All brokers below do their job well, and I recommend utilizing more than one broker to ensure benefits and prudent continuity management, in a case if one broker is not available.
| Area | Trading 212 | Trade Republic | Interactive Brokers (IBKR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interface / usability | Easy to use, approachable interface. Same in mobile and computer. Mobile First. | Easy to use, clean and sleek interface. | |
| Computer interface is not as good as the mobile. | Complex for beginners, multiple platforms like IKBR.ie website portal, Desktop App, Global Trader mobile app, IBKR Mobile, Impact mobile app. | ||
| Needs time to get used to. | |||
| Company | Private | ||
| Founded in 2004, Operating Globally | |||
| HQ in London, UK. | |||
| Uses IBKR as a backend. |
As of May 2025, Trading 212 has surpassed £25 billion (30€ billion) in client assets under administration (AUM). The platform serves 4.5 million clients, establishing itself as a rapidly growing investment firm in the UK and Europe.
| Private Founded in 2016 Operating in Europe HQ in Berlin, Germany Utilises single market maker.
As of early 2026, Trade Republic reports over 150€ billion in assets under management (AUM) and more than 10 million users across 18 European markets. The company has solidified its position as a leading European savings platform, doubling its user base and rapidly increasing assets in the 18 months preceding December 2025. | Public Founded in 1978 Operating Globally HQ in Connecticut, US. Access to several stock exchanges.
As of April 2026, Interactive Brokers (IBKR) reported $870.9 billion in ending client equity (total customer holdings/AUM). | | ETF Savings Plan | No commission | No commission | Tiered Plan in XETRA: 1.25€ + 0.0036% + 0.0008% + 0.03€ Fixed Plan: 3€ | | Orders | No commission | 1€ | Same as above | | Interest in cash (€) | 2.2% in May 2026 Paid daily | 2% in May 2026 Paid monthly | 1.369% above 10 000€ | | Margin | Not available | Not available | 3.369% for 10 000€ in May 2026 | | Saveback on card purchases | 1.5%, max 15€ per month Requires at least one active subscription detected on your 212 Card | 1%, max 15€ per month Requires min. 50€/month savings plan | Not available | | Welcome Bonus | A fractional share valued 8 - 100 €. | Not usually | Normal referral requires $10k deposit in the first 30 days after account opening.
But if you open an account without any referral code, and wait 1 year without doing any deposit, you might get an email which allows you to get 1% of IBKR stock of all deposits during the next 12 months. | | Currency exchange fees | 0.15% FX | A spread-based FX conversion via their market maker (Lang & Schwarz) ≈ 0.15% – 0.30% | 0.002% (min $2) |