Best trading platforms in Europe in 2024 (compared) (2024)

Choosing a trading platform is hard, especially if you’re just starting out.

Drawing from our extensive experience in this field – where we review and monitor dozens of European brokers on a daily basis – we aim to help you find what you need, whether it’s earning interest on cash, accessing a platform for ETFs, or trading forex.

In this article, we will showcase and compare the top trading platforms in Europe that we have identified based on our expertise.

Best trading platforms in Europe

1. Interactive Brokers: Best overall
2. eToro: Best for commission-free investing and social trading.
3. XTB: Best for CFD and Forex trading
4. Plus500: Ideal for a demo account
5. DEGIRO: Best for low-cost investing
6. Trading 212: Best for sign up bonus and interest
7. Lightyear: Best emerging low-cost broker in Europe
8. Trade Republic: Best for interest on uninvested cash (EUR)

For a list of brokers we do not recommend, you can visit our full list of brokers , and filter by “Not recommended”.

Comparison of the top European trading platforms

How to choose the best trading platform

Who can you trust with your money? How to avoid expensive fees? And how to choose the best brokerage platform to make your investments?

• First things first: prioritize safety: safe beats cheap! Remember that investing is a long-term game, so it’s best to choose a provider that you can trust as years go by and as your capital (hopefully) grows.
• Check which platforms have the highest assets under management. It might be a good idea to check your brokers’ assets under management and how they compare to other providers. High net worth individuals tens do choose platforms that they can trust and provide good services. Some brokers have average user balances of 100k$+, while others have average user balances of $500.
• Make sure that it offers the products you want to trade. Not all investment platforms allow you to trade crypto, or options, for instance. As such, you need to make sure that you’re choosing a provider that is best for the instruments that you want to trade. Day traders tend to prefer CFDs, while long-term investors tend to prefer brokers that offer real asset ownership.
• Fees. When it comes to fees, it is important to analyze the fees you’ll be charged. It’s important to choose a platform that is transparent when it comes to fees. Fees can eat your returns, and make a big difference in the long run.

Short reviews of the top European trading platforms

Interactive Brokers - Best overall

Founded: 1978

Products Available: Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Forex, Commodities, Bonds, and Funds

Regulators: FINRA, SIPC, SEC, CFTC, IIROC, FCA, CBI, AFSL, SFC, SEBI, MAS, MNB

Minimum Deposit: €0

Fees: Tiered pricing, $0.0035 per US stock (min. $0.35 per order)

Demo Account: Available

Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ: IBKR) is a global leader in online trading, offering a wide array of products across 135 markets. Known for its robust platform and advanced tools, it caters to both beginners and professionals. However, the learning curve can be steep for new investors, and the platform can be complex to navigate.

Pros

• Low commissions on US stock trading
• No monthly inactivity fee
• The broadest product and markets range in the brokerage industry
• Demo account
• Excellent reputation (founded in 1978)
• Extensive research and Education tools
• Has a modern mobile trading app to trade Stocks, Options and ETFs, ideal for novice investors, IBKR GlobalTrader.
• Offers interest on uninvested cash balances

Cons

• Complicated and lengthy account opening process (but fully online)
• Steeper learning curve for beginners
• Website is difficult to navigate
• Interactive Advisors (Robo-advisor feature) is only available for US customers

eToro - Best for commission-free investing and social trading

Founded: 2007

Products Available: Stocks, ETFs, Cryptos, CFDs

Regulators: FCA, CySEC, ASIC

Minimum Deposit: $50 (varies by country)

Fees: $0 for stocks and ETFs (other fees apply)

Demo Account: Available

eToro is renowned for its social trading features, allowing users to copy trades from experienced investors. With access to over 3,000 financial instruments and a user-friendly interface, it is ideal for beginners. However, it may not be suitable for day traders due to higher spreads on some products.

Pros

• Commission-free stock and ETF trading (other fees apply)
• Social Trading and other innovative products
• Wide variety of financial products
• Slick, modern, and easy for anyone to use
• Top tier regulators

Cons

• Limited disclosed financial information
• Withdraw and inactivity fees
• Spread, overnight, inactivity, and currency conversion fees higher than average
• Only one currency account (USD) - a currency conversion fee is applied if you deposit in a different currency
• Doesn’t offer bonds, futures, or options

XTB

Founded: 2002

Products Available: Stocks, ETFs, CFDs

Regulators: FCA, KNF, CySEC, FSC

Minimum Deposit: €0

Fees: No commissions on CFDs, 0% commissions on stocks/ETFs in some European countries

Demo Account: Available

XTB offers a comprehensive trading experience with its xStation 5 platform. It is ideal for both beginners and advanced investors, although it charges an inactivity fee after one year of no activity. The platform is not available in the United States and Australia.

