Top Brokers

Interactive Brokers is the account many investors move to once they outgrow a beginner app. One login reaches equities, options, futures, bonds and currencies on exchanges across North America, Europe and Asia, which makes it a natural fit for diversified portfolios and for traders who want direct market access rather than CFDs. Its scale is unusual for a retail broker, and its pricing is built for people who trade often or in size. The price of that depth is a learning curve: the desktop workstation is powerful but dense, so newcomers usually start with the mobile app or Client Portal before moving up.

Minimum Deposit

$0

EUR/USD Pricing

Commission-based: 0.20 bps of trade value (min $2), no spread mark-up

US Stock Commission

$0.005/share, min $1 (IBKR Pro Fixed); $0 on IBKR Lite (US residents)

Inactivity Fee

None (no maintenance fee)

Withdrawal Fee

One free withdrawal per month; then e.g. USD 10 / EUR 8 by wire, 1 by ACH/SEPA

Funding Methods

Bank wire and electronic transfers (ACH, SEPA, BACS); checks in the US

Founded

1977 (brokerage since 1993)

Headquarters

Greenwich, Connecticut, USA

Regulators

SEC, CFTC, FINRA (US); FCA; Central Bank of Ireland; ASIC; CIRO; SFC; SEBI; MAS; Kanto LFB (Japan)

Markets

Stocks, ETFs, options, futures, forex, bonds, funds — 175+ market centres

Platforms

IBKR Desktop, Trader Workstation (TWS), Client Portal, IBKR Mobile, GlobalTrader, IMPACT, APIs

Max Retail Leverage

1:30 on major FX for retail clients (EU/UK/AU entities)

Account Currencies

29 trading currencies (varies by entity)

Demo Account

Yes — free paper trading account

Customer Support

Phone, email and live chat — 24/5, plus limited Saturday hours

Data last checked: 8 November 2026. Conditions vary by country and entity — always confirm with the broker.

IG is one of the pioneers of online trading and still one of the largest CFD and spread-betting providers in the world. Its strength is breadth: thousands of markets, a capable in-house platform, and integrations with ProRealTime and MetaTrader for traders who want more advanced charting. Research, market news and educational material are extensive, which helps both new and experienced traders. Because IG operates through many local entities, the exact product list, account types and costs depend on where you live, so it is worth checking the local site before opening an account.

Minimum Deposit

$0 by bank transfer; $50 by card

EUR/USD Pricing

From 0.6 points

US Stock Commission

US share CFDs: 2¢ per share (UK site)

Inactivity Fee

Monthly fee after 24 months without activity (e.g. CHF 18 on IG Switzerland)

Withdrawal Fee

Free by bank transfer

Funding Methods

Bank transfer, debit and credit cards

Founded

1974

Headquarters

London, UK

Regulators

FCA, BaFin, ASIC, FINMA, FSCA, MAS, FMA, DFSA, JFSA, CFTC, BMA

Markets

15,000+ markets (UK): CFDs on forex, indices, shares, commodities; share dealing in selected countries

Platforms

IG web platform & app, MT4, MT5, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer, TradingView, tastytrade, API

Max Retail Leverage

1:30 on major FX for retail clients (EU/UK/AU entities)

Account Currencies

GBP by default; other base currencies on request (UK)

Demo Account

Yes

Customer Support

Live chat and WhatsApp — 24/7 except Fri 10pm–Sat 8am UK time

Data last checked: 8 November 2026. Conditions vary by country and entity — always confirm with the broker.

Saxo is a Danish investment bank that offers private clients the kind of multi-asset access usually reserved for institutions. Bonds, listed options and futures sit alongside stocks, ETFs and forex, and its platform line-up scales from a simple investing app to a full professional workstation. Being a regulated bank rather than a pure broker is a meaningful trust factor for larger portfolios. Pricing is tiered, so costs fall noticeably as account size grows, while smaller investors should check whether a custody fee applies in their country.

Minimum Deposit

€0 — no minimum to open

EUR/USD Pricing

From 0.6 pips (Classic), 0.5 Platinum, 0.4 VIP; no separate commission (~1.1 pips measured avg.)

