To help you to find the best stock broker in Europe, we went ahead and did the research for you. First, we selected more than 57 quality stock brokers, then we checked and compared their fees, trading platform, deposit and withdrawal and more. We went deep, so you won't have to.
5 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 stock brokers of 2019 for citizens in Europe:
- Interactive Brokers is the winner. Broad product portfolio. Low fees. Great and diverse research tools.
- Saxo Bank in the second place. Outstanding research. Great trading platform. Broad product portfolio.
- Degiro rounded out the top three. One of the lowest fees in the market. Broad access to international markets. Easy to use web and mobile platform.
- E-Trade, numero quatro. Solid research tools. Well-designed mobile trading platform. Good customer service.
- Swissquote. Extensive market and product access. High investor protection amount. Digital account opening. Just made it to the list with being number five.
| Broker | Info | Score | Best in | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Interactive Brokers | US discount broker | 4.8 | Best online broker |
| #2 | Saxo Bank | Danish investment bank | 4.7 | Best trading platform |
| #3 | Degiro | Dutch discount broker | 4.7 | Best discount broker |
| #4 | E-Trade | US stockbroker | 4.5 | |
| #5 | Swissquote | Swiss investment bank | 4.5 | Best for funds |
All 5 brokers are considered safe. They are regulated by top-tier financial regulators.
What makes a good stock broker? They need to offer fair fees. It must also be easy to open an account and deposit. They should offer access to a lot of markets and need to have a great platform. Easy to list, but hard to figure it out. We are testing brokers along ~100 criteria with real accounts and real money. We know what's up.
Not sure which broker? For a tailored recommendation, check out the broker finder tool. You can enter your country and it will show only the relevant brokers. Want more details? Compare brokers with this detailed comparison table.
Boring, but important stuff: Some of the brokers' portfolio contains CFD products. They are complex and very risky, thus not suitable for everyone. You can easily lose all of your invested money. If you don't have clue 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, Interactive Brokers.
#1 Best stock broker
Interactive Brokers
4.8
5 stars
Best online broker
Interactive Brokers was founded in 1978 and it is one of the biggest US-based discount brokers. It is regulated by several regulators globally, including top-tier authorities like FCA and SEC. Interactive Brokers Group is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Interactive Brokers is considered safe because it has a long track record, is listed on a stock exchange, discloses its financials, and is regulated by top-tier regulators.
Recommended for traders who prefer low fees and a professional trading environment
- Broad product portfolio
- Low fees
- Great and diverse research tools
- Funding and withdrawal only through bank transfer
- Complicated account opening process
- Not user-friendly and complicated desktop trading platform
#1 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 quoting long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all fees of a typical trade for two popular stocks:
- Apple
- Vodafone
A typical trade means that you buy and sell the shares for $2,000.
This super catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if applies) and commission for all brokers.
Here is the verdict:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.2 | $20.0 | $1.4 | $14.1 | $30.2 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $17.9 | $15.0 | $5.2 | - | $73.0 |
Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $0.005 per share, min $1, max 0.5% of trade value | $0.01/share; min $9.90, but using VIP pricing the minimum can be as low as $3 | $0.004 per share + €0.5 | $6.95 per trade, but if you trade 30+ per quarter $4.95 per trade, there are also ~280 free ETFs | 0.18-5% of trade value; min $15, max $190 |
| UK | £6 up to £50,000 Trade Value; £6 + 0.05% of incremental trade value > £50,000; max £29 for > £50,000 Trade Value | 0.1% of trade value; min £4.99, but using VIP pricing the commission can be as low as 0.05% of trade value | 0.022% + £4, max £5 | Not available | 0.18-5% of trade value; min £25, max £190 |
| Germany | 0.1%, min €4, max €99 | 0.1% of trade value; min €10, but using VIP pricing it can be as low as 0.05% of trade value with €6 minimum | 0.058% + €4, max €60 | Not available | 0.18-5% of trade value; min €25, max €190 |
Non-trading fees
Interactive Brokers has high non-trading fees.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $10 |
Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if your want to learn more.
#1 Interactive Brokers
Account opening
3 stars
The account opening process is fully digital, but slow and complicated.