Pros

• Free stocks trading (only applicable to some countries)
• Customizable trading platform (charts and workspace)
• Low Forex Spreads
• Demo account
• No minimum account deposit
• Valuable education materials
• Top-tier Regulators

Cons

• Complex trading platform for a beginner
• High Stock CFD spreads
• Limited product portfolio
• Withdrawal fees for transfers below $100
• Inactivity fee (€10/monthly after 1+ year with no activity plus no deposit in the last 90 days)

Plus500

Founded: 2008

Products Available: CFDs, Real shares (Plus500 Invest)

Regulators: FCA, CySEC, ASIC, FSA, MAS, DFSA, EFSA, ISA

Minimum Deposit: €100

Fees: No CFDs commissions

Demo Account: Available

Plus500 provides a stable and accessible trading experience with low spreads and multiple account options. However, it charges an inactivity fee and has limited research and educational resources.

Pros

• Acessible and responsive platform
• Low spreads
• No dealing commissions
• Demo Account
• Top-tier regulators

Cons

• No ETF offering
• Inactivity fee ($10 per month after no login activity in 3 months)
• High overnight funding fees
• Very little research and education provided

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

DEGIRO

Founded: 2008

Products Available: Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Futures, Options

Regulators: AFM, DNB

Minimum Deposit: €1

Fees: €/£0 for certain ETFs (+€/£1 handling fee)

Demo Account: Unavailable

DEGIRO is known for its low-cost investing options and user-friendly platform. However, it does not offer forex trading and has some connectivity fees.

Pros

• ETF Core Selection list (external fees apply)
• User-friendly web and mobile app
• Wide range of investment options
• Education material: Investor’s Academy and Investing with DEGIRO
• Low overall commission structure
• No account opening, inactivity, or withdrawal fee

Cons

• 0.25% currency conversion fee (charged if you deposit or invest in a different currency than your base currency)
• €/£1 flat handling fee (charged in most transactions)
• €/£2.50 of connectivity fee (paid annually), per exchange where you’re invested
• Does not offer Forex, CFDs, and Cryptos
• No demo account
• Little research
• Low-quality customer support

Trading 212

Founded: 2006

Products Available: Stocks, ETFs, CFDs

Regulators: FCA, CySEC, FSC

Minimum Deposit: €10

Fees: 0% for stocks and ETFs

Demo Account: Available

Trading 212 aims to democratize investing with its intuitive mobile application. It offers commission-free trading on stocks and ETFs but has limited product offerings.

Pros

• Commission-free Real Stocks and ETFs trading (other fees may apply. See terms and fees)
• AutoInvest & Pies feature
• Fast and easy account opening process
• Demo account
• Top Tier Regulators
• One free share worth up to €100 using the promo code "IITW"
• High interest on uninvested cash

Cons

• Limited product portfolio (no Options, Bonds, Mutual Funds or Futures)
• No relevant Fundamental tools
• Spreads on Forex CFDs may be high in certain trading hours
• Foreign exchange fees (0.15% and 0.50% in “Invest” and “CFDs” accounts, respectively)

Lightyear

Founded: 2020

Products Available: Stocks, ETFs, MMFs

Regulators: EFSA, FCA

Minimum Deposit: €1

Fees: €1 for EU stocks, 0.1% for US stocks

Demo Account: Available

Lightyear is an emerging low-cost broker suitable for beginners and intermediate investors. However, it lacks some advanced trading options like forex and commodities.

Pros

• Minimum deposit of €/£/$1
• 0% Lightyear execution commission on ETF trading (other fees may apply)
• No account opening, inactivity, or withdrawal fees
• High interest on uninvested cash
• Fractional Shares
• Account opening promotion with the promo code INVESTINGINTHEWEB

Cons

• Limited trading options (only stocks and ETFs trading available)
• No ISA or SIPP (only relevant for UK customers)
• No phone/live or 24/7 support
• No demo account
• Only available in 22 european countries (not available internationally)
• 0.35% currency conversion fee
• Limited web-trading platform

Trade Republic

Founded: 2015

Products Available: Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Derivatives, Crypto

Regulators: BaFin, Deutsche Bundesbank

Minimum Deposit: €0

Fees: €1 external fee per trade

Demo Account: No

Trade Republic offers a competitive trading experience with no minimum deposit and interest on uninvested cash. However, it charges a €1 fee per trade and is limited to EUR as the base currency.

Pros

• Automatic saving plans
• Interest paid in idle cash balances
• Invest from only €1
• No minimum deposit
• Direct debit in the share-saving plans
• Supervised and regulated by a top-tier regulator

Cons

• €1 flat external fee in every single trade (Except saving plans)
• No demo account
• Only one base currency (EUR)
• No access to US Stock Exchanges
• Currency conversion fees apply

Summary

When choosing the best trading platform in Europe, consider your trading goals and preferences. Whether you are looking for low-cost options, advanced tools, or a user-friendly interface, there is a platform that suits your needs.

For a more detailed assessment, consider testing the demo accounts offered by many of these platforms before making a final decision.