You have probably heard about the Robinhood app and want to know if it is available in Germany (a.k.a. Deutschland), right?
Robinhood is a modern, easy-to-use investment app from the US that popularised the concept of commission-free trading in financial products such as stocks and ETFs.
Do you want to know if the Robinhood app is available in Germany, its expansion plans, and the alternatives available in Germany? We have got you covered.
Is Robinhood available in Germany?
Yes, Robinhood is available in Germany, and no longer just for cryptocurrencies.
Robinhood initially launched its cryptocurrency trading service in the European Union, allowing users to buy, sell, and hold over 25 digital assets including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and others.
As of July 2025, Robinhood has significantly expanded its European offering:
- European users, including those in Germany, can now also trade tokenised versions of more than 200 US stocks and ETFs through Robinhood. These “stock tokens” give investors fractional, 24/5 access to major US-listed equities such as Apple and Tesla, without requiring a traditional US brokerage account.
While these stock tokens are not the same as owning real shares (they are issued by a licensed financial institution and backed 1:1 by the underlying assets), they allow German users to gain price exposure to the US stock market through Robinhood’s app.
Please note that by investing in a stock token, you are not covered by any investor compensation scheme. This is clearly stated in the Key Information Document (KID) of each stock token. As an example, we show below the KID of Nvidia:
If this is a significant concern for you, please consider investing in “real” stocks (not tokens) via any of the brokers mentioned below.
In addition, in April 2025, the Bank of Lithuania granted Robinhood an A-category brokerage licence, paving the way for a broader stock trading rollout across the EU. This licence is a strong signal that Robinhood is likely working towards launching full stock brokerage services – not just tokenised access – in Germany and other EU countries in the near future.
Robinhood alternatives in Germany
To help us answer this question, we focused on low-cost online brokers available in Germany. Given that, here are our suggestions:
Interactive Brokers
Founded in 1978, IBKR is one of the world’s most trustworthy brokers. It offers an enormous range of financial products such as stocks, ETFs, Options, and low currency conversion fees (FX fees).
💡 Interactive Brokers also launched IBKR GlobalTrader, a modern mobile trading app to trade Stocks, Options and ETFs, ideal for novice investors.
XTB
Free stock trading up to €100,000 monthly volumes in Germany. It also allows you to invest in CFDs, cryptocurrencies, and forex with low fees.
eToro
With over 40 million users, eToro is the leading social investing platform (copy and follow other traders/investors). It offers commission-free ETF trading. Stock trading fees start at $1 per trade.
Disclaimer: eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
BUX
A recent broker that offers commission-free stocks and ETFs trading in Germany. Very transparent and regulated by top-tier AFM. New users will receive one free share worth up to €200.
Disclaimer: Investing involves risks. You can lose your deposit.
DEGIRO
DEGIRO is a Dutch-German online broker with a low-cost structure and a wide range of products and markets covered. It offers commission-free ETF trading (external fees apply).
Disclaimer: Investing involves risk of loss.
Interactive Brokers at a glance
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 Xetra, Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and other major German venues, solid trade execution (IB SmartRouting), and a comprehensive set of technical and fundamental tools to support your investment decisions. For US stocks, commissions start at $0.005 per share ($0.35 minimum), while for European (including German) ETFs, costs are 0.05% of order value (€1.25 minimum, €29 maximum).
For German 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, German clients can achieve significant savings versus most brokers. German clients are served by Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited (CBI-regulated) with local BaFin oversight, offering native EUR base currency support and MiFID II passporting into Germany.
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.
XTB at a glance
69-80% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Founded in 2002 in Warsaw and listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ticker: XTB), XTB is a major player in the European brokerage industry with more than 1.7 million clients across 16 countries. XTB is regulated by top-tier authorities including BaFin (Germany), the FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), KNF (Poland), and AFM (Netherlands).
You can invest through xStation 5 and xStation Mobile across a wide range of products including stocks, ETFs, forex, indices, commodities, cryptocurrency CFDs, and vanilla options (launched in early 2026). XTB offers 0% commission on real stocks and ETFs up to €100,000 of monthly turnover (0.2% above, with a €10 minimum). Investment Plans and cash interest on uninvested EUR balances (linked to ECB policy) round out the offering for long-term investors.
Opening an account and transferring money is quick and hassle-free, and support is available in German. For beginners, XTB provides a demo account and the XTB Trading Academy, an extensive educational hub. For more experienced investors, xStation 5 delivers a strong set of technical and fundamental tools to support your investment decisions.
On the downside, XTB charges a €10 monthly inactivity fee after one year without trading and no deposit in the past 90 days, and CFDs on cryptocurrencies carry relatively high spreads (forex spreads, by contrast, are competitive).
Want to know more about XTB? Check our XTB review.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76-83% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with XTB.
eToro at a glance
52% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Founded in 2007, eToro is an international online broker with over 40 million users across 140+ countries, offering more than 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 (including Xetra) 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 discuss trade ideas and market news 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 German beginners practise without risking real capital.
