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 online broker may be daunting!
Through cost-benefit analysis, we’ve compiled several online brokers as our top picks for the best brokers in Italy. We’ve listed the following factors that investors should always consider: fees, investment platforms, the range of markets and instruments available, regulation and education resources.
These are our suggestions for the best investing apps in Italy:
- eToro: Best for commission-free ETF investing and social trading
- Interactive Brokers: Best broker overall
- XTB: Best for Forex and CFD trading
- Pepperstone: Best demo account, Forex and CFDs
- Freedom24: Best for investment in bonds
- DEGIRO: Best for low-cost investing
- Trading 212: Best for commission-free ETFs (Other fees may apply. See terms and conditions)
- Scalable Capital: Best for automatic investing (robo-advisor)
Disclaimer: Investing involves risk of loss.
52% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
69-80% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
73-89% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Investing involves risk of loss.
Investing involves risk of loss.
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.
Comparison of international brokers in Italy
Online brokers to avoid ❌
Prioritize safety: safe beats cheap! Remember that investing is a long-term game, so it’s best to choose a provider that you can trust as years go by. Make sure that it is allowed to operate in your country.
Check our list of investment platforms, and filter by “Not approved” to check the list of platforms that we do not recommend.
If you’re still unsure about a specific platform, feel free to reach out to us – we’re happy to help!
Online brokers in Italy
eToro at a glance
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 Borsa Italiana) are commission-free, whole or fractional (other fees apply).
eToro’s investment platform, available via web and mobile, is a social trading hub. Italian investors can discuss trade ideas 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 cryptocurrencies.
The $100,000 virtual demo account is particularly useful for beginners – it replicates a live trading environment, so switching to a real account feels seamless. On the downside, eToro operates in USD-only as base currency, so EUR deposits are converted to USD (FX cost ~50 pips), and there is a $5 withdrawal fee plus a $10 monthly inactivity fee after 12 months without login.
For Italian residents, eToro is available via eToro (Europe) Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and passported into Italy under MiFID II (with local CONSOB 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.
Important tax note: as a non-Italian broker, eToro does not act as an Italian tax substitute (sostituto d’imposta) – Italian residents must report capital gains, dividends, and holdings via the “regime dichiarativo” and quadro RW of their annual tax return (dichiarazione dei redditi).
For more details, visit our eToro review.
eToro Pros and Cons
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
IB at a glance
Founded in 1978, Interactive Brokers is one of the largest international brokers, publicly listed on NASDAQ (ticker: IBKR; added to the S&P 500 in 2024). IBKR is regulated by top-tier authorities worldwide, including the SEC and FINRA (US), FCA (UK), CBI (Ireland), BaFin (Germany), and ASIC (Australia), and has 3 million+ client accounts globally. There is no minimum deposit requirement.
IBKR caters to both beginners and professional investors looking for a broad product universe (stocks, ETFs, bonds, options, futures, forex, mutual funds, and cryptocurrencies) across 170+ markets in 36+ countries – including Borsa Italiana (Euronext Milan) for Italian equities and government bonds (BTP, BOT), an intuitive-through-institutional platform, and advanced technical and fundamental tools.
Italian clients are served by Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) and passported into Italy under MiFID II, with native EUR base currency support and multi-currency accounts (including USD, GBP, and other majors). IBKR offers among the tightest spreads on the market and a tiered commission structure that scales with your monthly trading volume. FX conversions are also among the lowest available at 0.20 basis points (with a $2 minimum).
IBKR GlobalTrader is a beginner-friendly mobile app that allows Italian traders to invest globally with as little as $1 in fractional shares. It also offers a $10,000 virtual demo account to practise before opening a live account.
On the downside, the main TWS platform can feel overwhelming with the number of features available, particularly for new investors. Interactive Brokers compensates with extensive educational content via IBKR Campus (formerly Traders’ Academy) and video tutorials to help you navigate the platform effectively.
Italian tax note: Interactive Brokers Ireland does not act as an Italian sostituto d’imposta, so Italian residents must declare gains, dividends, and foreign holdings via the regime dichiarativo and quadro RW.
Want to know more? Check our Interactive Brokers review and visit IBKR’s website.
Interactive Brokers Pros and Cons
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
XTB at a glance
69-80% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Founded in 2002 in Warsaw and publicly listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ticker: XTB), XTB is a major European broker with more than 1.7 million clients across 16 countries. XTB is regulated by top-tier authorities including CONSOB (Italy), the FCA (UK), KNF (Poland), CySEC (Cyprus), BaFin (Germany), and AFM (Netherlands). The platform offers 0% commission on real stocks and ETFs up to €100,000 of monthly turnover (0.2% above, with a €10 minimum), with strong pricing on forex and CFDs as well.
You can invest through xStation 5 and xStation Mobile in a wide range of products including stocks, ETFs (including UCITS-compliant ETFs suitable for Italian investors), forex, indices, commodities, cryptocurrency CFDs, and vanilla options (launched in early 2026). XTB also offers Investment Plans for systematic long-term investing and pays cash interest on uninvested EUR balances (linked to ECB policy).
