Charles Stanley Direct vs FBS - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs FBS

Compare Charles Stanley Direct and FBS side by side: fees, regulation, platforms.

Charles Stanley Direct

Charles Stanley Direct

UK long-term investors and fund holders

Charles Stanley Direct is a UK investment platform launched in 2013, offering stocks, ETFs, funds, bonds, ISA…

VS
FBS

FBS

High-leverage forex and CFD traders

FBS is a forex and CFD broker founded in 2009, offering six account types, MetaTrader 4 and 5, and a minimum …

Head-to-head comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs FBS
Feature Charles Stanley Direct FBS
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee £10 per online trade; telephone dealing 1% (min £25, max £100) -
Regulators FCA CySEC, ASIC, FSCA, FSC
Best for UK long-term investors and fund holders High-leverage forex and CFD traders
Markets & account
Stocks
-
ETFs
-
Forex
-
CFDs
-
Crypto
-
Bonds
-
Funds
-
Isa
-
Sipp
-
Investment Plans
-
Ready Made Portfolios
-
Business Account
-
Margin
-
Demo Account
-

Pros & cons

Charles Stanley Direct

Charles Stanley Direct

Pros

  • FCA regulated with FSCS protection
  • Wide range of accounts: ISA, SIPP, Junior ISA, GIA, business account
  • Access to 12,500+ UK and international investments
  • No inactivity fee
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees
  • £50 trading credit every six months offsets dealing costs
  • In-house research and market commentary
  • Flexible ISA feature uncommon among competitors

Cons

  • No demo account
  • £10 per trade for shares, ETFs and investment trusts is among the highest of UK platforms
  • Annual platform fee minimum of £60 disadvantages smaller portfolios
  • Annual fee cap raised to £600 in 2024, increasing costs for mid-size portfolios
  • FX conversion charge of 1% on trades under £10,000
  • Bonds and gilts available by telephone only
  • No fractional shares
  • Basic mobile app lacks advanced charting and research tools
FBS

FBS

Pros

  • Minimum deposit from USD 1 on Cent account
  • Six account types including commission-free and raw-spread options
  • Regulated by CySEC and ASIC alongside offshore FSC entity
  • Free demo account available
  • MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
  • 200+ payment methods accepted for deposits
  • Multilingual customer support available 24/7

Cons

  • Not available to residents of the US, UK, EU member states, Canada, Japan, Iran, or Myanmar
  • Stock CFD commission on Standard account is relatively high at 0.7%
  • Very high maximum leverage (1:3000) raises risk of rapid loss
  • Offshore Belize entity (FSC) provides limited regulatory protection
  • Limited cryptocurrency selection (around 5 assets)
Charles Stanley Direct

Charles Stanley Direct

Charles Stanley Direct is a UK investment platform launched in 2013, offering stocks, ETFs, funds, bonds, ISA, SIPP and Junior ISA accounts with in-house research.

Visit Charles Stanley Direct Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

FBS

FBS

FBS is a forex and CFD broker founded in 2009, offering six account types, MetaTrader 4 and 5, and a minimum deposit from USD 1.

Visit FBS Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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