirement savings, regardless of their preferred platform. Whether selecting Interactive Investor or Charles Stanley Direct, users can confidently grow their investments in a manner that suits their financial goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When choosing between Interactive Investor and Charles Stanley Direct for mobile trading, both platforms offer iPhone and Android apps, ensuring accessibility across popular devices. Interactive Investor shines with a higher mobile app rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, placing it as the 12th ranked platform out of 18 brokers for its mobile app performance. Conversely, Charles Stanley Direct's mobile app holds a 3.5-star rating, which is not prominently ranked by UK.StockBrokers.com. This comparison suggests Interactive Investor might better meet your mobile trading needs with its more favorable user reviews and higher ranking.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to delivering educational resources for beginner investors, Interactive Investor and Charles Stanley Direct offer a range of options, but with notable differences. Interactive Investor provides educational client webinars and archives them for on-demand viewing, while Charles Stanley Direct does not initially offer live webinars but does provide archived viewing. Both brokers cover vital investment topics, including share trading, funds, and retirement planning. However, Interactive Investor stands out with a five-star beginner education rating and is ranked first among 18 brokers by UK.StockBrokers.com. In contrast, Charles Stanley Direct garners a 4.5-star rating, but its exact ranking in this area is not available. Overall, Interactive Investor holds a stronger position for those seeking comprehensive and accessible educational tools in their investment journey.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
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 comparing Interactive Investor and Charles Stanley Direct for market research features, both platforms shine with a robust set of tools for investors. Both offer comprehensive research reports for funds, and both allow users to analyze their portfolio allocation by asset class. Shares, ETFs, and funds research are available on each platform, making them suitable for various investment strategies. However, Interactive Investor edges ahead by providing research on bonds, a feature Charles Stanley Direct lacks. Neither platform offers research on CFDs, making them equal in that respect. In summary, while both brokers provide strong market research capabilities, Interactive Investor offers a slight advantage for those interested in bond investment insights.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Investor or Charles Stanley Direct? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Investor to be a better trading platform overall.
The standout feature at Interactive Investor (ii) is its low flat-rate fees. Other investment platforms typically favour percentage fees for fund investing, although more brokers are now opting for flat fees. Our view is that Interactive Investor is a great platform for any investor, offering a wide range of investments for cheap prices on the whole.
| Feature |
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Charles Stanley Direct
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Both Interactive Investor and Charles Stanley Direct do not offer crypto trading, positioning them as traditional online brokers focused on stocks and investment funds rather than digital currencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 - £10 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £10 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £10 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.83 | £57.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £107.76 | £138 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £203.52 | £414 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £538.68 | £1,380 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £71.85 | £90 - £102 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £59.88 - £143.88 | £60 - £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £143.88 | £600 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £3.99 | £25 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | £25 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | £10 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | £10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | £25 minimum |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | 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) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Investor | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 14 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 1 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Investor | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Investor | 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 Investor | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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