For beginners, XTB provides a demo account and the XTB Trading Academy, an extensive Italian-language educational hub. For intermediate and advanced investors, xStation 5 delivers a strong set of technical and fundamental tools.
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). Italian residents also need to handle their own tax reporting via the regime dichiarativo and quadro RW, since XTB does not act as an Italian sostituto d’imposta.
Still have doubts? Read our XTB review.
XTB Pros and Cons
Pros
- Free stocks trading (only applicable to some countries)
- Customizable trading platform (charts and workspace)
- Low Forex Spreads
- Demo account
- No minimum account deposit
- Valuable education materials
- Top-tier Regulators
Cons
- Complex trading platform for a beginner
- High Stock CFD spreads
- Limited product portfolio
- Withdrawal fees for transfers below $100
- Inactivity fee (€10/monthly after 1+ year with no activity plus no deposit in the last 90 days)
Pepperstone at a glance
73-89% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Pepperstone, founded in 2010 in Melbourne, has positioned itself as one of the largest forex and CFD brokers globally, serving over 900,000 retail trading accounts worldwide. It has earned multiple industry awards, notably the “Best MT4 and MT5 Broker” award for 2026 from us.
Pepperstone operates under strict regulation from top-tier authorities including the FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), BaFin (Germany), ASIC (Australia), DFSA (Dubai), CMA (Kenya), and others. Italian clients are served through the CySEC-regulated European entity, passported into Italy under MiFID II (with CONSOB oversight). The broker offers multiple platforms including MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradingView integration, with advanced charting and automated trading.
In Italy and across the EU/UK, retail leverage is capped at 30:1 on major forex pairs (and lower on other assets) in line with ESMA rules.
On the downside, Pepperstone focuses on CFDs and forex – no real stocks, real ETFs, or direct crypto ownership – and it offers no interest on uninvested cash balances, unlike some competitors.
Pepperstone is best for Italian traders focused on forex and CFDs. It is endorsed by the r/Forex subreddit – the largest forex community online – alongside Interactive Brokers, which reinforces its credibility in the active trading community.
Pepperstone Pros and Cons
Pros
- Quick customer support response times
- No fees for deposits, withdrawals, or account inactivity
- Competitive spreads in the Razor account with active trader rebates
- Higher leverage options are available depending on region and client categorization
Cons
- Limited to CFD trading; no direct asset ownership
- Higher Forex spreads in the standard account
- Crypto CFDs offerings are limited compared to competitors
- Limited educational resources
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 73-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Freedom24 at a glance
Investing involves risk of loss.
Freedom24, part of Freedom Holding Corp (NASDAQ: FRHC), has emerged as a cost-effective brokerage option for Italian retail investors compared with traditional Italian brokerage firms. The platform provides access to a diverse range of global financial products including stocks, ETFs (3,600+ from Vanguard, iShares, Invesco, and others), bonds (145,000+), US and European options, and futures.
Freedom24 offers the Bonds Showcase, with minimum investments of just €/$1,000 – a list of high-rated bonds (B+ and above) designed to deliver a more predictable return profile. This makes bond investing significantly more accessible for Italian investors seeking to complement equity exposure with fixed income.
The web and mobile platforms are intuitive and straightforward, complemented by InvestIdeas (market analysis from Freedom24 analysts) and Freedom Academy (educational content). New users can also benefit from a signup promotion of up to 20 gift stocks.
With no minimum deposit, Freedom24 offers two main pricing plans: All Inclusive in EUR (formerly Prime; includes a dedicated personal manager) and Smart in EUR (self-directed, more suitable for lower-volume investors). On the downside, Freedom24 charges a €7 withdrawal fee and does not offer cryptocurrencies.
Freedom Finance Europe Ltd is regulated by CySEC and passported into Italy under MiFID II (with CONSOB oversight), providing MiFID II-level investor protection to Italian clients. In the unlikely event that segregated assets cannot be returned, Freedom24 is covered by the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund (ICF), which protects non-returned investments up to €20,000. Parent Freedom Holding Corp is NASDAQ-listed and subject to SEC reporting, PCAOB audit oversight, and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, providing an additional layer of transparency. As with other non-Italian brokers, Italian residents need to declare foreign holdings via the regime dichiarativo and quadro RW.
Want to learn more? Check our Freedom24 review or visit Freedom24 directly.
Freedom24 Pros and Cons
Pros
- Low commissions on stock and ETF trading
- No minimum deposit for general trading
- Demo trading
- Slick, modern, and easy for anyone to use
- No custody fee
Cons
- €7 per withdrawal
- No cryptocurrencies
DEGIRO at a glance
Investing involves risk of loss.
