You have probably heard about the Robinhood app on YouTube and want to know if it is available in the Netherlands, right?
Robinhood is a modern and easy-to-use investment app from the US, which introduced the concept of commission-free trading on financial products such as stocks and ETFs.
Want to know if the Robinhood app is available in the Netherlands, its expansion plans, and the alternatives available to Dutch investors? We’ve got you covered.
What is Robinhood?
Robinhood was founded in 2013 (with its public launch in 2015). Since then, it has played a major role in disrupting the brokerage industry by allowing US retail investors to trade with no commissions, alongside its biggest rival, Webull. Robinhood is a commission-free online broker offering the possibility of trading stocks, ETFs, options, futures, crypto, and retirement accounts (IRAs). It is publicly listed on NASDAQ under the ticker HOOD since July 2021.
The results are clear: more than 25 million users globally. The competitors of Robinhood have been monitoring its exponential growth closely – and major US brokers such as E*TRADE, TD Ameritrade (now fully integrated into Charles Schwab), and Charles Schwab itself announced in quick succession that they were eliminating trading commissions, largely in response to Robinhood’s disruption of the industry.
Is Robinhood available in the Netherlands?
Yes, Robinhood is available in the Netherlands – and no longer just for cryptocurrencies.
Robinhood initially launched its cryptocurrency trading service in the European Union, allowing users to buy, sell, and hold over 25 digital assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and others.
But as of July 2025, Robinhood has expanded its offering:
- European users, including those in the Netherlands, can now also trade tokenised versions of more than 200 US stocks and ETFs through Robinhood. These “stock tokens” give investors fractional, 24/5 access to major US-listed equities like Apple, NVIDIA, and Tesla, without requiring a traditional brokerage account.
While these stock tokens are not the same as owning real shares (they are issued by a licensed financial institution and backed 1:1 by the underlying assets), they allow Dutch users to gain price exposure to the US stock market through Robinhood’s app.
Please note that by investing in a stock token, you are not protected by an investor compensation scheme in the same way as you would be when holding real shares through a regulated broker. This is clearly stated in the Key Information Document (KID) of each token. As an example, you can review the KID for NVIDIA:
If this is a significant concern for you, consider investing in real shares (not tokens) through one of the alternative brokers mentioned below, all of which offer full investor compensation scheme protection.
In addition, in April 2025, the Bank of Lithuania granted Robinhood an A-category brokerage licence, paving the way for a broader stock trading rollout across the EU. This licence is a strong signal that Robinhood may be working towards launching full stock brokerage services (not just tokenised access) in the Netherlands and other EU countries in the foreseeable future.
Robinhood alternatives in the Netherlands
To help us answer this question, we focused on low-cost online brokers available in the Netherlands. Given that, here are our suggestions:
Disclaimer: Investing involves risk of loss.
69-80% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
52% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
80% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Investing involves risk of loss.
All the companies mentioned here are regulated and/or registered by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM).
XTB at a glance
69-80% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Founded in 2002, XTB is a major player in the brokerage industry, with extensive international experience and regulation by the FCA (UK), KNF (Poland), CySEC (Cyprus), and other relevant authorities including the AFM (Netherlands). The company is publicly listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ticker: XTB).
You can invest through xStation 5 (desktop and web) and xStation Mobile in a range of products such as stocks, ETFs, and CFDs on stocks, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies (the product offering may vary slightly by country). XTB offers 0% commission on stocks and ETFs up to €100,000 of monthly trading volume.
Opening an account and transferring money is quick and hassle-free. For beginners, XTB offers a demo account where you can trade with virtual funds to get a feel for the platform first-hand, alongside extensive educational content. For intermediate and advanced investors, the platform provides a strong set of technical and fundamental tools to support your investment decisions.
On the downside, you will face an inactivity fee of €10/month after one year of non-trading (and no deposit in the last 90 days), and it charges higher spreads on cryptocurrency CFDs – though forex spreads are competitive.
Want to know more about XTB? Check our XTB review.
eToro at a glance
52% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Founded in 2007, eToro is a well-known global fintech and one of the pioneers of social trading – the ability to follow other investors and automatically copy their portfolios through features like CopyTrader and Smart Portfolios. The platform has grown to over 40 million users worldwide, spanning more than 140 countries.
In May 2025, eToro listed on NASDAQ under the ticker ETOR, a major milestone that significantly strengthened its institutional credibility. The company is regulated across multiple jurisdictions, including by CySEC (Cyprus, for EU clients including the Netherlands), FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), and the SEC/FINRA (US), among others.
