Independent broker review · Updated June 11, 2026
Trade Republic: mobile neobroker at $1 per order with free investment plans? My 2026 review
The neobroker that democratised the $1 order and free scheduled plans — outstanding for regular automated investing, fully backed by a BaFin-licensed bank.
The long-term passive investor automating contributions from their phone at the lowest possible cost
Our take
My take on Trade Republic
Launched in Berlin in 2019 and turned into a fully licensed bank in 2025, Trade Republic shook up European brokerage with a simple idea: a single flat rate of $1 per order and free scheduled investment plans, all in a clean mobile app. Its success was meteoric — several million clients across Europe — and it forced established players to revisit their fee schedules.
What sets Trade Republic apart is the combination of genuine banking foundations (BaFin-licensed, deposits guaranteed up to $100,000) with a pricing model that makes regular investing genuinely affordable. Free scheduled plans on stocks, ETFs and crypto make automated long-term investing simple and almost invisible.
“$1 per order, free investment plans and interest on cash: Trade Republic makes regular investing seamless, affordable and almost invisible — from your phone. ”
— Roch de Montesquieu, Research Analyst · Fees, Data, Transparency
Why trust HelloBrokers?
This review is not a copy-paste of Trade Republic's marketing page. We tested the platforms, modelled the cost of a typical trade down to the pip, and benchmarked Trade Republic against the 13 brokers in our comparison. A broker is judged on verifiable figures, not marketing promises.
The essentials
Trade Republic at a glance
Key characteristics, verified on June 11, 2026.
Safety & regulation
Is your money safe?
Trade Republic operates through Trade Republic Bank GmbH, supervised by Germany's BaFin and the Bundesbank. Cash deposits are covered up to $100,000 and securities up to $20,000 under German guarantee schemes. It is a fully licensed bank — not just a broker — which means client funds benefit from proper deposit insurance, segregated assets and the full regulatory framework applicable to European credit institutions.
🔒 HelloBrokers safety score: 4.2 / 5
Fees & spreads
What does it really cost?
Its cost against the average of the brokers we track (shorter bar = cheaper).
Pricing is the house signature: $1 per order, whatever the amount, and scheduled investment plans that are completely free — the ideal structure for a regular-contribution strategy (DCA). No currency conversion, no custody fees, no inactivity fees.
Uninvested cash earns interest up to a limit of $50,000, an advantage over most traditional brokers. The only cost to be aware of: card deposits are charged 0.7% (bank transfers remain free, and the first card deposit is waived). For regular savers using scheduled plans, the effective cost is essentially zero.
| Account | Min. deposit | Spread from | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Securities account The core account. Stocks, ETFs, bonds and crypto, fractional shares available. | $10 | n/a | $1 per order |
| Scheduled investment plan Automated recurring buys on stocks, ETFs and crypto. The strongest reason to choose the platform. | $1 per plan | n/a | Free |
| Bank account (IBAN) Card with 1% saveback (capped at $15/month). | n/a | n/a | Interest on cash up to $50,000 |
Real-world scenarios
Real-world scenarios
Three trader profiles and their monthly cost.
-
Passive investor, $200/month into an ETF plan
A free scheduled investment plan on a global ETF, $200 invested automatically each month.
Cost ≈ $0 on the plan, no custody or inactivity fees. This is exactly what the platform is built for.
-
Occasional buyer, one $500 order a month
A single $500 market order on a stock, paid by bank transfer.
Cost = $1 flat — one of the most competitive rates on the market.
Instruments & markets covered
Instruments & markets covered
The universe covers around 8,000 stocks, more than a thousand ETFs, hundreds of bonds and some fifty cryptocurrencies — roughly 13,000 instruments in all. That's more than enough to build a well-diversified portfolio across major equity and bond markets.
Free scheduled investment plans run on stocks, ETFs and crypto, making automated dollar-cost averaging available to everyone. The deliberately clean interface keeps the focus on investing rather than trading, which is exactly the experience the platform is built around.
See instruments by class in detail
| Asset class | Count | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | ~8,000 | Europe and the United States, fractional |
| ETFs | 1,000+ | Eligible for free scheduled plans |
| Bonds | 500+ | Sovereign and corporate |
| Cryptocurrencies | ~50 | BTC, ETH and the main altcoins (spot) |
| Options / Futures | 0 | Not offered |
| Forex | 0 | Not offered |
| Derivatives / leverage | 0 | Not offered |
What Trade Republic offers
Capabilities, in plain terms
Covered, partial or not covered. No spin.
