Best brokers for beginners in the UK and Europe (2026)

Opening your first investment account no longer means visiting a bank or paying high fees. Most brokers in the UK and Europe now let you start with a few pounds or euros, buy fractions of shares and invest automatically every month from an app.

The differences that matter for a beginner are the fees on small amounts, the cost of converting currency, how your money is protected and whether the broker offers a tax-efficient account such as a Stocks and Shares ISA in the UK. Some brokers also sell risky products like CFDs alongside shares, which beginners should avoid.

This article presents our picks for the best brokers for beginners, for investors in the UK and for investors in the EU. All fees were checked on the brokers’ own websites in November 2026.

Best brokers for beginners in the UK and Europe

Comparison table

United Kingdom (UK)

European Union (EU)

Trading 212 is one of the most popular investing apps in Europe and our top pick for beginners. In the Invest account, the ISA and the SIPP it charges no commission on shares and ETFs and no custody fee. Other fees may apply. See terms and fees. A 0.15% FX fee applies when converting funds.

Three features make it easy to start. Fractional shares let you own part of a large company with a small amount. A free practice account with virtual money lets you learn how orders work. And Pies and AutoInvest split a monthly amount across several shares or ETFs and invest it every week, every two weeks or every month.

In the UK, Trading 212 UK Ltd is authorised by the FCA and offers a General Investment Account, a Stocks and Shares ISA from £1, a Cash ISA and a SIPP. Investments are covered by the FSCS up to £85,000. In the EU, clients are served by Trading 212 Markets Ltd (CySEC, investor compensation up to €20,000) or Trading 212 EU GmbH (BaFin, EdW cover of 90% up to €20,000), depending on the country.

Trading 212 also offers a CFD account. As a beginner, stay in the Invest account or the ISA, where you buy the shares themselves. For more detail, read our Trading 212 review.

Sponsored link. New customers can get a free fractional share worth up to €100 or £100 with our Trading 212 promo code “IITW”. Terms apply.

Lightyear is an Estonian broker built around a clean app and simple pricing. It suits beginners who mainly want to buy ETFs and a few shares.

In the UK, Lightyear charges no commission on stocks, ETFs and gilts and no account fee. Currency conversion costs 0.1%. It offers a General Investment Account, a Stocks and Shares ISA and a Cash ISA. Lightyear UK Ltd is authorised by the FCA, with FSCS cover up to £85,000 for investments.

In the EU, ETFs are commission-free, EUR-denominated stocks cost €1 per order and US stocks 0.1% (minimum $0.10, maximum $1), as listed on Lightyear’s pricing page. Currency conversion costs 0.35%. Lightyear Europe AS is licensed by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority. The Estonian investor protection fund covers up to €20,000.

Lightyear’s Plans feature invests automatically every week, two weeks or month. There is no practice account. Read our Lightyear review for the full details.

New customers can use our Lightyear promo code “INVESTINGINTHEWEB” in the EU or “INVESTINGINTHEWEBUK” in the UK. Deposit at least €100 or £100 within 15 days and keep it for 6 months to get a free fractional share worth up to €100 or £100 (most users get €10 to €15 in the EU and £10 to £20 in the UK). In the UK the reward goes to a General Investment Account, not an ISA. T&Cs apply.

XTB is a Polish broker listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. It charges 0% commission on shares and ETFs up to €100,000 of monthly turnover and 0.2% above that (minimum €10, or £10 in the UK). Currency conversion costs 0.5%, the highest of the brokers in this guide, which matters if you buy mostly US shares.

Two features help beginners. The free demo account lets you practise with virtual money before investing for real. Investment Plans let you invest automatically from €15 or £15, free to set up and run (the 0.5% FX fee may apply). Fractional shares start at £1.

In the UK, XTB Limited is authorised by the FCA and offers a General Investment Account, a Flexible Stocks and Shares ISA and a Cash ISA. In the EU, XTB S.A. is supervised by the Polish regulator KNF. The Polish compensation scheme pays up to €20,100 per investor.

XTB is also a large CFD provider, so use the shares and ETFs side of the account. Read our XTB review for more.

Trade Republic is a German broker and bank with more than 10 million customers in 18 European countries. Trades cost a €1 settlement fee plus the spread. Savings plans on shares and ETFs are free to execute, which makes it a cheap way to invest a fixed amount every month.

Since July 2026 Trade Republic executes orders at the best price it finds across the relevant exchanges, with Trade Republic as the counterparty. If you prefer, a Direct Order lets you choose one of 30 exchanges, including Xetra, Euronext, NYSE and Nasdaq, for €2 per trade (Trade Republic press release). Its price list shows no separate currency conversion fee, because the conversion is built into the price you are quoted.

