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.
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, 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 comparing the investment choices of Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor for UK investors, there are notable differences in the variety of investment options they offer. Charles Stanley Direct provides a comprehensive suite of trading opportunities, including share trading, ETF trading, fund trading, corporate and government bonds, as well as investment trusts. Additionally, they offer advisor services to guide investors. On the other hand, Vanguard UK Investor focuses more narrowly on ETFs and fund trading, without options for share trading, corporate or government bonds, or investment trusts, and does not provide advisor services.
In terms of customer ratings, Charles Stanley Direct shines with a strong 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment choices, placing it 6th out of 21 brokers. Meanwhile, Vanguard UK Investor garners a 3.5-star rating and ranks 18th, reflecting a more limited range of investment opportunities. For UK investors seeking diverse investment options and guidance, Charles Stanley Direct appears to be the more versatile choice, offering both breadth and support.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing the trading tools of Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor, there are several noticeable differences. Charles Stanley Direct provides a more feature-rich experience for chart enthusiasts, offering 14 technical indicators and one drawing tool, compared to Vanguard's absence of both. Moreover, Charles Stanley Direct allows users to enhance their chart analysis by adding index and stock overlays, a feature not supported by Vanguard UK Investor. Both platforms, however, do not display corporate events or allow notes to be added on charts.
For those keen on staying updated with market changes, Charles Stanley Direct offers both a browser-based trading platform and the ability to set alerts for stock price updates, along with real-time market data. Vanguard UK Investor also offers a browser-based platform, but lacks the alert functionality and only provides delayed market data. Overall, for UK investors who value comprehensive charting tools and real-time updates, Charles Stanley Direct stands out as the more equipped platform.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
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 seeking educational resources from online brokers, Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor offer different strengths. Both platforms provide archived webinars for learning at your own pace. Charles Stanley Direct covers a broader range of topics, including share trading, funds, and retirement, whereas Vanguard UK Investor focuses primarily on funds and retirement. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Charles Stanley Direct excels with a 4.5-star rating, ranking 12th among 21 brokers for beginner education, compared to Vanguard's 3.5-star rating and 17th place ranking. This makes Charles Stanley Direct a more comprehensive option for new investors eager to learn more about trading shares.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| 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 Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor, UK investors will find both platforms provide comprehensive reports for funds, allowing insight into portfolio allocation by asset class. However, Charles Stanley Direct has an edge with its shares research capabilities, a feature Vanguard UK Investor lacks. Both services offer ETFs and funds research, ensuring investors can access vital information for these investment types. Neither platform provides research on CFDs, but Charles Stanley Direct also covers bonds research, a service Vanguard UK Investor does not offer, making it a more extensive choice for diverse market insights.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | |
| 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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|---|---|---|
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Both Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor do not offer crypto trading services, making them similar in this aspect for investors looking to trade 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 | No | |
| CFD Trading | No | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| 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 | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Charles Stanley Direct | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | No | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Charles Stanley Direct | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| 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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