To help you to find the best online brokers for buy-and-hold strategies in Europe, we went ahead and did the research for you. First, we looked at 94 quality online brokers, then we checked and compared their fees, products, trading platforms, deposit and withdrawal conditions and more. We dug deep, so you won't have to.
In the end, 5 brokers made it to the top in Europe. We highly recommend all 5 to you. And now, without further ado...
Our top 5 picks for the best online brokers for buy-and-hold investors in Europe:
- Firstrade is the winner. Free stock, ETF, fund and options trading. Solid research tools. Quality educational tools.
- DEGIRO takes second place. One of the lowest fees on the market. Regulated by multiple top-tier authorities. Easy-to-use web and mobile platform.
- Swissquote rounds out the top three. Access to many markets and products. No inactivity fee. Rock-solid background.
- flatex came in at number four. Low stock, ETF, fund and bond fees. Strong company background. Great educational tools.
- LYNX just made it to the list, at number five. Wide range of markets and products. Low stock and ETF trading fees. Great mobile platform.
| Broker | Description | Overall score | Award | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Firstrade | US discount broker | 4.4 | Best IRA broker |
| #2 | DEGIRO | German-Dutch discount broker | 4.8 | Best discount broker |
| #3 | Swissquote | Swiss investment bank | 4.7 | |
| #4 | flatex | Germany-based stockbroker | 4.2 | |
| #5 | LYNX | Netherlands-based stockbroker | 4.2 |
All of these 5 brokers are considered safe, as they are all regulated by top-tier financial authorities.
What makes a good online broker for long-term investing? First, they need to offer fair fees for stock and ETF trading, while mutual fund and bond fees are also relevant. Second, the inactivity fee shouldn't be high. Finally, we rated it as a positive if the broker provides a wide range of products to trade.
All that is easy to list, but hard to figure out. That's why we are testing brokers along more than 300 criteria, using real accounts and real money. So we know what's up.
Not sure which broker is best for you? For a tailored recommendation, check out our broker finder tool. You can enter your country and it will narrow down the list of brokers to those that are available where you live. Want more details? Compare brokers with our in-depth comparison tool.
Obligatory, but important note: some of the brokers offer CFD products. These are complex and very risky, thus not suitable for everyone. You can easily lose all of your invested money. If you have no idea what a CFD is, start with these CFD trading tips.
For buy-and-hold investors, it is probably a better option to buy stocks directly rather than via CFDs.
And now, let's see the best stock brokers in Europe one by one, starting with the winner, Firstrade.
#1 Best online broker for investors
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 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 |
#1 Firstrade
Fees
Firstrade has low fees. It offers free stock, ETF, funds, and options trading with low non-trading fees. However, margin rates are high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low trading fees | • High margin rates |
| • Low non-trading fees | |
| • Free stock, ETF, fund and options trading |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF fee scores | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars | 1.1 stars | 3.9 stars | 4.1 stars |
| Mutual fund fee scores | 5.0 stars | 3.4 stars | 3.7 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.0 stars |
| Bond fee scores | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars | 1.9 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.5 stars |
| US stock fee* | $0.0 | $0.7 | $25.0 | $7.1 | $5.0 |
| German stock fee* | - | $5.8 | $30.0 | $7.1 | $7.2 |
| UK stock fee* | - | $2.8 | $35.0 | - | $12.6 |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fee | No inactivity fee | No inactivity fee charged | No inactivity fee | Called 'platform fee'; €5 per month. |
*Commissions for opening/closing a $2,000 stock/ETF position
#1 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.
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 5 | 31 | 60 | 22 | 78 |
| ETFs (#) | 2,300 | 5,400 | 1,400 | 1,000 | 13,000 |
| Fund providers (#) | 450 | 64 | 340 | 60 | 260 |
| Bonds (#) | 38,500 | 649 | 53,400 | 30,000 | 60,000 |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forex | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Crypto | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
#1 Firstrade
Account opening
Account opening is fully digital and user-friendly, and is open to some international customers as well. On the flip side, the process was slow for us, taking almost 3 business days.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Slow account verification |
| • No minimum deposit | |
| • Low minimum deposit |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $3,600 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | >3 days | >3 days |
#1 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 |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 |
#1 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.
Their services have 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. |
| Overall score | 4.4 |
| Recommended for | Beginners and investors looking for zero-commission trading, focusing on the US market |
#2 Best online broker for investors
DEGIRO
DEGIRO review summary
DEGIRO is a German-Dutch online discount broker. It was established in 2008 by former employees of another brokerage company in the Netherlands. DEGIRO merged with flatexDEGIRO Bank AG in early 2021, creating the biggest online execution-only broker in Europe with its own banking license.
