The best alternatives to Comdirect are
- flatex - Germany-based stockbroker
- DEGIRO - German-Dutch discount broker
- LYNX - Netherlands-based stockbroker
Let's see in a bit more detail how the Comdirect alternatives compare to Comdirect and each other:
| Comdirect | flatex | DEGIRO | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.2 stars | 4.2 stars | 4.9 stars | 4.1 stars |
| Fees score | 2.3 stars | 3.1 stars | 4.5 stars | 3.4 stars |
| Account opening score | 2.8 stars | 2.8 stars | 5.0 stars | 2.0 stars |
| Deposit and withdrawal score | 3.5 stars | 3.0 stars | 3.0 stars | 3.0 stars |
| Web platform score | 4.4 stars | 3.5 stars | 4.0 stars | 3.8 stars |
| Markets and products score | 5.0 stars | 4.1 stars | 3.8 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker |
Why are these brokers considered good alternatives to Comdirect? There are many areas based on which Comdirect can be compared with others. When we say a given online broker is a good alternative to Comdirect we mean these brokers are comparable in the following areas:
- The products they offer, meaning you can buy mostly the same things, i.e. stocks, CFDs, options, etc.
- The type of clients they target, i.e. beginners, experienced investors, or day traders.
Comdirect alternatives recommendations
Brokers are different in a number of ways, which means each of them may be suitable for different people. Here's how they compare overall:
- Comdirect is recommended for investors speaking german and focusing on european securities
- flatex is recommended for investors and traders speaking german and focusing on european securities
- DEGIRO is recommended for traders and investors looking for execution only
- LYNX is recommended for any european traders looking for low stock and etf fees and a good mobile trading platform
Important factors of finding Comdirect alternatives
So far BrokerChooser has reviewed 102 online brokers in detail, which gives this comparison a solid starting point.
Not only that, but all of these brokers are reviewed using the exact same broker review methodology, which makes everything easily comparable. For each broker, we
- open a live account
- check over 100 criteria, with weighting based on readers' preferences
- refresh data regularly
Whether Comdirect or one of its alternatives is the best choice for you is on the following five broker characteristics that most interest people:
Fees. There are different types of fees that your online brokerage may charge, and both the number and the size of these fees may vary significantly from broker to broker. Both of these aspects can impact your returns and your overall experience. Comdirect is considered to be a rather expensive broker. This gives you a good chance to cut your costs by choosing a cheaper Comdirect alternative.
Account opening. To open an account some brokers require at least €50,000 to be invested, while others don't set a minimum first-time deposit. The time it takes to open your account can be very different as well. At Comdirect, the account opening is slower than average, so if you consider this important some Comdirect alternatives can be a good choice.
Deposit/withdrawal. The number of ways that you can deposit or withdraw money to or from your account matters a lot. For example, while you cannot make a deposit with your credit card at Comdirect, some alternatives might allow you to do that.
Web trading platform. While online brokers are usually available on various platforms like mobile apps, tablet apps or desktop software, most people use them through their web platform in a browser. User-friendly trading platforms that offer many different resources can significantly increase your trading comfort.
Markets and products. A lot of people have specific products they would like to invest in. Knowing whether stocks, forex, mutual funds, and other products are available at the given Comdirect alternative is a must.
Now let's dive into the details of how Comdirect and its alternatives perform in the most important areas!
Comdirect alternatives
flatex
flatex is a Germany-based stockbroker, regulated by Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). It was originally established as PRE.IPO AG in 1999 and received its banking and brokerage license in 2005, when the company was renamed flatex.
flatex is considered safe because it has a long track record, is listed on a stock exchange, has a banking background, discloses its financials and is regulated by a top-tier authority.
In 2019, flatex AG acquired 100% of DEGIRO. Currently they operate as separate entities, with flatex strengthening DEGIRO's regulatory backbone.
Being a German broker, all of flatex's trading services are available only in German.
Recommended for investors and traders speaking german and focusing on european securities
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low stock, ETF, fund and bond fees | • High forex fees |
| • Strong company background | • Complicated account opening for non-German residents |
| • Great educational tools | • Only bank transfer available for deposits and withdrawals |
Fees
flatex has favorable pricing for trading stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and bonds. On the negative side, forex fees are high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low non-trading fees | • High forex fees |
| • Low stock and ETF fees / Free stock trading | |
| • Low fund fees |
| flatex | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $12.1 | $25.9 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | - | $26.4 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $24.6 | $26.7 |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
Account opening at flatex is easy and fully digital for German and Austrian residents, but complicated and long for other clients.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No minimum deposit | • Slow |
| • Fully digital account opening for German/Austrian clients | • Not fully digital |
| • Not user-friendly |
| flatex | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | >3 days | >3 days |
If you are interested more in flatex minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
Deposits and withdrawals at flatex are free of charge, but only bank transfer is available. This means the process can take a couple of days.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Free withdrawal | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • No deposit fee | • Slow withdrawal - over 3 days |
| • User-friendly |
| flatex | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
flatex's web trading platform WebFiliale is well-designed, has several order types and a great search engine. However, there are no price alerts and it is only available in German.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • No clear fee report available |
| • Two-step (safer) login | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Good search function | • No price alerts |
| flatex | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.4 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 4.2 stars | 4.7 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 2.8 stars | 3.5 stars |
Learn more about flatex's web trading platform in the detailed flatex review.
