Europe's lowest-cost traditional broker — €1 per trade with no inactivity fees
WhichBrokr Category Ratings
DEGIRO was founded in 2013 in Amsterdam and quickly became one of Europe's most popular retail brokers thanks to its ultra-low fee structure. In 2021, DEGIRO merged with flatexDEGIRO Bank AG, a German bank regulated by BaFin, significantly strengthening its regulatory standing. Today DEGIRO operates in 18 European countries and offers access to over 50 exchanges worldwide.
The fee proposition: domestic market trades cost €1.00 + €1.00 handling fee. Other EU exchanges (XETRA, Madrid, Paris, etc.) cost €3.90 + €1.00 handling fee = €4.90. US stocks (NASDAQ/NYSE) cost a flat €2.00 (€1.00 + €1.00 handling fee). A separate annual connectivity fee of €2.50/exchange applies to non-domestic exchanges, capped at 0.25% of portfolio value. For ETFs on DEGIRO's "Core Selection" list (which includes popular iShares, Vanguard and Amundi ETFs), trading is completely free — one free trade per product per calendar day. This makes DEGIRO particularly attractive for passive investors building diversified ETF portfolios.
DEGIRO is not a CFD or forex broker — it offers only real securities. This is intentional: the platform targets long-term investors rather than active traders. The trade-off is a simpler, less feature-rich interface compared to platforms like xStation 5 or Interactive Brokers. There's no demo account, no advanced charting, and the mobile app is functional but basic.
A structured assessment across 5 pillars — regulation, tax/legal, costs, features and platform accessibility. Updated July 2026.
DEGIRO is one of the cheapest traditional brokers in Europe. Core Selection ETF trades are free, stock trades cost from €1, and there is no inactivity fee.
| Fee type | DEGIRO | Market Average |
|---|---|---|
| EU stock trade (domestic) | €1.00 + €1.00 handling = €2.00 | €1.95–€9.95 |
| EU stock trade (XETRA etc.) | €3.90 + €1.00 handling = €4.90 | €1.95–€9.95 |
| US stock trade (NASDAQ/NYSE) | €1.00 + €1.00 handling = €2.00 flat | $0–$4.95 |
| Core Selection ETF | €0 (1 free trade/day) | €0–€2 |
| FX conversion (Auto FX) | 0.25% only — no fixed fee | 0.15–1.5% |
| FX conversion (Manual) | €10.00 + 0.25% | — |
| Options (US) | €0.75/contract | $0.65–$1.50 |
| Inactivity fee | None | €5–€15/month |
| Withdrawal | Free | Free–€5 |
Auto FX conversion (0.25%) applies on every buy and sell of non-EUR assets — no fixed fee. Investors holding US stocks long-term pay this twice. Manual FX conversion (€10.00 + 0.25%) is only relevant if you manage currency balances manually.
DEGIRO benefits from strong regulatory oversight via its parent flatexDEGIRO Bank AG, which holds a full BaFin banking licence.
| Parent company | flatexDEGIRO Bank AG — listed on Frankfurt Stock Exchange |
| Regulator | BaFin (DE), DNB (NL — central bank), AFM (NL), FCA (UK) |
| UK client protection | £85,000 (FSCS) |
| EU client protection | €20,000 (investor compensation) |
| Securities custody | Stichting DEGIRO (separate legal foundation — off-balance-sheet) |
| Securities lending | Enabled by default — disable in settings |
| Operating since | 2013 |
| Negative balance protection | Yes — no leverage products |
DEGIRO's platform is clean and functional — optimized for execution rather than analysis. It works well for investors who do their research elsewhere.
| Web platform | ✅ Yes — clean, functional |
| Mobile app (iOS) | ✅ Yes — 4.3★ App Store |
| Mobile app (Android) | ✅ Yes — 4.1★ Google Play |
| Desktop application | ❌ No |
| Advanced charting | ❌ No — use TradingView externally |
| Demo account | ❌ No |
| Order types | Market, Limit, Stop Limit, Stop Loss, Trailing Stop |
| Price alerts | ✅ Yes |
DEGIRO offers broad market access across 50+ exchanges — well suited to international stock investors. In 2026 DEGIRO added spot crypto trading (25 coins, 0.60% all-in) via custodian Tangany, in addition to its existing crypto ETF/ETN range. No CFDs, no forex.
