Interactive Brokers vs DEGIRO

Fees

The two brokers are very similar in terms of fees, with both charging low trading and non-trading fees. IBKR offers free stock and ETF trading for US customers, while DEGIRO allows one free ETF trade per month, but otherwise, a typical stock trade costs only about $1 at both. As a disadvantage, DEGIRO charges a 0.25% conversion fee if you trade an asset in a currency other than your account currency.

For more information, check out our fee summaries for both IBKR and DEGIRO.

Deposit and withdrawal

The deposit and withdrawal experience is likewise similar at Interactive Brokers and DEGIRO. You can use bank transfers at both, but credit/debit cards or e-wallets such as PayPal are not accepted. Despite these shortcomings, both brokers have some strengths here. Our tests showed that withdrawal at DEGIRO is faster, taking just 1 day for your money to arrive. IBKR's main advantage is its large selection of account base currencies, making it possible to fund your account without incurring conversion costs.

Account opening

Account opening takes place fully online at both brokers, and neither requires a minimum deposit. In addition, both IBKR and DEGIRO offer a multitude of account plans. Still, we found the account opening process at DEGIRO faster and more user-friendly than at IBKR, so DEGIRO is our winner here.

Trading platforms

The biggest difference in the two brokers' selection of trading platforms is that DEGIRO doesn't have a desktop platform - a tool usually targeted at experienced or professional users. On the other hand, DEGIRO's web and - especially - mobile trading platforms are slightly more user-friendly.

Markets and products

Regarding markets and products, Interactive Brokers is clearly superior, as you can trade almost all asset types, across dozens of international markets. By contrast, you can't trade forex, crypto, fractional shares or CFDs at DEGIRO; and its coverage of the asset types it does have is often smaller than IBKR's.

Research and education

Interactive Brokers clearly excels in research and education compared with DEGIRO. While IBKR's reserach material isn't always easy to use, it nonetheless has far better charting, data flows and market analysis. Unlike DEGIRO, IBKR also offers a demo account, which is a great way to try out the platform and hone your trading skills without risking actual money.

Customer service

Interactive Brokers and DEGIRO deserve similar scores for customer support, as both are multilingual, but neither is available 24/7. You can contact IBKR's customer service via email, phone and live chat, with various hours of operation across its markets worldwide. DEGIRO doesn't have live chat, but its prompt and helpful phone support makes up for this.

Is Interactive Brokers better than DEGIRO?

Overall, Interactive Brokers and DEGIRO are similar in quality and pricing, but each has its strengths. DEGIRO often provides a faster and more comfortable user experience when it comes to opening and funding your account or using its trading platforms. However, IBKR covers more markets and offers far more products to trade; and its education and research tools are also much better than DEGIRO’s.

Is DEGIRO a safe broker?

Yes, DEGIRO is regulated by top-tier financial authorities. Its background is further strengthened by the fact that it was acquired in 2021 by flatex, a Germany-based, exchange listed stock broker with a banking license. Based on these, DEGIRO can be considered safe.

Can IBKR be trusted?

Yes, Interactive Brokers can be trusted. IBKR is considered safe because it is regulated by multiple top-tier financial authorities, offers negative balance protection, is listed on a stock exchange, and has successfully weathered several periods of economic and market turmoil since its start in 1977.