You can start with €1 and buy fractions of shares. Trade Republic Bank GmbH is supervised by BaFin. Cash in the account is covered by the German deposit guarantee up to €100,000. In some countries it offers local tax accounts, such as the PEA in France. It is not available in the UK and has no practice account. Read our Trade Republic review.

Freedom24 is the European brand of Freedom Holding, licensed in Cyprus by CySEC. It gives access to stocks and ETFs on US, European and Asian exchanges from one account.

Its Smart plan has no monthly fee. Stocks and ETFs in the US and Europe cost €0.02 (or $0.02) per share plus €2 (or $2) per order. For a beginner investing €100 at a time, the €2 per order is about 2% of each purchase, so Freedom24 works better for larger, less frequent orders. The All-inclusive plan adds a personal manager but charges 0.5% plus €0.012 per share and €1.20 per order, which is more expensive for most beginners.

Clients are covered by the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund up to €20,000. Freedom24 also offers options and margin lending, which beginners should avoid until they are comfortable with the basics. Read our Freedom24 review.

Interactive Brokers gives access to stock exchanges in dozens of countries, with no account minimum and no custody fee. On the Fixed plan, EU shares cost 0.05% per trade with a minimum of €3, UK shares 0.05% with a minimum of £3 and US shares $0.005 per share with a minimum of $1. Currency conversion costs about 0.03%, much less than at app-based brokers.

The minimum per trade makes it less suitable for very small amounts. On a €100 order, a €3 minimum is 3%. Its platform is also more complex than the apps above. It does offer fractional shares (except in the UK ISA), recurring investments and a free trial.

In the UK, Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Ltd offers a Stocks and Shares ISA with a minimum activity fee of £3 a month and FSCS cover up to £85,000. In the EU, clients are served by Interactive Brokers Ireland, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, with investor compensation up to €20,000. Read our Interactive Brokers review.

Which brokers and products should beginners avoid?

Every broker on this list is regulated, but some choices are a poor fit when you are starting out:

• CFDs and leveraged products: a CFD is a leveraged bet on the price, not ownership of the company. Most retail CFD accounts lose money: 79% at XTB S.A. and 58.9% at Interactive Brokers, according to the brokers’ own disclosures.
• High fixed fees on small orders: a €2 or €3 minimum per trade costs 2% to 3% on a €100 purchase. If you invest small amounts every month, choose a broker with no commission or a €1 fee.
• High currency fees for US shares: on €1,000 the FX fee ranges from about €0.30 at Interactive Brokers to €5 at XTB.
• Unregulated platforms: only use brokers authorised by the FCA in the UK or by an EU regulator. Check the register before you deposit.

What should a beginner look for in a broker?

Fees on small amounts: look at the minimum per trade as well as the percentage. Commission-free brokers and €1 trades suit monthly investments of a few hundred euros or pounds.

Tax-efficient accounts: in the UK, use your Stocks and Shares ISA allowance of £20,000 a year before a General Investment Account. Trading 212, Lightyear, XTB and Interactive Brokers all offer one. In some EU countries there are similar local accounts, such as the PEA in France.

Automatic investing: investing the same amount every month removes the temptation to time the market. All six brokers in this guide offer some form of recurring investment.

Practice first: Trading 212 and XTB offer practice or demo accounts with virtual money, useful to learn how orders work.

The right ETFs: most UK and EU retail investors cannot buy US-domiciled ETFs. Look for UCITS ETFs domiciled in Ireland or Luxembourg, as explained in our guide on how to invest in the S&P 500 from Europe.

Is my money safe with an online broker?

Your shares and ETFs are held separately from the broker’s own money, so they stay yours if the broker fails. If assets go missing, an investor compensation scheme steps in. In the UK, the FSCS covers up to £85,000 per person for investments. In the EU, most schemes cover up to €20,000, as with Trading 212, Lightyear, Freedom24 and Interactive Brokers.

Cash is treated differently. At a licensed bank such as Trade Republic, cash is covered by the deposit guarantee up to €100,000. No scheme protects you against losses when the market falls.

How do you open a broker account?

Opening an account takes a few minutes in an app and usually involves:

• Your name, address, date of birth and tax residence
• A photo ID (passport or ID card) and a selfie or video check
• A short questionnaire on your experience and finances, as required by regulators
• A first deposit by bank transfer or card.

Most brokers verify accounts within a day, though extra checks can take longer.

Bottom line

For most beginners in the UK and Europe, Trading 212 is the easiest place to start: no commission on shares and ETFs (other fees may apply), fractional shares, a practice account, AutoInvest and an ISA in the UK.

Lightyear is the pick for low-cost ETF investing, XTB for practising with a demo account and Trade Republic for free savings plans in the EU. Freedom24 suits EU investors who want access to many exchanges. Interactive Brokers is the broker to grow into as your portfolio gets larger.

Please remember that the above should not be construed as financial advice and is intended only as an information resource. Check fees and availability for your country before you open an account.

FAQs