To help you find the best brokers for free stock trading for Europeans, we went ahead and did the research for you. First, we selected 93 quality online brokers, then checked their stock trading and non-trading fees, the available markets, their product selection and much much more. We went deep, so you won't have to.
A total of 5 stockbrokers made it to the top list and we highly recommend all of them. And now, without further ado...
Our top 5 picks for best brokers for free stock trading of 2021 for Europeans:
- tastyworks is the winner. Low trading fees. Great educational materials. Good research tools.
- Firstrade came in second. Free stock, ETF, fund and options trading. Solid research tools. Quality educational tools.
- Passfolio rounds out the top three. Free US stock and ETF trading. Great mobile platform. Fast and fully digital account opening.
- Trading 212 is numero quattro. Real stocks and ETFs are commission-free. Quick and easy account opening. Great trading platforms.
- eToro just made it to the list in 5th place. Free stock and ETF trading. Seamless account opening. Social trading experience.
| Name | Company info | Trading platform score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | tastyworks | US options and stockbroker | 3.9 stars |
| #2 | Firstrade | US discount broker | 3.5 stars |
| #3 | Passfolio | Global zero-commission stockbroker | 4.1 stars |
| #4 | Trading 212 | Global CFD and forex broker | 4.9 stars |
| #5 | eToro | Global social trading broker | 4.8 stars |
In 2021, a multitude of brokers offer free stock trading, so investors have to look beyond the price of a trade to get a fuller picture. The key factors to check out are hidden prices and high non-trading fees; altogether, any broker worth considering has to offer fair fees. Other services that played a role in selecting the best of the best included login safety, a good trading platform, an excellent search engine as well as a vast selection of available markets and order types. These features are easy to list, but hard to figure out. We tested the stockbrokers with real accounts and real money, so we know what's up.
This is a potentially boring, but important warning: At some brokers you can trade CFDs. These are complex and very risky instruments, thus not suitable for everyone. You can easily lose all your invested money when trading these products. If you need more details on what a CFD is, check out these CFD trading tips
And now, let's see the best brokers for free stock trading one by one. Starting with the winner, tastyworks.
#1 Best brokers for free stock trading for Europeans
tastyworks
tastyworks is a young, up-and-coming US broker focusing on options trading. It is regulated by the top-tier Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) for Australian clients.
The people behind tastyworks are the same experts who built thinkorswim, now operated by TD Ameritrade. tastyworks is privately owned; it was established in 2017 and is headquartered in Chicago.
Recommended for options and futures traders focusing on us markets
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low trading fees | • Limited product selection |
| • Great educational materials | • Few deposit and withdrawal options |
| • Good research tools | • No demo account |
#1 tastyworks
Safety
tastyworks is overseen by top-tier US regulators, giving you strong investor protection. On the flip side, tastyworks isn't listed on a stock exchange and offers no negative balance protection.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Majority of clients belong to a top-tier financial authority | • No negative balance protection |
| • High level of investor protection | • Does not hold a banking license |
| • Financial information is publicly available | • Not listed on stock exchange |
#1 tastyworks
tastyworks trading platforms
| Trading platform | Score | Available |
|---|---|---|
| Web | 3.4 stars | Yes |
| Mobile | 4.2 stars | Yes |
| Desktop | 3.9 stars | Yes |
#1 tastyworks
Deposit and withdrawal
tastyworks's deposit and withdrawal functions are easy to use and there's no deposit fee, but you can use only bank transfer, and withdrawals can be expensive especially for non-US clients.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • User-friendly | • Only one account base currency |
| • Free ACH withdrawals in the US | • High fee for wire withdrawals |
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5 |
#1 tastyworks
Markets and products
At tastyworks, you can trade US stocks, ETFs, options and some futures. Other popular asset classes like mutual funds or bonds are missing, as are international assets.
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 4 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 17 |
| ETFs (#) | 2,200 | 2,300 | 819 | 200 | 145 |
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forex | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Bonds | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Futures | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| CFDs | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
#1 tastyworks
Verdict
tastyworks is an excellent broker for options trading, but it is a bit complicated if you want to trade stocks only.
tastyworks's trading fees are low, with free stock and ETF trading fees. Its trading platform is aimed at experienced options traders and can be intimidating for beginners. However, its educational and research tools are great for learning. Deposit and withdrawal processes could be better, and a demo account would also be great for practice purposes.
