Independent broker review · Updated June 5, 2026
DEGIRO: low-cost stocks and ETFs specialist? My 2026 review
One of the cheapest cash brokers in Europe, built around a single promise: cost.
The self-directed investor who wants a low-cost international securities account
Beginners, and anyone who values fractional shares, recurring buys or responsive support
XTB — 0% on stocks and ETFs, fractional shares, live support
Read XTB review →Our take
My take on DEGIRO
Founded in 2008 in the Netherlands and backed since 2019 by the German flatex group, DEGIRO has established itself as one of the cheapest online brokers on the continent, with more than 2.5 million clients. Its promise comes down to a single word: cost. Two dollars to place an order on a European exchange or Wall Street, over a thousand ETFs with no brokerage fees, no custody fees, few competitors do better on raw pricing.
We list it because it has become a reference for the low-cost international securities account. The platform is deliberately stripped back, no frills, no managed wrappers, and built squarely around the self-directed investor who wants to keep trading costs to a minimum.
“On price, DEGIRO is hard to beat. On the extras, fractional shares, recurring buys, hands-on support, it is deliberately bare. ”
— Roch de Montesquieu, Research Analyst · Fees, Data, Transparency
Why trust HelloBrokers?
This review is not a copy-paste of DEGIRO's marketing page. We tested the platforms, modelled the cost of a typical trade down to the pip, and benchmarked DEGIRO against the 13 brokers in our comparison. A broker is judged on verifiable figures, not marketing promises.
The essentials
DEGIRO at a glance
Key characteristics, verified on June 5, 2026.
Safety & regulation
Is your money safe?
DEGIRO operates via flatexDEGIRO Bank, supervised by the AFM in the Netherlands and BaFin in Germany, and passported across the European Economic Area. Securities are covered up to $20,000 and cash up to $100,000 under the European guarantee schemes. The framework is solid; on satisfaction, the Trustpilot rating sits around 3.8/5, above the sector average, but customer service (by email) remains the point users flag most often.
🔒 HelloBrokers safety score: 3.2 / 5
Fees & spreads
What does it really cost?
On fees, DEGIRO plays at the front of the pack: $2 per order on major European exchanges ($1 commission + $1 connectivity), the same rate on the NYSE and Nasdaq, and more than 1,000 ETFs from its selection accessible with no brokerage fees ($1 connectivity only). No custody fees, no inactivity fees, a near-zero minimum deposit: the structure is built for the investor who wants to minimise costs.
Two caveats to know. Currency conversion is charged at 0.25% on orders denominated in a currency other than your account base, and annual connectivity fees apply per foreign exchange used. Nothing prohibitive for a single-market investor, but worth factoring in for a highly international portfolio.
| Account | Min. deposit | Spread from | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary securities account The only account type. No tax wrapper, no managed option. | $0.01 | — | $2 per order (stocks, EU/US) |
| Custody profile (asset allocation) Variant where securities are not lent out. Order pricing is identical. | $0.01 | — | Same order pricing, lending disabled |
Real-world scenarios
Real-world scenarios
Three trader profiles and their monthly cost.
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Buy-and-hold investor, 2 ETF orders a month
Two orders a month on ETFs from the commission-free selection, single base currency, no foreign exchange.
Order cost near zero ($1 connectivity), no custody or inactivity fee. This is the case where DEGIRO is at its strongest.
-
Small monthly contributions into a high-priced stock
Investor wanting to drip-feed $150 a month into a stock trading above that price.
Not possible as intended: no fractional shares and no automatic recurring plan. A broker offering fractional buys fits this need better.
-
Multi-market portfolio across several foreign exchanges
Positions held across several non-domestic exchanges, orders in multiple currencies.
Annual connectivity fees apply per foreign exchange and 0.25% currency conversion on non-base orders. Costs stay modest but are no longer near zero.
Instruments & markets covered
Instruments & markets covered
The universe covers around 20,000 securities across some fifty global exchanges: stocks, ETFs, bonds, funds, options, futures, turbos and warrants, plus around twenty cryptocurrencies added in 2025. It's one of the most complete international catalogues at this price point. On the other hand, no leveraged products or Forex: DEGIRO is a pure cash broker.
A few absences weigh for the general public: no fractional shares and no automatic recurring investment. An investor who wants to drip-feed small, regular contributions or buy into high-priced stocks a slice at a time will find more flexible options at a broker such as XTB.
See instruments by class in detail
| Asset class | Count | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Thousands | 50 global exchanges (NYSE, Nasdaq, Xetra…) |
| ETFs | 1,000+ | Commission-free selection |
| Bonds / Funds | Yes | Government and corporate bonds, funds |
| Options / Futures | Yes | Listed derivatives |
| Cryptocurrencies | ~20 | Added in 2025 |
What DEGIRO offers
Capabilities, in plain terms
Covered, partial or not covered. No spin.
