To help you to find the best stock broker in Europe, we went ahead and did the research for you. First, we selected 91 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:
- 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.
- Interactive Brokers came second. Low trading fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
- eToro rounds out the top three. Free stock and ETF trading. Seamless account opening. Social trading experience.
- tastyworks, numero quattro. Low trading fees. Great educational materials. Good research tools.
- Firstrade, just made it to the list in fifth place. Free stock, ETF, fund and options trading. Solid research tools. Quality educational tools.
| Broker | Info | Score | Best in | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | DEGIRO | German-Dutch discount broker | 4.8 | Best discount broker |
| #2 | Interactive Brokers | US discount broker | 4.9 | Best online broker |
| #3 | eToro | Global social trading broker | 4.7 | Best broker for cryptos |
| #4 | tastyworks | US options and stockbroker | 4.7 | Best broker for options |
| #5 | Firstrade | US discount broker | 4.3 | Best IRA broker |
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.
#1 Best stock broker
DEGIRO
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.
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 |
#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:
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.7 | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| UK stock | $2.8 | $4.2 | $0.0 | - | - |
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:
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.004 per share + €0.5 | $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF | $0 per trade |
| UK stock | 0.014% + £1.75 with £5 max | fixed £3 for trade value less than £6,000, 0.05% of trade value for more than £6,000; | Free stock and ETF trading, except for clients from Australia, where a 0.09% spread cost per transaction applies | Not available | Not available |
Non-trading fees
DEGIRO has low non-trading fees.
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 |
Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.
#1 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 |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $200 | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | 1-3 days |
#1 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 |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 |
#1 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.
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Fund | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| CFD | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
#1 DEGIRO
Web trading platform
DEGIRO's web platform is simple and easy to use, even for beginners. On the negative side, you cannot set price alerts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Clear fee report | • No price alerts |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.4 stars | 3.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 4.5 stars | 3.8 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.2 stars | 3.3 stars |
| Desktop platform score | - | 3.0 stars | - | 3.9 stars | - |
#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, 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 |
| Fees score | 4.7 stars |
| Recommended for | Traders and investors looking for execution only |
#2 Best stock broker
Interactive Brokers
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
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low trading fees | • Complicated account opening process |
| • Wide range of products | • Complex desktop trading platform |
| • Many great research tools | • Understaffed customer service |
#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:
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.7 | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| UK stock | $2.8 | $4.2 | $0.0 | - | - |
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:
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.004 per share + €0.5 | $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF | $0 per trade |
| UK stock | 0.014% + £1.75 with £5 max | fixed £3 for trade value less than £6,000, 0.05% of trade value for more than £6,000; | Free stock and ETF trading, except for clients from Australia, where a 0.09% spread cost per transaction applies | Not available | Not available |
Non-trading fees
Interactive Brokers has low non-trading fees.
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 |
Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.
#2 Interactive Brokers
Account opening
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.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Not user-friendly |
| • No minimum deposit for most account types | • Confusing messages throughout the process |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $200 | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | 1-3 days |
#2 Interactive Brokers
Deposit and withdrawal
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.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • Several account base currencies | |
| • First withdrawal each month free |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 |
#2 Interactive Brokers
Markets and products
Through Interactive Brokers, you can access an extremely wide range of markets, and all product types are available.
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Fund | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| CFD | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
#2 Interactive Brokers
Web trading platform
Interactive Brokers's web platform is simple and easy to use, even for beginners.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | None |
| • Clear fee report | |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.4 stars | 3.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 4.5 stars | 3.8 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.2 stars | 3.3 stars |
| Desktop platform score | - | 3.0 stars | - | 3.9 stars | - |
#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: we weren't satisfied with the level of customer service 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.
| Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Interactive Brokers is a US discount broker. It is listed on a stock exchange and regulated by several authorities, including top-tier ones like the FCA and the SEC. |
| Fees score | 4.2 stars |
| Recommended for | Traders looking for low fees and a professional trading environment |
Want to stay in the loop?
Sign up to get notifications about new BrokerChooser articles right into your mailbox.
#3 Best stock broker
eToro
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. 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.
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 |
#3 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:
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.7 | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| UK stock | $2.8 | $4.2 | $0.0 | - | - |
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:
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.004 per share + €0.5 | $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF | $0 per trade |
| UK stock | 0.014% + £1.75 with £5 max | fixed £3 for trade value less than £6,000, 0.05% of trade value for more than £6,000; | Free stock and ETF trading, except for clients from Australia, where a 0.09% spread cost per transaction applies | Not available | Not available |
Non-trading fees
eToro has high non-trading fees.
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 |
Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.
#3 eToro
Account opening
Account opening at eToro is seamless and very fast.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fast | None |
| • Fully digital | |
| • Low minimum deposit |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $200 | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | 1-3 days |
#3 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 |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 |
#3 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.