As there is no minimum deposit, no inactivity fee, or monthly fee, and the account opening process is seamless, you should feel free to try it.
| tastyworks | |
|---|---|
| Summary | tastyworks is a recently established US options and stockbroker. It is overseen by FINRA, a top-tier regulatory body. |
| Fees score | 4.5 stars |
| Recommended for | Options and futures traders focusing on US markets |
#2 Best brokers for free stock trading for Europeans
Firstrade
Firstrade is a US discount stockbroker regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). The company was founded in 1985 under the name of First Flushing Securities.
Firstrade is considered safe because it has a long track record and is overseen by top-tier regulators.
Recommended for beginners and investors looking for zero-commission trading, focusing on the us market
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Free stock, ETF, fund and options trading | • No credit/debit cards and electronic wallets for money transfer |
| • Solid research tools | • You can trade only on US markets |
| • Quality educational tools | • No live chat or 24/7 availability |
#2 Firstrade
Safety
Firstrade is regulated by top-tier financial authorities, such as SEC and FINRA. You are also protected by a high investor protection amount of $500,000, which includes $250,000 for cash. On the other hand, negative balance protection is not provided.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Majority of clients belong to a top-tier financial authority | • No negative balance protection |
| • High level of investor protection | • Does not hold a banking license |
| • Not listed on stock exchange |
#2 Firstrade
Firstrade trading platforms
| Trading platform | Score | Available |
|---|---|---|
| Web | 4.3 stars | Yes |
| Mobile | 3.3 stars | Yes |
| Desktop | - | No |
#2 Firstrade
Deposit and withdrawal
We liked Firstrade's user-friendly deposit and withdrawal process. There is no deposit fee and transferring money is easy. At the same time, there is still room for improvement: you can use only bank transfers and a high fee is charged for wire transfer withdrawals.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • User-friendly | • Only one account base currency |
| • High outgoing wire transfer fee |
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5 |
#2 Firstrade
Markets and products
Firstrade offers a good variety of asset classes, from stocks to options. However, the products cover only the US market and you cannot trade futures or forex.
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 4 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 17 |
| ETFs (#) | 2,200 | 2,300 | 819 | 200 | 145 |
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forex | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Bonds | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Futures | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| CFDs | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
#2 Firstrade
Verdict
Firstrade is one of the biggest discount US stockbrokers and is regulated by top-tier regulators.
Firstrade offers free stock, ETF, mutual funds, and options trading. It doesn't charge inactivity and account fees, and there are lots of quality research and educational tools you can use.
There are some drawbacks, though. Firstrade doesn't accept credit/debit cards and electronic wallets for money transfer. The product portfolio covers only the US market. Customer service is only available 24/5 and you can't contact them via live chat.
As it has low fees and no inactivity fee is charged, feel free to try Firstrade.
| Firstrade | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Firstrade is a US discount broker regulated by the top-tier SEC and FINRA. |
| Fees score | 4.6 stars |
| Recommended for | Beginners and investors looking for zero-commission trading, focusing on the US market |
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#3 Best brokers for free stock trading for Europeans
Passfolio
Passfolio, a global zero-commission stockbroker, is a young and ambitious brokerage founded in 2018. It is regulated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). In addition to the top-tier regulation, clients also enjoy investor protection under the SIPC policy of Passfolio's clearing firm for up to an additional $30 million (with a cash sub-limit of $900,000 per account), subject to an aggregate limit of $150 million.
Although Passfolio is a global broker, there is a distinct focus on Brazilian customers, as evidenced by the fact that a good portion of the content it offers is available in Portuguese.
Passfolio is considered safe because it is regulated by top-tier authorities and offers extra protection to investors.
Recommended for beginners and long-term investors focusing on the us stock market
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Free US stock and ETF trading | • Limited product portfolio focusing on US markets |
| • Great mobile platform | • Deposit is not user-friendly |
| • Fast and fully digital account opening | • Missing web and desktop platforms |
#3 Passfolio
Safety
Passfolio is regulated by top-tier authorities like the SEC and offers high-level protection. However, it does not have a banking license and is not listed on a stock exchange.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Majority of clients belong to a top-tier financial authority | • Does not hold a banking license |
| • High level of investor protection | • Not listed on stock exchange |
| • Financial information is not publicly available |
#3 Passfolio
Passfolio trading platforms
| Trading platform | Score | Available |
|---|---|---|
| Web | 3.7 stars | Yes |
| Mobile | 4.2 stars | Yes |
| Desktop | - | No |
#3 Passfolio
Deposit and withdrawal
Passfolio's deposit functions are numerous and they all come free of charge. On the other hand, withdrawal is not free and the process of depositing funds is complicated.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • Only one account base currency | |
| • Not user-friendly |
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5 |
#3 Passfolio
Markets and products
Passfolio offers stocks, ETFs, REITs and ADRs traded on US stock exchanges, as well as cryptos. Popular assets such as mutual funds, bonds and options are not available.
