Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Stanley Direct vs Revolut, 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, Charles Stanley Direct offers better pricing than Revolut 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.
Charles Stanley Direct vs Revolut for UK investors: both offer share trading and ETFs, plus access to corporate bonds and government bonds (gilts). Revolut adds crypto and CFD trading, which Charles Stanley Direct does not. Charles Stanley Direct provides funds and investment trusts, along with human adviser services—options not available on Revolut. Neither lists spread betting as an option.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Charles Stanley Direct 5/5 stars (ranked 6th of 21) and Revolut 4.5/5 stars (ranked 19th of 21). If you want crypto and CFDs, Revolut fits; if you want funds, investment trusts, and guidance, Charles Stanley Direct is the better match.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Revolut
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Comparing Charles Stanley Direct vs Revolut for UK trading tools: neither platform shows corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts or lets you add notes. Revolut offers more charting power with 6 drawing tools and 110 technical indicators, while Charles Stanley Direct provides 1 drawing tool and 14 indicators. That said, Charles Stanley Direct supports both index and stock overlays on charts, which Revolut does not.
When it comes to access and notifications, Charles Stanley Direct has a browser-based trading platform, whereas Revolut does not. Both deliver real-time market data and price alerts. In short, Revolut suits traders who want plenty of indicators and extra drawing tools, while Charles Stanley Direct fits those who value overlays and prefer trading in a web browser.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Revolut
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 110 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 6 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
Comparing Charles Stanley Direct with Revolut for UK savers: both offer a Stocks and Shares ISA for tax‑efficient investing, but only Charles Stanley Direct provides a SIPP for pension saving, while Revolut does not. If you want both an ISA and a SIPP under one roof, Charles Stanley Direct is the better fit; if you only need an ISA with a simple app experience, Revolut could suit your needs.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Charles Stanley Direct vs Revolut for UK investors: both offer iPhone and Android apps, letting you manage money on the go. UK.StockBrokers.com rates Charles Stanley Direct’s mobile app 3.5/5 and ranks it 20th of 21 brokers, while Revolut scores 4.5/5 and ranks 14th, indicating a stronger mobile experience with Revolut. If app quality matters most, Revolut is the better pick, though both cover the basics on iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner investors, Charles Stanley Direct outshines Revolut by a noticeable margin. Charles Stanley Direct provides access to archived educational webinars and covers key investing topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement planning, making it a comprehensive learning hub. In contrast, Revolut lacks offerings in these areas, presenting no archived webinars or educational content on these topics. This disparity in educational support is reflected in their ratings, with Charles Stanley Direct earning 4.5 stars and ranking 12th out of 21 brokers for beginner education according to UK.StockBrokers.com, while Revolut receives a lower rating of 3.5 stars and sits at the bottom of the list at 21st place. For UK investors eager to learn and grow in their investment journey, Charles Stanley Direct offers a more substantial educational foundation.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Revolut
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
UK investors comparing market research features will find Charles Stanley Direct more comprehensive than Revolut: it offers fund research reports and shows your portfolio allocation by asset class, both missing on Revolut. Each platform provides research on shares and ETFs, but only Charles Stanley Direct adds dedicated funds research, while Revolut does not. Bond research is not specified for Charles Stanley Direct and is unavailable with Revolut, making Charles Stanley Direct the better pick if you want clear fund insights and allocation breakdowns alongside share and ETF analysis.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Revolut
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Charles Stanley Direct or Revolut? 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
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Revolut
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Mobile App |
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Charles Stanley Direct does not offer crypto trading services, whereas Revolut provides crypto trading options, appealing to investors interested in digital currencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Stanley Direct | Revolut | |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Revolut Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Charles Stanley Direct | Revolut | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Trading Fees | Charles Stanley Direct | Revolut | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 - £10 | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £10 | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £10 | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | |
| 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 | £60 - £600 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £600 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £600 | N/A | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £600 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £25 | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £25 | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £10 | 0.25% / 0,12% or minimum €1 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £10 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 minimum | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Stanley Direct | Revolut | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
| Platforms & Tools | Charles Stanley Direct | Revolut | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | No | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 110 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 6 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Charles Stanley Direct | Revolut | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Charles Stanley Direct | Revolut | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Charles Stanley Direct | Revolut | |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Revolut Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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