DEGIRO Estonia: Alternatives for 2026

In 2014, DEGIRO expanded its online trading platform across several European countries outside the Netherlands, its country of origin. Since then, it has been growing steadily, reaching over 3 million clients in 15 countries in Europe.

Is DEGIRO available in Estonia?

Yes, but not directly. Estonia is one of DEGIRO’s accepted residency countries, so Estonian residents can open and use an account. What DEGIRO does not have is a dedicated Estonian website or a local entity, and Estonia is not one of its focus markets. Those are the countries with localised sites, such as Germany, France, Spain and the Netherlands.

In practice, this means you sign up through one of DEGIRO’s existing entities rather than a “DEGIRO Estonia” page. Registration is done via the DEGIRO app, and you will need to be 18 or over, hold a valid form of identification, have a euro-denominated bank account within the SEPA zone, and be a tax resident in an accepted country (Estonia qualifies). It works, it is simply less straightforward than in DEGIRO’s core markets, which is why many Estonian investors prefer brokers with a stronger local presence.

Because the setup is less direct and customer support is not tailored to the Estonian market, it is worth comparing DEGIRO against brokers that actively serve Estonian clients before you decide.

Want to know the available online brokers in Estonia? We’ve got you covered!

What is DEGIRO?

Founded in 2008 in Amsterdam (with retail brokerage services launched in 2013), DEGIRO is an online broker that disrupted the European investment industry by allowing ordinary investors to access international markets at low cost. This approach has attracted over 3 million users across 18+ European countries who share the same belief in democratising financial markets.

DEGIRO specialises in offering investors an intuitive yet powerful platform for both desktop and mobile users. You have access to real-time data, a broad range of investment products (stocks, ETFs, bonds, options, futures, and investment funds), and access to 50+ stock exchanges worldwide. Its Core Selection of ETFs is available commission-free (subject to a €1.00 handling fee for external costs), and US stocks trade for €1.00 per order plus the €1.00 handling fee.

DEGIRO operates as the Dutch branch of flatexDEGIRO Bank AG, a German credit institution supervised by BaFin and the Deutsche Bundesbank, with conduct-of-business oversight in the Netherlands provided by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM). Client assets are covered by the German Investor Compensation Scheme (EdW), which protects up to 90% of non-returned assets with a maximum of €20,000, while cash balances benefit from the German Deposit Guarantee Scheme (up to €100,000).

DEGIRO alternatives in Estonia

DEGIRO does accept Estonian residents, but if you would rather use a broker that is a better fit for the Estonian market – or simply want to weigh your options first – you are in luck. Growing competition has pushed many top online brokers to eliminate commissions on most stock and ETF trades, and Estonia-friendly options have expanded significantly in recent years (including Estonian-headquartered Lightyear, which offers Estonian Investor Protection Sectoral Fund coverage on top of MiFID II safeguards).

Based on specific criteria such as regulation, fees, product range, platform usability, EUR base currency support, Estonian-language considerations, education materials, and investor protection, here are our top picks:

Founded in 2007, eToro is an international online broker with over 40 million users across 140+ countries, offering 3,000+ financial assets including stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs on stocks, ETFs, commodities, forex, indices, and cryptocurrencies. Real stocks and ETFs from US, UK, and major EU exchanges are commission-free (other fees apply). Whole or fractional shares are supported, with a $50 minimum first deposit.

eToro’s investment platform, available via web and mobile, is a social trading hub. Investors can engage in discussions about markets and trade ideas with peers, replicate strategies through CopyTrader (mirroring Popular Investors), or invest in thematic Smart Portfolios covering themes such as AI, renewable energy, dividend stocks, and crypto. A $100,000 virtual demo account lets Estonian beginners practise without risking real capital.

For Estonian residents, eToro is available via eToro (Europe) Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and passported across the EU under MiFID II, including Estonia. Client assets are covered by the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) up to €20,000, with additional Lloyd’s of London insurance up to €1 million per eligible client. The main consideration for Estonian users is that eToro operates in USD-only as base currency, so EUR deposits will be converted to USD (FX cost ~50 pips). There is a $5 withdrawal fee and a $10 monthly inactivity fee after 12 months of no login.

Want to know more about eToro? Check our eToro review.

Founded in 1978 and publicly listed on NASDAQ (ticker: IBKR; added to the S&P 500 in 2024), Interactive Brokers is a global online broker that has weathered multiple financial crises, demonstrating resilience and a rigorous risk management framework. Interactive Brokers has 3 million+ client accounts worldwide.

