Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Revolut 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, Revolut 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.
Revolut and Charles Stanley Direct both let UK investors trade shares, ETFs, corporate bonds, and gilts. Revolut also offers cryptocurrency and CFD trading, which Charles Stanley Direct does not. In contrast, Charles Stanley Direct provides access to funds and investment trusts and offers adviser services, none of which are available with Revolut. Spread betting isn’t listed for either provider in the information given.
For investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Revolut 4.5 out of 5 and ranks it 13th of 21 brokers, while Charles Stanley Direct scores 5 out of 5 (ranking not available). In short, Revolut may suit active traders who want crypto and CFDs, whereas Charles Stanley Direct may appeal to long‑term investors seeking funds, investment trusts, and guidance.
| Feature |
Revolut
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | No | 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.
For charting, Revolut stands out for the sheer number of technical indicators (110) and offers six drawing tools. Charles Stanley Direct supplies 14 indicators and a single drawing tool, but it’s the only one here that lets you add index and stock overlays. Neither platform shows corporate events on charts or lets you add notes.
On platforms and alerts, Charles Stanley Direct provides a browser-based trading platform, while Revolut does not. Both services offer price alerts and real-time market data. In simple terms, Revolut suits indicator-led analysis, whereas Charles Stanley Direct suits UK investors who want overlays and a web platform.
| Feature |
Revolut
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | No | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 110 | 14 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 6 | 1 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
Revolut vs Charles Stanley Direct: For UK investors comparing online brokers and retirement accounts, both providers offer a Stocks & Shares ISA, but only Charles Stanley Direct also provides a SIPP for pension savings. Revolut does not offer a SIPP, so if you need ISA-only investing either platform works, while anyone wanting a personal pension should choose Charles Stanley Direct.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing mobile apps, online broker Revolut and Charles Stanley Direct both provide iPhone and Android apps; however, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Revolut’s app higher at 4.5/5 and ranks it #10 of 21 for Mobile Apps, while Charles Stanley Direct’s app earns 3.5/5 with no ranking listed, making Revolut the stronger pick on app quality while both still cover the essentials on iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing online brokers for education, Revolut vs Charles Stanley Direct shows clear differences: neither runs live client webinars, but Charles Stanley Direct offers an on-demand archive while Revolut does not. Charles Stanley Direct also provides guides on share trading, funds, and retirement, which Revolut lacks. Independent ratings reflect this gap: UK.StockBrokers.com scores Revolut 3.5/5 (ranked 15th of 21) and Charles Stanley Direct 4.5/5 (no ranking available). If beginner investor education matters most, Charles Stanley Direct offers the broader learning support.
| Feature |
Revolut
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
Comparing Revolut and Charles Stanley Direct for UK investors’ market research: both offer shares and ETF research, but Charles Stanley Direct goes further with fund research and fund research reports, plus the ability to view your portfolio allocation by asset class. Revolut lacks fund research, fund reports, bond research, and allocation views. Bond research availability on Charles Stanley Direct is not specified.
| Feature |
Revolut
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Revolut or Charles Stanley Direct? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Revolut to be a better trading platform overall.
Revolut is an app-based investing platform best known for its commission-free trading, easy access to stocks and crypto, and seamless integration for existing Revolut users.
| Feature |
Revolut
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Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Website |
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When comparing online brokers, Revolut offers crypto trading, whereas Charles Stanley Direct does not support cryptocurrency trading.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Revolut | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| Review | Revolut Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Revolut | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Revolut | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | £0 - £10 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | £10 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | £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 | N/A | £60 - £600 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £600 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £600 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £600 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | £25 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | £25 | |
| ETFs - Fee | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | £10 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 minimum |
| Broker Screenshots | Revolut | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
| Platforms & Tools | Revolut | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | No | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 110 | 14 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 6 | 1 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | Revolut | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
| Education | Revolut | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Revolut | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | Revolut Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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