Markets and products
At flatex you can trade almost all product types except options, futures and cryptos. There are also special products like warrants, certificates and turbos. Most available exchanges focus on EU markets.
| flatex | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | No |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
Verdict
flatex is great for those who are looking for long-term investments and have a good command of German.
Investing in stocks, funds, and ETFs is cheaper at flatex than at its German competitors. Also, it has extra savings and mutual fund plans for long-term investors. Because it is listed on the stock exchange, flatex's financials are clear and transparent. It also offers high-quality educational materials to help you understand trading with the broker's services.
On the negative side, forex fees and margin rates are high. The account opening for non-German citizens is complicated and you can only use bank transfer for deposits and withdrawals. We also missed the option to switch to English during account opening and on the web and mobile trading platforms. Despite this, most of the time customer service could help us out in English.
As there is no required minimum deposit or inactivity fee, feel free to go ahead and try flatex.
| flatex | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Flatex is a German broker regulated by top-tier authorities such as the German BaFin. In addition, flatex is listed on Stuttgart Stock Exchange and has a banking background. |
| Fees score | 3.1 stars |
| Recommended for | Investors and traders speaking German and focusing on European securities |
Comdirect alternatives
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.
Check out our DEGIRO review tailored to the needs of beginner investors and traders.
DEGIRO is regulated by top-tier financial authorities such as the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, or BaFin) in Germany.
Disclaimer: Investing involves risk of loss.
Disclaimer for UK clients: Deemed authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The nature and extent of consumer protections may differ from those applicable to 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 FCA'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 top-tier authorities | • Limited research tools |
| • Easy-to-use web and mobile platform | • No credit/debit card deposit |
Fees
DEGIRO has low trading fees for all asset classes. Non-trading fees are also low, as there are no inactivity or withdrawal fees. On the negative side, trading US options or futures will come with a €5 monthly fee. If you need currency conversion, a 0.25% fee will apply.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low fund fees | • €5 monthly fee for trading US derivatives (options and futures) |
| • No inactivity fee | • 0.25% FX conversion fee |
| • Low stock and ETF fees |
| DEGIRO | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.3 | $25.9 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $7.0 | $26.4 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | - | $26.7 |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
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 | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | >3 days |
If you are interested more in DEGIRO minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
DEGIRO deposits and withdrawals are free of charge via bank transfer. A big drawback though is that you can't 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 | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
DEGIRO's web platform is very basic and easy to use, even for beginners. On the negative side, you can't set price alerts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Clear fee report | • No price alerts |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| DEGIRO | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.0 stars | 4.4 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 4.5 stars | 4.7 stars |
| Desktop platform score | - | 3.5 stars |
Learn more about DEGIRO's web trading platform in the detailed DEGIRO review.
Markets and products
At DEGIRO, you can access many markets and trade a lot of different products. CFDs and forex are not available, though.
| DEGIRO | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | No | No |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
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. In addition, the account opening process is fast.
On the other hand, as DEGIRO is an execution-only broker, its research tools are limited. We should also mention that it offers 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 | 4.5 stars |
| Recommended for | Traders and investors looking for execution only |
Comdirect alternatives
LYNX
LYNX is a Netherlands-based stockbroker founded in 2006.
LYNX is an introducing broker of Interactive Brokers (IB). In practice, this means that your deposited funds will be held by IB but fees are charged by LYNX. You can also use IB's trading platforms.
LYNX is considered safe because both LYNX and Interactive Brokers are regulated by top-tier financial authorities.
Recommended for any european traders looking for low stock and etf fees and a good mobile trading platform
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Wide range of markets and products | • Deposit and withdrawal options limited |
| • Low stock and ETF trading fees | • €3,000 minimum deposit |
| • Great research tool | • Complex desktop platform |
Fees
LYNX has low trading fees for stocks, ETFs and funds, but its options fees are high and it also charges an inactivity fee.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low fund fees | • Inactivity fee |
| • Low stock and ETF trading fees | • High options fees |
| LYNX | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $10.3 | $25.9 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $21.1 | $26.4 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $18.7 | $26.7 |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
The account opening process at LYNX is smooth and fully digital, but it took us over three days to complete, and there is a high €3,000 minimum deposit.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Slow |
| • User-friendly | • The minimum deposit is €3,000 |
| LYNX | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $2,970 | $0 |
| Time to open account | >3 days | >3 days |
If you are interested more in LYNX minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
You can fund your account in many base currencies, and you have one free withdrawal per month. The only method offered is bank transfer.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • Several account base currencies | |
| • One free withdrawal per month |
| LYNX | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
The LYNX web trading platform is simple and easy to use, with multiple order types and clear fee reports. On the negative side, it lacks customizability and price alerts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Clear fee report |
| LYNX | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 3.8 stars | 4.4 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 stars | 4.7 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.8 stars | 3.5 stars |
Learn more about LYNX's web trading platform in the detailed LYNX review.