US Stock Commission

From $1 on US stocks

Inactivity Fee

€0

Withdrawal Fee

€0

Funding Methods

Bank transfer and debit/credit card; local instant methods in some countries

Founded

1992

Headquarters

Hellerup (Copenhagen), Denmark

Regulators

Danish FSA (bank licence since 2001), plus licensed entities in Switzerland, UK, Singapore, Japan, Italy

Markets

Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, listed options, futures, forex, FX options, CFDs, commodities

Platforms

SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader (web, desktop, mobile), TradingView, OpenAPI/FIX

Max Retail Leverage

1:30 on major FX for retail clients (EU/UK/AU entities)

Account Currencies

24 (by account type and country)

Demo Account

Yes — free demo

Customer Support

24/5 account and technical support; help portal and contact form

Data last checked: 8 November 2026. Conditions vary by country and entity — always confirm with the broker.

CMC Markets is a London-based CFD and spread-betting specialist with more than three decades in the market. Its Next Generation platform is one of the most feature-rich proprietary platforms available to retail traders, with detailed charting, pattern recognition and a flexible order panel. The CFD range is very wide across forex, indices, commodities and shares. It fits traders who prefer a single powerful platform over MetaTrader, while investors who want to own real shares are better served elsewhere unless they live in Australia.

Minimum Deposit

$0

EUR/USD Pricing

From ~0.6 pips

US Stock Commission

US share CFDs: $0.02/share (min $10); UK & EU share CFDs: 0%

Inactivity Fee

£10/month after 12 months of dormancy (only if the account holds funds)

Withdrawal Fee

Free

Funding Methods

Debit/credit card, bank transfer, Skrill, Neteller (no PayPal)

Founded

1989

Headquarters

London, UK

Regulators

FCA, ASIC and other licences — 8 regulatory licences in total

Markets

CFDs and spread bets on forex, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, bonds; real shares for Australian clients

Platforms

Next Generation web platform & app, TradingView, MT4, MT5 (selected regions)

Max Retail Leverage

1:30 on major FX for retail clients (EU/UK/AU entities)

Account Currencies

GBP, EUR, USD, AUD, CAD, NOK, NZD, PLN, SEK, SGD (CFD account)

Demo Account

Yes

Customer Support

Phone, email and live chat — 24 hours, Monday to Friday

Data last checked: 8 November 2026. Conditions vary by country and entity — always confirm with the broker.

Pepperstone was founded in Melbourne with a clear focus: fast, low-cost execution for forex and CFD traders. Rather than pushing a single proprietary app, it lets clients pick the platform they already know, which is why it is popular with scalpers, EA users and TradingView chartists. Account types are simple — an all-in spread account and a raw-spread account with commission — and the fee schedule is short and easy to read. It is less suited to investors looking to buy and hold real shares or ETFs, since the offer centres on leveraged products.

Minimum Deposit

$0 by bank transfer (about £10 by card/Apple Pay)

EUR/USD Pricing

Razor: raw from 0.0 pips + $3.50/lot per side; Standard: commission included in spread

US Stock Commission

US share CFDs from $0.02 per share

Inactivity Fee

None

Withdrawal Fee

Free, except international bank transfers ($20)

Funding Methods

Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer

Founded

2010

Headquarters

Melbourne, Australia

Regulators

FCA, ASIC, CySEC, BaFin, DFSA, CMA (Kenya), SCB (Bahamas)

Markets

1,350+ CFDs: forex, indices, shares, ETFs, commodities, crypto

Platforms

Pepperstone platform (web & app), MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView

Max Retail Leverage

1:30 on major FX for retail clients (EU/UK/AU entities)

Account Currencies

AUD, USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, HKD

Demo Account

Yes

Customer Support

Phone, email and live chat — 24h Mon–Fri, 18h at weekends

Data last checked: 8 November 2026. Conditions vary by country and entity — always confirm with the broker.

XTB started as a Polish forex house and has grown into one of Europe's best-known online brokers, combining real-share investing with a full CFD offer. Its main draw for long-term investors is the commission-free allowance on stocks and ETFs, while active traders get a proprietary platform that is fast, clean and consistent across devices. Being a listed company adds a layer of financial transparency that most retail brokers lack. It suits European investors who want one app for both buy-and-hold investing and short-term trading, although clients outside the EU and UK are served by an offshore entity with different protections.

