DEGIRO vs Interactive Brokers: Which Is Cheaper? (2026)
DEGIRO and Interactive Brokers are both popular low-cost brokers for European investors. They compete on fees rather than flashy features. But which one is actually cheaper, and which offers a better experience? Here's the data.
Fee comparison for European ETFs
| Feature | DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Core ETF trade | €1 handling fee | From €1.25 |
| Non-core ETF | €2-5 | From €1.25 |
| US stock trade | €1 | $0.0035/share (min $0.35) |
| FX conversion | 0.25% (Auto FX) | 0.002% |
| Annual connectivity | €2.50/exchange | €0 |
| Available ETFs | ~5,000 | 13,000+ |
| Markets | 50+ exchanges | 150+ exchanges |
| Total cost (€300/mo, 20yr) | ~€740 | ~€600 |
For small European ETF trades, the costs are very similar. DEGIRO's €1 Core Selection fee versus IBKR's ~€1.25. Where IBKR pulls ahead is on FX conversion — if you ever buy USD-denominated assets, IBKR's 0.002% versus DEGIRO's 0.25% is a massive difference. On a €5,000 USD purchase, DEGIRO charges €12.50 in FX fees; IBKR charges €0.10.
Platform and usability
DEGIRO is simpler. Its web platform and mobile app are clean and straightforward — search, buy, done. IBKR offers much more power (multiple order types, research tools, portfolio analytics) but at the cost of complexity. For buy-and-hold ETF investors, DEGIRO's simplicity is an advantage. For anyone wanting research tools or complex orders, IBKR is better equipped.
Safety and regulation
DEGIRO operates under a German banking license (flatexDEGIRO Bank AG), meaning your cash is protected up to €100,000. IBKR is regulated by multiple authorities including the SEC, FCA, and CBI (Ireland for EU clients). Both are extremely safe. DEGIRO's banking license gives a slight edge on cash protection specifically.
What about savings plans?
Neither offers traditional ETF savings plans like Trade Republic or Scalable Capital do in Germany. You'll need to manually place trades each month. However, IBKR does allow recurring investment orders in some markets. If automated monthly investing is important to you, you might want to consider Trade Republic alongside these two.
Our verdict
Choose DEGIRO if: You invest exclusively in European ETFs, prefer simplicity, want a banking license for cash protection, and trade infrequently.
Choose Interactive Brokers if: You want the absolute lowest fees (especially on FX), need access to global markets, use research tools, or have a larger portfolio (€25K+).
For a European investor buying one MSCI World ETF monthly on Xetra, both are excellent choices. IBKR saves you more on FX, DEGIRO is simpler to use. You can't go wrong with either.
Calculate the exact fee difference for your portfolio