Best DEGIRO alternatives (2026)

Having been around since 1978 and come through several financial crises, Interactive Brokers’ biggest advantage is its reputation. It is also listed on the NASDAQ (ticker: IBKR), which means it must publish its financial statements regularly.

Other important advantages of Interactive Brokers are its huge selection of products from over 150 markets, solid trade execution (IB SmartRouting), support for more than 20 currencies in a single account and some of the lowest currency conversion costs among retail brokers.

Some downsides of Interactive Brokers are:

• The complex fee structure;
• A longer than average account opening process;
• No commission-free trading for European investors (IBKR Lite is only available to US clients).

The last point is largely offset by its narrow spreads and low FX fees.

There are two pricing plans, Tiered and Fixed, and fees vary by market. With Tiered pricing, fees fall as your monthly trading volume grows. You can see the full fee structure here.

You can use Interactive Brokers through several platforms:

• Trader Workstation (TWS): the advanced desktop platform, with professional-grade tools and a demo account, but a steep learning curve for beginners;
• IBKR Desktop: a newer, more modern desktop platform that combines TWS features with a simpler interface;
• IBKR Mobile and Client Portal: the full-featured mobile app and web platform;
• IBKR GlobalTrader: a simpler mobile app for stocks, ETFs and options, with automatic currency conversion and fractional shares on US and European stocks and ETFs.

Founded in 2004, Trading 212 was one of the first brokers to offer commission-free investing in the UK and Europe, and it has become one of the most popular investing apps on the continent.

Its Invest account offers commission-free stocks and ETFs (Other fees may apply. See terms and fees.), and UK residents can also open a Stocks and Shares ISA. The Invest account has become popular with beginner investors because:

• The minimum deposit is just €/£1 (€/£10 for bank transfers);
• You can buy fractional shares, so you can invest small amounts in expensive stocks and ETFs;
• The platform is simple to use, both for opening an account and for investing.

Depending on your country, your account is held with Trading 212 UK Ltd (FCA), Trading 212 Markets Ltd (CySEC) or Trading 212 EU GmbH (BaFin).

Trading 212 is available in many countries, but not in the US or Canada, among others. Opening an account and depositing funds is one of the simplest processes on the market, and investing is easy on both the mobile app and the web platform.

Part of how Trading 212 earns money is securities lending: as described in its terms, it may lend shares held in client accounts to third parties.

Commission-free does not mean there are no costs. The main fees to know are:

• 0,15% FX fee applies when converting funds. Other fees may apply.
• Deposits by card, Google Pay or Apple Pay are free up to a total of €2,000, with a 0.7% fee above that.

Exchanges and governments may also charge smaller fees, such as stamp duty or transaction taxes. You can see the full fee structure in Trading 212’s terms and fees. The main drawback of the platform is its limited product range: there are no bonds, options, futures or mutual funds.

Sponsored Code. To get free fractional shares worth up to 100 EUR/GBP/USD, you can open an account with Trading 212 through this link and use the promo code IITW. Terms apply.

To sum up, Trading 212 is a good fit for beginner investors who want a simple and low-cost way to buy stocks and ETFs. For more details, read our Trading 212 review.

Founded in 2007, regulated by top-tier authorities and with over 40 million registered users, eToro is one of the best-known brokers in the world. It has been listed on the NASDAQ (ticker: ETOR) since May 2025. The platform is best known for social investing, which lets you follow and copy other investors’ trades and portfolios, but it also offers stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies and CFDs on stocks, ETFs, commodities, currencies and indices.

The platform is intuitive, suitable for beginners and includes a demo account with virtual funds. Opening an account and depositing funds are both quick. ETFs are commission-free (other fees apply), most stocks cost $1 per trade and the minimum deposit is $50 (it varies across countries).

eToro’s best-known feature is CopyTrader, which lets you copy other investors’ trades in real time at no extra charge. It also offers Smart Portfolios, ready-made thematic portfolios, most of them managed by eToro’s investment team and some by partner firms.

The most common fees at eToro are:

• $1 commission per trade on most stocks ($2 on some exchanges);
• Currency conversion fees when depositing in a currency other than your account currency (EUR accounts are available in several EU countries);
• A $5 withdrawal fee on USD accounts;
• A $10 monthly inactivity fee after 12 months without logging in;
• Market (bid/ask) spreads.

Overall, eToro is a good choice for beginner investors looking for a simple way to start investing with a well-known broker, especially if its social and copy-investing features appeal to you. For more details, read our eToro review.

Founded in 2008, Plus500 is best known for its wide range of CFDs and its simple trading platform. It also offers real shares through a separate account, Plus500 Invest.

The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker: PLUS) and is a FTSE 250 constituent, which means it must regularly publish its financial statements. It is available in over 50 countries and regulated by authorities including the FCA, CySEC, ASIC and MAS.

Its web platform (WebTrader) has an intuitive interface and is also available as a mobile app. There is also a free demo account to practise with virtual funds.

Plus500 CFD fees come mainly from the buy/sell (bid/ask) spread, which varies across instruments, plus overnight funding on positions held open. On Plus500 Invest, you pay a commission per trade that depends on the exchange: from $0.006 per share for US stocks, and more for European stocks.

Keep in mind that there is also a currency conversion fee (up to 0.7%) and a $10 monthly inactivity fee after three months without logging in.

You can find more details about Plus500 CFD fees and Plus500 Invest fees on its website, or read our Plus500 review.

Founded in 1992, Saxo (formerly Saxo Bank) is one of the longest-established online brokers. It is now owned by the Swiss-Brazilian J. Safra Sarasin Group, which completed its acquisition in 2026. Saxo is known for its very wide range of products (over 70,000 instruments), access to more than 120 exchanges and a large choice of account currencies.

Saxo has always aimed at experienced investors, with advanced tools and TradingView integration. It has two main platforms: SaxoInvestor, a simpler app for buying and holding stocks, ETFs and bonds, and SaxoTrader, built for active traders.

Saxo has lowered its entry barriers in recent years: there is no minimum deposit on the Classic account and no inactivity fee. The Platinum and VIP account tiers, which offer lower fees, require $200,000 and $1,000,000 respectively.

Its fees are still higher than those of most brokers on this list, especially for small orders, and they vary by country and account tier. Commissions start at around 0.08% of the trade value, with a minimum per order, and a custody fee may apply depending on your country of residence. You can check the fees for each product on Saxo’s website.

Saxo does not accept clients from every country, including the US. In a nutshell, it is best suited to experienced investors who value its product range and tools, and may be more than beginners need.