Interactive Brokers (IBKR) vs Trade Republic: 2026 Comparison

Are you trying to decide between Interactive Brokers (IBKR) and Trade Republic for your investments?

In this side-by-side comparison, we look at how the two apps compare on fees, products, platforms and regulation, so you can pick the one that fits you.

Below you’ll find the pros and cons of each broker, plus a comparison table with fees, instruments, regulation and more.

IBKR vs Trade Republic

1. Interactive Brokers is our recommended choice overall
2. Trade Republic is best for beginners, savings plans and everyday banking features

Interactive Brokers is the more established company, with a long track record and high safety standards. It suits investors who want access to many markets and low costs, and who don’t mind a more complex platform.

Trade Republic, on the other hand, is simpler and cheaper for small, regular investments in Europe, especially through its free savings plans. It also holds a German banking licence, with a current account and a card. The trade-off is a much narrower product range and fewer markets.

Side-by-side comparison

About Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers is a global online broker, listed on the NASDAQ (ticker: IBKR) and part of the S&P 500 index, which has been through several financial crises while publishing audited results.

It offers an advanced platform with a wide range of products (stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, futures, bonds and currencies) across 170 markets in 40 countries, plus a referral bonus.

Beginners have plenty of educational material available, although the learning curve is steep. Interactive Brokers also offers IBKR GlobalTrader, a simpler mobile app for stocks, ETFs and options, with fractional shares and automatic currency conversion.

If you want to know more about the size of the platform, read our article on the main Interactive Brokers statistics.

Interactive Brokers pros and cons

About Trade Republic

Trade Republic is a Berlin-based investment app founded in 2015, which now holds a German banking licence and serves more than 10 million customers across 18 European countries, with over €150 billion in customer assets (September 2026).

You can invest in stocks, ETFs, bonds, derivatives and crypto, and set up free savings plans on most of them. It also offers a current account with a card, interest on cash and, in some countries, a local IBAN.

Its pricing changed in 2026. Until 30 June 2026, Trade Republic earned much of its revenue from payment for order flow (PFOF), which the EU has now banned. Since then, it charges €1 per order under Best Price, where Trade Republic is the counterparty, or €2 under Direct Price, where you choose the trading venue. Savings plans remain free.

Trade Republic pros and cons

Which one should you choose?

As a rough guide:

• Choose Interactive Brokers if you want access to many markets and products, hold several currencies, invest larger amounts, or want options, futures and bonds from around the world.
• Choose Trade Republic if you invest small amounts regularly in European-listed stocks and ETFs, want free savings plans, and prefer a simple app with banking features.

Cost-wise, Trade Republic’s flat €1 is cheaper for small European trades, while Interactive Brokers usually wins on larger orders, US stocks and currency conversion.

How to invest in the S&P 500 on IBKR and Trade Republic (videos)

If you’re still unsure which platform to choose, watch our videos explaining step by step how to invest in the S&P 500 on each one:

Trade Republic vs IBKR: our verdict

Choosing between these two brokers isn’t an obvious decision, and the right answer depends on how you invest. Interactive Brokers gives you more markets, products and currencies for a lower cost on larger trades. Trade Republic gives you a simpler app, free savings plans and banking features, at the cost of a narrower offering.

Want to know more? Explore our in-depth broker reviews, our comparison table and our BrokerMatch tool.