DEGIRO is regulated by top-tier financial authorities such as the BaFin in Germany.
Disclaimer: Investing involves risk of loss.
Disclaimer for UK clients: Deemed authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The nature and extent of consumer protections may differ from those for firms based in the UK. Details of the Temporary Permissions Regime, which allows EEA-based firms to operate in the UK for a limited period while seeking full authorisation, are available on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website.
Our overall DEGIRO rating
Compare this broker to the best DEGIRO alternative here.
Recommended for traders and investors looking for execution only
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • One of the lowest fees on the market | • Forex not available |
| • Regulated by multiple top-tier authorities | • Limited research tools |
| • Easy-to-use web and mobile platform | • No credit/debit card deposit |
#2 DEGIRO
Fees
DEGIRO has low trading fees for all asset classes, from stocks to options. Non-trading fees are also low, as there are no inactivity or withdrawal fees.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No inactivity fee | • Higher trading fees for Asian and smaller European stock exchanges |
| • Low stock and ETF fees |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF fee scores | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars | 1.1 stars | 3.9 stars | 4.1 stars |
| Mutual fund fee scores | 5.0 stars | 3.4 stars | 3.7 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.0 stars |
| Bond fee scores | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars | 1.9 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.5 stars |
| US stock fee* | $0.0 | $0.7 | $25.0 | $7.1 | $5.0 |
| German stock fee* | - | $5.8 | $30.0 | $7.1 | $7.2 |
| UK stock fee* | - | $2.8 | $35.0 | - | $12.6 |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fee | No inactivity fee | No inactivity fee charged | No inactivity fee | Called 'platform fee'; €5 per month. |
*Commissions for opening/closing a $2,000 stock/ETF position
#2 DEGIRO
Markets and products
At DEGIRO, you can access many markets and trade a lot of different products. CFD and forex are not available, though.
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 5 | 31 | 60 | 22 | 78 |
| ETFs (#) | 2,300 | 5,400 | 1,400 | 1,000 | 13,000 |
| Fund providers (#) | 450 | 64 | 340 | 60 | 260 |
| Bonds (#) | 38,500 | 649 | 53,400 | 30,000 | 60,000 |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forex | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Crypto | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
#2 DEGIRO
Account opening
The account opening process at DEGIRO is fast, fully digital, and no minimum deposit is required.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fast | None |
| • Fully digital | |
| • No minimum deposit |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $3,600 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | >3 days | >3 days |
#2 DEGIRO
Deposit and withdrawal
DEGIRO deposits and withdrawals are free of charge via bank transfer. On the other hand, you cannot deposit funds using a credit or debit card.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Free withdrawal | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • No deposit fee | |
| • Several account base currencies |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 |
#2 DEGIRO
Verdict
DEGIRO is a good choice if you want a simple platform and don’t want to spend too much on fees.
Transaction costs are generally very low. DEGIRO also has one of the best trading platforms for Europeans. In addition, the account opening process is fast.
On the other hand, as DEGIRO is an execution-only broker, research tools are limited. We should also mention that there is no forex trading, and most clients can only deposit and withdraw by bank transfer.
All in all, DEGIRO is a great online broker. There is no minimum deposit and no inactivity fee, so feel free to go ahead and give it a try.
| DEGIRO | |
|---|---|
| Summary | DEGIRO is a discount broker that merged with flatexDEGIRO Bank AG and is supervised by the German financial regulator |
| Overall score | 4.8 |
| Recommended for | Traders and investors looking for execution only |
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#3 Best online broker for investors
Swissquote
Swissquote is a Swiss investment bank established in 1996. It has two main trading arms: a Swiss unit for trading stocks, funds, options and futures, and a company in the UK for CFDs and forex.
Formally, Swissquote Bank Ltd is based in Switzerland and is regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), the country's financial regulator.
The other entity, Swissquote Ltd, is Luxembourg and offers CFDs and forex trading. It is regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), Luxembourg's regulator. The purpose of this entity is to grant access to the European markets after Brexit. The UK entity remained only for UK clients
Swissquote is considered safe because Swissquote Bank Ltd has a banking license, it is listed on the Swiss stock exchange, discloses detailed financials regularly and has a long track record.
Here, we focus mainly on the Swiss entity, sometimes referred to as "Swissquote (CH)". Throughout our content, we will refer to the Luxembourg-based entity as "Swissquote Europe (LUX)".