Interactive Brokers offers an advanced platform with a broad product range (stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs, futures, bonds, currencies, and cryptocurrencies) across 170+ markets in 36+ countries – including Nasdaq Tallinn for Estonian equities, solid trade execution (IB SmartRouting), and a comprehensive set of technical and fundamental tools to support your investment decisions.

For Estonian beginners and intermediate investors, educational content is available via IBKR Campus (formerly Traders’ Academy), although the main TWS platform has a steep learning curve. That is why we primarily recommend it to more advanced traders. Customer support typically provides clear and concise answers, reducing the need for back-and-forth communication.

On the downside, Interactive Brokers’ fee structure is comparatively complex, the registration process is lengthy (though fully online), and the broker does not offer fully commission-free trading. However, when factoring in competitive FX fees (0.20 basis points with a $2 minimum), tight spreads, the Stock Yield Enhancement Program (SYEP), and cash interest on uninvested EUR/USD balances above certain thresholds, Estonian clients can achieve significant savings versus most brokers. EU clients are served by Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) and passported to Estonia under MiFID II, with native EUR base currency support.

Interactive Brokers also offers IBKR GlobalTrader, a modern mobile app for trading stocks, options, and ETFs, designed for beginner investors. Features include automatic currency conversion, fractional shares from $1, a $10,000 virtual demo account, and more.

Want to know more about Interactive Brokers? Check our Interactive Brokers review.

3. Freedom24

Established in 2008 with 500,000+ clients worldwide and strong reviews on Trustpilot, Freedom24 is part of Freedom Holding Corp (NASDAQ: FRHC). Estonian residents can invest in stocks, ETFs, bonds, futures, and US options, with access to international exchanges such as NASDAQ, NYSE, CME, HKEX, LSE, Deutsche Börse, and KASE. Freedom24 also offers 3,600+ ETFs from issuers like Vanguard, iShares, and Invesco, and a Bonds Showcase (B+ rated, with €/$1,000 minimums).

Freedom24 offers multiple service plans: Smart in EUR ($0.65 per US options contract, $0 for stocks/ETFs trades subject to plan-specific costs) and All Inclusive in EUR (renamed from Prime, including a personal manager). A signup promotion offers up to 20 gift stocks for new clients. Brokerage fees in the Smart plan start from €1.20 per order and €0.008 per stock/ETF after the introductory period.

The platform is web-based with a mobile app, both clean and intuitive even for beginners. Highlights include the InvestIdeas tab, where Estonian users can review research from Freedom24 analysts on specific stocks and investment themes, and the Freedom Academy for educational content. The company has received recognition from German publications including Die Welt and CHIP.de, and parent Freedom Holding Corp has a market cap of ~$4.8 billion.

For Estonian residents, Freedom24 operates via its EU entity (CySEC-regulated under MiFID II, with additional AFM Dutch oversight; passported to Estonia) and provides investor protection up to €20,000 via the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund. On the downside, the broker charges €7 per withdrawal and an above-average currency conversion fee (though deposits in EUR, USD, or GBP can be made directly without conversion). Freedom24 does not currently offer cryptocurrencies.

Want to know more about Freedom24? Check our Freedom24 review.

Revolut Trading is not a standalone app but a feature inside the Revolut app. Estonian residents already familiar with Revolut for banking and payments can trade US stocks free of charge for a limited number of monthly transactions (the exact allowance depends on the Revolut plan: Standard, Plus, Premium, Metal, or Ultra). Beyond the free allowance, a small fee per trade applies. Users also have access to cryptocurrencies, gold, and silver, each with spread-based pricing depending on plan and market conditions. There are no inactivity or withdrawal fees.

The main limitation for Estonian investors is the relatively narrow product range. Trading is restricted to US stocks, ETFs, and selected commodities and cryptocurrencies, and there are no European stocks, no Nasdaq Tallinn access, no options, futures, mutual funds, or bonds. Educational and market research content is limited compared to specialised brokers, and an annual custody fee of 0.12% applies.

With Revolut Trading, you are essentially on your own, so you need to understand what you are doing, have a clear investing strategy, and know when to buy or sell. Combined with low commissions and a streamlined, intuitive app, it makes investing convenient for users already in the Revolut ecosystem – though Estonian investors seeking broader product access, EUR-denominated stocks, or sophisticated tools will find more comprehensive alternatives elsewhere. Revolut’s investment services in Europe are provided by Revolut Securities Europe UAB, regulated by the Bank of Lithuania and passported to Estonia under MiFID II.

Want to know more about Revolut Trading? Check our Revolut Trading review.

