1st place
2nd place
3rd place
Intro and winners
To help you to find the best stock broker in Europe, we first selected 102 quality brokers; then we 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.
Our top 5 picks for the best stock brokers in Europe in 2022:
- Interactive Brokers is our winner. Low trading fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
- Fidelity came in second place. Commission-free US stocks and ETFs. Great trading platforms and research. US and international stocks.
- Zacks Trade rounds out the top three. Low fees. Extensive stock and ETF selection. Great customer service.
- eToro is ranked fourth. Free stock and ETF trading. Seamless account opening. Social trading.
- Charles Schwab just made it to the list in fifth place. Free stock and ETF trading. Outstanding research. Great customer service.
| Broker | Info | Score | Accepts clients from | Minimum deposit | Best in | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Interactive Brokers | International broker providing all asset classes | 4.9 | Globally | $0 | Best online broker |
| #2 | Fidelity | US stockbroker | 4.7 | US | $0 | |
| #3 | Zacks Trade | US discount broker | 4.4 | Globally | $0 | |
| #4 | eToro | Global social trading broker | 4.8 | Globally | $10 | Best broker for cryptos |
| #5 | Charles Schwab | US discount broker | 4.7 | US | $0 |
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 counts for a lot if the overall quality of the broker - platforms, safety or the account opening process - is top notch.
The key factors are easy to list, but hard to figure out. We test brokers along nearly 500 criteria, using real accounts and real money.
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 the help of our in-depth comparison table.
Before we go on, an important notice: Some brokers' portfolios contain CFDs. These are complex and very risky instruments, therefore not suitable for everyone. You can easily lose all your invested money when you trade CFDs. If you need 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, Interactive Brokers.
#1 Best stock broker
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers, one of the biggest US-based discount brokers, was founded in 1977. 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).
Given that the broker has licenses from multiple top-tier regulators, has a long track record and publicly disclosed financials while being listed on a stock exchange; it all points towards IB being a safe service provider.
Interactive Brokers recently launched a new app for global stock trading: read our review of IBKR GlobalTrader.
In addition, Interactive Brokers also has an app you can use for ESG investing: read our review of IMPACT by Interactive Brokers.
Recommended for traders looking for broad market access 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 |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Stock trading fees
Interactive Brokers stock trading fees are low.
It's not that easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. So how do we do it at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in 3 popular markets, the US, Germany and the UK.
A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 (or the equivalent amount in EUR or GBP for German and UK equities).
In the first row, you will see the number of available stock exchanges. The higher the number, the better, as some stock investors prefer to trade on multiple markets.
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 83 | 25 | 78 | 17 | 4 |
| US stock | $1.0 | $0.0 | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| German stock | $3.6 | $22.8 | $14.4 | $0.0 | - |
| UK stock | $4.2 | $12.6 | $16.8 | $0.0 | - |
Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | Free stock and ETF trading | $0.01 per share commission for stocks above $1 share price, or 1% of trade value for stocks below $1 share price. The minimum fee is $1 minimum. | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF trading |
| UK stock | fixed £3 for trade value less than £6,000, 0.05% of trade value for more than £6,000; | £9 per trade | 0.3% of Trade Value with a £12 minimum | Free stock and ETF trading, except for clients from Australia, where a 0.09% spread cost per transaction applies | Not available |
Non-trading fees
Interactive Brokers has low non-trading fees.
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 |
Feel free to learn more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.
#1 Interactive Brokers
Mobile trading platform
The Interactive Brokers mobile trading platform boasts a lot of functions and a useful chatbot, but its user interface could be better.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Two-step (safer) login | • Minor technical glitches |
| • Good variety of order types | |
| • Price alerts |
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.5 stars | 3.5 stars | 4.7 stars | 4.2 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.8 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.8 stars | - | 4.0 stars |
#1 Interactive Brokers
Verdict
Interactive Brokers is one of the biggest US-based lowest spread brokers, regulated by several top-tier regulators globally. We recommend this broker both for advanced traders and for everyday investors who want to have access to many stock markets.
On the plus side, IB offers very low fees, a vast range of markets and products, and diverse research tools.
There are some drawbacks, however. We weren't satisfied with the quality of the customer service and the account opening process is complicated. Unlike the web and mobile platforms, 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 is 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 | 4.5 stars |
| Recommended for | Traders looking for broad market access and a professional trading environment |
#2 Best stock broker
Fidelity
Fidelity is a US stockbroker founded in 1946. It is regulated by top-tier authorities like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Fidelity is considered safe because it has a long track record and is regulated by top-tier financial authorities.
