Choosing a trading platform in Ireland comes down to fees, regulation, the products you need and how each option fits Irish tax rules on shares and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
In this article, we compare six platforms available to Irish investors, explain how gains are taxed in Ireland, including the changes announced in Budget 2027, and answer the most common questions.
Best trading platforms in Ireland
- Interactive Brokers: Best overall
- eToro: Best trading platform for beginners and social trading
- DEGIRO: Good trading platform for buy-and-hold investors
- Trading 212*: Best for interest on cash and a free fractional share worth up to €100 (no commission, other fees may apply, see terms and fees).
- Trade Republic: The best trading platform for a mix of security and high interest rates on cash (EUR)
- Lightyear: Low-cost platform with money market fund Savings
For a list of brokers we do not recommend, you can visit our full list of broker reviews, and filter by “Not recommended”.
Disclaimer: Investing involves risk of loss.
*Sponsored Link: To get a free fractional share worth up to €100, you can open an account with Trading 212 through this link or with the promo code “IITW”. The value is random: there is an 80% chance it is worth €8 to €25, 15% for €25.01 to €50, 3% for €50.01 to €75 and 2% for €75.01 to €100. Terms apply.
Comparison
Best trading platforms in Ireland reviewed
#1 Interactive Brokers
Why do we consider Interactive Brokers (IBKR) the best overall trading platform? It is a publicly traded company on NASDAQ, a member of the S&P 500 index since August 2025, with more than 5.5 million client accounts. Irish clients are served by Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI), and covered by the Irish Investor Compensation Scheme (ICS), which protects investments up to €20,000 if the firm fails.
Interactive Brokers also offers an advanced platform with access to 170 markets in 40 countries and a wide range of products, including stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs, futures, bonds, cryptocurrencies and currencies. Currency conversion costs just 0.002% (minimum $2), which helps if you buy US shares from a EUR account. The platform also provides comprehensive tools for both technical and fundamental analysis to support your investment decisions.
IBKR’s capital strength and regulatory oversight are a key reason why it is considered one of the top brokers globally.
For a deeper understanding of IBKR’s financial resilience and the measures they have in place, you can explore more in their Financial Strength and Security Facts Overview.
Although beginners and intermediate investors have access to educational resources, the platform’s steep learning curve can be challenging. Customer service is responsive and gives clear, direct answers.
Interested in knowing more about Interactive Brokers? Read our Interactive Brokers review.
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
#2 eToro
52% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Another excellent trading platform for Irish users is eToro, an international broker with more than 4 million funded accounts, offering stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies and contracts for difference (CFDs) on forex, commodities and indices. Irish clients are served by eToro (Europe) Ltd, regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and covered by the Investor Compensation Fund up to €20,000.
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
The platform offers stocks, ETFs and ready-made investment portfolios (Smart Portfolios), with ETFs at $0 commission and stocks at $1 or $2 per trade. It features an intuitive interface suitable for beginners, with advanced options like one-click trading and a stop-loss feature. The eToro Research Tab, powered by TipRanks, provides valuable insights for informed decision-making.
As an EU resident, you can hold a EUR account at eToro, which avoids conversion fees on euro deposits, and withdrawals from it are free (a $5 fee applies to withdrawals from a USD account). There is no inactivity fee. While eToro is beginner-friendly, it may not be ideal for day traders or experienced investors because of its spreads on some instruments.
Interested in knowing more about eToro? Read our eToro review.
Pros
- Low stock trading fees (from $0 per trade)
- Commission-free ETFs (other fees apply)
- Social trading and other innovative products
- Wide variety of financial products
- Slick, modern, and easy for anyone to use
- European users have access to three account currencies: EUR, USD and GBP
- Top tier regulators
Cons
- Limited disclosed financial information
- Withdraw and inactivity fees
- Spread, overnight, inactivity, and currency conversion fees higher than average
- Doesn’t offer bonds, futures, or options
#3 DEGIRO
Investing involves risk of loss.
