Check out our list of the top-rated trading platforms for investors in Europe. We tested brokers across many categories. Find top choices for beginners, seasoned traders and everything in between.
Table of Contents
List of the Best Online Brokers in Europe 2024
The Best Stock Brokers in Europe are listed below.
| Broker | Our Score | Accepts Clients | Minimum | Best For | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Interactive Brokers | 4.9 | Globally | €0 | Global Markets and all Asset Classes |
| #2 | eToro | 4.9 | Globally | €100 | Zero-commission Stocks and Copy Trading in Europe |
| #3 | AvaTrade | 4.9 | Globally | €100 | Forex and CFD Trading |
| #4 | XTB | 4.8 | Globally | €0 | CFD Trading Europe |
| #5 | DEGIRO | 4.7 | Europe | €0 | Low Cost Trading in Europe |
| #6 | Firstrade | 4.7 | Globally | €0 | Options Trading |
Top 3 Picks
Forex Broker
PFI Rating 4.9
76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Best Overall
PFI Rating 4.9
69.0% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with IBKR.
Copy Trading
PFI Rating 4.9
{etoroCFDrisk}% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
While retail investing is not as popular in Europe, the number of online brokers on the European market has steadily risen in recent years.
Some Online Brokers in Europe are better for shares and CFDs, while others are better suited for forex and cryptocurrency trading. That being said, let’s learn more about the Best Platforms for European Investors.
PFI Rating: 4.9/5
1. Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers is the Best Stock Trading Platform for Europeans. It’s the best overall choice for active traders and everyday international investors. Interactive Broker has four decades of experience, low commissions, fees, a strong capital position, a wide range of markets, outstanding research, and Advanced Trading Tools.
On Interactive Brokers' Official Website
They offer investment products such as Stocks, European Shares, ETFs, Forex, Options, Spot Currencies, Cryptocurrencies, Spot Gold, Bonds, Fixed Income, Mutual Funds, and Hedge Funds. What I particularly like about IBKR is the fractional shares that allow you to invest a small percentage before increasing your trading budget.
Interactive Brokers has the best market data providers, but a monthly subscription is required.
IBKR offers European Customers their beginner-friendly IBKR GlobalTrader app and well-known professional Trader Workstation platform.
Their advanced trading tools with over 120 indicators feature highly customizable features.
Interactive Brokers was established in 1978 and has developed into the largest US-based brokerage, with over 790,000 orders executed daily. Further, IBKR is one of the best-regulated brokers worldwide, with licenses from 11 financial authorities, including the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and US Securities and Exchange Commission.
PFI Rating: 4.9/5
2. eToro
eToro is a multi-asset platform with over 15 million users worldwide. It is an excellent option for commission-free real stocks and cryptocurrency trading. Launched in 2007, the eToro platform has grown dramatically over the years.
It is the best in the industry for copy trading in Europe. eToro has a community of successful investors whose strategies you can copy.
In Addition, eToro is regulated by several top-tier authorities, including the CySEC in Cyprus, the FCA in the UK, the ASIC in Australia, etc. Let’s summarize the main pros and cons of eToro.
Disclaimer: CFDs are complex instruments that come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. {etoroCFDrisk}% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Make sure you understand how CFDs work and if you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
PFI Rating: 4.9/5
3. AvaTrade
AvaTrade is our top pick as the Forex Broker for Europeans. It has one of the best trading apps. Founded in 2006, and regulated by top-tier regulators, it is a safe and reliable choice. It is a great platform with robust trading tools for beginner and advanced traders. AvaTrade offers 1260 tradeable symbols, including Forex, Stocks, Options, Indexes, Precious Metals, Bonds, and ETFs.
71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Seven regulatory bodies across six continents accredited AvaTrade, including JSA, FCA, ASIC, and others. The account opening process is straightforward.
One of this Trading Platform's unique features is AvaProtect, a risk management tool that allows clients to keep their trades safe from losses. Yes, clients pay a small fee, but this app will reimburse every client for losing trades up to 1 million in exchange.
PFI Rating: 4.7/5
4. DEGIRO
DEGIRO is the top pick for ETF trading in Europe. DEGIRO is a German-Dutch Trading Platform that offers €0 ETF and US stock trades, no maintenance charges, no deposit or withdrawal fees, no inactivity fees, low trading costs for share trading, and over 30 exchanges worldwide.
