Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB vs Charles Stanley Direct, 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, XTB 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 - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £57.50 per year.
12 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £138 per year.
36 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £414 per year.
120 trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct would cost £1,380 per year.
3 fund trades per year - XTB would cost £0 per year, while Charles Stanley Direct 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.
When looking at investment choices between XTB and Charles Stanley Direct, UK investors will find both platforms offer share and ETF trading. However, XTB extends its offerings to include CFD trading, which is not available on Charles Stanley Direct. Conversely, Charles Stanley Direct provides a wider array of investment options like funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts, alongside advisor services, which XTB does not offer. These differences might influence investors seeking specific asset classes or guidance in their trading journey.
In terms of ratings, XTB holds a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment choices, though it ranks 13th among 21 brokers. On the other hand, Charles Stanley Direct proudly boasts a full 5-star rating, ranking 6th overall, reflecting its comprehensive range of investment products. This distinction could be pivotal for those prioritizing a broad spectrum of investment opportunities in their broker selection process.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK investors looking to enhance their trading experience, XTB and Charles Stanley Direct offer unique features that cater to different needs. XTB provides the ability to display corporate events on charts, which Charles Stanley Direct does not. With 20 drawing tools and 39 technical indicators available, XTB gives users more options to analyze market trends compared to Charles Stanley Direct, which provides only 1 drawing tool and 14 indicators. However, Charles Stanley Direct allows users to display index and stock overlays on charts, whereas XTB does not offer this feature.
Both platforms provide a browser-based trading interface, making it convenient for users to trade without additional software. Additionally, both XTB and Charles Stanley Direct offer real-time market data and the ability to set alerts for stock price updates, ensuring that investors stay informed of the market's latest movements. While XTB allows for adding notes directly to charts, enhancing the analytical experience, this feature is not available with Charles Stanley Direct. This comparison highlights the strengths and differences of each platform's trading tools, helping investors choose based on their personal trading preferences and needs.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 14 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 1 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
When comparing online brokers XTB and Charles Stanley Direct for UK investors interested in retirement accounts, notable differences emerge. Both brokers provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing investors to grow their savings tax-efficiently. However, when it comes to Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), Charles Stanley Direct stands out by offering this option, enabling individuals to manage their own pension investments with more flexibility. Meanwhile, XTB does not currently provide SIPP accounts, which might be a consideration for those specifically looking to invest for retirement through a pension account. Ultimately, your choice may depend on whether SIPP access is a priority in meeting your retirement goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK users seeking an intuitive mobile trading experience, both XTB and Charles Stanley Direct provide apps for iPhone and Android devices. XTB's mobile app stands out with a stellar 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, securing the 6th spot among 21 brokers for mobile app performance. In comparison, Charles Stanley Direct's app has a 3.5-star rating and ranks 20th, suggesting that while both platforms offer mobile accessibility, XTB's app potentially offers a more satisfying experience for users on the go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK investors just starting out, comparing the educational resources of XTB and Charles Stanley Direct highlights some key differences. While both platforms earn a commendable 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for beginner education, there's variation in their offerings. XTB provides learning resources specifically focused on share trading; however, it lacks materials on funds and retirement, and doesn't offer educational webinars, either live or on demand. In contrast, Charles Stanley Direct covers a broader range, offering educational content on share trading, funds, and retirement. Additionally, while Charles Stanley Direct does not host live webinars, they do provide archived sessions available for on-demand viewing. When ranked among 21 brokers for beginner education by UK.StockBrokers.com, XTB stands at #9, outpacing Charles Stanley Direct, which is ranked #12.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
For UK investors seeking detailed market research, XTB and Charles Stanley Direct both provide a range of features, but with some key differences. If you're interested in researching shares and ETFs, both brokers have you covered. However, only Charles Stanley Direct extends this to include funds, offering research reports specifically tailored for funds, which XTB does not. On the other hand, if CFDs interest you, XTB is the only option between the two that provides research in this area. Additionally, both brokers allow you to view your portfolio allocation by asset class, ensuring you can easily track your investments. It's important to note that neither platform offers research on bonds, so those seeking insight in this area might need to look elsewhere.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Charles Stanley Direct
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, XTB or Charles Stanley Direct? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found XTB to be a better trading platform overall.
XTB has set itself up as a strong competitor in commission-free share trading. Its low fees and solid educational content will make XTB particularly attractive to newer investors. It does not, however, offer an ISA or SIPP.
| Feature |
XTB
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Charles Stanley Direct
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Both XTB and Charles Stanley Direct do not offer cryptocurrency trading, making them comparable for investors focused on traditional financial assets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | XTB | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | XTB | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | XTB | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 - £10 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £10 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £10 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £57.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £138 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £414 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £1,380 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £90 - £102 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | 0 | £60 - £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | 0 | £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | 0 | £600 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | 0 | £600 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £25 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £25 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £10 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 minimum |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XTB | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 14 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 1 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | XTB | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | Charles Stanley Direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | XTB | Charles Stanley Direct | |
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| Review | XTB Review | Charles Stanley Direct Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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