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Fund | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| CFD | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
#3 eToro
Web trading platform
eToro offers a user-friendly and well-designed web trading platform. Social trading is available, too. On the other hand, customizability is limited.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Clear fee report | |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.4 stars | 3.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 4.5 stars | 3.8 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.2 stars | 3.3 stars |
| Desktop platform score | - | 3.0 stars | - | 3.9 stars | - |
#3 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 |
#4 Best stock broker
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 |
#4 tastyworks
Stock trading fees
tastyworks 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:
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.7 | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| UK stock | $2.8 | $4.2 | $0.0 | - | - |
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:
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.004 per share + €0.5 | $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF | $0 per trade |
| UK stock | 0.014% + £1.75 with £5 max | fixed £3 for trade value less than £6,000, 0.05% of trade value for more than £6,000; | Free stock and ETF trading, except for clients from Australia, where a 0.09% spread cost per transaction applies | Not available | Not available |
Non-trading fees
tastyworks has low non-trading fees.
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 |
Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.
#4 tastyworks
Account opening
tastyworks account opening is user-friendly, fast, fully digital, and involves no minimum deposit.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fast | None |
| • Fully digital | |
| • No minimum deposit |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $200 | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | 1-3 days |
#4 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 |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 |
#4 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.
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Fund | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| CFD | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
#4 tastyworks
Web trading platform
The tastyworks web platform is great for experienced traders, especially for options trading. However, it takes time to figure out how its functions work, and its customizability is limited.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Clear fee report | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Price alerts | • Not suited for beginners |
| • Two-step (safer) authentication for certain functions |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.4 stars | 3.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 4.5 stars | 3.8 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.2 stars | 3.3 stars |
| Desktop platform score | - | 3.0 stars | - | 3.9 stars | - |
#4 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 |
#5 Best stock broker
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 |
#5 Firstrade
Stock trading fees
Firstrade 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:
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.7 | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| UK stock | $2.8 | $4.2 | $0.0 | - | - |
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:
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.004 per share + €0.5 | $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF | $0 per trade |
| UK stock | 0.014% + £1.75 with £5 max | fixed £3 for trade value less than £6,000, 0.05% of trade value for more than £6,000; | Free stock and ETF trading, except for clients from Australia, where a 0.09% spread cost per transaction applies | Not available | Not available |
Non-trading fees
Firstrade has low non-trading fees.
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 |
Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.
#5 Firstrade
Account opening
Account opening is fully digital and user-friendly, and is open to international customers. 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 |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $200 | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | 1-3 days | 1 day | 1 day | 1-3 days |
#5 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 |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 | $0 |
#5 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.
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Fund | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| CFD | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
#5 Firstrade
Web trading platform
Firstrade's web platform is simple and easy to use. Even if you are a beginner, you can find your way around with ease. On the negative side, it lacks a two-step login and the customizability of the main sections is quite limited.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • No two-step (safer) login |
| • Clear fee report | |
| • Good search function |
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.4 stars | 3.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 4.5 stars | 3.8 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.2 stars | 3.3 stars |
| Desktop platform score | - | 3.0 stars | - | 3.9 stars | - |
#5 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 | 4.7 stars |
| Recommended for | Beginners and investors looking for zero-commission trading, focusing on the US market |
Best stock brokers
What makes a good online stock broker
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.
| 1. Stock fees | Stock fees - or trading fees in this case - for a typical US equity trade can be 50 times higher at one stock broker compared to another. Commissions and volume-based fees can make trades rather pricey. Not to mention other costs like custody fees and exchange fees. |
| 2. Non-trading fees | At some brokers, you can expect charges even if you don\'t trade. A notable example is the inactivity fee, which is charged if you don\'t use your account for a certain period of time. |
| 3. Deposit and withdrawal | At some brokers, transferring money to your account can take 5 times longer and be considerably more expensive than at others. Certain withdrawal methods may also cost you money. Watch out for these, too. |
| 4. Overall quality | Our methodology contains comprehensive criteria designed to score the overall quality of a broker\'s services. This includes safety, platforms, account opening process and much much more. |
Best stock brokers
Bottom line
You have seen the details, now let's zoom out. Here are the best stock brokers of 2021 in Europe:
| DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | eToro | tastyworks | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.3 |
| Award | Best discount broker | Best online broker | Best broker for cryptos | Best broker for options | Best IRA broker |
| Fees score | 4.7 stars | 4.2 stars | 4.4 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.7 stars |
| Stock and ETF fee scores | 4.8 stars | 4.8 stars | 5.0 stars | 5.0 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Account opening score | 5.0 stars | 3.4 stars | 5.0 stars | 5.0 stars | 4.4 stars |
| Deposit and withdrawal score | 3.3 stars | 3.5 stars | 3.5 stars | 1.9 stars | 2.0 stars |
| Markets and products score | 3.5 stars | 5.0 stars | 3.8 stars | 2.6 stars | 2.8 stars |
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.4 stars | 3.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Visit broker | Visit broker |
Visit broker
Your capital is at risk |
Visit broker | Visit broker |
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.