- Fully digital
- No minimum deposit for most accounts
- Slow
- Not user-friendly
- Confusing messages throughout the process
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $725 | $0 | $500 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1 day | >3 days | 1 day |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Deposit and withdrawal
2 stars
Interactive Brokers offers a lot of base currencies and one withdrawal per month is free. On the negative side, only bank transfer is available.
- Several account base currencies
- No charge for the first withdrawal each month
- Credit/Debit card not available
- Slow withdrawal - over 3 days
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | $0 | $0 | $10 |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Markets and products
5 stars
Interactive Brokers allows you access to a very wide range of markets and you can trade with all product types. IB's product range is the widest available.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Web trading platform
4 stars
The Interactive Brokers web platform is simple and easy to use, even for beginners. On the negative side, it is a bit complicated to customize.
- User-friendly
- Clear fee report
- Two-step (safer) login
- Limited customizability (for charts, workspace)
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | |||||
| Mobile platform score | |||||
| Desktop platform score | - | - | - |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Verdict
IB is one of the biggest discount US brokers regulated by top-tier regulators. If you like low-cost trading and easily navigate on a really complicated platform, Interactive Brokers is for you. We mainly recommend IB for traders.
It has low trading fees, a wide range of product portfolio, and diverse research tools.
On the flip side, only bank transfer is available for deposit and withdrawal. The account opening and the desktop platform are not user-friendly and complicated.
Interactive Brokers is definitely recommended if you want low fees, a lot of products and you are experienced to cope with a complicated platform.
| Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Interactive Brokers is a US discount broker. IB is listed on stock exchange and regulated by several authorities, like the top-tier FCA and SEC. |
| Fees score | |
| Recommended for | Traders who prefer low fees and a professional trading environment |
#2 Best stock broker
Saxo Bank
4.7
5 stars
Best trading platform
Saxo Bank is a Danish investment bank providing online trading and investments. It is a leading European retail brokerage innovator. Saxo is privately owned, established in 1992, and headquartered in Copenhagen.
Saxo is considered safe as it is regulated worldwide by more than 10 financial regulators, including top-tier regulators, like the UK FCA.
Recommended for investors and traders looking for a great trading platform and solid research
- Outstanding research
- Great trading platform
- Broad product portfolio
- High forex, bond, options, and futures fees
- Slow account opening
- Missing live chat
#2 Saxo Bank
Stock trading fees
Saxo Bank 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 quoting long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all fees of a typical trade for two popular stocks:
- Apple
- Vodafone
A typical trade means that you buy and sell the shares for $2,000.
This super catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if applies) and commission for all brokers.
Here is the verdict:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.2 | $20.0 | $1.4 | $14.1 | $30.2 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $17.9 | $15.0 | $5.2 | - | $73.0 |
Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $0.005 per share, min $1, max 0.5% of trade value | $0.01/share; min $9.90, but using VIP pricing the minimum can be as low as $3 | $0.004 per share + €0.5 | $6.95 per trade, but if you trade 30+ per quarter $4.95 per trade, there are also ~280 free ETFs | 0.18-5% of trade value; min $15, max $190 |
| UK | £6 up to £50,000 Trade Value; £6 + 0.05% of incremental trade value > £50,000; max £29 for > £50,000 Trade Value | 0.1% of trade value; min £4.99, but using VIP pricing the commission can be as low as 0.05% of trade value | 0.022% + £4, max £5 | Not available | 0.18-5% of trade value; min £25, max £190 |
| Germany | 0.1%, min €4, max €99 | 0.1% of trade value; min €10, but using VIP pricing it can be as low as 0.05% of trade value with €6 minimum | 0.058% + €4, max €60 | Not available | 0.18-5% of trade value; min €25, max €190 |
Non-trading fees
Saxo Bank has average non-trading fees.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $10 |
Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if your want to learn more.
#2 Saxo Bank
Account opening
3 stars
Account opening is available for residents of almost every country and is fully digital.
- Fast
- Fully digital
- Available for residents of almost every country
- Minimum deposit is higher than $500
- Sales team pushy
- Classic accounts available only in a single currency
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $725 | $0 | $500 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1 day | >3 days | 1 day |
#2 Saxo Bank
Deposit and withdrawal
5 stars
Saxo provides multiple deposit and withdrawal options free of charge on a user-friendly interface.
