Best trading apps for european investors in 2026

Quick summary (complete analysis below):

• Interactive Brokers: Best overall investing app in Europe. It offers low fees, interest on uninvested cash, the widest range of products and one of the strongest reputations in the industry. If you value simplicity, other apps are more beginner-friendly.
• eToro: Best for beginners and social trading, with no commission on ETFs. New users in eligible countries can get a welcome bonus worth up to $500. eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
• Lightyear: Best for low-cost ETF investing. No commission on ETFs (fund manager fees apply), €1 per European stock trade and a Savings feature through money market funds. New users can get a bonus with our Lightyear promo code.
• XTB: Best for commission-free stocks and ETFs (up to €100,000 of monthly turnover) and interest on cash. It also offers CFDs, which are high-risk products.
• DEGIRO: A wide range of products and a simple platform, halfway between the simplicity of Trading 212 and the complexity of IBKR. On the downside, it pays no interest on cash. Investing involves risk of loss.
• Freedom24: Access to global stocks, ETFs, bonds and US options. New users can get up to 20 gift shares until 31 October 2026.
• Trading 212*: Best free fractional share program and a great app for beginners, with interest on uninvested cash and commission-free investing (other fees may apply, see terms and fees).

*Capital at Risk. Sponsored Link. To get free fractional shares worth up to 100 EUR/GBP, you can open an account with Trading 212 through this link. Most users (80%) receive a share worth between €8 and €25. Terms apply.

How did we select the best trading apps in Europe?

For both Android and iOS, there’s an endless range of trading apps in Europe. We judged them on several criteria:

• the app’s functionality and ease of use,
• the products you can trade,
• how well regulated they are,
• the interest offered on uninvested cash,
• the fees,
• the minimum deposit, and
• customer service.

We personally reviewed these apps, considering the needs of both beginners and experienced traders.

Side-by-side comparison

App	Interest on EUR cash	US stocks	EU stocks and ETFs	FX fee	EU regulator
Interactive Brokers	1.688% above €10,000 (full rate from $100,000 NAV)	$0.0005 to $0.0035 per share, min. $0.35 (Tiered)	0.05%, min. €1.25 (Tiered)	0.002% max. (min. $2)	Central Bank of Ireland
eToro	Only on USD cash, depending on Club tier	$1 to $2 per trade in most countries	Stocks: $1 to $2 per trade. ETFs: no commission	0.75% (EUR account)	CySEC
Lightyear	Savings via money market funds: 2.38% APY (BlackRock) or 2.37% APY (J.P. Morgan), depending on country	0.1% (min. $0.10, max. $1)	Stocks: €1. ETFs: no commission	0.35%	Estonian Financial Supervision Authority
XTB	Higher rate in the first 90 days, then standard rate (varies by country)	0% up to €100,000 monthly turnover	0% up to €100,000 monthly turnover	0.5%	KNF (Poland)
DEGIRO	No	€2 per trade	€3 on most exchanges, €1 for Core Selection ETFs	0.25%	BaFin (AFM and DNB for the Dutch branch)
Freedom24	No	€2 + €0.02 per share (Smart plan)	€2 + €0.02 per share (Smart plan)	Depends on the plan	CySEC
Trading 212	4.20% promo for new Trading 212 EU GmbH clients (4 months) or 2.50% at Trading 212 Markets Ltd	Commission-free (other fees may apply)	Commission-free (other fees may apply)	0.15%	BaFin or CySEC, depending on your country

Fees and rates checked in September 2026. Interest rates are variable and may no longer be current.

1. Interactive Brokers

Founded in 1978 and listed on the Nasdaq, Interactive Brokers is one of the most recognised investment platforms in the world. European clients are served by Interactive Brokers Ireland Limited, regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, and covered by the Irish Investor Compensation Scheme (90% of losses up to €20,000).

It offers two trading apps:

• IBKR Mobile: a full-featured app to trade stocks, options, futures, forex and bonds on the go.
• IBKR GlobalTrader: a simpler app designed for investors who want to buy international stocks, ETFs and options without the complexity of the main platforms.

On desktop, IBKR also offers Trader Workstation (TWS), a powerful platform for advanced traders, and the Client Portal, a simpler web platform for everyday trading and account management.

Fees:

• US stocks: $0.005 per share on the Fixed plan (min. $1), or $0.0005 to $0.0035 per share on the Tiered plan (min. $0.35), depending on your monthly volume.
• EU stocks and ETFs: 0.05% of the trade value on the Tiered plan, with a minimum of €1.25. As a European retail investor, you cannot buy US-domiciled ETFs, so you would use European-listed UCITS ETFs.
• Interest on cash: no interest on the first €10,000. Above that, 1.688% on EUR (as of 18 September 2026) for accounts worth at least $100,000, or a proportionally lower rate below that.

Customer support: live chat, phone and email.