DEGIRO joins the list as one of the best trading platforms in Europe for low-cost investing. It’s an ideal choice for those looking to minimize trading expenses, with no inactivity, deposit or withdrawal fees, €1 commission plus a €1 handling fee on US stocks, and €0 commission (plus a €1 handling fee) on more than 700 ETFs in its Popular ETFs Selection. It is run by flatexDEGIRO Bank SE, supervised by BaFin in Germany and by the AFM and DNB in the Netherlands.
Besides stocks and ETFs, DEGIRO’s product offerings include mutual funds, bonds, futures, options and warrants.
DEGIRO’s web trading platform features a modern, simple design that is highly intuitive. For instance, you can create a favorites list and stay updated with the latest news about your portfolio.
On the downside, DEGIRO does not offer forex trading or fractional shares, and it charges a yearly connectivity fee for each exchange outside your home market: 0.25% of the value you hold there, capped at €2.50.
Interested in learning more? Check out our DEGIRO review.
Pros
- ETF Core Selection: full range of ETFs/ETCs/ETNs on Tradegate (1,000+ products) for only the €/£1 handling fee, with no connectivity fee (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 or CFDs
- No ISA account (for UK residents)
- Low-quality customer support
- No interest paid on cash balances
#4 Trading 212
Capital at Risk. Sponsored Link. To get free fractional shares worth up to 100 EUR/GBP, you can open an account with Trading 212 through this link. Terms apply.
Founded in 2006, Trading 212 is a London-based fintech with more than 5 million lifetime funded accounts, built around a simple mobile app for investing in stocks and ETFs. New users, including Irish investors, can get a free fractional share worth up to €100 by signing up with the promo code IITW*.
Trading 212 offers no commission on stocks and ETFs (other fees may apply, see terms and fees), fractional shares and an automatic investment system. A 0.15% FX fee applies when converting funds. Other fees may apply. It does not offer bonds or options. Trading 212 also introduces a feature called “Pies”**, allowing investors to create personalized portfolios or copy existing portfolios crafted by other users.
Trading 212 pays interest on uninvested cash in several currencies, including EUR, GBP and USD. The EUR rate depends on the Trading 212 entity that holds your account: in October 2026, Trading 212 EU GmbH paid 4.20% for the first 4 months to new clients who opened an account between 16 September and 2 November 2026 (2.80% afterwards), while Trading 212 Markets Ltd paid 2.50%. Check the app for the rate that applies to you.
The Trading 212 Cashback program also provides cashback on everyday purchases, allowing users to reinvest these rewards. In terms of safety, Trading 212 is regulated by the FCA, BaFin, CySEC and ASIC.
Interested in learning more? Check out our Trading 212 Review.
Pros
- Commission-free real stock, ETFs and crypto trading (other fees may apply. See terms and fees)
- AutoInvest & Pies feature (execution-only service, not financial advice)
- Fast and easy account opening process
- Demo account
- Top Tier Regulators
- Free fractional shares worth up to €100
- High interest on uninvested cash
Cons
- Limited product portfolio (no Options, Bonds, Mutual Funds or Futures)
- No relevant Fundamental tools
- 0.15% of Foreign exchange fees
Capital at Risk. Sponsored Link. To get free fractional shares worth up to 100 EUR/GBP, you can open an account with Trading 212 through this link. Terms apply.
*Sponsored Link: To get a free fractional share worth up to €100, you can open an account with Trading 212 through this link or with the promo code “IITW”. The value is random: there is an 80% chance it is worth €8 to €25, 15% for €25.01 to €50, 3% for €50.01 to €75 and 2% for €75.01 to €100. Terms apply.
**Pies & AutoInvest is an execution-only service. Not investment advice or portfolio management. Automatic investing refers to executing scheduled deposits. You are responsible for all investment and rebalancing decisions.
#5 Trade Republic
Investing involves risk of loss.
Founded in 2015, Trade Republic is a Berlin-based discount broker specializing in five key financial assets: stocks, ETFs, bonds, cryptocurrencies, and derivatives. Although it promotes itself as a “no order fee” platform with the motto “Do more with your money,” Trade Republic applies a €1 external fee to every trade (except for savings plans), meaning €1 for buying and another €1 for selling.
