You already know that starting investing is a significant milestone in your financial life, but now you may wonder, “Where should I open my investment account?”. The search for a commission-free stock broker may be daunting!
Through cost-benefit analysis, we’ve compiled five online brokers as our top picks for the best brokers in Ireland. We’ve listed the following factors that investors like you always consider: fees, investment platforms, the range of markets and instruments available, and education resources.
These are our suggestions for the best investing apps in Ireland:
eToro
An online broker that offers commission-free stock and ETF investment (other fees apply). You can also copy other traders/investors. It is slick, modern, and easy for anyone to use. It is trusted by more than 30 million clients worldwide. See our eToro summary.
Disclaimer: eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
Plus500
Plus500 is a multi-asset online broker that offers no commissions when trading CFDs in Indices, Forex, Commodities, Cryptocurrencies, Shares, Options, and ETFs. It also recently launched Plus500 Invest for those who want to invest in real shares. See our Plus500 summary.
Disclaimer: 82% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
DEGIRO
A discount broker in Europe with over 2.5 million users. It adopts a simple fee structure – a flat handling fee per transaction (it varies between countries) plus 0.25% on FX fees. More information on our DEGIRO summary.
Disclaimer: Investing involves risk of loss.
BUX Zero
A recent mobile app with a simple and intuitive platform that offers stocks, ETFs and cryptos free of charge. For more details, check our Bux Zero summary.
Trading 212
An online broker that offers real stocks, ETFs, and CFDs across various asset classes. More details on our Trading 212 summary.
Disclaimer: 76% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
✔️ All of them are authorized to operate in Ireland by the Banc Ceannais na hÉireann. As such, all are under investor protection schemes.
Comparison of commission-free stock brokers in Ireland
- Broker
- Website
- Overview
- Demo Account
- Account minimum
- Fees
- US stocks
- EU stocks
- ETFs
- Currency Conversion Fee
- Security
- Regulators
- Investor Compensation Scheme(per person, per instituion)
Commission-free stock brokers in Ireland
1# eToro
eToro at a glance
Founded in 2007, eToro is an international online broker with over 30 million users who can trade over 3,000 financial assets, including stocks, ETFs, Cryptos, and CFDs on Stocks, ETFs, Commodities, Forex, Indices, and Cryptocurrencies. Stocks and ETFs are traded commission-free, as a whole, or fractional shares (other fees apply).
eToro’s investment platform, accessible through both web and mobile platforms, is a social trading hub. Here, investors can engage in discussions about investments, speculations, and market news with fellow investors. eToro also allows users to replicate trading strategies (CopyTrader™) and invest in ready-made investment portfolios (Smart Portfolios) based on thematic investment strategies.
The demo account is particularly useful for a beginner ($100,000 of virtual money). It lets you have a real experience hands-on as you would be using real money. So, when switching to a real account, you will notice no difference between your training and the real-life of investing. On the downside, there is a withdrawal of $5, and the only base currency is the USD.
eToro is fully regulated and supervised by top-tier regulators such as the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in Australia. The subsidiary in Europe, formerly known as “eToro (Europe) Ltd,” is authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities Exchange Commission (CySEC).
If you want to learn more, check out our eToro Review.
eToro Pros and Cons
Pros
- Commission-free stock and ETF trading
- Social Trading and other innovative products
- Wide variety of financial products
- Slick, modern, and easy for anyone to use
- Top tier regulators
Cons
- Limited disclosed financial information
- Withdraw and inactivity fees
- Spread, overnight, inactivity, and currency conversion fees higher than average
- Only one base currency account (USD)
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76% 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.
Commission-free stock brokers in Ireland
2# Plus500
Plus500 at a glance
Founded in 2008, Plus500 is an online broker offering a wide range of financial products, including real shares and CFDs on forex, indices, shares, commodities, options, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies. It is available in over 50 countries and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
There are two distinct account types:
- Plus500 CFD: It only focuses on CFD products;
- Plus500 Invest: Where you can trade stocks (real shares);
The web platform you will use is the WebTrader, Plus500’s proprietary platform, offering a stable trading experience and reliable access from multiple devices, including a mobile app. All platforms are accessible and responsive, and you can start testing the features by opening a demo account.