- Free withdrawal
- No deposit fee
- Several account base currencies
- Credit/Debit card withdrawal not available
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | $0 | $0 | $10 |
#2 Saxo Bank
Markets and products
4 stars
At Saxo Bank you can reach many markets and trade with a lot of different products, except for funds.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
#2 Saxo Bank
Web trading platform
5 stars
Saxo Bank's web trading platform is easy-to-use and well-designed. However, it doesn't provide a two-step login and the customizability is limited.
- User-friendly
- Good search function
- Modern design
- No two-step (safer) login
- Limited customizability (for charts, workspace)
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | |||||
| Mobile platform score | |||||
| Desktop platform score | - | - | - |
#2 Saxo Bank
Verdict
Saxo Bank is a great broker, providing a complex and good service.
It has the best trading platforms backed by great research. The product portfolio is covering all important international markets and asset classes.
It has some drawbacks though. The fees for forex, bond, options, and futures are high. The account opening can take long and the live chat is missing.
In general, Saxo Bank is one of the best online brokerage companies you can choose. By opening an account, you end up with a broad, well-developed service.
| Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Saxo Bank is a Danish investment bank. It is regulated by more than 10 financial authorities, including the top-tier FCA. |
| Fees score | |
| Recommended for | Investors and traders looking for a great trading platform and solid research |
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#3 Best stock broker
Degiro
4.7
5 stars
Best discount broker
DEGIRO is a trending Dutch online discount broker. It is privately owned and was established in 2013 by former employees of another brokerage company.
DEGIRO is considered safe as it is regulated by top-tier financial regulators, the Dutch AFM and DNB. It is registered with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Amsterdam under number 34342820.
Recommended for price-sensitive buy and hold investors and traders looking for only execution
- One of the lowest fees in the market
- Broad access to international markets
- Easy to use web and mobile platform
- Limited research and education
- No forex trading
- No credit/debit card deposit and withdrawal
#3 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 quoting long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all fees of a typical trade for two popular stocks:
- Apple
- Vodafone
A typical trade means that you buy and sell the shares for $2,000.
This super catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if applies) and commission for all brokers.
Here is the verdict:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.2 | $20.0 | $1.4 | $14.1 | $30.2 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $17.9 | $15.0 | $5.2 | - | $73.0 |
Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $0.005 per share, min $1, max 0.5% of trade value | $0.01/share; min $9.90, but using VIP pricing the minimum can be as low as $3 | $0.004 per share + €0.5 | $6.95 per trade, but if you trade 30+ per quarter $4.95 per trade, there are also ~280 free ETFs | 0.18-5% of trade value; min $15, max $190 |
| UK | £6 up to £50,000 Trade Value; £6 + 0.05% of incremental trade value > £50,000; max £29 for > £50,000 Trade Value | 0.1% of trade value; min £4.99, but using VIP pricing the commission can be as low as 0.05% of trade value | 0.022% + £4, max £5 | Not available | 0.18-5% of trade value; min £25, max £190 |
| Germany | 0.1%, min €4, max €99 | 0.1% of trade value; min €10, but using VIP pricing it can be as low as 0.05% of trade value with €6 minimum | 0.058% + €4, max €60 | Not available | 0.18-5% of trade value; min €25, max €190 |
Non-trading fees
Degiro has low non-trading fees.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $10 |
Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if your want to learn more.
#3 Degiro
Account opening
5 stars
DEGIRO has an easy and fast account opening process. Also, there is no minimum deposit.
- Fully digital
- No minimum deposit
- User-friendly
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $725 | $0 | $500 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1 day | >3 days | 1 day |
#3 Degiro
Deposit and withdrawal
3 stars
DEGIRO deposit and withdrawal is free of charge via bank transfer. On the other hand, you cannot deposit with credit or debit card.
- Free withdrawal
- No deposit fee
- Several account base currencies
- Credit/Debit card not available
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | $0 | $0 | $10 |
#3 Degiro
Markets and products
3 stars
At DEGIRO you can access many markets and trade with a lot of different products, except for forex.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
#3 Degiro
Web trading platform
4 stars
DEGIRO’s web platform is simple and easy to use. Even beginners can easily navigate it and buy stocks. On the negative side, it is a bit complicated to customize.
