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Charles Stanley Direct vs Robinhood UK 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

August 06, 2024

In this head to head comparison of Charles Stanley Direct vs Robinhood UK, 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
Robinhood UK
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: £0
  • ISA: No
  • SIPP: No

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, Charles Stanley Direct offers better pricing than Robinhood UK 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 Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.

12 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £138 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.

36 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £414 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.

120 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £1,380 per year, while Robinhood UK would cost £0 per year.

3 fund trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £0 per year, while Robinhood UK 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 Robinhood UK, both platforms allow for share trading, but that's where their similarities end. Charles Stanley Direct offers a broader spectrum of investment choices, including the trading of ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts. Additionally, they provide advisor services to help guide your investment decisions. In contrast, Robinhood UK focuses more narrowly on share trading, without support for ETFs, funds, or bond trading. Neither platform supports crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading, making them more traditional in their offerings.

For investment choices, UK.StockBrokers.com gives Charles Stanley Direct an impressive 5-star rating, reflecting its extensive range of available investment options. Robinhood UK, on the other hand, lags with a 3-star rating, indicating a more limited selection for investors. If you're looking for varied investment opportunities and guidance, Charles Stanley Direct stands out, while Robinhood UK might appeal to those content with basic share trading.

Feature Charles Stanley Direct logoCharles Stanley Direct
Robinhood UK logoRobinhood UK
Share Trading info Yes Yes
CFD Trading info No No
ETFs info Yes No info
Funds info Yes No
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes info No
Investment Trusts info Yes No
Spread Betting info No No
Crypto Trading info No No
Advisor Services info Yes No
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

Featured Offers


4.5/5 Stars

Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.

4.5/5 Stars

Low-cost US and UK shares.

Trading Tools

When comparing the trading tools of Charles Stanley Direct and Robinhood UK, investors might notice some notable differences. Although neither platform allows users to display corporate events on charts or add notes, Charles Stanley Direct offers a more robust charting package. It provides users with a single drawing tool, 14 technical indicators, and the ability to add both index and stock overlays to charts, giving traders more options to analyze market trends. Robinhood UK, on the other hand, offers no drawing tools and only three technical indicators, without any options for data overlays.

Both Charles Stanley Direct and Robinhood UK support browser-based trading platforms, making them accessible and user-friendly for traders online. They also both offer essential features like the ability to create alerts for stock price updates and access to real-time market data, ensuring users stay informed about market movements. While their basic functionalities are similar in keeping traders up to date, Charles Stanley Direct's more advanced charting options might appeal to those who value comprehensive market analysis tools.

Feature Charles Stanley Direct logoCharles Stanley Direct
Robinhood UK logoRobinhood UK
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Stock Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 14 3
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 retirement account options between Charles Stanley Direct and Robinhood UK, it's essential to consider their available offerings. Charles Stanley Direct provides both Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making it a versatile option for UK investors interested in tax-efficient saving and planning for retirement. On the other hand, Robinhood UK does not currently offer these accounts, focusing instead on commission-free stock trading. For those specifically seeking retirement accounts or tax advantages in the UK, Charles Stanley Direct stands out as the more comprehensive choice.

Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.

Mobile App

When comparing the mobile apps of Charles Stanley Direct and Robinhood UK, both platforms offer accessibility through iPhone and Android devices, providing a convenient way for users to manage their investments on-the-go. However, there is a noticeable difference in user experience ratings. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Charles Stanley Direct's mobile app is rated at 3.5 out of 5 stars, while Robinhood UK's app holds a slightly higher rating of 4 stars. Although the specific mobile app rankings among 18 brokers are not available, these ratings suggest that Robinhood UK offers a more favorable mobile app experience compared to Charles Stanley Direct.

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.

Beginners and Education

When comparing Charles Stanley Direct and Robinhood UK for educational resources aimed at beginner investors, it's clear that Charles Stanley Direct offers more comprehensive materials. While neither platform provides live webinars, Charles Stanley Direct archives webinars for on-demand viewing, unlike Robinhood UK. Both platforms cover share trading, however, Charles Stanley Direct goes further by also offering educational content on funds and retirement, which Robinhood UK does not. In terms of ratings, UK.StockBrokers.com gives Charles Stanley Direct a higher score of 4.5 stars for beginner education, while Robinhood UK receives a rating of 3.5 stars. However, specific rankings among 18 brokers were not provided for either platform.

Feature Charles Stanley Direct logoCharles Stanley Direct
Robinhood UK logoRobinhood UK
Client Webinars info No No
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes No
Education (Share Trading) info Yes Yes
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 the market research features of Charles Stanley Direct and Robinhood UK, Charles Stanley Direct emerges as the more comprehensive option. It provides research reports for funds, unlike Robinhood UK, which lacks this feature. Charles Stanley Direct also allows users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, a functionality absent in Robinhood UK. Both platforms offer research on shares and ETFs, but Charles Stanley Direct goes a step further by including research capabilities for funds, which Robinhood UK does not provide. Neither platform offers research on CFDs or bonds. Overall, Charles Stanley Direct offers a more robust suite of research tools, making it a strong contender for investors who value detailed market insights.

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

Charles Stanley Direct vs Robinhood UK Winner

Which broker is better overall, Charles Stanley Direct or Robinhood UK? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Charles Stanley Direct to be a better trading platform overall.

Feature Charles Stanley Direct logoCharles Stanley Direct
Robinhood UK logoRobinhood UK
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Mobile App 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Website 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Charles Stanley Direct or Robinhood UK?

Both Charles Stanley Direct and Robinhood UK do not offer crypto trading, making them similar in this aspect for UK investors seeking traditional investment platforms without cryptocurrency options.

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Compare

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Overall Rating Charles Stanley Direct Robinhood UK
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Mobile App 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Website 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Review Charles Stanley Direct Review Robinhood UK Review
Winner check_circle
Investments Charles Stanley Direct Robinhood UK
ISA info Yes No
SIPP info Yes No
Share Trading info Yes Yes
CFD Trading info No No
Funds info Yes No
ETFs info Yes No info
Bonds - Corporate info Yes No
Bonds - Government (Gilts) info Yes info No
Investment Trusts info Yes No
Spread Betting info No No
Crypto Trading info No No
Advisor Services info Yes No
Trading Fees Charles Stanley Direct Robinhood UK
Minimum Deposit info £0 £0
Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month info £0 - £10 info £0
Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month info £10 £0
Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month info £10 £0
5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £57.50 £0
12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £138 £0
36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £414 £0
120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £1,380 £0
3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) info £90 - £102 N/A
Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 info £60 - £600 £0
Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K info £600 £0
Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m info £600 £0
Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over info £600 £0
Bonds - Corporate - Fee info £25 N/A
Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee info £25 info N/A
ETFs - Fee info £10 info £0
Investment Trusts - Fee info £10 N/A
Telephone Dealing Fee info £25 minimum N/A
Broker Screenshots Charles Stanley Direct Robinhood UK
Website Gallery (click to expand)
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand)
Education Gallery (click to expand)
Platforms & Tools Charles Stanley Direct Robinhood UK
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 3
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 Robinhood UK
Research - Shares info Yes Yes
Research - CFDs info No No
Research - Funds info Yes No
Fund Research - Research Reports info Yes No
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info No No
Portfolio Allocation Breakdown info Yes No
Education Charles Stanley Direct Robinhood UK
Education (Share Trading) info Yes Yes
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 Robinhood UK
Overall Rating 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Charges & Fees 4/5 Stars 5/5 Stars
Investment Choices 5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Mobile App 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Website 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Review Charles Stanley Direct Review Robinhood UK Review
Winner check_circle
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