Their customer support is helpful and readily assessed through a chat that is always shown on the trading platform. Their spreads are low, and they offer accounts in sixteen currencies, including USD, EUR, and GBP. Still, they charge a 0.70% currency conversion fee and a $10 monthly fee following three months with no activity. On Plus500 Invest, they only charge a small commission per trade (US market: $0.006/share).
Finally, it is regulated by financial regulators like the FCA and CySEC, meaning that Plus500 is appropriately supervised and that there is an investor protection scheme under the entity you open an account. For instance, If you open an account as a European investor through Plus500CY Ltd, you are protected up to €20,000. Additionally, Plus500 provides negative balance protection for CFD trading on a per-account basis – only to retail clients from the European Union.
As a side note, Plus500 Futures, a platform only available for US users and where you can trade Futures, is also part of the Plus500 group.
Want to know more about Plus500? Check our Plus500 Review.
Plus500 Pros and Cons
Pros
- Accessible and responsive platform
- Low spreads
- No dealing commissions
- Demo Account
- Top-tier regulators
Cons
- No ETF offering
- Inactivity fee ($10 per month after no login activity in 3 months)
- High overnight funding fees
- Very little research and education provided
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 82% 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.
Commission-free stock brokers in Ireland
3# DEGIRO
DEGIRO at a glance
Founded in 2013, DEGIRO is a low-cost brokerage firm that has become very popular due to its low rates! With over 2.5 million users, the innovative platform has become widely known for its “do-it-yourself” philosophy in the sense that you have everything at your disposal to start investing on your own. It offers a wide range of financial assets to trade, including stocks, ETFs, bonds, options, futures contracts, warrants, investment funds, and some leveraged products (not quite the same as CFDs. More info here).
For instance, you can trade some ETFs for free (a €1.00 flat handling fee – external costs – still apply) with no minimum amount required. The web trading platform is basic, but it is efficient and straightforward to use. In a matter of minutes, you get used to it. The same applies to its mobile app. On the downside, there is an absence of any significant fundamental research, a €2.50 connectivity fee applies, and pricing alerts are missing.
Regarding security, DEGIRO is the Dutch branch of flatexDEGIRO Bank AG (a German-regulated bank). In the unlikely event that the segregated assets cannot be returned to clients, DEGIRO falls under the German Investor Compensation Scheme, which compensates any losses from non-returned assets up to 90% (with a maximum of €20,000), so do bear this in mind if you are planning to invest much larger volumes. Furthermore, any money deposited on a DEGIRO Cash Account with flatexDEGIRO Bank AG will be guaranteed up to an amount of €100,000 under the German Deposit Guarantee Scheme.
Still any doubts? Go through our DEGIRO Review!
DEGIRO Pros and Cons
Pros
- There is a list of commission-free ETFs available (one free transaction per month – check DEGIRO’s official website in your country for more details and applicable conditions)
- User-friendly web and mobile app
- Wide range of investment options
- Education material: Investor’s Academy and Investing with DEGIRO
- Super low commission structure
- Manual FX conversion option
- No account opening, inactivity, or withdrawal fee
Cons
- €1.00 flat handling fee
- €2.50 connectivity fee (paid annually)
- Doesn’t offer Forex, CFDs, or Cryptos
- No demo account
- Little research
Commission-free stock brokers in Ireland
4# BUX Zero
BUX Zero at a glance
BUX Zero is an online broker launched in 2019 that has positioned itself as an affordable way for Europeans to increase their savings. It brings a simple and elegant way to start investing.
It allows users to trade US and EU stocks (Dutch, German, Belgian, French, and Austrian) and 30+ ETFs. New users will also benefit from one free share worth up to €200 (terms available on page 31 of the Bux Zero Client Agreement). You also have access to fractional investing, making it easy to invest in companies with big share prices (Amazon, Tesla, Alphabet,…) starting for as little as €10.
