Independent · fee-focused
Beste Broker Germany: Best Investment Platforms (2026)
Reviewed by Yaniv Barshaf, CPA · Fees verified August 2026 · Our methodology
Disclosure: FeesWizard may earn a commission if you open an account through links on this page. This never affects our fee data or rankings — how we make money.
Germany has the most competitive neobroker market in Europe, and the result is that order costs here are among the lowest anywhere: Trade Republic charges a flat €1 external-settlement fee, and Scalable Capital's PRIME+ subscription makes qualifying orders free. Almost no German broker charges a percentage custody fee (Depotgebühr), which is the charge that dominates a UK investor's bill. That shifts the deciding factor to order costs and, for anyone buying US-listed assets, currency conversion. The calculator below prices all of them for a euro-based investor.
What will each broker actually cost you?
Enter the portfolio you actually hold. We calculate every charge — dealing commission, platform and custody fees, subscriptions, FX, dividend and withdrawal fees — and rank the brokers by what you would really pay.
On a €10,000 portfolio with 12 trades a year, the cheapest option is Trading 212 at €1.50/year. The most expensive charges €43/year.
Choosing the cheapest saves €41 a year — and €205 over five years, once you account for the growth those fees never earned.
| Broker | Plan | Per year | Over 5 years | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trading 212Cheapest | Invest account | €1.50 | €8.29 | |
| Lightyear | EU account | €3.50 | €19 | |
| XTB | XTB account | €5.00 | €28 | |
| Revolut | Standard plan | €5.00 | €28 | |
| Scalable Capital | FREE Broker | €12 | €59 | |
| Trade Republic | Trade Republic account | €12 | €60 | |
| eToro | eToro account | €12 | €65 | |
| DEGIRO | DEGIRO Basic | €41 | €206 | |
| Interactive Brokers(we earn nothing from this platform) | IBKR Fixed pricing | €43 | €213 |
What five years of fees adds up to
Includes the growth those fees would have earned had they stayed invested.
- Trading 212€8.29
- Lightyear€19
- XTB€28
- Revolut€28
- Scalable Capital€59
Estimates only, based on each broker's published fee schedule as verified in August 2026. Fund ongoing charges are shown separately because they are paid to the fund manager and are the same whichever broker you use. Fees quoted in another currency are converted at a fixed reference rate so that every figure on this site is reproducible. See our methodology. Capital at risk. This is not financial advice. Investing involves risk of loss.
The platforms that matter in Germany
Every platform below is included on merit, not on whether we earn from it. Where we earn nothing, we say so on the row.
| Platform | Ongoing charge | Dealing | FX | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Republic | None | €1 flat per trade (Best Price execution) | None | Best €1-flat neobroker for low-cost investing in the eurozone |
| Scalable Capital | None | FREE Broker: €0.99 per trade (€0 on €250+ Prime ETF purchases). PRIME+ Broker (€4.99/mo): €0 per trade on €250+, else €0.99. Xetra trades €3.99 on both plans | None | Best broker with a free savings-plan tier and an optional flat-rate plan |
| DEGIRO | None | Commission plus a EUR 1 handling fee per trade: EUR 2 total on US exchanges, EUR 3 on the Irish home market, EUR 4.90 on London, Euronext, XETRA, Swiss and Nordic exchanges, EUR 6 on Australia, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo. ETFs EUR 3, or EUR 1 handling only for the Core Selection (fair-use policy applies) | 0.25% | Best low-cost broker for buy-and-hold ETF investors in the EU |
| XTB | None | 0% up to €100k monthly turnover, then 0.2% (min €10) | 0.5% | Best for low-cost stock and ETF investing in the EU/UK |
| Interactive BrokersNo affiliate relationship | None | UK shares 0.05% of trade value, minimum £3 | 0.03% | The cheapest FX and the widest market access, for confident investors |
| Trading 212 | None | 0% | 0.15% | Best for low fees and UK investors |
| eToro | None | $1–$2 per side on stock positions (charged on opening and on closing, varies by country of residence) | 0.75% | Best for beginners and social/copy trading |
| Lightyear | None | UK personal accounts (GIA and ISA): no execution fee on UK, US and European stocks or ETFs. EU accounts: GBP 1 per order on UK stocks, EUR 1 per order on EUR-denominated stocks, 0.1% on other European stocks, and 0.10% (min $0.10, max $1) on US stocks. ETFs are execution-fee-free on both. | 0.1% | Best low-FX investing app for the UK and EU with interest on cash |
Fees last verified 31 July 2026against each provider's published schedule — see every source and who checked it
- Trade Republic (checked 2026-07-31 by FeesWizard automated source check (partial — not every published figure could be reached)): Trade Republic — commissions for order execution