It’s the perfect choice for long-term investors with simple needs who don’t want to spend too much on fees. However, keep in mind that investing includes potential risks.
On DEGIRO Official Website
The platform was established in 2008 and has over 1 million European clients. It’s one of the award-winning trading platforms.
It has received 80 international broker awards, including “Top Rated Overall Investment Platform” by the Financial Times.
In 2021, DEGIRO connected with Flatex, the German giant, to make the flatexDEGIRO Bank AG, making it the largest online execution-only broker with a German banking license.
PFI Rating: 4.7/5
5. XTB
XTB is the best for CFD trading in the EU. XTB is among the biggest and most reputable European CFD Trading Platforms. XTB is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. It offers a wide selection of financial instruments, including CFDs on about 1,700 stocks and 110 ETF CFDs, crypto, popular commodities, indices, and 48 forex currency pairs, with leverage of 1:30 (as restricted by EU regulation). I find it great for day traders in Europe.
XTB is a transparent business registered with several European financial authorities, including the Polish Financial Supervision Authority, FCA in the UK, and CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission).
I also want to mention that XTB doesn’t allow cryptocurrency trading for UK clients because of the FCA restrictions. Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the most important pros and cons of XTB for European day traders.
PFI Rating: 4.7/5
6. Firstrade
Although Firstrade is based in the US, it’s still one of the Best Options Trading platforms in Europe. Firstrade accepts clients within the European Union from eligible countries.
It provides free stock trades from the American market. However, this platform is unique; foreign customers can trade US-style options without fees and commissions.
The company was established in 1985. FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and SEC regulate it. Furthermore, regardless of where customers reside, they’re protected via the SIPC (Security Investor Protection Corporation), which provides protection of up to $500,000 for registered assets or $250,000 for cash.
On Firstrade Official Website
What is the best trading app in Europe?
The best trading app in Europe is eToro. The eToro trading app offers an intuitive user interface, competitive fees, and copy trading.
The Interactive Brokers Global Trader app is Europe's best market-access trading app. If you are a beginner to intermediate trader, pick eToro otherwise, Interactive Brokers is the best pick.
Compare Trading Platforms in Europe
You can compare Trading Platforms in Europe below to see how they stack up.
| eToro | AvaTrade | Interactive Brokers | DEGIRO | XTB | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our Score: | 4.9/5 | 4.9/5 | 4.9/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Founded: | 2007 | 2006 | 1978 | 2008 | 2002 | 1985 |
| Regulation: | FCA, CySEC, ASIC, FSAS | CySEC, ASIC,FSCA, FFAJ, ADGM,ISA,Central Bank of Ireland | SEC, CFTC, FCA, NFA, MAS, CBI, IIROC, ASIC, CSSF | Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM), FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), BaFin | FCA, CySEC, IFSC | SEC |
| Headquarters: | Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel | Dublin, Ireland | Greenwich, Connecticut, United States | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Poland | New York, New York, United States |
| EU Clients Allowed: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Available Outside EU | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum Deposit: | €50 - €10,000 (Israel Only) | €100 | €0 | €0 | €0 | €0 |
| Deposit Methods: | Skrill, Neteller, Debit Card, Rapid Transfer, iDEAL, Klarna / Sofort Banking, Bank Transfer, Online Banking - Trustly | Credit/Debit Cards,Neteller,WebMoney,Wire Transfer | Bank Wire, Credit Cards, ACH, Mail a check, Rollover, Online Bill Pay, Trustee-to-Trustee, SEP Contribution | Bank Transfer | Bank Transfer,Credit/Debit Cards,Skrill | ACH, Check, Wire Transfer |
| Min. Trade: | €10 (Stocks, ETFs, Crypto) €1000 on Leverage (Currencies, Commodities, Indices) | Varies | €1 | €0 | 0.01 lots | €0 |
Features Compared
The features of trading platforms are compared below.
| eToro | AvaTrade | Interactive Brokers | DEGIRO | XTB | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demo Account: | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Islamic Account: | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Margin: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Leverage: | up to 1:30 | up to 1:30 | up to 1:30 | up to 1:30 | up to 1:30 | up to 1:30 |
| Copy Trading: | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Trading Signals: | No (Copy Trading) | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
Platforms Compared
Trading Platforms software is compared below.
