Charles Stanley Direct vs Fidelity - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs Fidelity

Compare Charles Stanley Direct and Fidelity 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
Fidelity

Fidelity

Long-term investors and beginners

Fidelity is a US brokerage founded in 1946 offering stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, mutual funds, crypto, fract…

Head-to-head comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs Fidelity
Feature Charles Stanley Direct Fidelity
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee £10 per online trade; telephone dealing 1% (min £25, max £100) $0 commission per online US stock trade
Regulators FCA SEC, FINRA, SIPC
Best for UK long-term investors and fund holders Long-term investors and beginners
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
Crypto
-
Bonds
Options
-
Funds
Isa
-
Sipp
-
Investment Plans
Ready Made Portfolios
Business Account
-
Fractional Shares
-
Money Market Funds
-
Margin
-

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
Fidelity

Fidelity

Pros

  • No commission on US stock and ETF trades
  • No account minimum, no account fee, no inactivity fee
  • No withdrawal fee
  • Fractional shares available from $1
  • Extensive research and educational resources
  • Fidelity Go robo-advisor free under $25,000
  • Fidelity does not accept payment for order flow
  • Excess-of-SIPC coverage totalling $1 billion in aggregate

Cons

  • No futures trading
  • No forex or CFD trading
  • Crypto limited to five coins with a 1% spread
  • No paper trading or demo account
  • Margin rates higher than some specialist discount brokers
  • A small subset of ETFs carry a $100 service fee per purchase
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.

Fidelity

Fidelity

Fidelity is a US brokerage founded in 1946 offering stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, mutual funds, crypto, fractional shares and the Fidelity Go robo-advisor with no account minimums.

Visit Fidelity Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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