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) | Lightyear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | Modern, sleek interface. | |||
| Same in mobile and computer. Mobile First. | ||||
| Company | Private | |||
| Founded in 2004, Operating globally | ||||
| HQ in London, UK. |
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
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.
As of April 2026, Interactive Brokers (IBKR) reported $870.9 billion in ending client equity (total customer holdings/AUM). | Private Founded in 2020 Operating globally HQ in London, UK.
As of June 2026, Lightyear reports to operate in 25 countries and managing +1€ billion in assets under management (AUM). | | ETF savings plan | No commission | No commission | XETRA (IBIS): Tiered: 0.05% (min. 1.25€/max. 29€) + minor exchange fees Fixed: min. 0.05% (min. 3€, no max) Tiered is generally better. | No commission | | ETF orders | No commission | 1€ | Same as above | No commission | | Interest in cash (€) | 2.2% in June 2026 Paid daily | 2% in June 2026 Paid monthly | 1.369% above 10 000€ | 1.98% in June 2026 | | Margin | Not available | Not available | 3.482% for 10 000€ in Jun 2026 | Not available | | 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 | Not available | | Currency exchange fees | 0.15% FX | A spread-based FX conversion via their market maker (Lang & Schwarz) ≈ 0.15% – 0.30% | 0.002% (min $2) | 0.35% FX | | Share lending | Optional | Not available | Available for margin and +25k$ accounts | Not available | | Securities Transfer | Free of charge | 25€ per outgoing security | Free of charge | Free of charge, min 1k€ valued | | 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. | A fractional share valued 10 - 100€, after depositing 100€. | | Execution Venue / Routing | Interactive Brokers backend (Smartrouting, internalisation) | Internal multilateral trading facility (MTF) (Lang & Schwarz Exchange) | SmartRouting (multiple exchanges, internalisation) | Market‑maker routing | | Exchange Access | Limited (selection from IBKR) | Limited (mostly Lang & Schwarz Exchange) | Very broad | Limited |