- Cash stocks / securities account ✓ Yes ~8,000 stocks and 1,000+ ETFs, fractional shares
- Free scheduled investment plans ✓ Yes Stocks, ETFs and crypto, ideal for DCA
- Bonds ✓ Yes 500+ sovereign and corporate
- Cryptocurrencies ~ Partial ~50 coins, spot only, no transfer to an external wallet
- Options, futures, short selling ✗ No Not offered — platform is focused on long-term investing
- Demo account ✗ No
- Desktop / web platform ~ Partial Web app available, mobile remains the core experience
- Phone support ✗ No In-app chat and contact form
Trading platforms
Trading platforms
-
Mobile app (iOS / Android)
- The core of the experience, clean and fast to learn
- Market and limit orders, fractional shares
- Scheduled investment plans set up in a few taps
- Portfolio tracking and interest on idle cash
-
Web app
- Browser access for desktop users
- Same clean feature set as mobile
- Portfolio tracking and order entry
Who this broker is for
Who this broker is for
-
Long-term passive investor
The ideal audience. Free scheduled plans, $1 per order and interest on idle cash make regular automated contributions to stocks and ETFs cheap and effortless.
-
First-time investor
Outstanding onboarding. Account opening in minutes and a deliberately simple app lower the barrier to entry. Free scheduled plans make starting with small regular amounts natural.
-
Crypto buyer
Good option for spot crypto alongside stocks and ETFs. Around 50 cryptocurrencies available within the same account, with free scheduled plans applicable to crypto too.
Comparison
Trade Republic vs other brokers
The right choice depends on your profile. Here is how Trade Republic stands against the brokers we feature.
① The HelloBrokers ranking
overall score /5 · click to read the review
What users say
What clients are saying
Synthesis of public reviews. Representative excerpts, abridged.
Clean app, very fast execution and the interest on idle cash is a nice bonus. For regular investing it does the job perfectly.
Trustpilot review · long-term user
Free savings plans are the real draw — set it and forget it for DCA on ETFs. Nothing else comes close at this price.
Reddit sentiment · paraphrased
The verdict
The verdict
Trade Republic is an outstanding choice for regular, low-cost investing from your phone: $1 per order, free scheduled investment plans, interest on idle cash and the security of a BaFin-licensed bank with deposits guaranteed up to $100,000. For first-time investors and long-term passive savers, it combines the convenience of a modern mobile bank with a pricing model that is simply unmatched. Free plans make automated monthly investing almost invisible in terms of cost. A compelling partner for anyone who wants to build wealth steadily and affordably.
Get started
Open an account at Trade Republic
✨ Reduced fees via HelloBrokers
Open an account at Trade RepublicSponsored link · we earn a commission when you open an account at Trade Republic through this link.
Related pages
Related pages
Where Trade Republic stands out, and brokers to compare.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ Trade Republic
Is Trade Republic reliable?
Yes. Trade Republic is a fully licensed bank, operating through Trade Republic Bank GmbH (supervised by Germany's BaFin and the Bundesbank), with deposits covered up to $100,000 and securities up to $20,000 under German guarantee schemes. Its regulatory foundations are solid.
Why choose Trade Republic?
For its unbeatable pricing ($1 per order, free scheduled plans) and the simplicity of its mobile-first experience. It's one of the cheapest ways to invest regularly in the stock market from an app, with the security of a fully licensed bank.
What are the fees at Trade Republic?
$1 per order, free scheduled plans, no currency conversion, no custody fees and no inactivity fees. Card deposits are charged 0.7% (excluding the first deposit). Uninvested cash earns interest up to $50,000.
Who is Trade Republic for?
The long-term passive investor who wants to automate their contributions from their phone at the lowest possible cost. Free investment plans, $1 orders and interest on idle cash make it an outstanding combination for regular savers.
Is it easy to withdraw from Trade Republic?
Withdrawals by bank transfer are free. Card funding incurs a 0.7% fee (waived on the first deposit). No custody fees, no inactivity fees.
Sources
- Official Trade Republic pricing — traderepublic.com, pricing terms, accessed 11 June 2026
- BaFin authorisation register — Trade Republic Bank GmbH, supervised by BaFin
- BaFin framework / German deposit guarantee — Deposits $100,000; securities $20,000
- Trustpilot — trustpilot.com/review/traderepublic.com, snapshot June 2026 (3.3/5 across 33,000+ reviews)
The author of this review
Who wrote this analysis?