| eToro | AvaTrade | Interactive Brokers | XTB | DEGIRO | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile App: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (xStation Mobile) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform: | Yes | Yes | Trader Workstation, Client Portal | xStation 5 | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop: | No | Yes | Yes (Trader Workstation) | Yes (xStation 5) | No | Yes |
| cTrader: | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| DupliTrade: | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| MetaTrader4: | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| MetaTrader5: | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Customer Service Compared
The customer service of online brokers in Europe is compared below.
| eToro | AvaTrade | Interactive Brokers | XTB | DEGIRO | Firstrade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Email: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Phone Support: | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Live Chat: | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Markets Available
The markets available are compared below.
| eToro | AvaTrade | Interactive Brokers | XTB | DEGIRO | Firstade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stocks: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Commodities: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Indices: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrencies: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ADR: | No | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Options: | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds: | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs: | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Binary Options: | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Trading Fees
The trading fees of investment platforms in Europe are compared below.
| eToro | AvaTrade | Interactive Brokers | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inactivity Fee: | €10/month | €50/quarter | €0 | €10/month (after 1 year of no login activity) |
| Stocks ($1000 APPL Buy and Sell in 1 Week) | 0% for selected real stocks and Spread for Stock CFDs | 0.13% Spread | €0 Commission | 0.03 (CFD) |
| Forex: | Varied Spread | Spread (0.9 - 700) | min. €2/order | 0.5 pip |
| Bonds: | N/A | 0.03 - 0.06 Over Market | €0 per trade (remove liquidity)$0.10 per trade (add liquidity) | N/A |
| ETFs: | Varied Spread | 0.13% - 0.15% | €0 Commission | from 0.08% |
| Crypto: | Varied Spread | 0.2% - 2% Over Market | 0.18% | from 0.22% |
| CDFs: | Varied Spread | Spread | Spread | Spread |
| Withdrawal Fee: | €5 | €0 | €0 | €0 |
| Deposit Fee: | €0 | €0 | €0 | |
| Monthly Fee: | No | No | No | No |
How To Choose an Investment Platform in Europe?
To choose a safe and reliable online broker in Europe you should consider their regulation and reputation, safety, quality of service, trading fees and commissions, minimum deposits, and more.
A Trading platform includes financial software and financial research tools that brokerages produce and control to help different types of clients place orders on global markets.
However, remember that platforms differ depending on the provider, so you will want to focus on the brokers with the best and most reliable trading platform.
The trading platform plays a vital part in linking traders with world markets, which is why you will want to utilize the trading platform, which offers versatility and advanced features.
When choosing the right platform, pay attention to usability. A trading platform should be user-friendly and loaded with intuitive features so that traders of all expertise can use them. Some platforms in the European Union are made with beginners in mind.
Some brokers in Europe provide more complex trading platforms with features suitable for professional and advanced traders and beginners. Other brokers use multiple trading platforms to meet the needs of different users. So, if you’re a newbie, don’t fret as you have many options!
Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the factors you need to consider when choosing the right trading platform in the European Union and worldwide.
Regulations
Every broker says they’re the best in their field of expertise. However, you won’t know if they’re honest until you utilize their services.
Thus, always look for brokers regulated by a local regulatory agency. Stick to reliable and safe trading platforms with regulations from large nations like Germany, the UK, etc. The easiest way to determine if a broker is reliable is by checking their licenses.
That way, you will know if they lead a proper operation. Furthermore, stick with companies with a good reputation and track record in offering high-quality trading services in Europe.
If you’re a newbie, opt for brokers who provide tutorials and good customer support. However, if you’re a professional, choose a European trading platform that serves only advanced traders. These platforms have lower fees and don’t provide educational resources.
The quality of the trading service
The best platforms in Europe must have access to excellent trading resources like Trading Tools, a wide range of educational resources, audio, video, pdf tutorials, etc. So, consider the trading research tools when choosing a trading platform.
Your needs and requirements
Most European online brokers provide a similar selection of services, such as ETFs, bonds, derivatives, individual stocks, leveraged products, and instruments.
Newbies often pick stocks and ETFs combined. Additionally, keep in mind that hand-picked stocks make a better choice because you can manage your diversified Portfolio more precisely.