- User-friendly
- Two-step (safer) login
- Modern design
- Limited customizability (for charts, workspace)
- No price alerts
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | |||||
| Mobile platform score | |||||
| Desktop platform score | - | - | - |
#3 Degiro
Verdict
DEGIRO is a good choice if you want a simple platform and don’t want to spend a fortune on fees.
It is far cheaper than its big European competitors and only Interactive Brokers can compete with DEGIRO fees. DEGIRO also has great access to international markets and trading products. And it is als one of the best trading platforms for Europeans.
However, cheapness comes with some shortfalls. Education and research tools are limited, there is no forex trading and limited deposit and withdrawal options.
All in all, it is a great online broker. As there is no minimum deposit and no inactivity fee, feel free to try it out.
| Degiro | |
|---|---|
| Summary | DEGIRO is a Dutch discount broker established in 2008. It is regulated by the Dutch FMA. |
| Fees score | |
| Recommended for | Price-sensitive buy and hold investors and traders looking for only execution |
#4 Best stock broker
E-Trade
4.5
5 stars
E-Trade was founded in 1982 and it is a US-based stockbroker. It is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
E-Trade 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 top-tier regulators.
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and great mobile trading platform
- Solid research tools
- Well-designed mobile trading platform
- Good customer service
- No credit/debit cards and electronic wallets for money transfer
- Only US markets covered
- Slow account verification
#4 E-Trade
Stock trading fees
E-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 quoting long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all fees of a typical trade for two popular stocks:
- Apple
- Vodafone
A typical trade means that you buy and sell the shares for $2,000.
This super catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if applies) and commission for all brokers.
Here is the verdict:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.2 | $20.0 | $1.4 | $14.1 | $30.2 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $17.9 | $15.0 | $5.2 | - | $73.0 |
Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $0.005 per share, min $1, max 0.5% of trade value | $0.01/share; min $9.90, but using VIP pricing the minimum can be as low as $3 | $0.004 per share + €0.5 | $6.95 per trade, but if you trade 30+ per quarter $4.95 per trade, there are also ~280 free ETFs | 0.18-5% of trade value; min $15, max $190 |
| UK | £6 up to £50,000 Trade Value; £6 + 0.05% of incremental trade value > £50,000; max £29 for > £50,000 Trade Value | 0.1% of trade value; min £4.99, but using VIP pricing the commission can be as low as 0.05% of trade value | 0.022% + £4, max £5 | Not available | 0.18-5% of trade value; min £25, max £190 |
| Germany | 0.1%, min €4, max €99 | 0.1% of trade value; min €10, but using VIP pricing it can be as low as 0.05% of trade value with €6 minimum | 0.058% + €4, max €60 | Not available | 0.18-5% of trade value; min €25, max €190 |
Non-trading fees
E-Trade has low non-trading fees.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $10 |
Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if your want to learn more.
#4 E-Trade
Account opening
4 stars
The account opening is fully digital and user-friendly for US clients. On the flip side, the account verification process was slow.
- Fully digital
- User-friendly
- Slow
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $725 | $0 | $500 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1 day | >3 days | 1 day |
#4 E-Trade
Deposit and withdrawal
2 stars
E-Trade deposit and withdrawal can be improved. You can use only bank transfer, there is only USD as a base currency, a high fee is charged for wire transfer withdrawals. As a plus, there is no deposit fee and transferring money is easy and user-friendly for US clients.
- Free withdrawal
- No deposit fee
- User-friendly for US clients
- Credit/Debit card not available
- Only one account base currency
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | $0 | $0 | $10 |
#4 E-Trade
Markets and products
3 stars
At E-Trade, you can trade with a lot of asset classes, from stocks to futures, but not with forex. However, the offered products cover only the US market.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
#4 E-Trade
Web trading platform
4 stars
E-Trade has a great web-based trading platform. It is user-friendly and well-designed. On the negative side, there is no two-step login.
- User-friendly
- Clear fee report
- Good variety of order types
- No two-step (safer) login
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | |||||
| Mobile platform score | |||||
| Desktop platform score | - | - | - |
#4 E-Trade
Verdict
E-Trade is one of the biggest US stockbrokers regulated by top-tier regulators.