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research and great trading platforms
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Commission-free US stocks and ETFs | • High mutual fund fees and margin rates |
| • Great trading platforms and research | • Slower account verification |
| • US and international stocks | • No crypto&futures |
#2 Fidelity
Stock trading fees
Fidelity stock trading fees are low.
It's not that easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. So how do we do it at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in 3 popular markets, the US, Germany and the UK.
A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 (or the equivalent amount in EUR or GBP for German and UK equities).
In the first row, you will see the number of available stock exchanges. The higher the number, the better, as some stock investors prefer to trade on multiple markets.
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 83 | 25 | 78 | 17 | 4 |
| US stock | $1.0 | $0.0 | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| German stock | $3.6 | $22.8 | $14.4 | $0.0 | - |
| UK stock | $4.2 | $12.6 | $16.8 | $0.0 | - |
Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | Free stock and ETF trading | $0.01 per share commission for stocks above $1 share price, or 1% of trade value for stocks below $1 share price. The minimum fee is $1 minimum. | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF trading |
| UK stock | fixed £3 for trade value less than £6,000, 0.05% of trade value for more than £6,000; | £9 per trade | 0.3% of Trade Value with a £12 minimum | Free stock and ETF trading, except for clients from Australia, where a 0.09% spread cost per transaction applies | Not available |
Non-trading fees
Fidelity has low non-trading fees.
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 |
Feel free to learn more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.
#2 Fidelity
Mobile trading platform
Fidelity has a great mobile trading platform. It is user-friendly and well-designed.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • No two-step (safer) login |
| • Good search function | |
| • Good variety of order types |
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.5 stars | 3.5 stars | 4.7 stars | 4.2 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.8 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.8 stars | - | 4.0 stars |
#2 Fidelity
Verdict
Fidelity is one of the biggest US stockbrokers and is regulated by top-tier authorities.
Fidelity offers commission-free US stocks and ETFs. The trading platforms and research are outstanding, with many tools including trading ideas and detailed fundamental data. The offered range of products includes international stock exchanges in addition to the US market, which is not common among US brokers.
Fidelity has some drawbacks, though. Some mutual funds have high fees, and the margin rates are high as well. You can't trade cryptos or futures.
As it has great research tools, a user-friendly web trading platform, and charges no inactivity fee, feel free to try Fidelity's services.
| Fidelity | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Fidelity is a US stockbroker. It is regulated by top-tier authorities SEC and FINRA. |
| Fees score | 3.9 stars |
| Recommended for | Investors and traders looking for solid research and great trading platforms |
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#3 Best stock broker
Zacks Trade
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. Unlike at Interactive Brokers, trading forex, CFDs and futures is not supported.
- 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.
Since Zacks is more expensive than IB, why would anyone favor Zacks over Interactive Brokers? We found two possible reasons:
- Zacks falls under SEC regulation and users have SIPC protection, no matter where they live
- Zacks provides free broker-assisted trading
Recommended for traders and investors looking for comprehensive research tools, a wide product selection and low fees
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low fees | • Complex desktop platform and research tools |
| • Extensive stock and ETF selection | • Slow and complicated account opening |
| • Great customer service | • No futures and forex |
#3 Zacks Trade
Stock trading fees
Zacks Trade stock trading fees are low.
It's not that easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. So how do we do it at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in 3 popular markets, the US, Germany and the UK.
A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 (or the equivalent amount in EUR or GBP for German and UK equities).
In the first row, you will see the number of available stock exchanges. The higher the number, the better, as some stock investors prefer to trade on multiple markets.
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 83 | 25 | 78 | 17 | 4 |
| US stock | $1.0 | $0.0 | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| German stock | $3.6 | $22.8 | $14.4 | $0.0 | - |
| UK stock | $4.2 | $12.6 | $16.8 | $0.0 | - |
Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | Free stock and ETF trading | $0.01 per share commission for stocks above $1 share price, or 1% of trade value for stocks below $1 share price. The minimum fee is $1 minimum. | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF trading |
| UK stock | fixed £3 for trade value less than £6,000, 0.05% of trade value for more than £6,000; | £9 per trade | 0.3% of Trade Value with a £12 minimum | Free stock and ETF trading, except for clients from Australia, where a 0.09% spread cost per transaction applies | Not available |
Non-trading fees
Zacks Trade has low non-trading fees.
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 |
Feel free to learn more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.