| Stocks | Thousands across 50+ global exchanges |
| ETFs | Wide selection — Core Selection list (~200 ETFs) free |
| Bonds | ✅ Available (government and corporate) |
| Options | ✅ Available (major exchanges) |
| Futures | ✅ Available (major exchanges) |
| Spot Crypto | ✅ 25 coins — BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, ADA, DOGE + more (0.60% all-in) |
| Crypto ETFs/ETNs | ✅ VanEck, CoinShares, WisdomTree, 21Shares |
| CFDs / Forex | ❌ Not available |
| Fractional shares | ❌ Not available |
€1/trade + Core Selection ETFs free — one of cheapest brokers in Europe
No monthly or annual charge; ideal for long-term, occasional investors
50+ global exchanges; excellent for international portfolio diversification
BaFin-backed bank and Stichting DEGIRO custody structure inspire confidence
0.25% on every non-EUR buy and sell — catches US stock investors off-guard
Opt-in required — but many users don't know it exists or what it means for their portfolio
Email-primary contact; long waits and unhelpful first replies on complex issues
No advanced charting, no news feed, no demo account — traders use TradingView separately
ⓘ Percentages reflect share of mentions across 24,000+ Trustpilot reviews and Reddit r/eupersonalfinance threads analysed in Aug 2026. This is user-reported sentiment, separate from our editorial findings above.
DEGIRO remains one of the best value traditional brokers in Europe for buy-and-hold investors. The Core Selection ETF free trading, low stock commissions and absence of inactivity fees make it particularly compelling for passive investors building diversified portfolios. The flatexDEGIRO Bank AG banking licence and Stichting DEGIRO custody structure provide meaningful safety.
The main limitations are the Auto FX conversion fee on non-EUR assets (0.25% per trade), non-domestic EU exchange costs (€4.90 for XETRA, Madrid, etc.), and an interface that, while clear, lacks the analytical depth of xStation 5 or Interactive Brokers. DEGIRO added spot crypto in 2026 (25 coins, 0.60% all-in via Tangany custody), though wallet withdrawals are not supported and availability varies by country. No CFDs or forex. No tax wrappers (ISA, SIPP, PEA) means all gains are taxable.
Best for: European buy-and-hold investors, ETF-focused passive investors and those wanting low-cost access to global stock markets including crypto. Not ideal for: Active traders wanting analytics tools, crypto users who need wallet control, or UK investors wanting ISA/SIPP wrappers.
| Is DEGIRO safe? | Yes — DEGIRO is part of flatexDEGIRO Bank AG (BaFin regulated). Client securities are held in Stichting DEGIRO, a separate legal foundation. UK clients are protected by FSCS up to £85,000. |
| Does DEGIRO charge a custody fee? | No annual custody fee. However, the Custody profile charges for dividend and coupon processing: €1.00 + 3.00% of each dividend paid (maximum 10% of the dividend), and €1.00 + 0.10% per coupon. These costs are waived entirely on Basic, Active and Trader (Standard) profiles. |
| Are DEGIRO's Core Selection ETFs really free? | Yes — Core Selection ETFs have €0.00 base commission across major primary exchanges (Euronext, Xetra, LSE, Tradegate) — membership is not restricted to Tradegate alone. On Tradegate specifically, the handling fee is also waived, making trades fully free. On other exchanges, a handling fee may still apply under the Fair Use Policy. One free trade per ETF per calendar day applies. |
| Does DEGIRO offer crypto? | Yes — DEGIRO launched spot crypto trading in 2026. Buy and sell 25 coins (BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, ADA, DOGE, AVAX, DOT and more) at 0.60% all-in for major coins. Coins are held in custody by Tangany (a regulated German crypto custodian) — wallet withdrawals are not available. DEGIRO also keeps its crypto ETF/ETN range (VanEck, CoinShares, WisdomTree, 21Shares). Note: spot crypto is not available in all countries. |
| What is securities lending at DEGIRO? | DEGIRO lends your shares to third parties (typically short sellers) and shares any income with you. It adds counterparty risk. Disable it in Profile → Security settings if you prefer not to participate. |
| Can I open an ISA with DEGIRO? | No — DEGIRO does not offer ISAs, SIPPs or other tax-advantaged wrappers. |