E-Trade's research functions are high-quality and channel a lot of tools, including trading ideas, and strategy builders builders as well. We liked the easy handling and the persionalizable features of the mobile trading platform. The customer service is great, you will get relevant answers within a short time.
It has some drawbacks though. E-Trade doesn't provide credit/debit cards and electronic wallets for money transfers. The product portfolio covers only US markets. The account verification process is slow.
As the research tools are great and no inactivity fee is charged, feel free to try it.
| E-Trade | |
|---|---|
| Summary | E-Trade is a US stockbroker, regulated by top-tier regulators, the SEC and FINRA. The company is listed on NASDAQ and has banking background. |
| Fees score | |
| Recommended for | Investors and traders looking for solid research and great mobile trading platform |
#5 Best stock broker
Swissquote
4.5
5 stars
Best for funds
Swissquote is a Swiss investment bank, established in 1996. It has two main arms:
The Swiss arm for stocks, funds, options, and futures
The UK arm for CFDs, and FX
Formally, Swissquote Bank Ltd is based in Switzerland and regulated by FINMA, the Swiss financial regulator. This one offers stocks, funds, bonds, futures and options. The other, Swissquote Ltd is UK based, regulated by the FCA, the UK financial regulator, and offers CFDs and FX.
Swissquote is considered safe because Swissquote Bank Ltd has a banking license, it is listed on the Swiss stock exchange, and discloses detailed financials regularly.
For clarity, we will call the Switzerland Swissquote for stocks "Swissquote (CH)", and the UK Swissquote for CFDs and FX "SwissquoteForex (UK)".
Recommended for affluent investors valuing safety and being ok with higher fees
- Extensive market and product access
- High investor protection amount
- Digital account opening
- High trading fees
- Overcomplicated trading platform
- Better part of the research not free
#5 Swissquote
Stock trading fees
Swissquote stock trading fees are high.
It is not so easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. What did we do at Brokerchooser? Instead of quoting long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all fees of a typical trade for two popular stocks:
- Apple
- Vodafone
A typical trade means that you buy and sell the shares for $2,000.
This super catch-all benchmark fee includes spreads, financing costs (if applies) and commission for all brokers.
Here is the verdict:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.2 | $20.0 | $1.4 | $14.1 | $30.2 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $17.9 | $15.0 | $5.2 | - | $73.0 |
Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $0.005 per share, min $1, max 0.5% of trade value | $0.01/share; min $9.90, but using VIP pricing the minimum can be as low as $3 | $0.004 per share + €0.5 | $6.95 per trade, but if you trade 30+ per quarter $4.95 per trade, there are also ~280 free ETFs | 0.18-5% of trade value; min $15, max $190 |
| UK | £6 up to £50,000 Trade Value; £6 + 0.05% of incremental trade value > £50,000; max £29 for > £50,000 Trade Value | 0.1% of trade value; min £4.99, but using VIP pricing the commission can be as low as 0.05% of trade value | 0.022% + £4, max £5 | Not available | 0.18-5% of trade value; min £25, max £190 |
| Germany | 0.1%, min €4, max €99 | 0.1% of trade value; min €10, but using VIP pricing it can be as low as 0.05% of trade value with €6 minimum | 0.058% + €4, max €60 | Not available | 0.18-5% of trade value; min €25, max €190 |
Non-trading fees
Swissquote has average non-trading fees.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $10 |
Feel free to check out more about brokerage fees if your want to learn more.
#5 Swissquote
Account opening
5 stars
Swissquote offers a fast, easy, and fully digital account opening. Also, there is no minimum account balance requirement for Swissquote (CH).
- Fast
- Fully digital
- No minimum deposit for Swissquote (CH)
- Video identification of documents may not be available for some locations
- High minimum deposit for SwissquoteForex (UK)
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $725 | $0 | $500 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1-3 days | 1 day | >3 days | 1 day |
#5 Swissquote
Deposit and withdrawal
4 stars
The depsoit is fast and user-friendly. On the flip side, you can only withdraw by bank transfer.