- Cash stocks / securities account ✓ Yes ~20,000 securities across ~50 exchanges
- Commission-free ETF selection ✓ Yes 1,000+ ETFs, $1 connectivity only
- Fractional shares ✗ No Whole shares only
- Automatic recurring investment ✗ No No scheduled buy plan
- Demo account ✗ No No practice account
- Copy trading ✗ No
- Live chat / phone support ✗ No Email only, replies in 1 to 3 business days
- No custody or inactivity fee ✓ Yes
Trading platforms
Trading platforms
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Web platform
- Order book and watchlists
- Clear fee breakdown per order
- No native charting suite (basic graphs only)
- No demo or practice mode
-
Mobile app (iOS / Android)
- Order placement and portfolio tracking
- Price alerts
- No advanced technical analysis
- Interface unchanged for years, function over polish
Who this broker is for
Who this broker is for
-
Self-directed cost-conscious investor
The investor who already knows what to buy and wants the lowest order cost on global stocks and ETFs. DEGIRO is built for this profile and little else.
-
Beginner
No demo account, email-only support and no recurring buy plan make the first steps harder than at a broker built for onboarding. A beginner who wants guidance will be better served elsewhere.
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Investor who wants service and hand-holding
Support is email only, with replies reported in 1 to 3 business days and no live chat. Readers who value responsive help should weigh this before opening an account.
Comparison
DEGIRO vs the alternatives
The right choice depends on your profile. Here is how DEGIRO stands against the brokers we feature.
① The HelloBrokers ranking
overall score /5 · click to read the review
Eightcap 🏆 Editor's choice 4.9 Read the review → #2 
eToro 👥 The social trading leader 4.8 Read the review → #3 
Vantage 💎 Excellent value for money 4.8 Read the review → #4 
Avatrade 🎯 Versatile and complete 4.8 Read the review → #5 
XTB Commission-free stocks 4.6 Read the review → #14 
DEGIRO Stocks and ETF specialist 2.8 You are here What users say
What clients are saying
Synthesis of public reviews. Representative excerpts, abridged.
Low fees and a clear breakdown on every order. For buy-and-hold ETFs it does the job at a price hard to match.
Trustpilot review · long-term investor
Support is email only and slow. A formal complaint went unanswered well past the deadline despite reminders.
Trustpilot review · 1★
No fractional shares makes small monthly contributions impractical once you add the order steps.
Reddit sentiment · paraphrased
Transferring shares out is expensive, and there is no interest on uninvested cash.
Reddit sentiment · paraphrased
The verdict
The verdict
DEGIRO is an excellent low-cost international securities account, perhaps the best on the single criterion of price. For the self-directed investor who buys global stocks and ETFs, it's a very solid choice. But for readers who value fractional investing, recurring contributions and responsive service, the feature gaps and a lacklustre support tip the balance towards our well-regulated partners, XTB first, or IG. Our 7.2/10 rating rewards a product that is formidable on costs, while penalising these gaps in the broader experience.
Our recommended alternatives
Our recommended alternatives
For most retail investors, these partner brokers are a better fit.
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Well-regulated, stocks and ETFs at 0% commission, strong platform.
See XTB → -
Well-regulated, very broad catalogue, polished interface.
See IG → -
Multi-asset, immediate to pick up, unlimited demo.
See capital.com →
Related pages
Related pages
Where DEGIRO stands out, and brokers to compare.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ DEGIRO
Is DEGIRO reliable?
Yes. DEGIRO operates via flatexDEGIRO Bank, supervised by the AFM (Netherlands) and BaFin (Germany), with securities guaranteed up to $20,000 and cash up to $100,000. It is an established player (2.5M+ clients), with a Trustpilot rating around 3.8/5.
Why choose DEGIRO?
For its fees: DEGIRO is one of the cheapest brokers in Europe, with very broad international access. It's a good choice for a low-cost ordinary securities account.
What are the fees at DEGIRO?
$2 per order on European and US markets ($1 commission + $1 connectivity), 1,000+ ETFs with no brokerage fees, 0.25% currency conversion, no custody or inactivity fees.
Who is DEGIRO for?
The self-directed investor who wants a cheap international securities account.
Is it easy to withdraw from DEGIRO?
Withdrawals are free to your reference account, but several clients report slow support. No withdrawal fees.
Sources
- Official DEGIRO pricing — degiro.com, fee schedule, accessed 5 June 2026
- AFM register / flatexDEGIRO Bank — AFM (Netherlands) + BaFin (Germany) supervision
- Trustpilot, DEGIRO — ≈ 3.8/5, June 2026 snapshot
- User feedback on support — Trustpilot threads + independent reviews (Curvo, EU Personal Finance), June 2026: email-only replies in 1 to 3 business days, no live chat
The author of this review
Who wrote this analysis?