#3 Zacks Trade
Mobile trading platform
The Zacks Trade mobile trading platform, called Handy Trader, has a lot of functions and a useful chatbot, but its user interface could be better.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Two-step (safer) login | • User interface is a bit complex |
| • Good search function | |
| • Good variety of order types |
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.5 stars | 3.5 stars | 4.7 stars | 4.2 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.8 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.8 stars | - | 4.0 stars |
#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. Unlike Interactive Brokers, Zacks doesn't support trading CFDs, futures and cryptos.
As Zacks Trade provides a demo account and doesn't require any minimum deposit, feel free to try it.
| Zacks Trade | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Zacks Trade is a US discount broker that also allows international clients to open an account. Zacks Trade is a division of LBMZ Securities, which is regulated by SEC and FINRA. Customers are protected by the SIPC scheme, up to $500,000 (including a $250,000 limit for cash). |
| Fees score | 4.2 stars |
| Recommended for | Traders and investors looking for comprehensive research tools, a wide product selection and low fees |
#4 Best stock broker
eToro
eToro is a well-known Israeli fintech company and a social trading broker, established in 2007.
Check out our eToro review tailored to the needs of beginner investors and traders.
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.
Being regulated by the top-tier FCA and ASIC is a good sign for eToro's safety.
HEADS UP: Minimum deposit based on residency and account activation – Be sure to check the minimum deposit that is required to activate your account. After uploading your documents, a deposit is also needed in order to make trades. The amount of the deposit required is based on your residency, and ranges from $10 to $10,000. More details are available in the review’s Account opening section.
Disclaimer: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 78% 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 | • Customer support should be improved |
#4 eToro
Stock trading fees
eToro stock trading fees are low.
It's not that easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. So how do we do it at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in 3 popular markets, the US, Germany and the UK.
A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 (or the equivalent amount in EUR or GBP for German and UK equities).
In the first row, you will see the number of available stock exchanges. The higher the number, the better, as some stock investors prefer to trade on multiple markets.
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 83 | 25 | 78 | 17 | 4 |
| US stock | $1.0 | $0.0 | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| German stock | $3.6 | $22.8 | $14.4 | $0.0 | - |
| UK stock | $4.2 | $12.6 | $16.8 | $0.0 | - |
Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | Free stock and ETF trading | $0.01 per share commission for stocks above $1 share price, or 1% of trade value for stocks below $1 share price. The minimum fee is $1 minimum. | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF trading |
| UK stock | fixed £3 for trade value less than £6,000, 0.05% of trade value for more than £6,000; | £9 per trade | 0.3% of Trade Value with a £12 minimum | Free stock and ETF trading, except for clients from Australia, where a 0.09% spread cost per transaction applies | Not available |
Non-trading fees
eToro has high non-trading fees.
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 |
Feel free to learn more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.
#4 eToro
Mobile trading platform
eToro's mobile platform is well-designed, intuitive and considered safe thanks to the two-step and biometric login functions.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Two-step (safer) login | None |
| • Good search function | |
| • Touch/Face ID login |
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.5 stars | 3.5 stars | 4.7 stars | 4.2 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.8 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.8 stars | - | 4.0 stars |
#4 eToro
Verdict
How does eToro work? 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. Furthermore, eToro offers many cryptos to trade.
It has some drawbacks, though. There is a $5 withdrawal fee and eToro only allows USD accounts, which means that conversion costs on deposits and withdrawals can be high if your funding currency is not USD. It's difficult to contact customer support and their educational materials could be better.
So is eToro good? Overall, we would recommend eToro for its social trading feature, crypto offering and zero-commission stock trading. If you are a long-term stock investor, a traditional stockbroker might make more sense to you as some of the drawbacks of eToro (like not applying reduced withholding tax on US dividends) might outweigh the benefits of free trading.
Risk disclaimer
eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs.
Disclaimer: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 78% 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.
Past performance is not an indication of future results. Trading history presented is less than 5 complete years and may not suffice as basis for investment decision.
Copy trading is a portfolio management service, provided by eToro (Europe) Ltd., which is authorized and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.
Cryptoassets are highly volatile and unregulated in the UK. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
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 |
#5 Best stock broker
Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab is a US discount broker that was founded in 1971 and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
It is regulated by several top-tier financial authorities, such as the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
Recommended for investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Free stock and ETF trading | • High fees for some mutual funds |
| • Outstanding research | • Only US/Canada markets available |
| • Great customer service |
#5 Charles Schwab
Stock trading fees
Charles Schwab stock trading fees are low.
It's not that easy to compare trading fees for stock trading. So how do we do it at BrokerChooser? Instead of publishing long fee tables, we compare brokers by calculating all the fees of a typical trade in 3 popular markets, the US, Germany and the UK.
