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 comparing investment choices between XTB and Charles Stanley Direct, both platforms provide share and ETF trading options, but diverge significantly in their additional offerings. XTB focuses on leveraged products, such as Contracts for Difference (CFD) trading, while Charles Stanley Direct does not engage in CFDs but excels in a wider array of investment types. Charles Stanley Direct supports funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts, along with providing advisory services, which XTB does not offer.
For UK investors, the suitability between these platforms depends on their investment goals. Charles Stanley Direct offers a comprehensive range of investments for those looking for diversification and managed advice, earning a stellar rating of 5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com and ranking 6th among 18 brokers. XTB, suitable for investors seeking ETF and CFD trading, holds a strong reputation with a 4.5-star rating, though it ranks 13th in investment choices. This makes Charles Stanley Direct a preferred choice for broader investment options, while XTB caters to those focusing on specific market opportunities.
| 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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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
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.
In the UK, both XTB and Charles Stanley Direct provide mobile applications for iPhone and Android users, making online trading accessible from various devices. When it comes to performance, XTB's app stands out with an impressive 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and is ranked 6th out of 18 brokers for mobile app quality. On the other hand, Charles Stanley Direct's app holds a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 20th, suggesting room for improvement in user experience and functionality.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners seeking educational resources, both XTB and Charles Stanley Direct offer valuable content with a few key differences. While neither provider offers live educational webinars, Charles Stanley Direct stands out by offering archived webinars for on-demand viewing. When it comes to educational material, XTB is well-regarded, providing resources on share trading but lacks content on funds and retirement topics. In contrast, Charles Stanley Direct covers all three areas, including comprehensive guides on funds and retirement alongside share trading. Despite these differences, both brokers share a 4.5-star rating for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com, although XTB is ranked slightly higher at number nine, compared to Charles Stanley Direct's twelfth position among 18 brokers.
| 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.
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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 | |
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| 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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