You can invest in a wide range of products through eToro’s intuitive, beginner-friendly platform – including stocks, ETFs, real cryptocurrencies, commodities, forex, indices, and CFDs on multiple asset classes. eToro offers $0 commission on real stocks and ETFs (other fees apply, such as a $5 withdrawal fee). Importantly for Dutch investors, eToro now offers EUR-denominated accounts (alongside USD, GBP, and AUD), meaning you can deposit and hold funds in euros and avoid the FX conversion costs that previously applied to all deposits.
Beyond direct investing, eToro is best known for its social trading features:
- CopyTrader: automatically replicate the trades of selected eToro users in real time, with a minimum allocation of $200 per copied trader;
- Smart Portfolios (previously known as CopyFunds): pre-built thematic portfolios curated by eToro’s investment team, covering themes like AI, renewable energy, dividend stocks, and crypto.
Opening an account and depositing is straightforward, with a $50 minimum first deposit ($10 for subsequent deposits) and full digital onboarding. New users can also test the platform risk-free using a $100,000 virtual portfolio before committing real funds.
On the downside, spreads can be wider than at some competitors on certain CFD products, and the platform offers a more limited product range than full-service brokers like Interactive Brokers – notably, eToro doesn’t offer bonds or mutual funds as standard. For Dutch retail investors evaluating eToro, the EU MiCA framework also applies to its crypto products, which are now offered via eToro’s MiCA-licensed entity in Cyprus.
Dutch investors are covered by the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund (ICF), which protects eligible client assets up to €20,000 in the event of broker insolvency. eToro is supervised in the Netherlands by virtue of CySEC’s EU passport, with local conduct oversight from the AFM where applicable.
For more information, read our eToro Netherlands review.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 52% 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.Interactive Brokers at a glance
Founded in 1978 and publicly listed on NASDAQ (ticker: IBKR), Interactive Brokers is a global online broker that has weathered multiple major financial crises, demonstrating resilience and a rigorous risk management process. The firm joined the S&P 500 index in 2024, underscoring its institutional credibility.
IBKR offers an advanced investment platform with access to a wide range of products – stocks, ETFs, options, futures, currencies, bonds, mutual funds, and real cryptocurrencies – across 170+ markets in 36+ countries. It also offers strong trade execution (SmartRouting) and a comprehensive set of technical and fundamental tools to support your investment decisions.
Beginners and intermediate investors have access to educational tools through IBKR Campus (formerly Traders’ Academy), but the learning curve on the main platform (Trader Workstation) can be steep. That’s why we primarily recommend IBKR for more advanced traders. Customer service is responsive and gives clear answers to questions, so there’s no need to go back and forth.
On the downside, Interactive Brokers’ fee structure is relatively complex, the registration process is thorough (fully online), and the broker doesn’t offer commission-free trading for most account types. However, when considering its low FX conversion fees, narrow spreads, and the Stock Yield Enhancement Program (SYEP), IBKR’s clients often achieve significant savings compared to most competing brokers.
For beginners, Interactive Brokers also offers IBKR GlobalTrader – a modern, simplified mobile trading app that supports stocks, options, and ETFs. Key features include automatic currency conversions, fractional shares, a demo account, and more.
Want to know more about Interactive Brokers? Check our Interactive Brokers review.
Plus500 at a glance
80% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Founded in 2008, Plus500 is an online broker offering a range of financial products, including real shares (via Plus500 Invest) and CFDs on forex, cryptocurrencies, stocks, commodities, ETFs, options, and indices. It is available in over 50 countries and is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker: PLUS, FTSE 250 constituent).
There are two distinct account types:
- Plus500 CFD: focused solely on CFD products;
- Plus500 Invest: where you can trade real shares.
The trading platform is WebTrader, Plus500’s proprietary platform, offering a stable experience with reliable access across desktop, web, and a polished mobile app. All platforms are accessible and responsive, and you can start testing the features through a demo account.
Customer support is helpful and accessible through a chat function permanently visible within the trading platform. Spreads are tight, with accounts available in 16 currencies including USD, EUR, and GBP. However, they charge a 0.70% currency conversion fee and a $10 monthly inactivity fee after three months with no activity. On Plus500 Invest, they charge a small commission per trade (US market: $0.006 per share).
