Interactive Brokers vs DEGIRO vs Trade Republic (2026)

Interactive Brokers charges tiered or fixed commissions — for retail Tiered pricing, US equity trades run around $0.0035 per share (min $0.35), and EU equity trades run 0.05% (min around €1.25 depending on venue). Its edge is breadth: 150+ exchanges, 30+ base currencies, options, futures, bonds and FX at institutional pricing.

DEGIRO charges a flat €1.00 handling fee per trade plus small venue costs on most equity markets, with a curated 'Core Selection' of ETFs traded free once per month. The trade-off is a narrower product universe: no options-writing for retail EU clients on all venues, no proper futures desk, and thinner support for exotic markets.

Trade Republic charges a flat €1 external cost per trade and routes almost all equity orders through LS Exchange (a Hamburg-based venue). Savings plans on 2,500+ ETFs and 1,000+ stocks are free. Bonds, options and derivatives coverage is more limited than IB.

Interactive Brokers Ireland (the entity most EU clients use) holds client cash in segregated accounts and securities in nominee accounts under Central Bank of Ireland supervision. The Irish Investor Compensation Scheme covers up to €20,000 per client if the broker fails. Cash balances above the compensation limit sit in a network of large partner banks with individual DGS coverage.

DEGIRO is now flatexDEGIRO Bank, a German banking-licensed group. Client securities are held via a separate Dutch custody entity (SPV structure), which protects them in a broker-failure scenario; cash balances are held on the flatexDEGIRO Bank balance sheet with German DGS coverage up to €100,000.

Trade Republic is a fully licensed German bank. Securities are held in nominee custody with a partner custodian, and cash balances up to €100,000 are covered by the German DGS.

Choose Interactive Brokers if you trade across markets and asset classes, need multi-currency margin, want proper options and futures execution, or run a serious portfolio (€100k+) where the flat platform complexity is worth the pricing edge. IB's advanced platforms (TWS, Client Portal API) reward users who invest time in them.

Choose DEGIRO for straightforward buy-and-hold ETF and equity investing in mainstream markets, especially if you value a curated ETF list and simple flat fees. Not the right pick if you need US options, tax-lot control or a broad bond offering.

Choose Trade Republic if you want the simplest possible experience — €1 flat, no confusion — plus recurring ETF/stock savings plans and cash interest on the euro balance. Not the right pick if you need alternative venues, direct market access or complex order types.