- No deposit fee
- Several account base currencies
- Credit/Debit card deposit
- Credit card withdrawal is not available
- Withdrawal is not user-friendly
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | $0 | $0 | $10 |
#5 Swissquote
Markets and products
5 stars
At Swissquote(CH) you can reach many markets and trade with a lot of different product types. At SwissquoteForex (UK) you can trade only Forex and some CFDs.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
#5 Swissquote
Web trading platform
3 stars
The Swissquote (CH) platform has a lot of functions, even too many. It can get complicated. SwissquoteForex (UK)' MetaTrader 4 is a well thought out platform.
- Two-step (safer) login
- Price alerts
- Available in several languages
- Poor search function
- Limited order types
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | |||||
| Mobile platform score | |||||
| Desktop platform score | - | - | - |
#5 Swissquote
Verdict
Swissquote has a rock solid background. It is Swiss, it is listed, it is a bank. It has two entities, one in the UK and one in Switzerland. If you open an account at the London-based entity, you can trade with forex and CFDs, while the Swiss entity gives you access to a wide range of asset classes from stocks to options.
Swissquote has an easy and fast account opening. We really liked its market and product coverage. There are lot of stocks, mutual funds, and a lot of different type of products from bonds to cryptos.
However, nothing comes for free. The trading fees are relatively high.
All in all, Swissquote is a great provider. As there is no minimum deposit requirements and no inactivity fee, feel free to try it out.
| Swissquote | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Swissquote is Swiss online broker with its own banking background. It is listed on the Swiss exchange and regulated several authorities globally, including the top-tier FCA. |
| Fees score | |
| Recommended for | Affluent investors valuing safety and being ok with higher fees |
Best stock brokers
What makes a good stock broker
Now you know the top 5. You are probably curious about how we came up with this list. Let's go through a few points quickly. What is a stock broker? Why do we think these brokers are safe? What are the most important factors when selecting the best stock brokers?
What is a stock 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 Wolf of Wall Street movie. They were checking the stocks' prices while holding a telephone and shouting. Everything changed after the internet appeared. Nowadays if you want to buy Apple shares, you open online an account, deposit money, and make the order through the brokers' online platform. These brokers are the online brokers. Online brokers help you buying and selling securities, like stocks. After making your order, the online broker executes it immediately. Everything is online.
Are these brokers safe?
Yes, they are considered safe. You can be sure none of them is a scam. They are regulated by top-tier regulators. Some of them are also listed on an exchange, and some have a banking background.
However, also brokerage companies can go down. Remember Lehman Brothers? In these cases, it is important to know what happens with your securities and cash. These are usually held in segregated accounts, so even in case of a broker bankruptcy, you are safe.
If everything goes very bad 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 stock brokers for a citizen in Europe?
At Brokerchooser we test online brokers along ~100 criteria, with a real account and real money. Not to overwhelm you we list the five most important criteria.
The 5 most important criteria for stock brokers are:
| 1. Fees | The trading fee of a typical US equity trade can be 50 times higher at one stock broker compared to another. Worth to check the fees. |
| 2. Account opening | Some stock brokers require a minimum to invest, others don't set a minimal first-time deposit. Check out what the best stock brokers require. |
| 3. Deposit and withdrawal | Transferring money to your account can be 5 times longer and more expensive at one stock broker compared to another. |
| 4. Products and markets | You want to invest in Amazon and Bitcoin? They might not be available. Check the product coverage before opening an account. |
| 5. Trading platform | A user-friendlyAand well-equipped trading platform can significantly increase your trading comfort. |
Best stock brokers
Bottom line
You saw the details, now let's zoom out. Here are the best stock brokers of 2019 in Europe:
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | Degiro | E-Trade | Swissquote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Award | Best online broker | Best trading platform | Best discount broker | Best for funds | |
| Fees score | |||||
| Account opening score | |||||
| Deposit and withdrawal score | |||||
| Markets and products score | |||||
| Web platform score | |||||
| Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker |
Interactive Brokers is our winner, the best stock broker in Europe for 2019. Broad product portfolio. Low fees. Great and diverse research tools.
All are considered safe, and a great choice. Pick the winner, or any runner-up and take the next step in your investment journey. Let us know what you think in the comment section.
Still unsure? Use the broker finder and find the best broker for you or learn more about investing your money