Plus500 is regulated by multiple financial authorities including the FCA, CySEC, ASIC, MAS, and AFM, ensuring appropriate supervision and an investor compensation scheme depending on the entity you open an account with. For example, European investors using Plus500CY Ltd are protected up to €20,000 (UK protection via Plus500UK Ltd is up to £85,000). Additionally, Plus500 provides negative balance protection for CFD trading on a per-account basis.
Want to know more about Plus500? Check our Plus500 review.
BUX at a glance
BUX is an online broker launched in 2014 (UK) and rolled out to Dutch retail in 2019, positioning itself as an affordable way for European investors to grow their savings through a simple, mobile-first investing experience. Since 2023, BUX has been part of the ABN AMRO Group, following its acquisition by the Dutch banking giant.
BUX allows users to trade US and EU stocks (Dutch, German, Belgian, French, and Austrian listings), along with a curated selection of ETFs – completely commission-free. New users also benefit from one free share worth up to €200 (terms available in the BUX Client Agreement). Through fractional investing, you can invest in higher-priced companies like Amazon, Tesla, Alphabet, and NVIDIA starting from as little as €10.
Crypto trading is also available with no fixed commission – investors can trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and a selection of other cryptocurrencies (note that crypto trades carry a spread).
BUX is transparent on pricing: there are no hidden fees, and if you want access to premium order types like limit and stop orders, it costs €1 per order. Account tier structures (Basic, Plus, Prime) also include different cash interest rates and may include monthly service fees.
On the downside, BUX is exclusively a mobile-first app (no desktop or web trading platform), the product range is limited compared to full-service brokers, and there is no demo account for testing the platform first.
BUX is regulated by the Dutch Authority for Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiële Markten – AFM), and client assets are held in custody at ABN AMRO Clearing Bank, with deposits protected under the Dutch deposit guarantee scheme up to €100,000. If you want to learn more, check out our BUX review.
DEGIRO at a glance
Investing involves risk of loss.
Founded in 2013, DEGIRO is a low-cost brokerage firm that has become widely popular thanks to its competitive rates. With over 3 million users, the platform is known for its “do-it-yourself” philosophy – giving you everything you need to invest independently.
DEGIRO offers a wide range of financial assets to trade, including stocks, ETFs, bonds, options, futures, warrants, investment funds, and certain leveraged products (note: these are not quite the same as CFDs – more info here). In 2026, DEGIRO also launched cryptocurrency trading, adding direct access to major cryptos alongside its traditional product range.
You can trade a selection of ETFs from the “Core Selection” commission-free (a €1.00 flat handling fee per trade still applies for external costs) with no minimum amount required. The web trading platform is straightforward and efficient – users typically get up to speed within minutes. The same applies to its mobile app. On the downside, there is no in-depth fundamental research, a €2.50 annual connectivity fee per exchange applies, and price alerts are not natively supported.
On security, DEGIRO is the Dutch arm of flatexDEGIRO Bank AG, a German-regulated bank supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank. Client securities are held in a separate legal entity (a custodian SPV), keeping them segregated from DEGIRO’s own balance sheet. In the unlikely event that segregated assets cannot be returned to clients, DEGIRO falls under the German Investor Compensation Scheme, which compensates eligible losses up to 90% of the loss, capped at €20,000.
Additionally, any cash held in a DEGIRO Cash Account with flatexDEGIRO Bank AG is protected up to €100,000 under the German Deposit Guarantee Scheme.
Still have questions? Read our DEGIRO review.
Which platform should you choose?
Some factors to consider when choosing an online broker include: the fees charged, whether it is regulated by top-tier authorities (such as the AFM in the Netherlands, BaFin in Germany, AMF in France, FCA in the UK, or CySEC in Cyprus), the range of products available (not all platforms support EU-listed stocks), the investor compensation scheme in place, and how easy the platform is to use day-to-day.
The best online broker for you will ultimately depend on your investor profile, preferences, and objectives. Explore the platforms covered above, compare their disclosures and fee structures carefully, and decide which one fits your situation best.
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 due diligence about the services and opportunities best suited for their risk, returns, and impact strategy.
Other FAQs about Robinhood
How exactly does Robinhood make money?
The online broker earns money from interest earned on customers’ cash balances (money in your account not invested), by selling order information to third parties (high-frequency traders, for instance), and margin lending.
Regarding the selling of orders, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is still investigating Robinhood for not fully disclosing its practice of selling clients’ orders to high-speed trading firms.
Until October 2018, Robinhood would not clearly state that it was receiving payments for order flows. By law, any financial company must reveal all the material facts an investor would want to know before making any investment decision.
