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 comparing Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor for those interested in a range of investment choices, Charles Stanley Direct appears to offer a broader array of options. It extends its services to share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts, making it ideal for investors seeking variety and depth. Additionally, Charles Stanley Direct provides advisor services for users in need of professional guidance, a feature Vanguard UK Investor does not offer. Reflecting its comprehensive offering, Charles Stanley Direct is rated 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com and ranks #6 among 21 brokers for investment choices.
In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor maintains a more streamlined investment approach, primarily offering ETFs and funds. While it may suit investors looking for a straightforward and focused platform, the lack of share trading, bonds, and advisor services might limit options for those seeking a broader scope. This is reflected in its 3.5-star rating and #18 ranking for investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com. Both platforms do not support crypto trading, spread betting, or CFD trading, ensuring attention remains on long-term investment opportunities.
| 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 Charles Stanley Direct and Vanguard UK Investor for their market research features, both platforms provide research reports for funds and tools to view portfolio allocation by asset class. However, a notable distinction is in shares research, where Charles Stanley Direct supports it, making it a more equipped option for those interested in this area, whereas Vanguard UK Investor does not. Both brokers offer research for ETFs and funds but do not support research for CFDs and bonds. For UK investors interested in a comprehensive research experience, particularly in shares, Charles Stanley Direct holds an edge over Vanguard UK Investor.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - CFDs | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | 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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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 | No | No | |
| 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 | 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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