B

Bell Direct

5.6/10
Directshares logo

Directshares

7.3/10
3/10RegulationWinner6/10
6/10WinnerFees4/10
7/10PlatformsWinner9/10
6/10Education & ResearchWinner10/10
4/10Deposits & WithdrawalsTied4/10
10/10SupportTied10/10

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Overview

Bell Direct was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in New Zealand, while Directshares was established in 2007 and is based in Australia. Bell Direct holds licences including Financial Markets Authority (FMA), while Directshares is regulated by The Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM) among others. Bell Direct serves 10,000+ clients worldwide; Directshares has 10,000+. Both brokers share the same minimum deposit of $100.

Directshares wins this category
FeatureBell DirectDirectshares
Min. Deposit$100$100
RegulationFinancial Markets Authority (FMA)The Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM)
Founded19832007
CountryNew ZealandAustralia
Clients10,000+10,000+

Fees

Fees are a critical factor when choosing between Bell Direct and Directshares, directly affecting your bottom line as a trader. Both require a minimum deposit of $100. Directshares charges withdrawal fees while Bell Direct does not, giving Bell Direct an edge for frequent withdrawers. Bell Direct applies inactivity fees on dormant accounts; Directshares does not. Directshares charges deposit fees; Bell Direct does not. Overall, Bell Direct scores higher on fees in our assessment.

Bell Direct wins this category
FeatureBell DirectDirectshares
Min. Deposit$100$100
Withdrawal FeesNoYes
Inactivity FeesYesNo
Deposit FeesNoYes
CFD FeesYesNo

Platforms

Bell Direct offers MT5, cTrader, while Directshares supports MT4, MT5, cTrader. Both brokers provide mobile trading apps for iOS and Android. Directshares supports social and copy trading features, which Bell Direct does not offer. Directshares edges ahead on platform breadth and functionality in our scoring.

Directshares wins this category
FeatureBell DirectDirectshares
MT4NoYes
MT5YesYes
cTraderYesYes
Windows AppYesYes
iOS AppYesYes
Android AppYesYes
Trading PlatformsAndroid,WEB,Desktop,iPhone,MacMT4,iOS,MacBook,iPhone

Education & Research

Education and research tools help traders at every level make more informed decisions, and here's how Bell Direct and Directshares compare. Both brokers run regular live webinars. Both provide video tutorials, including advanced content. Daily market commentary is available from both brokers. Both integrate third-party research tools including Trading Central. Archived webinars are available at both brokers for self-paced learning. Directshares scores higher overall in education and research.

Directshares wins this category
FeatureBell DirectDirectshares
Forex EducationNoYes
CFD EducationYesYes
Weekly WebinarsYesYes
Daily CommentaryYesYes
Trading CentralYesYes
AutochartistNoYes

Deposits & Withdrawals

Convenient deposit and withdrawal options reduce friction for traders, especially important when managing positions across time zones. Bell Direct accepts 2 of the tracked payment methods (bank transfer, credit/debit card), while Directshares supports 2 (bank transfer, credit/debit card). Both brokers support the same set of payment methods.

Tied
FeatureBell DirectDirectshares
Bank TransferYesYes
Credit CardYesYes
PayPalNoNo
SkrillNoNo
NetellerNoNo

Support

Responsive customer support matters most when you're locked out of your account or need urgent help with a trade. Both Bell Direct and Directshares offer live chat support. Both provide phone support. Email support is available at both brokers. Both brokers offer support in 2 languages. Both brokers are comparable on support quality.

Tied
FeatureBell DirectDirectshares
Live ChatYesYes
Phone SupportYesYes
Email SupportYesYes
LanguagesEnglish, and ChineseEnglish, and Chinese