Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Charles Stanley Direct vs Webull, 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, Webull 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 Webull would cost 0.025% of trade value per year.
12 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £138 per year, while Webull would cost 0.025% of trade value per year.
36 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £414 per year, while Webull would cost 0.025% of trade value per year.
120 trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £1,380 per year, while Webull would cost 0.025% of trade value per year.
3 fund trades per year - Charles Stanley Direct would cost £0 per year, while Webull would cost £0 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.
Charles Stanley Direct and Webull offer different sets of investment options to UK investors. Charles Stanley Direct caters to a diverse investing palette, including share trading, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), funds, corporate bonds, and government bonds, also known as gilts. The platform also supports trading in investment trusts and extends advisor services, making it a comprehensive choice for investors seeking variety and guidance. On the other hand, Webull does provide share trading but lacks the wide array of other investment products available through Charles Stanley Direct. This limited selection reflects in its rating, with Webull receiving 3 out of 5 stars for investment choices.
UK.StockBrokers.com has rated Charles Stanley Direct with 5 stars, ranking it 6th out of 21 brokers for its extensive investment options. In contrast, Webull is ranked 21st, highlighting a significant gap in the breadth of investing opportunities between the two brokers. Investors looking for a broad selection of investment vehicles and experienced guidance might find Charles Stanley Direct to be the more suitable choice for their financial goals, while those focusing purely on share trading might consider Webull with an understanding of its limitations.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Webull
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | ||
| ETFs | Yes | |
| Funds | 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 evaluating the trading tools offered by Charles Stanley Direct and Webull, each platform brings unique features to the table. Webull excels in providing a dynamic charting experience with the ability to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on the charts. It offers a wider selection of drawing tools, totaling 17, which can be beneficial for those looking to perform detailed technical analysis. While both platforms offer stock overlays and provide real-time market data, Webull also allows users to add notes to their charts, further enhancing the customization and functionality for more personalized trading strategies.
Charles Stanley Direct, on the other hand, stands out with its ability to add index overlays, unique to this platform, which can be particularly useful for traders looking to compare individual stock performance against market benchmarks. It provides 14 technical indicators, offering a slightly broader range than Webull's 12. Both Charles Stanley Direct and Webull provide browser-based trading platforms and the capability to create alerts for stock price updates, ensuring seamless and proactive trading experiences. Ultimately, choosing between the two may depend on whether one prioritizes detailed charting tools or prefers comprehensive comparison options.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Webull
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 12 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 17 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
When comparing online brokers Charles Stanley Direct and Webull, it's important to consider their offerings for retirement accounts. UK investors seeking tax-efficient savings options will find that Charles Stanley Direct provides both ISA and SIPP accounts, catering to those looking to grow their savings for retirement. In contrast, Webull does not offer ISA or SIPP accounts, which might limit options for UK investors focused on retirement planning. This difference makes Charles Stanley Direct a more suitable choice for UK residents prioritizing tax-efficient retirement savings.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile apps of Charles Stanley Direct and Webull for UK users, both brokers offer apps for iPhone and Android devices. However, Webull stands out in terms of performance. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Charles Stanley Direct receives a modest rating of 3.5 stars out of five for its mobile app, positioning it at 20th among 21 brokers. In contrast, Webull boasts an impressive 4.5-star rating, securing the 8th spot. These rankings highlight Webull's superior mobile trading experience, making it a more appealing choice for investors who prioritize efficient and user-friendly app functionality.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners looking to learn about investing, Charles Stanley Direct and Webull offer different educational resources. Charles Stanley Direct provides comprehensive webinars on key topics like share trading, funds, and retirement, with on-demand access for convenience. By comparison, Webull also covers share trading and funds but lacks educational content on retirement and does not offer webinars or archives for later viewing. Rated 4.5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com for beginner education, Charles Stanley Direct ranks 12th out of 21 brokers, while Webull, with a 3.5-star rating, comes in at 19th place. Choosing between them could depend on whether immediate access to a wide range of educational topics is a priority.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Webull
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | 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 Webull, UK investors will find that Charles Stanley Direct provides comprehensive coverage, offering research reports for funds, shares, and ETFs. Moreover, it allows users to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, assisting investors in understanding their investment distribution. Webull, on the other hand, offers research for shares but lacks the depth in covering funds and ETFs that Charles Stanley Direct provides. With these distinctions, investors seeking in-depth research across various investment types might find Charles Stanley Direct more aligned with their research needs.
| Feature |
Charles Stanley Direct
|
Webull
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Charles Stanley Direct or Webull? 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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Webull
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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While Charles Stanley Direct does not offer crypto trading, Webull provides its users with the ability to trade cryptocurrencies, making Webull a more versatile choice for those interested in diversifying their investment portfolio with digital assets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Charles Stanley Direct | Webull | |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Webull Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Charles Stanley Direct | Webull | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | ||
| SIPP | Yes | ||
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | |||
| Funds | Yes | ||
| ETFs | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | ||
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Charles Stanley Direct | Webull | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 - £10 | 0.025% | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £10 | 0.025% | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £10 | 0.025% | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £57.50 | 0.025% of trade value | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £138 | 0.025% of trade value | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £414 | 0.025% of trade value | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £1,380 | 0.025% of trade value | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £90 - £102 | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £60 - £600 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £600 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £600 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £600 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £25 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £25 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £10 | N/A | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £10 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 minimum | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Charles Stanley Direct | Webull | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
| Platforms & Tools | Charles Stanley Direct | Webull | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 12 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 1 | 17 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
| Research | Charles Stanley Direct | Webull | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | ||
| Research - Bonds | |||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
| Education | Charles Stanley Direct | Webull | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | |||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Charles Stanley Direct | Webull | |
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| Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | Webull Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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