Trade Republic’s Irish website advertises 3% annual equivalent rate (AER) on cash up to €50,000, paid out monthly. In several countries this rate is a promotion for new clients, while existing clients earn the European Central Bank (ECB) deposit facility rate, 2.50% since 16 September 2026, so check the rate shown in your app. Cash is protected by the German deposit guarantee up to €100,000. You can find a detailed explanation of this in this article.
Additionally, Trade Republic has introduced a new debit card featuring a 1% cashback benefit. This card allows Irish investors to automatically invest a portion of their spending, making it easier to grow their savings. If you’re interested in learning more, check out our article exploring how the Trade Republic Saveback feature works here.
Trade Republic also lets you invest in fractions of corporate and government bonds.
Interested in learning more? Check out our Trade Republic Review.
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
- Has a banking license - deposits are protected by deposit guarantee scheme
Cons
- €1 flat external fee in every single trade (Except saving plans)
- No demo account
- Only one base currency (EUR), except in Poland where it accepts Zloty.
- No direct access to US Stock Exchanges - you might not be able to buy some popular US-listed companies, such as Reddit
- Currency conversion fees apply
- Engages in PFOF - Payment for Order Flow
#6 Lightyear
Terms apply, seek guidance if necessary. When you invest, your capital is at risk.
Lightyear is a European investment app that operates via Lightyear Europe AS, authorized and regulated by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (EFSA), with investments covered by the Estonian investor protection fund up to €20,000.
Lightyear charges no commission on ETFs (fund manager fees apply). US stocks cost 0.1% per order ($0.10 minimum, $1 maximum), EU stocks €1 and UK stocks £1. The platform charges 0.35% for currency conversion, which can be minimized through their multi-currency account in EUR, GBP, and USD. Finally, it charges 0.45% per trade for cryptocurrencies.
Lightyear Savings: Irish clients can put idle euros into Lightyear Savings, which invests in a money market fund managed by J.P. Morgan Asset Management. The EUR rate was 2.42% (AER/APY), net, variable, true as of 6 October 2026. Money market funds are investments, not deposits: your capital is at risk and they are not covered by a deposit guarantee scheme.
The platform is ideal for beginners and intermediate investors, offering an easy-to-use app and access to more than 6,000 stocks and ETFs.
New users who sign up with the Lightyear promo code INVESTINGINTHEWEB and deposit at least €100 within 15 days get a free fractional share worth up to €100.
However, Lightyear offers a limited range of products (no options, commodities or forex) and no demo account.
Interested in knowing more about Lightyear? Read our Lightyear review.
Pros
- 0% Lightyear execution commission on ETF trading (other fees, like fund manager and FX fees, may apply)
- No account opening, inactivity, or withdrawal fees
- High interest on EUR, USD & GBP through MMFs
- Free multi-currency account
- Minimum deposit of €/£/$1
- Fractional Shares
- Account opening promotion with the promo code INVESTINGINTHEWEB
- You can automate your investments with "Plans"
Cons
- Limited financial instruments (no options or futures; commodities only via ETCs such as gold, silver and copper; bonds limited to a small Baltic selection)
- No demo account
- Only available in 25 european countries (not available internationally)
- 0.35% currency conversion fee (0.10% for UK GIA and ISA accounts)
Disclaimer: Investing involves risk. See full T&Cs. Terms apply: lightyear.com/terms. Only invest excess capital. Money market funds are considered investments and are not FSCS protected.
How to buy S&P 500 from Ireland?
If you want exposure to the 500 largest US companies, we guide Irish investors step by step on how to buy the S&P 500 from Ireland.
How investments are taxed in Ireland
None of the platforms in this list file Irish tax returns for you, so you need to declare gains and income yourself. The rules depend on what you buy:
- Individual shares: gains pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) at 33%, after an annual exemption of €1,270, and losses can be offset against gains. Budget 2027 announced a cut to 31%, which still has to pass through the Finance Bill.
- EU-domiciled ETFs: gains and distributions pay exit tax at 38%, falling to 35% from 1 January 2027. There is no annual exemption, losses cannot be offset, and the deemed disposal rule taxes your paper gain every 8 years even if you do not sell.