Founded in 2013, DEGIRO is a low-cost brokerage that has become widely popular across Europe due to its competitive fees. With over 3 million users across 18+ European countries, its “do-it-yourself” platform gives Italian investors direct access to a broad set of assets including stocks, ETFs, bonds (including Italian BTP and BOT government bonds via Borsa Italiana), 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) with no minimum amount required. US stocks trade at €1.00 per order, and European stocks (including Borsa Italiana) are typically priced at €3.90 plus the €1.00 handling fee. The web and mobile platforms are clean and easy to use. 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 AFM and passporting into Italy under MiFID II (with CONSOB oversight). 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 much larger volumes. Cash deposits with flatexDEGIRO Bank AG are additionally guaranteed up to €100,000 under the German Deposit Guarantee Scheme.
Italian tax note: DEGIRO does not act as an Italian sostituto d’imposta, so gains, dividends, and foreign holdings must be reported via the regime dichiarativo and quadro RW.
Still have doubts? Read our DEGIRO review.
DEGIRO Pros and Cons
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
Trading 212 at a glance
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 2004 in Sofia, Bulgaria, and now headquartered in London, Trading 212 is a fintech that aims to democratise the investment process through a simple mobile-first application. The company allows over 5 million users to invest in 10,000+ stocks and ETFs, forex, commodities, CFDs, and crypto-related products. New users can also benefit from a free fractional share worth up to €100.
On Trading 212, Italian investors will find commission-free stock and ETF investing, fractional shares from €1, and the Pies and AutoInvest feature (execution-only thematic portfolios, not a robo-advisor). Trading 212 also pays cash interest on uninvested EUR, GBP, and USD balances via Qualifying Money Market Funds (QMMFs) from BlackRock and Fidelity – a useful feature for Italian investors keeping idle cash productive. Opening an account is fully online. On the downside, the product range still lacks bonds and options, and Trading 212 charges a 0.15% FX fee when buying assets in a currency different from your base account.
Within the app, Italian users will find three sub-platforms:
- Trading 212 Invest: trade real stocks and ETFs commission-free;
- Trading 212 CFD: trade leveraged financial products (CFDs);
- Trading 212 Crypto: trade cryptocurrency-related products.
EU clients (including Italian residents) are served by Trading 212 EU GmbH, regulated by BaFin (FRN 10109603), with passporting into Italy under MiFID II. As with other non-Italian brokers, Trading 212 does not act as an Italian sostituto d’imposta – gains, dividends, and foreign holdings need to be declared via the regime dichiarativo and quadro RW.
If you want to learn more, check our Trading 212 review.
Trading 212 Pros and Cons
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
Disclaimer: When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. Crypto-assets are high-risk and volatile. You could lose your invested capital, and these assets are not covered by protection schemes. Make sure you understand the risks before investing.
Scalable Capital at a glance
Founded in 2014, Scalable Capital is a German fintech that offers two services: Brokerage, where you can trade shares, ETFs, funds, crypto and derivatives and invest via a savings plan by yourself and a Wealth Service (robo-advisor), where you get a personalized portfolio managed by Scalable Capital.
On the brokerage side, the range of available products is considerable: 7,000+ shares, 2,000+ ETFs, 2,000+ Funds, 70+ Crypto ETPs and 375,000+ derivatives. It offers three pricing plans: “Free broker” for €0/month; “Prime Broker” for €2.99/month and “Prime Broker Flex” for €4.99. In all of them, you have free trading in a list of “PRIME ETFs”. Commission-free trading in shares is included in the “Prime Broker” plan.
Within the Wealth Service, you will only be presented with different portfolios/strategies using ETFs. First, you need to answer a short questionnaire to access your risk profile, and then an appropriate portfolio will be set for you. Up to €100,000, you are charged an annual management fee of 0.75%. You can pay the minimum annual fee of 0.49% if you deposit over €500,000.
Scalable Capital has regulatory permission from the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) to provide securities services, and it is also supervised by the German Federal Bank (Deutsche Bundesbank). As such, it is a member of the investor compensation scheme, which protects your cash (up to €100,000) and your assets (limited to 90 %, up to a maximum of €20,000 per investor).
Scalable Capital Pros and Cons
Pros
- Stocks and ETFs commission-free (in PRIME Broker)
- €1 minimum deposit
- Interest on idle cash
- No custody fee
- Regulated by Bafin
Cons
- No access to US stock exchanges
- No fractional shares
- Limited crypto available
- €3.99 per trade on Xetra
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!
Other resources
- Check our Youtube channel! You will find step-by-step guides of how to invest in the S&P 500 on different brokers, as well as other educational videos about investing and investment platforms.
- Explore our tools: Check our comparison tool, reviews, BrokerMatch, brokers that offer the highest interest rates, signup bonuses, and others.
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.
Other FAQs about brokers in Italy
How to invest in stocks from Italy?
You can use one of the online brokers shown above: eToro, Interactive Brokers, XTB, DEGIRO, Plus500, Scalable Capital and Trading 212.
What is a brokerage company?
There is no single answer. It depends on what you value most: fees, security, investment platform or any relevant feature.
Which broker is best in Italy?
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.