Markets and products
At LYNX, you can trade the full spectrum of asset classes and gain access to many markets.
| LYNX | Comdirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
LYNX has low stock and ETF trading fees, great research tools, and offers an extremely wide range of markets and products.
On the other hand, deposit and withdrawal options are limited to bank transfers. There is also a steep €3,000 minimum deposit and the desktop platform can be overwhelming for beginners.
Feel free to try LYNX if you are a European client seeking access to a wide range of markets and want access to the research tools Interactive Brokers offers in its trading platforms.
| LYNX | |
|---|---|
| Summary | LYNX is a Dutch stockbroker established in 2006. It is regulated by the Dutch FMA. |
| Fees score | 3.4 stars |
| Recommended for | Any European traders looking for low stock and ETF fees and a good mobile trading platform |
Comdirect alternatives
Comdirect
Comdirect is a German investment bank established in 1994 and owned by Commerzbank, a major German bank. It is regulated by Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Comdirect is considered safe because it has a long track record, is listed on a stock exchange, has a banking background and is regulated by the top-tier BaFin.
Being a German bank, all of Comdirect's services are available only in German.
Recommended for investors speaking german and focusing on european securities
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Extensive range of products and exchanges | • High fees |
| • Great mobile platform | • Complicated account opening for non-German/Austrian residents |
| • Rock-solid background | • Slow phone support and no live chat |
Fees
Comdirect's trading fees are high for all asset classes except bonds, ETFs and stocks. As a plus, non-trading fees are low, there is no withdrawal fee and an inactivity fee is charged only after 3 years.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No withdrawal fee | • High trading fees |
| • Low inactivity fee | • High forex fees |
| Comdirect | flatex | DEGIRO | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $12.8 | $5.9 | $1.0 | $5.0 |
| UK stock | $12.8 | - | $3.1 | $10.2 |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k
Account opening
Account opening is easy and fully digital for German and Austrian residents, but is complicated and slow for others.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No minimum deposit | • Slow |
| • Fully digital account opening for German/Austrian residents | • Not fully digital |
| • Complicated account opening for non-German/Austrian residents |
| Comdirect | flatex | DEGIRO | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,970 |
| Time to open account | >3 days | >3 days | 1 day | >3 days |
Learn more about Comdirect minimum deposit here.
Deposit and withdrawal
Deposits and withdrawals are free of charge, but only bank transfer is available as a method.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Free withdrawal | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • No deposit fee | • Slow withdrawal - over 3 days |
| • Several account base currencies |
| Comdirect | flatex | DEGIRO | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
Comdirect's web platform is well-designed and easy to use. It has great customization options but lacks price alerts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • No price alerts |
| • Clear fee report | |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| Comdirect | flatex | DEGIRO | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.4 stars | 3.5 stars | 4.0 stars | 3.8 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 4.7 stars | 4.2 stars | 4.5 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.5 stars | 2.8 stars | - | 3.8 stars |
Learn more about Comdirect's web trading platform in the detailed Comdirect review.
Markets and products
You can trade with almost all types of assets at Comdirect. There is also a great selection within asset classes, covering a lot of German, European and overseas exchanges.
| Comdirect | flatex | DEGIRO | LYNX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | No | No | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Verdict
Comdirect is a German online broker established in 1994. Its parent company is Commerzbank, one of the biggest banks in Germany.
It is recommended for traders with a good knowledge of German.
Comdirect provides access to both European and overseas exchanges with a wide range of products. Its mobile platform is great and the broker is considered safe because it has a banking background, is listed on a stock exchange and is regulated by a top-tier authority.
On the other hand, fees are high, especially stock trading fees. Anyone can open an account, although for residents outside of Germany and Austria, the process is complicated and could take several weeks. There is no functioning live chat and phone support is a bit slow.
If you are looking for a customizable web and desktop platform for trading on German markets, feel free to try Comdirect.
| Comdirect | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Comdirect is a German investment bank offering online banking and brokerage services. |
| Fees score | 2.3 stars |
| Recommended for | Investors speaking German and focusing on European securities |
Comdirect alternatives
Bottom line
Based on our analysis, there are several good alternatives to Comdirect. They all offer similar products and target similar customers. Here's a recap of the results in a table.
| Broker | Info | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Comdirect | German investment bank | Investors speaking German and focusing on European securities |
| flatex | Germany-based stockbroker | Investors and traders speaking German and focusing on European securities |
| DEGIRO | German-Dutch discount broker | Traders and investors looking for execution only |
| LYNX | Netherlands-based stockbroker | Any European traders looking for low stock and ETF fees and a good mobile trading platform |
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