Recommended for affluent investors who value safety and are ok with higher fees
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Access to many markets and products | • High trading fees |
| • No inactivity fee | • Confusing trading platform selection |
| • Rock-solid background | • Some research tools are not free |
#3 Swissquote
Fees
Swissquote charges no inactivity fee and you can trade an impressive selection of funds for favorable fees. On the other hand, trading fees are generally high, including stocks and ETFs fees, and there is a fee for withdrawing your money.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low fund fees | • High stock and ETF fees |
| • No inactivity fee | • High bond fees |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF fee scores | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars | 1.1 stars | 3.9 stars | 4.1 stars |
| Mutual fund fee scores | 5.0 stars | 3.4 stars | 3.7 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.0 stars |
| Bond fee scores | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars | 1.9 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.5 stars |
| US stock fee* | $0.0 | $0.7 | $25.0 | $7.1 | $5.0 |
| German stock fee* | - | $5.8 | $30.0 | $7.1 | $7.2 |
| UK stock fee* | - | $2.8 | $35.0 | - | $12.6 |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fee | No inactivity fee | No inactivity fee charged | No inactivity fee | Called 'platform fee'; €5 per month. |
*Commissions for opening/closing a $2,000 stock/ETF position
#3 Swissquote
Markets and products
At Swissquote (CH) you can access many markets and trade with a lot of different product types. At Swissquote Bank (LUX) you can trade forex and CFDs too.
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 5 | 31 | 60 | 22 | 78 |
| ETFs (#) | 2,300 | 5,400 | 1,400 | 1,000 | 13,000 |
| Fund providers (#) | 450 | 64 | 340 | 60 | 260 |
| Bonds (#) | 38,500 | 649 | 53,400 | 30,000 | 60,000 |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forex | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Crypto | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
#3 Swissquote
Account opening
Swissquote offers a fully digital account opening process, although we encountered wait times. There is no minimum deposit for trading accounts, but a high minimum for forex and robo-advisory accounts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Long wait times |
| • No minimum deposit for trading account | • Forex and robo-advisor accounts have high minimum deposit |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $3,600 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | >3 days | >3 days |
#3 Swissquote
Deposit and withdrawal
Depositing at Swissquote is quick with credit/debit card and can be done in several base currencies. On the negative side, you can only withdraw money via bank transfer, and the Swiss entity charges fees.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • Swiss entity charges withdrawal and deposit fees |
| • Several account base currencies |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 |
#3 Swissquote
Verdict
Swissquote is an investment bank with a rock-solid background:
- It is Swiss,
- it is listed on an exchange
- and it is a bank.
It has two main entities, one in the UK and one in Switzerland. If you open an account at the London-based entity you can trade forex and CFDs, while the Swiss entity gives you access to assets ranging from stocks to options.
Swissquote offers a broad range of products across many markets. There are many stocks, mutual funds, and a lot of different other types of products, from bonds to cryptos.
However, nothing is free: Swissquote's trading fees are relatively high.
All in all, Swissquote is a great stockbroker. As you can trade many products and no inactivity fee is charged, feel free to give it a try.
| Swissquote | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Swissquote is a Swiss online broker with a banking license. It is listed on the Swiss stock exchange and regulated by several authorities globally, including the top-tier UK FCA. |
| Overall score | 4.7 |
| Recommended for | Affluent investors who value safety and are OK with higher fees |
#4 Best online broker for investors
flatex
flatex is a Germany-based stockbroker, regulated by Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). It was originally established as PRE.IPO AG in 1999 and received its banking and brokerage license in 2005, when the company was renamed flatex.
flatex is considered safe because it has a long track record, is listed on a stock exchange, has a banking background, discloses its financials and is regulated by a top-tier authority.
In 2019, flatex AG acquired 100% of DEGIRO. Currently they operate as separate entities, with flatex strengthening DEGIRO's regulatory backbone.
Being a German broker, all of flatex's trading services are available only in German.
Recommended for investors and traders speaking german and focusing on european securities
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low stock, ETF, fund and bond fees | • High forex fees and margin rates |
| • Strong company background | • Complicated account opening for non-German residents |
| • Great educational tools | • Only bank transfer available for deposits and withdrawals |
#4 flatex
Fees
flatex has favorable pricing for trading stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and bonds. On the negative side, forex fees and margin rates are high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low non-trading fees | • High forex fees |
| • Low stock and ETF fees / Free stock trading | • High margin rates |
| • Low fund fees |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF fee scores | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars | 1.1 stars | 3.9 stars | 4.1 stars |
| Mutual fund fee scores | 5.0 stars | 3.4 stars | 3.7 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.0 stars |
| Bond fee scores | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars | 1.9 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.5 stars |
| US stock fee* | $0.0 | $0.7 | $25.0 | $7.1 | $5.0 |
| German stock fee* | - | $5.8 | $30.0 | $7.1 | $7.2 |
| UK stock fee* | - | $2.8 | $35.0 | - | $12.6 |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fee | No inactivity fee | No inactivity fee charged | No inactivity fee | Called 'platform fee'; €5 per month. |
*Commissions for opening/closing a $2,000 stock/ETF position
#4 flatex
Markets and products
At flatex you can trade almost all product types except options, futures and cryptos. There are also special products like warrants, certificates and turbos. Most available exchanges focus on EU markets.
