Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Stanley Direct vs Vanguard UK Investor, 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, Vanguard UK 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 - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £57.50 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
12 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £138 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
36 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £414 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
120 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £1,380 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost N/A per year.
3 fund trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £0 per year, while Vanguard UK Investor would cost £500 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.
When choosing between UK online brokers, Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor offer different investment opportunities. Charles Stanley Direct stands out with its comprehensive range of investment options, including share trading, ETF trading, funds trading, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts. Additionally, they provide advisory services to guide investors in their financial decisions. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor primarily focuses on ETF and fund trading without offering share trading, bonds, or investment trusts, nor do they provide advisory services.
This variety of offerings is reflected in user ratings; Charles Stanley Direct is awarded 5 stars for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking 6th among 21 brokers. Meanwhile, Vanguard UK Investor receives 3.5 stars, placing 18th on the list, signifying a more niche range of options. This distinction highlights Charles Stanley Direct as a strong contender for those seeking a broader spectrum of investment choices, especially for UK investors interested in diverse trading avenues.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | ||
| Advisor Services | Yes | |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When it comes to trading tools, Charles Stanley Direct offers more features than Vanguard UK Investor for UK traders looking to enhance their investment experience. Charles Stanley Direct allows users to display corporate events on charts, use one drawing tool, and access 14 technical indicators. Additionally, investors can add index and stock overlays, as well as create alerts for stock price updates, all within a browser-based trading platform that provides real-time market data. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor does not offer the ability to display corporate events, lacks drawing tools and technical indicators, and has limited chart customization options. However, both brokers support browser-based trading, providing a straightforward and accessible experience for users.
Overall, Charles Stanley Direct caters to investors who wish to utilize a variety of advanced trading tools to inform their decisions, while Vanguard UK Investor presents a simpler platform suitable for those who prefer a more straightforward approach. The choice between the two will depend on the level of trading sophistication you require and the specific features you deem essential for your investment strategy.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
When comparing Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor, both platforms provide UK residents with the opportunity to invest in Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). Each broker allows you to set up these retirement accounts with the aim of growing your savings in a tax-efficient manner. Whether you are focusing on flexible tax-free investment options through an ISA or building your retirement pot with a SIPP, both Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor offer these versatile account types to suit your financial planning needs.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor, both platforms provide apps for iPhone and Android users in the UK. Each app holds a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars according to UK.StockBrokers.com. While Vanguard UK Investor slightly edges out Charles Stanley Direct in the rankings, placing 19th out of 21 brokers for mobile apps compared to Charles Stanley Direct's 20th position, both apps offer similar ratings and accessibility for UK investors seeking on-the-go portfolio management.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners looking to boost their investment knowledge, a comparison of Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor reveals differences in their educational offerings. Both platforms provide archived webinars for convenient on-demand access, catering to various topics such as funds and retirement. However, Charles Stanley Direct expands on this by including education on share trading, an area Vanguard UK Investor does not cover. In terms of ratings, Charles Stanley Direct receives a commendable 4.5 stars for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking 12th among 21 brokers. Meanwhile, Vanguard UK Investor holds a 3.5-star rating, placing 17th, indicating that while both brokers offer valuable resources, Charles Stanley Direct may provide a slightly better educational experience for novices.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of online brokers Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor in the UK, both platforms provide research reports for funds and tools to view portfolio allocation by asset class. Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor cater to ETF and funds research as well. However, Charles Stanley Direct distinguishes itself by offering shares research, which is not explicitly mentioned for Vanguard UK Investor. Neither platform appears to offer detailed research on CFDs or bonds, leaving some gaps for those interested in these particular investment vehicles. Overall, Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor equip investors with a range of tools and insights, with Charles Stanley Direct having a slight edge in share research offerings.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Charles Stanley Direct or Vanguard UK Investor? 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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Vanguard UK Investor
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Neither Charles Stanley Direct nor Vanguard UK Investor currently offers crypto trading, making them more suitable for investors focused on traditional assets rather than cryptocurrencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Stanley Direct | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Charles Stanley Direct | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | ||
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | ||
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Charles Stanley Direct | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £500 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 - £10 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £10 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £10 | N/A | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £57.50 | N/A | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £138 | N/A | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £414 | N/A | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £1,380 | N/A | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £90 - £102 | £108 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £60 - £600 | Under £32,000: £48 / Over £32,000: 0.15% | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £600 | £375 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £600 | £375 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £600 | £375 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £25 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £25 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £10 | 0.02% to 0.14% | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £10 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 minimum | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Stanley Direct | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Charles Stanley Direct | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | |||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | |||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
| Research | Charles Stanley Direct | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | ||
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | |||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Stanley Direct | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | ||
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | |||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Charles Stanley Direct | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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