Charles Stanley Direct vs IG - BrokerCue
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Broker Comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs IG

Compare Charles Stanley Direct and IG 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
IG

IG

Active CFD and forex traders

IG is a CFD-focused broker with forex, shares, ETFs, crypto, options and futures, plus web, Android and third…

Head-to-head comparison

Charles Stanley Direct vs IG
Feature Charles Stanley Direct IG
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee £10 per online trade; telephone dealing 1% (min £25, max £100) US share CFDs: 2 cents per share, $15 minimum online; UK share CFDs: 0.10%, £10 minimum online; Hong Kong share CFDs: 0.18%, HKD50 minimum online; Euro share CFDs: 0.10%, €10 minimum online
Regulators FCA FCA, ASIC, BaFin, MAS, FSCA, DFSA, JFSA, CFTC, NFA, BMA
Best for UK long-term investors and fund holders Active CFD and forex traders
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
Forex
-
CFDs
-
Crypto
-
Bonds
Options
-
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
IG

IG

Pros

  • No minimum balance for a CFD trading account
  • Free demo account with $20,000 virtual funds
  • Lower minimum deal sizes for the first 6 weeks
  • No commission to close listed options positions
  • Futures positions have no overnight funding fees
  • Extended hours on over 90 key US stocks
  • Weekend trading on selected indices, FX pairs and crypto

Cons

  • 0.8% FX conversion fee on non-base-currency CFD trades
  • 2.3% third-party card processor charge
  • US share CFDs have a $15 minimum online commission
  • UK share CFDs have a £10 minimum online commission
  • Daily overnight funding applies to overnight CFD positions
  • $40/month ProRealTime fee unless conditions are met
  • Monthly fees can apply for exchange stock feeds
  • Demo trades exclude slippage, interest and dividend adjustments
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.

IG

IG

IG is a CFD-focused broker with forex, shares, ETFs, crypto, options and futures, plus web, Android and third-party platforms.

Visit IG Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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