Charles Stanley Direct vs HFM - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs HFM

Compare Charles Stanley Direct and HFM 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
HFM

HFM

Active forex and CFD traders

HFM is a multi-asset CFD and forex broker founded in 2010, regulated across six jurisdictions, offering 1,000…

Head-to-head comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs HFM
Feature Charles Stanley Direct HFM
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee £10 per online trade; telephone dealing 1% (min £25, max £100) -
Regulators FCA FCA, CySEC, FSCA, DFSA, CMA, FSA
Best for UK long-term investors and fund holders Active forex and CFD traders
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
Forex
-
CFDs
-
Crypto
-
Bonds
Futures
-
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
HFM

HFM

Pros

  • Regulated by FCA, CySEC, FSCA, DFSA, CMA and FSA
  • No minimum deposit on most accounts
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees on standard methods
  • Raw zero-pip spreads available on Zero account
  • Over 1,000 tradable instruments across multiple asset classes
  • Free demo account available
  • Negative balance protection provided
  • Copy trading platform available

Cons

  • Inactivity fee of $5 per month after six months of dormancy
  • Zero account charges $3 per side per lot commission
  • US clients are not accepted
  • No cTrader or TradingView integration
  • EU retail leverage capped at 30:1 on major forex pairs
  • HF Markets EU entity accepts only professional and eligible counterparty 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.

HFM

HFM

HFM is a multi-asset CFD and forex broker founded in 2010, regulated across six jurisdictions, offering 1,000-plus instruments on MT4, MT5 and a proprietary mobile app.

Visit HFM Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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