Minimum Deposit

$0

EUR/USD Pricing

Spread-only on CFDs (0% commission)

US Stock Commission

0% up to €100,000 monthly turnover, then 0.2% (min €10)

Inactivity Fee

€10/month after 12 months without trading and 90 days without deposits

Withdrawal Fee

Free above $50; $30 below (international entity)

Funding Methods

Bank transfer, cards, Skrill (2%), Neteller (1%)

Founded

2002

Headquarters

Warsaw, Poland (XTB S.A., Prosta 67)

Regulators

FCA, CySEC, KNF, CNMV (branch), FSC Belize

Markets

Real stocks & ETFs, CFDs on 50+ FX pairs, indices, shares, ETFs, commodities and crypto; spot crypto (CySEC clients)

Platforms

xStation 5 (web, desktop), XTB mobile app

Max Retail Leverage

1:30 retail (EU/UK); up to 1:500 via international entity

Account Currencies

EUR, USD, GBP

Demo Account

Yes — free, no expiry (web and app)

Customer Support

Live chat, phone and email — 24/5

Data last checked: 8 November 2026. Conditions vary by country and entity — always confirm with the broker.

Admirals is a long-running European broker that has built its whole offer around the MetaTrader platforms. Next to the usual forex, index and commodity CFDs it gives access to thousands of real stocks and ETFs, so traders and longer-term investors can work from the same provider. The Zero account suits active forex traders who prefer raw spreads plus a commission, while commission-free accounts keep things simple for occasional trading. Non-trading fees are modest, with one free withdrawal a month and an inactivity fee only after two years. In 2026 the group gave up its Estonian licence, so clients are now served by its UK, Cypriot and Australian entities.

Minimum Deposit

$100 (or EUR/GBP/CHF 100)

EUR/USD Pricing

From 0.1 pips + $3 per lot per side (Zero account); commission-free accounts with wider spreads

US Stock Commission

Invest.MT5: $0.02/share per side (min $1) on US stocks; 0.10% (min €1) on EU stocks

Inactivity Fee

€10/month after 2 years of inactivity (only if balance > 0)

Withdrawal Fee

First withdrawal each month free; then e.g. €1 by bank transfer

Funding Methods

Bank transfer, cards, e-wallets (not all e-wallets for all clients)

Founded

2001

Headquarters

Estonia (Tallinn) – Admirals Group AS

Regulators

FCA, CySEC, ASIC, JSC (Jordan), plus Seychelles and South Africa entities (Estonian licence relinquished 2026)

Markets

CFDs on forex, indices, commodities, stocks, crypto; 4,000+ real stocks and ETFs on 15 exchanges (Invest.MT5)

Platforms

MT4, MT5, MetaTrader WebTrader, Admirals Platform (web), Admirals mobile app

Max Retail Leverage

1:30 on major FX for retail clients (EU/UK/AU entities)

Account Currencies

EUR, GBP, USD, CHF, CZK, HUF, PLN, RON

Demo Account

Yes

Customer Support

Live chat, phone, email — 24/5, many languages

Data last checked: 8 November 2026. Conditions vary by country and entity — always confirm with the broker.

Trading 212 has become one of the most popular investing apps in Europe by removing the commission on real stocks and ETFs. The app is clean and quick to learn, fractional shares make small monthly contributions practical, and accounts can be held in twelve currencies. CFDs are available too, but on a separate account, so investors and traders keep the two activities apart. The trade-off is scope: there are no bonds, funds, options or futures, no MetaTrader and no desktop software. Costs are not completely zero either, since a 0.15% currency conversion fee applies when you buy assets in a currency other than your account's.

