Broker Comparison
DEGIRO vs Trade Republic vs Interactive Brokers
Side-by-side comparison of the three most popular European brokers for ETF investors — fees, savings plans, cash interest, product range, and regulation. Data as of June 2026.
| Feature | 🇳🇱 DEGIRO flatexDEGIRO | 🇩🇪 Trade Republic TR Bank GmbH | 🌐 Interactive Brokers IBKR EU / UK |
|---|---|---|---|
Account fee | None | None | None |
ETF trading cost Per order | €2.50 + 0.03% €2.00 for ETF Core list (first trade/month free) | €1 flat All ETFs, no minimum | €0.95–€1.25 Volume-based; lower with higher monthly activity |
Stock trading cost European exchanges | €3 + 0.03% Minimum €3 per order | €1 flat All exchanges | €0.95–€1.25 IBKR Pro; IBKR Lite not available in EU |
Free/zero-cost ETF list | ETF Core Selection ~200 ETFs; first trade/month at preferred rate | €1 flat applies to all No special free list; all same rate | None Standard commissions apply to all ETFs |
Savings plans (DCA) Automated recurring buys | Not available | Free · from €1/month Any ETF, any amount, weekly/monthly | Not available Manual orders only; no built-in DCA |
Fractional shares | No | Yes (via savings plans) Fractional available within plans; not standalone orders | Yes Full fractional trading on eligible securities |
Interest on cash Rate on uninvested cash (June 2026) | ~2.7% (Smart Cash) Via Money Market fund; opt-in required | ~2.5% AER Auto-applied; up to €50,000 | ~3.5% (EUR) Above €10k balance; rate moves with ECB; highest tier |
Stock options & derivatives | Yes Options, futures, warrants — Active/Trader profile required | No | Yes Full options, futures, forex — widest range |
Crypto | No | Yes Spot crypto; BTC, ETH and others | No Crypto ETPs only (no spot) |
Bonds / fixed income | Limited Selected bond ETFs and some government bonds | Yes EU government bonds and corporate bonds; from €1 | Yes Widest selection: corporate, government, convertible, EM bonds |
ISA / PEA | None | None | None No tax wrapper; use a French bank for PEA |
Countries available | EU + EEA 18 European countries | EU + UK 17+ countries; expanding | Global Over 200 countries and territories |
Regulation | BaFin (DE) · AFM (NL) Part of flatexDEGIRO AG — listed company | BaFin (DE) Trade Republic Bank GmbH — full banking licence | FCA (UK) · CySEC (EU) · multiple Listed on Nasdaq; established 1978 |
Deposit protection | €20,000 (SIPC-equivalent) Via Dutch DGS and investor protection | €100,000 (banking DGS) Full banking licence — higher cash protection | €20,000 (CySEC) · £85,000 (FCA) Jurisdiction-dependent |
Exchanges covered | AEX · DAX · CAC · FTSE · + many 50+ exchanges worldwide | Major EU + US exchanges NYSE, Nasdaq, Euronext, Xetra, LSE | 150+ markets Broadest exchange access globally |
Best suited for | Passive investors buying ETFs Especially via Core list; low-cost one-stop | DCA / savings plan investors Ideal for recurring ETF or crypto buys from €1 | Active traders, multi-asset Options, futures, bonds, global equities — professional tools |
Bold = stands out positively in that categoryMuted text = not available or not applicable
Quick summary by investor type
🇳🇱DEGIRO
Best for: one-time ETF buyers
- ETF Core list makes frequent buys low-cost
- Widest product range of the three (options, futures)
- No savings plan automation — manual orders only
- Cash interest requires opt-in (Smart Cash)
🇩🇪Trade Republic
Best for: monthly DCA investors
- Free savings plans from €1/month
- Built-in cash interest (auto, no opt-in)
- Full banking licence — higher deposit protection
- No options or derivatives; limited bond selection
🌐Interactive Brokers
Best for: multi-asset & active traders
- Highest cash interest rate on EUR balances
- Fractional shares on all eligible securities
- 150+ markets, widest range of instruments
- More complex interface — steeper learning curve
Real-cost example: €500/month DCA into VWCE
An investor putting €500/month into VWCE.DE via a savings plan over one year:
| Scenario | DEGIRO | Trade Republic | IBKR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading cost (12 orders × fee) | €24.00 | €12.00 | €11.40 |
| VWCE eligibility for free list | Yes (Core list) | €1 applies | No list |
| Effective cost if Core rate applies | €24.00* | €12.00 | €11.40 |
| Savings plan automation | Manual | Automated ✓ | Manual |
| Cash idle interest (€1,000 avg float) | ~€27/yr | ~€25/yr | ~€35/yr |
* DEGIRO VWCE.DE is on the Core list. The first trade each month in a Core ETF uses the preferred rate of €2.00; subsequent trades in that ETF cost €2.50 + 0.03%. For exactly one order/month, annual cost = 12 × €2.00 = €24. IBKR assumes 1 lot per month at minimum commission €0.95. Cash interest rates are approximate and variable.
Find ETFs available on DEGIRO and Trade Republic
The Boursee screener shows which ETFs are in the DEGIRO Core list and available as Trade Republic savings plans.
Fee and rate data compiled from publicly available broker documentation as of June 2026. Subject to change without notice — always verify current terms directly with the broker before opening an account. This comparison is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a personal recommendation or regulated financial advice under MiFID II. Full disclaimer →