Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Charles Stanley Direct vs Plum
Charles Stanley Direct vs Plum: the differences
| Compare |  Charles Stanley Direct |  Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £1Lower | £2 |
| Stock trade fee | £10 | £0Lower |
| Account fee | £60 to £600 | £0Lower |
| Platforms | Charles Stanley Direct Trading | Mobile app |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP | ISA, SIPP, LisaCovers more |
Same on both: Markets (Stocks, ETFs, Funds), Regulators (Financial Conduct Authority), Investor protection (FSCS up to GBP 85,000).
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Key differences
- Founded is lower at Charles Stanley Direct: 1792 vs 2016.
- Minimum deposit is lower at Charles Stanley Direct: £1 vs £2.
- Stock trade fee is lower at Plum: £0 vs £10.
- Account fee is lower at Plum: £0 vs £60 to £600.
- Platforms: only Charles Stanley Direct offers Charles Stanley Direct Trading.
- Platforms: only Plum offers Mobile app.
- Account types: only Plum offers Lisa.
- Support channels: only Charles Stanley Direct offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Plum offers Help centre.
Our verdict on each
Charles Stanley Direct
Charles Stanley Direct suits UK savers who want a pension or ISA wrapper from a long established provider rather than a trading app. Investor protection is stated as FSCS up to GBP 85,000, and a SIPP account fee runs £60 to £600 a year.
Plum
Plum is a UK app aimed at beginners who want to start small and pay nothing to hold or trade. Stocks, ETFs and funds sit behind fractional shares, the account fee is £0 and the minimum deposit is £2, so small amounts can be put to work in a SIPP, ISA or LISA.
Score breakdown
| Area | Charles Stanley Direct | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.4Ranks 126 of 138 brands on account fee and 159 of 161 on stock trade fee. | 9.3HigherStock dealing is £0, the account fee is £0 and management fees run 0.15% to 0.6% on portfolios. |
| Offer | 8.8 | 8.9Higher |
| Trust | 9.3Higher | 8.5 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Charles Stanley Direct | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Financial Conduct Authority 124412 | Not confirmed |
Pick Charles Stanley Direct if, pick Plum if
Pick Charles Stanley Direct if trust and minimum deposit matter most.
Pick Plum if cost, stock trade fee, account fee, and account types matter most.
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Charles Stanley Direct | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 147 of 490 | 160 of 490 |
| Investment platforms and apps | 32 of 85 | 33 of 85 |
| Stocks and shares ISA providers | 6 of 21 | 7 of 21 |
| SIPP providers | 5 of 22 | 6 of 22 |
Where these facts come from
Charles Stanley Direct
- charles-stanley-direct.co.uk: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- tradingbrokers.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- moneytothemasses.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Plum
- withplum.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- finextra.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Charles Stanley Direct | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Not confirmed | Fractional shares, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Commission free |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Raymond James Wealth Management Limited | Plum Fintech Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1792Lower | 2016 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone | Email, Help centre |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Charles Stanley Direct | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | Not confirmed | 0.15% to 0.6% |
| Minimum investment | Not confirmed | £1 |
| Portfolio types | Not confirmed | ETF, Cash |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Charles Stanley Direct | Plum | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £1lowest quarter | £2below the median | £25 |
| Stock trade fee | £10highest quarter | £0at the median | £0 |
| Account fee | £60 to £600highest quarter | £0at the median | £0 |
Median across 16 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Charles Stanley Direct
Pros
- Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and investor protection is stated as FSCS up to GBP 85,000.
- A minimum deposit of £1 keeps the first contribution small, and it ranks 82 of 213 on our minimum deposit data.
- The group has been running since 1792, so the name sits behind a long investment history.
Cons
- A SIPP account fee of £60 to £600 a year is the heaviest cost here, and the stock trade fee of £10 is higher than the $0 eToro lists.
- Support runs on email and phone only, with no live chat listed.
- The listed account types are isa and sipp, so there is no general investment account or joint option here.
Plum
Pros
- Stock trades cost £0 and the account fee is £0, so holding and dealing carry no charge.
- The account opens from £2 and the smallest investment is £1, which suits small regular amounts.
- Fractional shares on a Mobile app let a small sum hold part of a share rather than a whole one.
Cons
- Support runs on email and help centre only, so an urgent question waits for a written answer.
- The market list is stocks, etfs and funds and portfolio types run to etf and cash, so the account is narrow beside a full trading platform.
- The minimum deposit of £2 ranks 89 of 213, and CFI lists a minimum deposit of $0.
Who each suits
Charles Stanley Direct
Who it suits
- SIPP holders who self-invest in funds and shares and want a familiar name with Financial Conduct Authority oversight.
- ISA investors who want to top up an existing holding without a large first payment, given the £1 minimum.
- People who prefer phone and email contact, since support runs on email and phone.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro, where the stock trade fee is listed as $0, if you trade often rather than hold a pension.
- CFI, whose minimum deposit is listed as $0 in US dollars, if your budget is set in sterling.
- Vantage, whose minimum deposit is $5 in US dollars, if you want to start with a larger first payment.
Plum
Who it suits
- Beginners who want a SIPP, ISA or LISA going from a first deposit of £2.
- Investors who want to pick their own shares and are content with portfolio types of etf and cash.
- Readers who care most about the cost of a trade, since dealing is £0 and the account fee is £0.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone wanting a lower floor than the £2 minimum, since CFI lists a minimum deposit of $0.
- Readers comparing purely on dealing costs, since eToro also charges $0 for a stock trade.
- People who want to fund from a higher starting amount: Vantage lists a minimum deposit of $5.
Country by country
| Country | Charles Stanley Direct | Plum |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Charles Stanley Direct
What does it cost to run a Charles Stanley Direct account?+
A SIPP carries an annual account fee of £60 to £600 and each stock trade costs £10. The account opens from a minimum deposit of £1, so the entry point is small, but the yearly charge is the number that shapes the total cost of holding. Both fees are quoted in pounds.
Is Charles Stanley Direct regulated, and is my money protected?+
The account is run by Raymond James Wealth Management Limited and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under licence 124412. Investor protection is stated as FSCS up to GBP 85,000, which is the scheme limit the provider publishes. That protection sits with the UK regulator, so eligible claims run through the UK compensation system.
Plum
How much does it cost to use Plum?+
Stock trades cost £0 and the account fee is £0, so there is no dealing charge and no annual subscription to pay. The cost that can appear is the management fee of 0.15% to 0.6% on portfolios, which applies to the managed side rather than to every account. On the cost of holding and dealing, Plum sits at the cheap end of the field.
Is Plum regulated, and is my money protected?+
Plum is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and the account is held with Plum Fintech Limited. The stated investor protection is FSCS up to GBP 85,000, which is the compensation available if the firm cannot pay a valid claim. That is the standard UK arrangement for a firm holding investments, and it is the part to check before depositing.