- Dividends: taxed at your marginal income tax rate, plus Universal Social Charge (USC) and Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI). US dividends have 15% withholding tax deducted if you have filed a W-8BEN form, which you can credit against Irish tax.
CGT on gains made from January to November is due by 15 December, and on gains made in December by 31 January of the following year, as explained by Revenue.
Budget 2027 also announced the Irish Investment Account, available from 1 July 2027. You can pay in up to €12,000 a year (€1,000 a month). Balances up to €50,000 are tax-free, a flat 1% a year applies to the value above that, and CGT, exit tax and deemed disposal do not apply to investments held inside it. Providers had not been announced at the time of writing.
| Investment | Tax | Rate | Key rules |
| Individual shares | Capital Gains Tax | 33% (31% announced in Budget 2027) | €1,270 annual exemption, losses can be offset |
| EU-domiciled ETFs | Exit tax | 38% (35% from 1 January 2027) | Deemed disposal every 8 years, no exemption, no loss relief |
| Dividends | Income tax, USC and PRSI | Your marginal rate | Foreign withholding tax can be credited |
| Irish Investment Account | Flat tax on value | 0% up to €50,000, 1% a year above | From 1 July 2027, up to €12,000 a year |
Irish tax rules for individual investors as of 8 October 2026. Budget 2027 measures still have to be legislated in the Finance Bill.
Bottom line
To summarize, here’s the list of the best trading platforms in Ireland:
- Interactive Brokers is perfect for those who need extensive investment options and strong regulatory oversight.
- eToro stands out for beginners and social traders with its user-friendly interface and social trading features.
- DEGIRO is a good option for buy-and-hold investors.
- Trading 212 offers interest on uninvested cash and its “Pies” feature, making it ideal for those looking to customize their portfolios.
- Trade Republic is a great choice for cost-conscious investors, with low fees and innovative features like fractional bond investments.
- Lightyear offers low-cost ETF investing and optional money market fund Savings for idle cash (an investment product, capital at risk).
Ultimately, the best platform for Irish investors will depend on your specific needs and investment goals. Whether you’re focused on maximizing returns on uninvested cash, minimizing trading costs, or accessing a wide range of investment options, there’s a platform in this list that can meet your needs.
For a deeper dive into each platform, check out the individual reviews linked above.
FAQ
What is the best trading platform in Ireland for beginners?
eToro and Trading 212 have the simplest apps. eToro adds social trading and ready-made portfolios, while Trading 212 offers no commission on stocks and ETFs (other fees may apply) and fractional shares. If you want the widest choice of markets and products, Interactive Brokers is the stronger option once you are comfortable with a more advanced platform.
Is my money protected if a broker fails?
Your investments are held separately from the broker’s own assets. If a broker fails and assets are missing, an investor compensation scheme applies: the Irish scheme covers up to €20,000 at Interactive Brokers Ireland, the Cypriot fund up to €20,000 at eToro (Europe), the Estonian fund up to €20,000 at Lightyear, and DEGIRO’s German scheme covers 90% of losses up to €20,000. Cash held at banks, such as Trade Republic’s, is covered by deposit guarantees up to €100,000.
Do I pay tax on ETFs in Ireland?
Yes. Gains on EU-domiciled ETFs pay exit tax at 38%, falling to 35% from 1 January 2027, and the deemed disposal rule taxes your gain every 8 years even if you do not sell. From 1 July 2027, the new Irish Investment Account will let you invest without exit tax or deemed disposal, with a flat 1% a year on value above €50,000.
Can I buy US-listed ETFs like VOO from Ireland?
Usually not. EU rules require a Key Information Document (KID) for funds sold to retail investors, and most US-listed ETFs do not publish one. Irish investors normally buy UCITS ETFs listed in Europe that track the same indices.
Do these brokers report to Revenue for me?
No. You are responsible for declaring gains, dividends and exit tax to Revenue, usually through a Form 11 or Form 12 and, for share disposals, a CGT return. Keep the annual statements your broker provides.
