Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Charles Stanley Direct vs Saxo
Where Charles Stanley Direct and Saxo differ
| Compare |  Charles Stanley Direct |  Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £1 | CHF 0 |
| Stock trade fee | £10 | $1 |
| Account fee | £60 to £600 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Bonds, FundsCovers more |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority | Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Platforms | Charles Stanley Direct Trading | SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP | Joint, Corporate |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 64% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.25% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $2 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free deposits and withdrawals |
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Key differences
- Saxo scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 8.9.
- Regulators: only Charles Stanley Direct offers Financial Conduct Authority.
- Regulators: only Saxo offers Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Founded is lower at Charles Stanley Direct: 1792 vs 1992.
- Saxo is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only Saxo offers Forex, CFDs, Options.
- Platforms: only Charles Stanley Direct offers Charles Stanley Direct Trading.
- Platforms: only Saxo offers SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader.
- Account types: only Charles Stanley Direct offers ISA, SIPP.
- Account types: only Saxo offers Joint, Corporate.
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.
Saxo
Saxo suits investors who want a Danish bank with no account or inactivity charge and a wide market list, but the stock trade fee is $1 and the FX fee is 0.25%. Costs stay predictable for long holders, less so for frequent traders.
Score breakdown
| Area | Charles Stanley Direct | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.4Ranks 126 of 138 brands on account fee and 159 of 161 on stock trade fee. | 9.1HigherAccount fee and inactivity fee are both €0 and €0, and the minimum deposit is CHF 0. Stock trades cost $1. |
| Offer | 8.8 | 9.3Higher |
| Trust | 9.3 | 9.5Higher |
Licences and countries
| Country | Charles Stanley Direct | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Financial Conduct Authority 124412 | |
| Denmark | Not confirmed |
Feature by feature
| Markets | Charles Stanley Direct | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Account types | Charles Stanley Direct | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | No |
| SIPP | Yes | No |
| Joint | No | Yes |
| Corporate | No | Yes |
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
Saxo
- home.saxo: 6 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokerchooser.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- bestbrokers.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- landofforex.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- moneyland.ch: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Charles Stanley Direct | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 155 of 471 | 78 of 471 |
| Investment platforms and apps | 33 of 86 | 17 of 86 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Charles Stanley Direct | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Not confirmed | Demo account, Fractional shares, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Low fees |
| Legal entity | Raymond James Wealth Management Limited | Saxo Bank A/S |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Denmark |
| Founded | 1792Lower | 1992 |
| Support channels | Email, Phone | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Charles Stanley Direct | Saxo | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €0below the median | €2.45 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 64%lowest quarter | 72.05% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.25%below the median | 0.45% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $2highest quarter | $0.625 |
Median across 47 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.
Saxo
Pros
- Account fee and inactivity fee are both €0 and €0
- Minimum deposit is CHF 0 and deposits and withdrawals carry no charge
- Regulated in Denmark by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority and in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority
Cons
- Stock trade fee of $1 sits well above the site median of €0
- FX fee of 0.25% applies on top of trading costs
- Investor protection is limited to the EU scheme at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000
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.
Saxo
Who it suits
- Investors holding stocks and ETFs long term who want no account or inactivity charge
- Traders who need forex, options, futures and CFDs on one account
- Joint and corporate account holders
Who should look elsewhere
- Beginners wanting commission-free share dealing, where eToro charges $0 per trade
- Small-balance traders unwilling to meet the Vantage minimum deposit of $5
- Frequent currency converters put off by the 0.25% FX fee
Country by country
| Country | Charles Stanley Direct | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Saxo
What does Saxo charge to hold an account?+
The account fee is €0 and the inactivity fee is €0, so there is no annual or dormancy charge. Saxo ranks 1 of 138 on account fee and 1 of 56 on inactivity fee. That makes it a straightforward choice for long-term holdings.
How much does it cost to buy a stock?+
Stock trades cost $1 through Saxo. That places it at 107 of 161 on this measure, and above the site median of €0. Active share traders should weigh that before opening.
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