Considering an investment platform for the first time? Or thinking of changing your provider? Find out how to invest online, gain rewards, and buy international shares when you join our Online Investing.
What is an investment platform?
An investment platform is a service that allows you to invest into and hold a variety of investments. You can typically choose from a range of shares (the individual slices of companies you can own yourself), as well as ‘funds’ which invest in a range of shares or other assets on your behalf. The investments that you hold on a platform are called a ‘portfolio’ which you can usually view and manage online, in the same way you would run your bank account.
Investment platforms come in all shapes and sizes and it’s not always easy to compare them – especially when they come with hidden benefits. Here is a rundown of what you could be missing by not choosing Online Investing.
If you are already a customer, you may find this useful to maximise your benefits from the service.
Introducing Charles Stanley Direct Online Investing
Online Investing is a flexible and cost-effective investment platform suited to all investor types.
We offer a world of choice for the modern ‘DIY’ investor with over 12,500 shares, funds, ETFs, and investment trusts that you can trade and manage online, over the phone and via our app. You also have access to a professional dealing team to trade more specialist investments.
It most cases it is possible to open an account in minutes and start investing. You don’t need to have a lot of spare cash to invest online through us. In fact, you can set up a direct debit to invest from as little as £50 per month and automatically top-up your chosen investments.
If you are just starting out, you could try one of our in-house funds to provide a simple ready-made investment. Or if you are a bit more confident but would still welcome ideas , our Preferred List is designed to provide a helpful shortlist of options for those considering new investments as part of a diversified portfolio.
We also offer a secure savings platform which allows you to manage your cash across a variety of competitive accounts from a variety of banks and building societies, potentially offering better interest rates than you currently receive.
1. Minimise your platform fees across multiple accounts with our price cap
Whether a platform treats your accounts separately or amalgamates them for charging purposes can make a huge difference to what you pay. Unlike many of our competitors, we amalgamate and look at the overall value of your accounts (ISA, Junior ISA, SIPP, Investment account).
This is important because, if a platform treats them separately, the value to you of any tiered pricing that they offer will also be reduced, sometimes dramatically.
What’s more there is a cap on platform fees, across all your accounts, of £600 a year, so you can run any size of ISA, SIPP and Investment Account for the equivalent of £50 a month overall – including some share and fund trades – see trading credits below. See full details of charges.
2. Withdraw money with ease: without losing your ISA allowance
We are proud to be in the small minority of providers that offer a Flexible Stocks & Shares ISA. Allowing customers to temporarily withdraw funds, without losing accumulated ISA allowances, which can be valuable for shorter-term business purposes or to plug a short-term need.
A ‘flexible ISA’ gives you the freedom to withdraw your money and, crucially, put it back again without affecting your annual allowance. That is, provided you pay it back in the same tax year.
For example, let’s say you currently have £50,000 in your ISA accumulated from previous tax years. If you then withdraw £10,000, you can pay this back into the ISA during this tax year and still use your full £20,000 annual allowance before 5th April. Find out more about these lesser-known ISA rules.
3. Low-cost ready-made portfolios
Charles Stanley Multi-Asset Funds are ready-made portfolio packages. If you have a good idea of the risk you want to take, and you want a hands-off approach to managing your investments, they could be a great option.
Multi asset funds could also allow you to better invest small amounts that would otherwise mean broad diversification by asset class is difficult to achieve. Alternatively, these funds are useful for investors who want to leave most of the investment decisions and rebalancing to experts but personalise their portfolio through their own selection of funds and shares at the edges.
There’s no platform or trading fees charged for buying and holding any our four Charles Stanley Multi-Asset Funds on Online Investing, which means you pay the ongoing charges of the fund and that’s it!
Each of the funds is monitored and rebalanced our research team, offering a diversified portfolio in one easy-to-buy investment while keeping to a chosen level of risk. The funds invest in a variety of shares and bonds, as well as funds. The proportion invested in different areas is shaped by the team’s economic views, with portfolios reviewed on an ongoing basis – so you can sit back and relax.
4. £100 of trading credits each year
All account holders receive £50 worth of trading credits every six months, in April and October, which can mean if you only trade a few times a year it won’t cost you anything. Online trades in UK shares, ETFs, ETCs and Investment Trusts cost £10 per trade with Online Investing, while investments into any Funds (Unit Trusts and OEICs) cost £4 each with no charge for monthly instructions. However, trading credits could allow you to make as many as 10 share trades a year, or 24 fund trades, at no extra cost.
5. Rewards for transferring to Online Investing
We apply a six-month fee waiver when you transfer £200,000 or more in assets into the Online Investing. We also offer up to £1,500 cashback when you transfer your cash and/or investments from another provider This offer applies across all account types – General Investment Account, ISA, Junior ISA, or SIPP.
| Transfer-in value | Cashback payable |
|---|---|
| Less than £20,000 | Not eligible for cashback |
| £20,000 to £49,999 | £300 |
| £50,000 to £99,999 | £600 |
| £100,000 to £150,000 | £1,000 |
| £200,000 or more | £1,500 |
Full details and terms and conditions.
6. Refer a friend reward
Through our referral programme both you and your family and friends could receive rewards of up to £1,000 when you introduce them to Online Investing depending on the amount they transfer in.
They will need to deposit or transfer at least £20,000 of cash and/or investments within three months of registering to qualify for a reward. They will also need to hold these funds for a further nine months. See terms and conditions of this offer.
7. Financial coaching
If you are looking for help to improve your money situation, financial coaching can be a valuable resource.
A financial coach is a professional who helps you develop and work towards your financial goals through setting priorities, creating financial plans, and providing support and motivation. They can help you get on the right track without the additional cost and time associated with full financial planning.
We offer a free, no commitment, 15-minute call with a qualified professional to discuss your needs. Each one-hour coaching session, based on the topic of your choice, is then charged at a one-off fee of £150 (including VAT).
Importantly, all our coaching is provided by regulated and qualified financial planners who work for a regulated company. Not only will you benefit from more formal experience and qualifications, but if your financial coach believes you would benefit from more comprehensive guidance, or even full financial advice, they will refer you to an appropriate advisory service.
Nothing on this website should be construed as personal advice based on your circumstances. No news or research item is a personal recommendation to deal.
Seven benefits of online investing with Charles Stanley Direct
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