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 5 | 31 | 60 | 22 | 78 |
| ETFs (#) | 2,300 | 5,400 | 1,400 | 1,000 | 13,000 |
| Fund providers (#) | 450 | 64 | 340 | 60 | 260 |
| Bonds (#) | 38,500 | 649 | 53,400 | 30,000 | 60,000 |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forex | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Crypto | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
#4 flatex
Account opening
Account opening at flatex is easy and fully digital for German and Austrian residents, but complicated and long for other clients.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No minimum deposit | • Slow |
| • Fully digital account opening for German/Austrian clients | • Not fully digital |
| • Not user-friendly |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $3,600 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | >3 days | >3 days |
#4 flatex
Deposit and withdrawal
Deposits and withdrawals at flatex are free of charge, but only bank transfer is available. This means the process can take a couple of days.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Free withdrawal | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • No deposit fee | • Slow withdrawal - over 3 days |
| • User-friendly |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 |
#4 flatex
Verdict
flatex is great for those who are looking for long-term investments and have a good command of German.
Investing in stocks, funds, and ETFs is cheaper at flatex than at its German competitors. Also, it has extra savings and mutual fund plans for long-term investors. Because it is listed on the stock exchange, flatex's financials are clear and transparent. It also offers high-quality educational materials to help you understand trading with the broker's services.
On the negative side, forex fees and margin rates are high. The account opening for non-German citizens is complicated and you can only use bank transfer for deposits and withdrawals. We also missed the option to switch to English during account opening and on the web and mobile trading platforms. Despite this, most of the time customer service could help us out in English.
As there is no required minimum deposit or inactivity fee, feel free to go ahead and try flatex.
| flatex | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Flatex is a German broker regulated by top-tier authorities such as the German BaFin. In addition, flatex is listed on Stuttgart Stock Exchange and has a banking background. |
| Overall score | 4.2 |
| Recommended for | Investors and traders speaking German and focusing on European securities |
#5 Best online broker for investors
LYNX
LYNX is a Netherlands-based stockbroker founded in 2006.
LYNX is an introducing broker of Interactive Brokers (IB). In practice, this means that your deposited funds will be held by IB but fees are charged by LYNX. You can also use IB's trading platforms.
LYNX is considered safe because both LYNX and Interactive Brokers are regulated by top-tier financial authorities.
Recommended for any european traders looking for low stock and etf fees and a good mobile trading platform
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Wide range of markets and products | • Deposit and withdrawal options limited |
| • Low stock and ETF trading fees | • €3,000 minimum deposit |
| • Great mobile platform | • Overly complex desktop platform |
#5 LYNX
Fees
LYNX has low trading fees for stocks, ETFs and funds, but its options fees are high and it also charges an inactivity fee.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low stock and ETF fees / Free stock trading | • Inactivity fee |
| • Low fund fees | • High options fees |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF fee scores | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars | 1.1 stars | 3.9 stars | 4.1 stars |
| Mutual fund fee scores | 5.0 stars | 3.4 stars | 3.7 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.0 stars |
| Bond fee scores | 5.0 stars | 4.8 stars | 1.9 stars | 4.8 stars | 4.5 stars |
| US stock fee* | $0.0 | $0.7 | $25.0 | $7.1 | $5.0 |
| German stock fee* | - | $5.8 | $30.0 | $7.1 | $7.2 |
| UK stock fee* | - | $2.8 | $35.0 | - | $12.6 |
| Inactivity fee | No inactivity fee | No inactivity fee | No inactivity fee charged | No inactivity fee | Called 'platform fee'; €5 per month. |
*Commissions for opening/closing a $2,000 stock/ETF position
#5 LYNX
Markets and products
At LYNX, you can trade the full spectrum of asset classes and gain access to many markets.
