Best stock brokers for Europeans in 2021

To help you to find the best stock broker in Europe, we went ahead and did the research for you. First, we selected 78 quality stock brokers, scrutinized their trading and non-trading fees, with special focus on stock fees, inactivity fees and withdrawal fees. Then we took measure of their stock selection, trading platforms and more. We went deep, so you won't have to.

5 brokers made it to the top in Europe and we highly recommend all 5 to you. And now, without further ado...

Our top 5 picks for the best stock brokers of 2021 for Europe citizens:

1. DEGIRO is the winner. One of the lowest fees on the market. Regulated by multiple top-tier authorities. Easy-to-use web and mobile platform.
2. Interactive Brokers came second. Low trading fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
3. Zacks Trade rounds out the top three. Low fees. Extensive stock and ETF selection. Great customer service.
4. TradeStation Global, numero quattro. Low stock and ETF fees. Wide range of products. Fast customer service.
5. eToro, just made it to the list in fifth place. Free stock and ETF trading . Seamless account opening. Social trading experience.

What makes a good stock broker? First, they need to have fair fees. It is especially important that their commissions, inactivity fees and withdrawal fees are low or close to zero. They should also offer a great selection of exchanges and stocks. Finally, it weighs heavily if the overall profile of the broker - platforms, safety, account opening process - makes the mark .

The key factors are easy to list, but hard to figure out. We test brokers along ~300 criteria with real accounts and real money. We know what's up.

Not sure which broker to choose? For a tailored recommendation, check out our broker finder tool. If you enter the name of your country and your preferences, it will display relevant matches only. Want more details? Compare brokers with our in-depth comparison table.

Boring, but important stuff: Some brokers' portfolios contain CFDs. These are complex and very risky products, therefore not suitable for everyone. You can easily lose all your invested money when you trade CFDs. If you would like a more detailed explanation of what a CFD is, start with these CFD trading tips.

And now, let's see the best stock brokers in Europe one by one, starting with the winner, DEGIRO.

DEGIRO is a Dutch online discount broker. It is privately owned and was established in 2008 by former employees of another brokerage company.

DEGIRO is regulated by top-tier financial authorities such as the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and the Dutch Central Bank (DNB). It is registered with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Amsterdam.

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.

Recommended for price-sensitive buy-and-hold investors and traders looking only to carry out transactions

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#1 DEGIRO
Stock trading fees

DEGIRO stock trading fees are low.

It is not so easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. What did we do at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in two popular markets, the US and the UK.

A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 and then sell them.

This catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if they apply), and commissions for all brokers.

Here is the verdict:

All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding it for a week, and closing it.

Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:

Non-trading fees

DEGIRO has low non-trading fees.

Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.

#1 DEGIRO
Account opening

5.0

The account opening process at DEGIRO is fast, fully digital, and no minimum deposit is required.

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#1 DEGIRO
Deposit and withdrawal

3.3

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.

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#1 DEGIRO
Markets and products

3.5

At DEGIRO, you can access many markets and trade a lot of different products. CFD and forex are not available, though.

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#1 DEGIRO
Web trading platform

3.9

DEGIRO's web platform is simple and easy to use, even for beginners. On the negative side, you cannot set price alerts.

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#1 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, education and 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.

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Interactive Brokers was founded in 1978 and is one of the biggest US-based discount brokers. The broker is regulated by several financial authorities globally, including top-tier ones like the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

As it has licenses from multiple top-tier regulators, Interactive Brokers is considered safe. Having a long track record and publicly disclosed financials while being listed on a stock exchange are also great signs for its safety.

Recommended for traders looking for low fees and a professional trading environment

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#2 Interactive Brokers
Stock trading fees

Interactive Brokers stock trading fees are low.

It is not so easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. What did we do at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in two popular markets, the US and the UK.

A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 and then sell them.

This catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if they apply), and commissions for all brokers.

Here is the verdict:

All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding it for a week, and closing it.

Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:

Non-trading fees

Interactive Brokers has average non-trading fees.

Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.

#2 Interactive Brokers
Account opening

3.4

IB's account opening process is fully digital and the required minimum deposit is low. On the negative side, the process is complicated, and account verification takes relatively long.

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#2 Interactive Brokers
Deposit and withdrawal

3.5

Interactive Brokers offers many account base currency options and one free withdrawal per month. The main drawback is that you can only use bank transfer.