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 4 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 17 |
| ETFs (#) | 2,200 | 2,300 | 819 | 200 | 145 |
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forex | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Bonds | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Futures | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| CFDs | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
#3 Passfolio
Verdict
As an up-and-coming brokerage, the main attractive feature of Passfolio is its highly competitive fee structure. You can essentially trade free of charge with an amount exceeding $5, depositing funds is free and the broker doesn't charge any account fees either. The mobile app is exceptionally user-friendly and the account opening and validation was extremely fast.
On the negative side, the range of products is rather limited and customers have access solely to US markets (NYSE/NASDAQ). Depositing funds in your Passfolio account can prove to be a cumbersome process and all withdrawals carry a price tag. Educational materials are pretty scarce, albeit some of high quality, and videos are only available in Portuguese.
Passfolio is ideal for non-US investors looking for an easy-to-use platform to trade in US securities.
| Passfolio | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Passfolio is a US-based commission-free stockbroker focusing on Brazil. It is regulated by both FINRA and SEC, and is available globally for clients. |
| Fees score | 4.5 stars |
| Recommended for | Beginners and long-term investors focusing on the US stock market |
#4 Best brokers for free stock trading for Europeans
Trading 212
Trading 212 review summary
Trading 212 is a global CFD and forex broker, but clients can also trade stocks and ETFs free of charge. The company was founded in 2004 and is now headquartered in London. Trading 212 is regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bulgarian Financial Supervision Commission (FSC).
Trading 212 is considered safe as it is regulated by the top-tier FCA.
Disclaimer: 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.
Our overall Trading 212 rating
Compare this broker to the best Trading 212 alternative here.
Recommended for active cfd and fx traders and investors looking for intuitive trading platforms
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Real stocks and ETFs are commission-free | • Limited product portfolio |
| • Quick and easy account opening | • Missing phone and live chat support |
| • Great trading platforms | • High forex fee |
#4 Trading 212
Safety
Trading 212 is regulated by the top-tier FCA and provides negative balance protection. However, it is not listed on any stock exchange and doesn't have a banking background.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Majority of clients belong to a top-tier financial authority | • Does not hold a banking license |
| • Negative balance protection | • Not listed on stock exchange |
| • Financial information is not publicly available |
#4 Trading 212
Trading 212 trading platforms
| Trading platform | Score | Available |
|---|---|---|
| Web | 4.9 stars | Yes |
| Mobile | 4.9 stars | Yes |
| Desktop | - | No |
#4 Trading 212
Deposit and withdrawal
Trading 212 deposits and withdrawals are free, fast, and can be done in several way. On the negative side, there are only a few account base currencies available in each country.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • Few base currencies available in each country |
| • Free withdrawal | |
| • No deposit fee |
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5 |
#4 Trading 212
Markets and products
Trading 212 focuses mainly on CFDs and forex. You can also trade real stocks and ETFs, but popular asset classes like bonds, mutual funds, options and futures are missing.
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 4 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 17 |
| ETFs (#) | 2,200 | 2,300 | 819 | 200 | 145 |
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forex | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Bonds | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Futures | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| CFDs | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
#4 Trading 212
Verdict
Trading 212 works as a CFD and forex broker regulated by multiple financial supervisory authorities.
On the plus side, Trading 212 offers commission-free stocks and ETFs, while CFD fees and non-trading fees are low as well. The account opening process is seamless and the trading platforms are user-friendly.
However, Trading 212 has a limited product portfolio, lacking popular asset classes such as bonds or options. We missed phone and live chat support, and found forex fees relatively high.