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 5 | 31 | 60 | 22 | 78 |
| ETFs (#) | 2,300 | 5,400 | 1,400 | 1,000 | 13,000 |
| Fund providers (#) | 450 | 64 | 340 | 60 | 260 |
| Bonds (#) | 38,500 | 649 | 53,400 | 30,000 | 60,000 |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forex | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Crypto | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
#5 LYNX
Account opening
The account opening process at LYNX is smooth and fully digital, but it took us over three days to complete, and there is a high €3,000 minimum deposit.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Slow |
| • User-friendly | • The minimum deposit is €3,000 |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $3,600 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | >3 days | >3 days |
#5 LYNX
Deposit and withdrawal
You can fund your account in many base currencies, and you have one free withdrawal per month. However, you can only use bank transfer.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • Several account base currencies | |
| • One free withdrawal per month |
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 |
#5 LYNX
Verdict
LYNX has low stock and ETF trading fees, a great mobile trading platform, and offers a wide range of markets and products.
On the other hand, deposit and withdrawal options are limited to bank transfers. There is also a steep €3,000 minimum deposit and the desktop platform is too complex for most users.
Feel free to try LYNX if you are a European client seeking low stock and ETF trading fees and a good mobile trading platform.
| LYNX | |
|---|---|
| Summary | LYNX is a Dutch stockbroker established in 2006. It is regulated by the Dutch FMA. |
| Overall score | 4.2 |
| Recommended for | any European traders looking for low stock and ETF fees and a good mobile trading platform |
Best online brokers for buy-and-hold investors in Europe
What makes a good online broker
Now you know the top 5 online brokers for buy-and-hold strategies. You're probably curious about how we put together this list, so let's go through a few points quickly. What is an online broker? Why do we believe these brokers are safe? What were our most important factors when selecting the best online brokers?
What is an online broker?
Thirty years ago if you wanted to buy a stock, you had to pick up the phone and call your broker, who executed the transaction in return for a commission. Brokers were like in the movie "The Wolf of Wall Street": constantly checking stocks prices while holding a phone and shouting. Everything changed after the internet appeared. Nowadays if you want to buy Apple shares, you open an account online, deposit money and place the order through the broker's online platform. These brokers are the online brokers. Online brokers help you to buy and sell securities like stocks. After placing your order, the online broker executes it immediately. Everything is done online.
Are these brokers safe?
Yes, all of these brokers are considered safe. You can be sure none of them is a scam. They are regulated by top-tier financial authorities. Some of them are also listed on an exchange, and some have a banking background.
However, brokerage companies can also go bust. Remember Lehman Brothers? In these cases, it is important to know what happens with your securities and cash. They are usually held in segregated accounts, so even in case of a broker bankruptcy, your money is safe.
If a worst-case scenario happens and, for example, the broker steals your assets, then you have a last resort: the compensation fund of the country where the broker is regulated.
How did BrokerChooser pick the best international online brokers for citizens in Europe?
At BrokerChooser we test online brokers along more than 300 criteria, with a real account and real money. In order not to overwhelm you, here are just the five most important criteria for online brokers:
| 1. Fees | The trading fee of a typical US stock trade can be 50 times higher at one online broker compared to another. So it's worth checking the fees closely. |
| 2. Products and markets | You want to invest in Amazon stocks and Bitcoin? They might not be available everywhere. Check the broker's product coverage before opening an account. |
| 3. Account opening | Some online brokers require a minimum first-time deposit, others don't. Check out the conditions of the best online brokers. |
| 4. Deposit and withdrawal | Transferring money in and out of your account can be 5 times longer and more expensive at one online broker than at another. |
| 5. Trading platform | A user-friendly and well-equipped trading platform can significantly increase your comfort with trading. |
Best online brokers for buy-and-hold investors in Europe
Bottom line
You've seen the details, now let's zoom out. Here are once again the best online brokers for buy-and-hold investors in Europe:
| Firstrade | DEGIRO | Swissquote | flatex | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Award | Best IRA broker | Best discount broker | |||
| Stock fee class | Low | Low | High | Low | Low |
| Fund fee class | Low | Average | Low | Low | Low |
| Bond fee class | Low | Low | High | Low | Low |
| Markets and products score | 2.8 stars | 3.5 stars | 5.0 stars | 4.2 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Account opening score | 4.4 stars | 5.0 stars | 4.0 stars | 2.0 stars | 2.5 stars |
| Deposit and withdrawal score | 2.0 stars | 3.3 stars | 4.6 stars | 3.0 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Web platform score | 4.3 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.5 stars | 3.3 stars |
| Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker |
Firstrade is our winner, the best online broker for long-term investing in Europe. Free stock, ETF, fund and options trading. Solid research tools. Quality educational tools.
All the other brokers in the top five are considered great choices as well. Pick any of them and take the next step in your investment journey. Let us know what you think in the comment section.
Still unsure? Use our broker finder to find the best online broker for you or learn more about investing your money.