Minimum Deposit

$1 (Invest/ISA); $10 on CFD account

EUR/USD Pricing

Commission-free CFDs, variable spread (shown per instrument)

US Stock Commission

$0 on real stocks & ETFs; 0.15% FX conversion fee on non-base-currency assets

Inactivity Fee

No

Withdrawal Fee

Free

Funding Methods

Bank transfer, cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, other e-wallets (0.7% on card/e-wallet deposits above €2,000 total)

Founded

2004

Headquarters

UK (London) – Trading 212 UK Ltd; founded in Sofia, Bulgaria

Regulators

FCA, CySEC, BaFin (via FXFlat), ASIC, FSC (Bulgaria)

Markets

~11,000 real stocks & ETFs on 16 exchanges, spot crypto; CFDs on separate account; no bonds, funds, options or futures

Platforms

Trading 212 web and mobile app (no MetaTrader, no desktop app)

Max Retail Leverage

1:30 (CFD account only)

Account Currencies

12: GBP, USD, EUR, CAD, CHF, DKK, NOK, PLN, SEK, CZK, RON, HUF

Demo Account

Yes

Customer Support

24/7 live chat and email; no phone support

Data last checked: 8 November 2026. Conditions vary by country and entity — always confirm with the broker.

FP Markets is an Australian broker, founded in 2005, that has built its name on low trading costs for forex and CFD traders. Its Raw account pairs very tight spreads with a commission below the industry norm, and there is no inactivity fee or withdrawal fee on its side. Platform choice is one of the widest in this ranking: MetaTrader 4 and 5, cTrader, TradingView and the IRESS share-trading platform, plus copy and social trading tools. It is regulated by ASIC and CySEC, though it has no FCA licence, and clients outside Australia and the EU are often served by offshore entities with higher leverage and lighter protection.

Minimum Deposit

$50 (AUD 100 equivalent on some entities)

EUR/USD Pricing

0.1 pips + $3 per lot per side (Raw); commission-free Standard account

US Stock Commission

Stock CFDs on MetaTrader; IRESS: 0.11% (min $14.95) standard

Inactivity Fee

No

Withdrawal Fee

Free from FP Markets (banks/intermediaries may charge)

Funding Methods

Bank transfer, cards, e-wallets, Apple Pay, Google Pay

Founded

2005

Headquarters

Australia (Sydney)

Regulators

ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, FSC (Mauritius), SCB (Bahamas), CMA (Kenya), FSA (Seychelles)

Markets

Forex (70 pairs) and 10,000+ CFDs on stocks, indices, commodities, ETFs, bonds, crypto

Platforms

MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, IRESS, FP Markets app

Max Retail Leverage

1:30 (ASIC/CySEC); up to 1:500 offshore

Account Currencies

AUD, USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, CAD, CHF, HKD, JPY, PLN

Demo Account

Yes

Customer Support

24/7 live chat, email, phone

Data last checked: 8 November 2026. Conditions vary by country and entity — always confirm with the broker.

DEGIRO is a European broker for investors rather than traders, and part of the listed flatexDEGIRO banking group. It is known for low commissions on shares and ETFs across 29 exchanges, a monthly free trade on a selection of core ETFs, and access to options, futures and bonds for those who want more. The platform is deliberately simple, which suits buy-and-hold investors but will feel limited to active traders: there is no forex, no CFDs and no demo account. Funding is by bank transfer only, and each account has a single base currency, so buying in other currencies always involves a conversion.

Minimum Deposit

€0

EUR/USD Pricing

Not available (no forex/CFDs)

US Stock Commission

US: €1 + €1 handling fee; EU main markets: €3.90 + €1; ETF Core Selection: 1 free trade/month

Inactivity Fee

No

Withdrawal Fee

Free

Funding Methods

Bank transfer only (no cards)

Founded

2008

Headquarters

Netherlands (Amsterdam); parent flatexDEGIRO AG, Frankfurt

Regulators

BaFin (flatexDEGIRO Bank), AFM and DNB (Dutch branch)

Markets

Stocks on 29 exchanges, 5,000+ ETFs, options, futures, bonds, funds; no forex/CFDs

Platforms

DEGIRO web platform and mobile app

Max Retail Leverage

Margin (Custody/Active profiles); no CFDs

Account Currencies

Single base currency set by country of residence (cannot be changed)

Demo Account

No

Customer Support

Phone and email, Mon–Fri 08:00–22:00 CET

Data last checked: 8 November 2026. Conditions vary by country and entity — always confirm with the broker.