So is Trading 212 good? Trading 212 is a good choice for those interested in investing in equities or trading leveraged forex and CFD products, with the use of a great trading platform. As it offers a demo account, don't hesitate to give it a try.
| Trading 212 | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Trading 212 is a CFD and forex broker regulated by the UK FCA and Bulgarian FSC. In the UK and Germany, Trading212 offers commission-free stock and ETF trading as well. |
| Fees score | 3.3 stars |
| Recommended for | Active CFD and FX traders and investors looking for intuitive trading platforms |
#5 Best brokers for free stock trading for Europeans
eToro
eToro review summary
eToro is a well-known Israeli fintech company and a social trading broker, established in 2007.
eToro serves UK clients through a unit regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Australians through an Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) regulated entity. All other customers are served by a Cypriot unit that is regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
eToro is not listed on any stock exchange, does not disclose its annual report on its website and does not have a bank parent.
eToro is considered safe because its UK and Australian arms are regulated by top-tier financial authorities and it is a well-known fintech company.
Disclaimer: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 75% 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.
Our overall eToro rating
Compare this broker to the best eToro alternative here.
Recommended for traders interested in social trading (i.e. copying other investors’ trades) and zero commission stock trading
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Free stock and ETF trading | • High non-trading fees |
| • Seamless account opening | • Only one account base currency |
| • Social trading experience | • Customer support could be improved |
#5 eToro
Safety
eToro is regulated by top-tier financial authorities like the FCA, and ASIC as well as CySEC. However, it is not listed on any stock exchange, does not disclose financial information and does not have a bank parent.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Majority of clients belong to a top-tier financial authority | • Does not hold a banking license |
| • Negative balance protection | • Not listed on stock exchange |
| • Well-known innovative fintech firm. | • Financial information is not publicly available |
#5 eToro
eToro trading platforms
| Trading platform | Score | Available |
|---|---|---|
| Web | 4.4 stars | Yes |
| Mobile | 4.9 stars | Yes |
| Desktop | - | No |
#5 eToro
Deposit and withdrawal
Depositing money is free and easy, with a lot of available options, including credit cards. However, there is a withdrawal fee and only USD accounts are available.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • Only one account base currency |
| • No deposit fee | • $5 withdrawal fee |
| • User-friendly | • Conversion fee for non-USD deposits |
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5 |
#5 eToro
Markets and products
At eToro, you can trade CFDs and forex, as well as real stocks, ETFs and many cryptos. Innovative services like social trading and CopyPortfolio are also available.
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 4 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 17 |
| ETFs (#) | 2,200 | 2,300 | 819 | 200 | 145 |
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forex | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Bonds | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Futures | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| CFDs | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
#5 eToro
Verdict
How eToro works? eToro offers zero-commission stock trading. The account opening is swift and seamless. It has a lot of innovative features, like social trading and copying other (successful) traders.
It has some drawbacks, though. Non-trading fees are high and eToro only allows USD accounts, which means that conversion costs on deposits and withdrawals can be high in some cases. Live chat is hard to reach and their educational materials could be better.
So is eToro good? Overall, we would recommend eToro for its social trading feature and zero-commission stock trading.
Risk disclaimer
eToro is a multi-asset platform that offers both investing in stocks and crypto assets as well as trading CFD assets.
Disclaimer: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 67% 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.
Cryptoassets are volatile instruments that can fluctuate widely in a very short timeframe and therefore are not appropriate for all investors. Other than via CFDs, trading crypto assets is unregulated and therefore is not supervised by any EU regulatory framework.
eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared by our partner utilizing publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.
| eToro | |
|---|---|
| Summary | eToro is a global social trading broker. It is regulated by top-tier authorities such as the UK FCA or Australia's ASIC. |
| Fees score | 4.4 stars |
| Recommended for | Traders interested in social trading (i.e. copying other investors’ trades) and zero commission stock trading |
Best brokers for free stock trading for Europeans
Bottom line
Now that you have seen the details, let's zoom out. Here are the best brokers for free stock trading of 2021 for Europeans:
| tastyworks | Firstrade | Passfolio | Trading 212 | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock fee class | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low |
| Trading platform combined score | 3.9 stars | 3.5 stars | 4.1 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.8 stars |
| Deposit and withdrawal score | 1.9 stars | 2.0 stars | 1.5 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Markets and products score | 2.6 stars | 2.8 stars | 2.0 stars | 3.9 stars | 3.8 stars |
tastyworks is our winner, selected as the best broker for free stock trading for Europeans. Low trading fees. Great educational materials. Good research tools.
We consider all these stockbrokers a great choice. Feel free to pick the winner or any runner-up and take the next step in your investment journey. Let us know what you think in the comments section.
Still unsure which broker to choose? Use our the broker finder tool to find the best broker for you or learn more about investing your money.
