Charles Stanley Direct vs FP Markets - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs FP Markets

Compare Charles Stanley Direct and FP Markets 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
FP Markets

FP Markets

ECN forex and CFD traders

FP Markets is an Australian multi-asset broker founded in 2005, offering forex, CFDs, and share trading acros…

Head-to-head comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs FP Markets
Feature Charles Stanley Direct FP Markets
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee £10 per online trade; telephone dealing 1% (min £25, max £100) Iress platform: commission-based, minimum brokerage applies per trade; fee thresholds vary by account tier
Regulators FCA ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, FSA, CMA, FSC
Best for UK long-term investors and fund holders ECN 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
FP Markets

FP Markets

Pros

  • Raw ECN account with spreads from 0.0 pips and $6 round-turn commission
  • Regulated by ASIC and CySEC with client funds in segregated accounts
  • 10,000+ tradeable instruments including forex, stocks, indices, and commodities
  • Choice of MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView, and Iress
  • No deposit, withdrawal, or inactivity fees
  • Free demo account with USD 100,000 in virtual funds
  • Negative balance protection under ASIC and CySEC entities
  • 24/7 multilingual customer support

Cons

  • Not FCA-regulated; UK traders are served through a less protective entity
  • Iress platform incurs a monthly fee unless minimum commission thresholds are met
  • Demo accounts expire after 30 days of inactivity
  • Research and educational content trails some larger competitors
  • Not available to residents of the United States, Japan, or New Zealand
  • Standard account spreads are wider than the Raw account average all-in cost
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.

FP Markets

FP Markets

FP Markets is an Australian multi-asset broker founded in 2005, offering forex, CFDs, and share trading across MetaTrader, cTrader, TradingView, and Iress platforms.

Visit FP Markets Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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