In addition, crypto trading is also available for free! Investors can trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, among other cryptocurrencies.
BUX Zero is very transparent in its pricing structure: it charges no commission for Zero, Market, and Limit Orders for US stocks, but it will cost you €1.99 per Market or Limit Order in EU stocks and ETFs (Zero Orders are free). Besides, it also earns money through an FX markup (currency conversion fee) of 0.25%.
On the downside, the only place to trade is its mobile app (no desktop or web trading platform available), limited products, and there is no demo account.
BUX Zero is regulated by the Dutch Authority for Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten – AFM). If you want to learn more, check out our Bux Zero Review.
Bux Zero Pros and Cons
Pros
- Commission-free stock, ETF and crypto trading
- Offers one Free Share of up to 200€ upon deposit
- Fractional Investing
- Modern and user-friendly mobile app
- No inactivity, custody, deposit or withdrawal fee
- No minimum required deposit
Cons
- No investment advice
- No demo account
- Limited financial products
Commission-free stock brokers in Ireland
5# Trading 212
Trading 212 at a glance
Founded in 2006 and with over 2 million funded accounts, Trading 212 is a fintech based in London that aims to democratize the entire investment process through a simple mobile application by allowing anyone to invest in more than 10,000 stocks and ETFs plus CFDs on Stocks, ETFs, Indices, Forex, and Commodities. It offers a free share worth up to €100!
In Trading 212, you will find commission-free stocks and ETFs trading, fractional shares, and even an automatic investment system. On the downside, it shows some limitations regarding the products available, such as the lack of bonds and options.
Opening an account is extremely quick and easy. Within the app, you will notice two distinct sub-platforms: Trading 212 Invest, where you can trade a range of assets free of charge, and Trading 212 CFD, where you may trade leveraged financial products (CFDs). On Trading 212 CFD, the currency conversion fee (FX fee) is higher (0.50%) than on Trading 212 Invest (0.15%).
The minimum deposit and withdrawal amounts are both equal to €/£10. There are no deposit fees if you use bank transfer (other options like Cards and Google/Apple Pay). For withdrawals, there is no fee, whatever the method used.
In terms of safety, every Trading 212 is regulated by the following regulators: the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), and the Financial Supervision Commission (FSC).
If you want to learn more, check our Trading 212 Review.
Trading 212 Pros and Cons
Pros
- Commission-free Real Stocks and ETFs trading
- AutoInvest & Pies feature
- Fast and easy account opening process
- Demo account
- Top Tier Regulators
Cons
- Limited product portfolio (no Options, Bonds, Mutual Funds or Futures)
- No relevant Fundamental tools
- Spreads on Forex CFDs may be high in certain trading hours
- Foreign exchange fees (0.15% and 0.50% in “Invest” and “CFDs” accounts, respectively)
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76% 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.
Which platform should you choose?
Some factors you should know when choosing an online broker are the fees charged if it is regulated by top-tier institutions such as the FCA in the UK, the range of products it allows you to trade (not all platforms allow you to trade EU stocks), among others.
The best online broker in your specific case will depend on your profile, preference, and objectives. Explore the websites 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 best-suited services and opportunities for their risk, returns, and impact strategy.
Hope we helped, and leave your comments below.
Happy investments!
Other FAQs about Brokers in Ireland
How to invest in stocks from Ireland?
You can use one of the online brokers shown above: eToro, Bux Zero, DEGIRO, Plus500 and Trading 212.
What is a brokerage company?
It is an entity designed to be the middleman between you and the people you are trying to buy or sell a stock, ETF, crypto,… you name it!
Which broker is best in Ireland?
There is no single answer. It depends on what you value most: fees, security, investment platform or any relevant feature.
What are the types of investments you can make with a brokerage account?
You can trade stocks, ETFs, Forex, Bonds, Futures and CFDs on stocks, ETFs, indices, cryptocurrencies, commodities.
Franklin is a CFA Level III Candidate with 3 years of experience in Wealth Management as a Fund Research Analyst and the Host of the "Edge Over Hedge" YouTube Channel.