A typical trade means that you buy shares for $2,000 (or the equivalent amount in EUR or GBP for German and UK equities).
In the first row, you will see the number of available stock exchanges. The higher the number, the better, as some stock investors prefer to trade on multiple markets.
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock markets (#) | 83 | 25 | 78 | 17 | 4 |
| US stock | $1.0 | $0.0 | $1.0 | $0.0 | $0.0 |
| German stock | $3.6 | $22.8 | $14.4 | $0.0 | - |
| UK stock | $4.2 | $12.6 | $16.8 | $0.0 | - |
Want to check the pricing by yourself? Here you go:
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $0.005 per share, min. $1, max. 1% of trade value. Free for US clients choosing IBKR Lite plan. | Free stock and ETF trading | $0.01 per share commission for stocks above $1 share price, or 1% of trade value for stocks below $1 share price. The minimum fee is $1 minimum. | Free stock and ETF trading | Free stock and ETF trading |
| UK stock | fixed £3 for trade value less than £6,000, 0.05% of trade value for more than £6,000; | £9 per trade | 0.3% of Trade Value with a £12 minimum | Free stock and ETF trading, except for clients from Australia, where a 0.09% spread cost per transaction applies | Not available |
Non-trading fees
Charles Schwab has low non-trading fees.
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5 | $0 |
Feel free to learn more about brokerage fees if you want to expand yor knowledge.
#5 Charles Schwab
Mobile trading platform
Charles Schwab offers a great mobile trading platform with order confirmation and biometric login. In functionality and design, it is very similar to the web trading platform.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • No price alerts |
| • Touch/Face ID login | |
| • Order confirmation |
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.5 stars | 3.5 stars | 4.7 stars | 4.2 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.8 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.8 stars | - | 4.0 stars |
#5 Charles Schwab
Verdict
Charles Schwab is one of the biggest discount US brokers, regulated by top-tier authorities.
It was one of the first brokers, starting in late 2019, to charge no commissions for stock and ETF trades. Its research is outstanding, covering many tools, including trading ideas, Morgan Stanley analyst reports on equities, and detailed fundamental data. Customer service is great, providing relevant answers within a short time.
It does have some drawbacks, though. Except for the around 4,000 mutual funds that are free to trade, mutual fund costs are high and the product portfolio covers only US and Canadian markets. Lastly, the educational platform is not well-structured.
As trading and non-trading fees are generally low, research tools are great and the account opening is seamless, feel free to try Charles Schwab.
| Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Charles Schwab is a US discount broker, regulated by top-tier US authorities the SEC and FINRA. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and holds a banking license. |
| Fees score | 4.3 stars |
| Recommended for | Investors and traders looking for solid research, low fees and great customer service |
Best stock brokers
What makes a good online stock broker?
Now that you know which are the top 5 brokers, you're probably wondering how we came up with this list. Let's go through a few points quickly.
Are these brokers safe?
Yes, the brokers on this list are all considered safe and rock solid. You can be sure none of them is a scam. They are each regulated by at least one top-tier regulator.
How did BrokerChooser pick the best online stock brokers?
We test online brokers based on close to 500 criteria, using real accounts and real money. We don't want to overwhelm you, so we will only list the five most important criteria here.
| 1. Stock fees | Trading fees of a specific stock trade can be 50 times higher at one online broker compared with another. The best brokers presented here all have low fees. We also include other costs in our calculation such as custody fees if the broker charges them. |
| 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 levied 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. Our top picks all have reasonable deposit and withdrawal prices and processes overall. |
| 4. Overall quality | Our methodology contains a comprehensive set of criteria designed to score the overall quality of a broker's services. This includes safety, platforms, the 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 2022 in Europe:
| Interactive Brokers | Fidelity | Zacks Trade | eToro | Charles Schwab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.7 |
| Other awards | Best online broker | Best broker for cryptos | |||
| Fees score | 4.5 stars | 3.9 stars | 4.2 stars | 4.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Stock and ETF fee scores | 4.8 stars | 4.7 stars | 4.5 stars | 5.0 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Account opening score | 3.2 stars | 3.7 stars | 2.5 stars | 5.0 stars | 4.3 stars |
| Deposit and withdrawal score | 3.0 stars | 3.8 stars | 3.5 stars | 3.9 stars | 2.2 stars |
| Markets and products score | 5.0 stars | 3.6 stars | 3.5 stars | 4.3 stars | 3.0 stars |
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.0 stars | 4.4 stars | 4.3 stars |
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Interactive Brokers is our winner, having been selected the best stock broker in Europe in 2022. Low trading fees. Wide range of products. Many great research tools.
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.
