Charles Stanley Direct vs FOREX.com - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs FOREX.com

Compare Charles Stanley Direct and FOREX.com 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
FOREX.com

FOREX.com

Forex and CFD traders

FOREX.com is a forex and CFD broker launched in 2004, regulated across multiple jurisdictions including the F…

Head-to-head comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs FOREX.com
Feature Charles Stanley Direct FOREX.com
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee £10 per online trade; telephone dealing 1% (min £25, max £100) -
Regulators FCA NFA, CFTC, FCA, ASIC, CySEC, CIRO, MAS, FSA, SFC
Best for UK long-term investors and fund holders Forex and CFD traders
Markets & account
Stocks
-
ETFs
-
Forex
-
CFDs
-
Bonds
-
Futures
-
Funds
-
Isa
-
Sipp
-
Investment Plans
-
Ready Made Portfolios
-
Business Account
-
Spread Betting
-
Demo Account
-
Multi Currency
-
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
FOREX.com

FOREX.com

Pros

  • Regulated by NFA, CFTC, FCA, ASIC, CySEC, CIRO and other top-tier authorities
  • Parent company StoneX Group is NASDAQ-listed
  • RAW Pricing account with spreads from 0.0 pips
  • Wide platform choice: proprietary Web Trader, MT4, MT5, TradingView, NinjaTrader
  • Over 80 forex pairs and 5,500+ CFDs (outside US)
  • Free demo account with up to $50,000 in virtual funds
  • Spread betting available to UK clients
  • Extensive educational resources and market research

Cons

  • No real stocks or ETFs - only CFDs on equities
  • $15 per month inactivity fee after 12 months
  • Wire withdrawal fees apply (from $25 for US clients; international fees vary by region)
  • Standard account spreads on EUR/USD are in the low-to-mid single-digit pip range, higher than some low-cost competitors
  • Demo accounts expire after 90 days
  • No copy trading or social trading features
  • Crypto CFDs unavailable to US and some other regional clients
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.

FOREX.com

FOREX.com

FOREX.com is a forex and CFD broker launched in 2004, regulated across multiple jurisdictions including the FCA, NFA, and ASIC, offering over 80 currency pairs, spread betting (UK), and access to MetaTrader, TradingView, and proprietary platforms.

Visit FOREX.com Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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