Furthermore, the S&P 500 index and other similar ETFs and indexes offer great exposure to a basket of best companies at a low price. They also require fewer trading choices. So, they’re easier to manage, which is why some beginner traders prefer gold ETFs to be able to invest in the market. For Example, the S&P 500 tracks approximately 500 large companies in the US.
Commissions and fees
When choosing a trading platform as an Eurpean trader, it’s essential to consider the commissions and fees. Some can be relatively low, while others can be extremely high.
Therefore, if you’re a beginner, it’s better to choose a low-fee broker. Check if the broker charges overnight fees, options contract fees, stock fees, forex fees, and any commission is charged for depositing or withdrawing money.
Overall, you should understand the dynamic of commissions and fees despite what provider you choose. You can also find commission-free providers such as eToro in Europe.
User-friendly design
The trading platform provided by brokers should be loaded with different features. However, they need to have a user-friendly design as well. Meaning they should be easy to use.
The trading platforms often come in two options, including mobile-based and web-based. You can access web-based platforms through a computer or laptop, while mobile-based platforms can be accessed from a mobile device. If you have a busy lifestyle, opt for a mobile-based platform.
Reputation
I highly suggest you read online brokers' reviews from trusted sources like Reddit, Trustpilot, and so on before you open an online Stock Trading Account.
Moreover, stay away from low-profile brokers and pick a reputable broker. That way, you will avoid getting scammed.
European brokers safety
Some brokers can provide the best trading platform with many services and great prices. However, that doesn’t matter if the providers can't guarantee the safety of their clients. For example, in the UK the Financial Services Compensation Scheme may be able to pay compensation in case a broker goes bust.
Therefore, safety should be at top of your priority list when choosing trading platforms or brokers. And the only way you can ensure your safety is to check the regulatory licenses and the online reviews. I also recommend that you opt for older brokerages instead of younger ones.
Furthermore, if you’re a new trader, you need to stick with brokers who deliver simple pricing structures and educational resources. Excellent and fast online support matters as well.
Minimum deposits for trading
When picking the right brokerage for your trades, the minimum deposits play an important part as well. This is because these requirements can be relevant to your initial budget.
Some European trading platforms have minimum deposit requirements, whereas others have very low minimum deposit requirements. I suggest you don’t focus on cheap European brokers but consider only those with the trading options you need to increase your chances of your future trades being fruitful.
Last but not least, I want to mention that you can open a demo account that includes virtual moneyand offers a real trading experience. That way, you can get familiar with the trading process before you start trading with your real capital.
Best Forex Broker
PFI Rating 4.9
76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Best Overall
PFI Rating 4.9
69.0% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with IBKR.
Copy Trading
PFI Rating 4.9
{etoroCFDrisk}% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Bottom Line
The Best Online Broker in Europe is eToro, followed by AvaTrade and Interactive Brokers. AvaTrade is best for Forex trading while Interactive Brokers is our top pick for market access.
To recap here are our top choices for Europeans:
| #1 | Interactive Brokers | Best Overall |
| #2 | eToro | Best for Copy Trading and zero commission investing |
| #3 | AvaTrade | Best for Forex Trading |
| #4 | Degiro | Best for ETFs |
| #5 | XTB | Great for CFD and Forex |
| #6 | Firstrade | Best For Options Trading in Europe |
What is the best platform in Europe for Foreign Markets?
The best foreign markets trading platform for Europeans is Interactive Brokers. Interactive Brokers are well-regulated, and offer access to 135 markets in 35 countries. Their trading fees are low and they offer one of the best trading experiences in the industry.
Can you invest in US Stocks from Europe?
Yes, Europeans can invest in the US stock market. While it used to be expensive, with online brokers, it is quite easy to buy US stocks from Europe. The costs have lowered significantly.
Is TD Ameritrade Available in Europe?
TD Ameritrade does not open accounts for Europeans. Other restricted countries include Canada and Australia. While TD Ameritrade opens accounts to residents of over 100 countries, Europe is restricted. A good alternative is Interactive Brokers.
Is Robinhood Available in Europe?
Robinhood is not available in Europe. Only US Residents can become Robinhood customers. Robinhood does not have any plans to open in Europe. Regulations in Europe differ to the US, making it hard for Robinhood to enter the European market.