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#2 Interactive Brokers
Markets and products

5.0

Through Interactive Brokers, you can access an extremely wide range of markets, and all product types are available.

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#2 Interactive Brokers
Web trading platform

4.3

Interactive Brokers's web platform is simple and easy to use, even for beginners. On the negative side, it is not customizable.

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#2 Interactive Brokers
Verdict

Interactive Brokers is one of the biggest US-based discount brokers, regulated by several top-tier regulators globally. We recommend this broker mainly for advanced traders.

On the plus side, IB has low fees, a vast range of available markets and products, and diverse research tools. 

There are some drawbacks, though: there is a high forex fees, and the account opening process is complicated. The desktop platform is complex and hard to get a handle on, especially for beginners.

If you have experience navigating complex platforms and enjoy transparent, low-cost trading, Interactive Brokers could be a great fit for you.

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Zacks Trade is a US-based discount broker and a division of LBMZ Securities. LBMZ Securities was founded in 1978 and is regulated by the top-tier US financial authorities SEC and FINRA.

LBMZ Securities's clearing and execution services are provided through Interactive Brokers, a global stockbroker regulated by many top-tier financial authorities globally.

If you're familiar with the services of Interactive Brokers, you might notice that many of Zacks Trade's services are the same. To sum up:

• Zacks Trade has its own, different fee structure, product selection, educational tools and customer support.
• The account opening and deposit/withdrawal processes, trading platforms and research tools are the same as at Interactive Brokers.

Zacks Trade is considered safe because it has a long track record and is overseen by top-tier regulators. 

Recommended for traders and investors looking for comprehensive research tools, a wide product selection and low fees

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#3 Zacks Trade
Stock trading fees

Zacks Trade stock trading fees are low.

It is not so easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. What did we do at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in two popular markets, the US and the UK.

A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 and then sell them.

This catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if they apply), and commissions for all brokers.

Here is the verdict:

All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding it for a week, and closing it.

Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:

Non-trading fees

Zacks Trade has low non-trading fees.

Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.

#3 Zacks Trade
Account opening

2.8

Zacks Trade has a fully digital account opening for clients all over the world, and there is no minimum deposit. On the negative side, we found the process slow and hard to navigate.

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#3 Zacks Trade
Deposit and withdrawal

3.5

Zacks Trade offers one free withdrawal per month for nearly all base currencies. However, you cannot use credit/debit cards or electronic wallets to deposit or withdraw funds.

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#3 Zacks Trade
Markets and products

3.8

Zacks Trade offers international stocks, ETFs and bonds, which is fairly unique for a US broker, as well as US funds and options. However, you cannot trade futures or forex.

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#3 Zacks Trade
Web trading platform

4.5

The Zacks Trade web platform is simple and easy to use even for beginners. On the negative side, it is not customizable.

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#3 Zacks Trade
Verdict

Zacks Trade is a great US discount broker. It is a division of LBMZ Securities, which is regulated by the SEC and FINRA.

On the plus side, Zacks Trade has low fees, outstanding stock and ETF selections and great customer service.

There are some drawbacks though, as its desktop trading platform and research tools are quite complex. The account opening is complicated and slow. Lastly, we missed some useful educational tools.

As Zacks Trade provides a demo account and doesn't require any minimum deposit, feel free to try it.

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TradeStation Global is the brand of TradeStation International Ltd, which is based in the UK and is regulated by the top-tier Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

TradeStation Global is a combined product offered by Interactive Brokers (IB) and TradeStation. Here are its most important elements:

• The account opening, deposit/withdrawal options, and available products are the same as at Interactive Brokers.
• You can use both Interactive Brokers's and TradeStation's own desktop platform.
• TradeStation Global charges its own fees, and offers its own customer support and educational tools.

Both Interactive Brokers and TradeStation are reputable brokers, regulated by top-tier financial authorities. While Interactive Brokers is listed on the NASDAQ, TradeStation itself is not: only TradeStation's parent company Monex is listed, on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Recommended for traders and investors looking for low fees and a wide selection of products

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#4 TradeStation Global
Stock trading fees

TradeStation Global stock trading fees are low.

It is not so easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. What did we do at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in two popular markets, the US and the UK.

A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 and then sell them.

This catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if they apply), and commissions for all brokers.

Here is the verdict:

All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding it for a week, and closing it.

Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:

Non-trading fees

TradeStation Global has low non-trading fees.

Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.

#4 TradeStation Global
Account opening

2.8

TradeStation Global's account opening is fully digital and fast, but the process is complicated, and there's a high $1,000 minimum deposit required in order to use TSG's own desktop platform.

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#4 TradeStation Global
Deposit and withdrawal

3.5

TradeStation Global offers many account base currency options and one free withdrawal per month. The main drawback is that you can only use bank transfer.

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#4 TradeStation Global
Markets and products

5.0

With TradeStation Global, you can access the same range of product types and exchanges as at Interactive Brokers. This selection is one of the widest among online brokers.

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#4 TradeStation Global
Web trading platform

4.3

You can use your TradeStation Global account to log in to the Interactive Brokers web trading platform. The TSG Client Portal is simple and easy to use even for beginners. On the negative side, it is not customizable.

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#4 TradeStation Global
Verdict

TradeStation Global has low stock/ETF fees, provides access to a lot of products and markets and has great customer support. The TradeStation Global desktop platform has great charting tools, plenty of indicators, highly customizable watchlists (Radar Screen) and a great programming tool (EasyLanguage).

On the other hand, the deposit and withdrawal process is not user-friendly and you can use only bank transfer. The account opening is complicated, and for full account verification to use the TSG desktop trading platform, a minimum deposit of $1,000 is required.

If you want access to IB's product range and an account without inactivity fees, feel free to try TradeStation Global.

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eToro is a well-known Israeli fintech company, 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 site 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.

Recommended for traders interested in social trading (i.e. copying other investors’ trades) & zero commission stock trading

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Your capital is at risk

#5 eToro
Stock trading fees

eToro stock trading fees are low.

It is not so easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. What did we do at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in two popular markets, the US and the UK.

A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 and then sell them.

This catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if they apply), and commissions for all brokers.

Here is the verdict:

All spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding it for a week, and closing it.

Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:

Non-trading fees

eToro has high non-trading fees.

Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.

#5 eToro
Account opening

5.0

Account opening at eToro is seamless and very fast.

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#5 eToro
Deposit and withdrawal

3.5

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.

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Your capital is at risk

#5 eToro
Markets and products

3.8

At eToro you can trade with CFDs and forex, as well as real stocks, ETFs and many cryptocurrencies. In addition, the broker offers innovative services like social trading and CopyPortfolio.

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#5 eToro
Web trading platform

4.4

eToro offers a user-friendly and well-designed web trading platform. Social trading is available, too. On the other hand, the customizability is limited.

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#5 eToro
Verdict

eToro has 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.

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.

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.

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.

Past performance is not an indication of future results.

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.

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Now that you know which are the top 5 brokers, you are probably curious how we came up with the list. Let's go through a few points quickly. What is an online broker? Why do we think these brokers are safe? What are the 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 characters in the movie 'Wolf of Wall Street'. They were constantly monitoring stock prices while holding the phone and shouting. The Internet changed all that. Nowadays, if you want to invest in Apple shares, you open an online account, deposit money, and create an order on the broker\'s online platform. These platforms are the online brokers. Online brokers help you buy and sell securities like stocks and ETFs. After setting up your order, the online broker executes it immediately. The entire process happens online.

Are these brokers safe?

The brokers on this list are all considered safe. You can be sure none of them is a scam. They are regulated by at least one top-tier regulator.

Nevertheless, brokerage companies can still go bust. Remember the collapse of Lehman Brothers? In such cases, it is important to know what happens with your securities and cash. Your funds are usually held in segregated accounts, so even if the broker declares bankruptcy, your funds will be safe.

If, 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 online stock brokers?

We test online brokers based on more than ~300 criteria, with real accounts and real money. We don\'t want to overwhelm you, so we will only list the five most important criteria.

You have seen the details, now let's zoom out. Here are the best stock brokers of 2021 in Europe:

DEGIRO is our winner, having been selected the best stock broker in Europe for 2021. One of the lowest fees on the market. Regulated by multiple top-tier authorities. Easy-to-use web and mobile platform.

We believe that all the stock brokers on our Top 5 list are a great choice. Pick the winner, or one of the runners-up, and take the next step in your investment journey. Let us know what you think in the comments section.

Still unsure? Use our broker finder tool to find the best broker for you or learn more about investing your money.