For German residents, eToro is available via eToro (Europe) Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and passported into Germany under MiFID II (with local BaFin oversight). Client assets are covered by the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) up to €20,000, plus additional Lloyd’s of London insurance up to €1 million per eligible client. eToro is also a NASDAQ-listed company (ticker: ETOR) following its May 2025 IPO.
The main consideration for German 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. Spreads on some products can be relatively high.
For more information about eToro, read our review of eToro in Germany.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 52% 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.BUX at a glance
BUX is an online broker launched in 2019 that has positioned itself as an affordable way for Europeans to grow their savings, with a simple, elegant investing experience. In December 2023, BUX was acquired by ABN AMRO (completed July 2024), giving it the backing of one of the Netherlands’ largest banks.
BUX allows users to trade EU stocks (including German, Dutch, Belgian, French, and Austrian equities) and US stocks, plus a growing selection of ETFs and crypto ETPs, with commission-free options available under its subscription plans. New users can also benefit from one free share worth up to €200 (terms available in the BUX Client Agreement). You also have access to fractional investing, making it possible to invest in high-priced companies (Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, and others) from as little as €5.
Since August 2025, BUX operates a three-tier subscription model: BUX Basic (€0/month), BUX Plus (€2.99/month, including 3 Zero Orders per month and cash interest), and BUX Prime (€7.99/month, with reduced FX fees and priority support). EU stocks and ETFs cost €1.99 per market/limit order, or €0 through Zero Orders on the Plus/Prime tiers.
On the downside, BUX is mobile-only (no desktop or web trading platform), the product range remains narrower than at some competitors, and there is no demo account.
BUX is regulated by the Dutch Authority for Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten – AFM), with client cash held at ABN AMRO Clearing Bank N.V. (covered by the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme up to €100,000) and securities held via Stichting BUX Custody. If you want to learn more, check our BUX review.
DEGIRO at a glance
Investing involves risk of loss.
Founded in 2013, DEGIRO is a low-cost brokerage that has become widely popular in Europe due to its competitive fees. With over 3 million users across 18+ European countries, its “do-it-yourself” platform gives investors direct access to a broad set of assets including stocks, ETFs, bonds, options, futures, warrants, investment funds, and some leveraged products (not identical to CFDs). More info here.
DEGIRO’s Core Selection ETFs are commission-free (subject to a €1.00 handling fee for external costs). US stocks trade at €1.00 per order, and European stocks (including Xetra and other German venues) are typically priced at €3.90 plus the €1.00 handling fee. The web platform is clean and straightforward, and the mobile app mirrors that simplicity. On the downside, there is limited fundamental research, a €2.50 annual connectivity fee per exchange applies, and price alerts are not available.
On the regulatory side, 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 from the AFM. Client assets are covered by the German Investor Compensation Scheme (EdW) up to 90% of losses, capped at €20,000 – worth keeping in mind if you plan to invest larger volumes. Cash deposits held with flatexDEGIRO Bank AG are additionally guaranteed up to €100,000 under the German Deposit Guarantee Scheme.
Still have doubts? Check our DEGIRO review.
Which platform should you choose?
Some key factors to consider when choosing an online broker for the German market include:
- Fees: commissions, FX costs, custody fees, inactivity fees, and withdrawal charges as a total cost of ownership;
- Regulation: prioritise brokers regulated by top-tier institutions such as BaFin in Germany, the FCA in the UK, or the CBI in Ireland, with clear investor protection schemes;
- Product range: not all platforms offer options trading in Germany, Xetra/Frankfurt access, or cryptocurrencies, so verify the universe matches your strategy;
- EUR base currency support: brokers with native EUR accounts (IBKR, XTB, DEGIRO, BUX) reduce FX friction versus USD-only platforms (eToro);
- Tax reporting: German investment income is subject to Abgeltungsteuer (25% flat rate + solidarity surcharge and, if applicable, church tax); a broker providing German tax reporting (e.g., Trade Republic, DEGIRO) or clear documentation for your Steuerberater simplifies compliance.
The best online broker for you will depend on your profile, preferences, and objectives. Explore the platforms above and decide for yourself.
A reminder that the above should not be seen as investment advice and should be considered information only. Investors should do their own research and diligence about the services and opportunities best suited for their risk, returns, and impact strategy.
Other FAQs about Robinhood
How exactly does Robinhood make money?
The online broker earns money from interest earned on customers’ cash balances (money in your account not invested), by selling order information to third parties (high-frequency traders, for instance), and margin lending.
Regarding the selling of orders, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is still investigating Robinhood for not fully disclosing its practice of selling clients’ orders to high-speed trading firms.
Until October 2018, Robinhood would not clearly state that it was receiving payments for order flows. By law, any financial company must reveal all the material facts an investor would want to know before making any investment decision.