- Scalable Capital (checked 2026-07-31 by FeesWizard automated source check (partial — not every published figure could be reached)): Scalable Capital trading costs, Scalable Capital PRIME+ Broker
- DEGIRO (checked 2026-07-31 by Yaniv Barshaf, CPA): DEGIRO fee schedule, Basic/Active/Trader (rates from 01-01-2026), DEGIRO — what is the exchange connection fee, DEGIRO Ireland — fees
- XTB (checked 2026-07-31 by FeesWizard automated source check): XTB — fees and commissions, XTB — commissions table (April 2026)
- Interactive Brokers (checked 2026-07-27 by Yaniv Barshaf, CPA): IBKR stock commissions, IBKR US stock trading costs for UK and EU residents
- Trading 212 (checked 2026-07-31 by FeesWizard automated source check): Trading 212 — fees in the Invest, ISAs and SIPP, Trading 212 — what is the FX fee, Trading 212 — funding fees, Trading 212 — withdrawal fees
- eToro (checked 2026-07-31 by FeesWizard automated source check): eToro fee schedule, eToro conversion fees
- Lightyear (checked 2026-07-31 by FeesWizard automated source check): Lightyear UK pricing, Lightyear EU pricing, Lightyear UK — fees and taxes
We read each provider's own published charges page rather than relying on third-party summaries. If you find a figure that is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.
Sparer-Pauschbetrag and Freistellungsauftrag
Germany has no ISA equivalent. Instead, investment income up to the annual Sparer-Pauschbetrag is exempt from tax — currently €1,000 for a single person and €2,000 for a jointly assessed couple. You claim it by filing a Freistellungsauftrag with your broker, which then applies the allowance before deducting tax. Above that allowance, investment income is subject to Abgeltungsteuer of 25% plus Solidaritätszuschlag and, where applicable, church tax. German brokers withhold this at source automatically; foreign brokers such as Interactive Brokers generally do not, which means you handle it yourself in your tax return. That administrative difference is a real consideration alongside the headline fees.
Regulation and protection in Germany
Platforms serving German investors are supervised by the Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin). Securities you own are held in your name and are not part of a broker's assets if it fails. Cash balances at a German bank are protected by the statutory deposit guarantee up to €100,000 per person per institution. Brokers passporting in from another EU state fall under their home regulator and its investor compensation scheme instead.
The words German investors need to know
- Depotgebühr
- Custody fee for holding securities. Most German neobrokers charge none — a key reason costs here are low.
- Ordergebühr
- The charge per order. Typically €0.99 to €3.99 depending on broker and venue.
- Sparplan
- A regular ETF savings plan. Often free to execute, which makes monthly investing especially cheap in Germany.
- Abgeltungsteuer
- The 25% flat tax on investment income, plus Solidaritätszuschlag, withheld at source by German brokers.
Ready to open an account?
Trade Republic is one of the lower-cost options for German investors — best €1-flat neobroker for low-cost investing in the eurozone. Run your own numbers in the calculator above before you commit.
Visit Trade RepublicCapital at risk. This is not financial advice. Investing involves risk of loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which broker is cheapest for investors in Germany?
For a buy-and-hold ETF investor making regular contributions, Trade Republic and Scalable Capital's free plan are usually the cheapest, because both charge around €1 per order, no custody fee, and free ETF savings-plan executions. Scalable's PRIME+ subscription becomes worthwhile once you place enough qualifying orders for the €4.99 monthly fee to beat €0.99 per trade. For anyone trading US assets in volume, Interactive Brokers' 0.03% currency conversion charge tends to outweigh everything else.
Do I need a German broker, or can I use a foreign one?
You can use any broker that accepts German residents. The practical difference is tax handling: a German broker applies your Freistellungsauftrag and withholds Abgeltungsteuer automatically, while a foreign broker leaves you to declare the income yourself. If you value the paperwork being done for you, that is worth real money in accountant's time.
Can I buy US-domiciled ETFs from Germany?
Generally no. Under EU PRIIPs rules, US-domiciled ETFs cannot be sold to EU retail investors because they do not publish a compliant key information document. You buy the UCITS equivalent instead, which is usually domiciled in Ireland or Luxembourg and is often more tax-efficient for a European investor anyway.