DEGIRO’s advantages

When comparing with eToro, Interactive Brokers and Revolut, DEGIRO sets aside a combination of benefits you do not find in other platforms or, at least, are not displayed in the same simplified manner. As a result, you would find the following distinctive positive characteristics:

• Trading platform: DEGIRO interface is as clean as you can get. It offers the right mixture of being minimalistic and extremely useful at the same time. You can easily find any security through the search engine by entering each product’s name, ticker symbol, or ISIN code.
• Manual conversion: It lets you perform a manual foreign currency conversion from the base currency of your account (EUR, GBP,..) into nine other currencies (including USD, CHF, EUR). For example, if you sell Amazon shares, you will end up with USD on your balance, even though your base currency is another currency. In other brokers, the USD from the sale of Amazon shares would be automatically converted to your base currency. So, when buying again USD denominated shares, you would need to translate to USD (double currency fee).
• Notifications: In DEGIRO, you do not get “unnecessary” notifications. Every alert is filled with helpful information such as the national holidays (when the stock market is closed), relevant regulatory updates and other material information. Whereas in other online brokers, you may notice notifications that can lead you to take short-term decisions like “X stock is rising 8%”. So, you need to make a greater effort to stick to your long-term goals.

DEGIRO’s drawbacks

When DEGIRO entered the European market, it was a significant shift to the investment community. However, the “first market player effect” is not relevant anymore because the main competitors have adapted at the speed of light. Here are some cons you would find in DEGIRO and not in eToro, Interactive Brokers or Revolut:

• Connectivity fee: DEGIRO charges €2.50 (max 0.25% of your account value) per year per exchange, meaning that if you are invested in NYSE, NASDAQ and Frankfurt, you will be charged a minimum of €7.50 per year just to have your positions open.
• Trading and external costs: DEGIRO offers its products with an associated external fee. You will have to pay €1,00 per transaction for the US, CA, and your home country stocks. Also, €3,90 per transaction is applied in EU stocks and a flat handling fee of €1.00 (external cost) in every transaction (including in the ETFs core selection list). In order not to be unfair, DEGIRO usually presents tighter spreads, but since it is hard to quantify it (depending on several factors), we opted to study the “guaranteed” costs.
• No localised Estonian setup: Because Estonia is not one of DEGIRO’s focus markets, there is no Estonian-language interface, no local-language customer support, and no dedicated Estonian tax-reporting integration. Estonian residents can still open and use an account, but the experience is less tailored than at brokers that actively serve the local market.
• Investment protection: As stated earlier, in DEGIRO, you are protected by up to 90% of your investment securities (with a maximum of EUR 20,000). In practice, if the company went bankrupt, you would get €18,000 if you had €20,000 invested in financial instruments. Nonetheless, in the other platforms mentioned, the minimum protection would be €20,000, as guaranteed by the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund (ICF).

Which platform should you choose?

Whether you decide to invest in stocks through DEGIRO, eToro, Interactive Brokers, Freedom24, Revolut, or any other trading platform, take the time to compare options before opening an account. For Estonian residents specifically, several factors matter beyond headline pricing:

• Regulation and investor protection: prioritise brokers passported to Estonia under MiFID II, with clear coverage under the Estonian Investor Protection Sectoral Fund (€20,000), the Cyprus ICF (€20,000), or equivalent national schemes;
• EUR base currency support: brokers offering native EUR accounts (DEGIRO, Interactive Brokers, Lightyear, Freedom24) reduce FX costs versus USD-only platforms;
• Product range: consider whether you need access to Nasdaq Tallinn, European ETFs, US options, bonds, or cryptocurrencies, and verify each broker supports the markets you plan to use;
• Fees: compare commissions, FX costs, custody fees, inactivity fees, and withdrawal charges as a total cost of ownership rather than focusing on one line item;
• Estonian tax reporting: investment income must be declared to the Maksu- ja Tolliamet (MTA), so a broker providing clear annual reports (or local-language documentation) can simplify compliance;
• Education and tools: more advanced platforms (e.g., Interactive Brokers via IBKR Campus) offer extensive research and analytics, while social and beginner-friendly options (e.g., eToro, Lightyear) prioritise simplicity.

The best online broker for you will depend on your profile, preferences, and objectives. Explore our comparison tool and decide for yourself.

The above should not be construed as investment advice and is for informational purposes only. Investors should do their own research and due diligence regarding the services and opportunities best suited for their risk, return, and impact strategy, and seek advice from a certified professional or tax adviser if needed.

If you need further guidance or have questions, feel free to reach out to us. Happy investing.