Pros:

• Low fees: highly competitive pricing, especially for active traders.
• Platform variety: apps and platforms for every level, including the simpler IBKR GlobalTrader.
• Reputation: a listed company with one of the strongest track records in the industry.
• Wide range of markets: access to a broad array of global markets and asset classes.
• Interest on uninvested cash

Cons:

• Complexity: the main platforms can be overwhelming for beginners.
• Interest conditions: no interest on the first €10,000 of cash.

Interested in learning more? Check out Interactive Brokers’ platform.

2. eToro

eToro is well known for social trading and for having no commission on ETFs. Its mobile app offers the same functionality as the web platform and is available for Android and iOS. eToro is listed on the Nasdaq since 2025, and EU clients are served by eToro (Europe) Ltd, regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).

Fees:

• Stocks: $1 to $2 per trade in most countries, depending on your country of residence and the exchange.
• ETFs: no commission, although market spreads apply.
• Currency conversion: 0.75% on EUR accounts when you buy assets in another currency.
• Inactivity fee: none since May 2026.

Pros:

• No commission on ETFs
• User-friendly app: an intuitive interface suitable for beginners.
• Social trading: follow and copy other investors. Copy trading is not investment advice and your capital is at risk.
• Welcome bonus: up to $500 for new users in eligible countries.

Cons:

• Currency conversion and spread costs, especially when buying US assets from a EUR account.
• CFDs next to real assets: you need to make sure you are buying the real asset, not a CFD.
• Limited advanced tools: experienced traders may miss more sophisticated charting and analysis.

Interested in learning more? Check out eToro’s platform.

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

3. Lightyear

Lightyear is a European investment app founded in 2020 and designed for simple, low-cost investing. It is operated by Lightyear Europe AS, regulated by the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority, and client assets are covered up to €20,000 by the Estonian Investor Protection Sectoral Fund.

Lightyear charges no commission on ETFs (fund manager fees apply), €1 per European stock trade and 0.1% on US stocks, with a maximum of $1. The main cost to watch is the 0.35% FX fee. For idle cash, it offers Savings through money market funds managed by BlackRock (2.38% APY) or J.P. Morgan Asset Management (2.37% APY), depending on your country. Rates are net of fees, variable and were checked in September 2026. Money market funds are investment products, not cash deposits.

With more than 6,000 stocks and ETFs from the US, UK and Europe, and fractional shares, Lightyear offers broad exposure with small amounts.

New users can get a bonus with our Lightyear promo code, or read our full Lightyear review. Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.

Pros:

• No commission on ETFs
• Low stock fees: €1 per European stock trade and a maximum of $1 on US stocks.
• Savings feature: money market funds in EUR, USD and GBP (depending on your country).
• Fractional shares
• User-friendly app

Cons:

• Limited product range: no options, forex or bonds.
• No demo account
• Relatively new: a shorter track record than more established brokers.

Interested in learning more? Check out Lightyear’s platform.

4. XTB

XTB is a long-standing broker listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Most EU clients are served by XTB S.A., supervised by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF). Its app, the XTB app (formerly xStation Mobile), is available for Android and iOS, and xStation 5 is its web and desktop platform, with advanced charting and a customisable interface. XTB no longer offers MetaTrader.

XTB offers 0% commission on stocks and ETFs up to €100,000 of monthly turnover (0.2% above that, min. €10), Investment Plans for regular ETF purchases from €15 and automatic interest on cash, with a higher rate during your first 90 days. The main costs are the 0.5% currency conversion fee and a €10 monthly inactivity fee after 12 months without trades (and no deposit in the last 90 days).

Pros:

• Commission-free stocks and ETFs for most investors
• Interest on cash
• User-friendly platforms with a demo account
• Options on 110 US stocks and ETFs in seven EU countries (buy only)

Cons:

• Limited product range: no bonds, funds or futures.
• 0.5% FX fee and inactivity fee.

Interested in learning more? Check out XTB’s platform. See how it compares in our XTB vs DEGIRO article.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

5. DEGIRO

DEGIRO is the brand of flatexDEGIRO Bank SE, a German bank supervised by BaFin, with its Dutch branch also supervised by the AFM and DNB. It gives European investors access to stocks, ETFs, bonds, funds, options and futures (with a profile upgrade), and crypto in selected countries.

The DEGIRO app, available for Android and iOS, offers real-time quotes, order execution and portfolio management, and the WebTrader offers the same on desktop.

US stocks cost €2 per trade and most European exchanges €3, while more than 1,000 ETFs in the Core Selection cost a €1 handling fee on Tradegate. A €2.50 annual connectivity fee applies for each exchange outside your home market.

Pros:

• Low fees for ETFs in the Core Selection
• Wide range of assets, including bonds, options and futures
• Reputation: one of Europe’s best-known brokers, part of a listed bank
• Simple web and mobile platforms

Cons:

• No interest on uninvested cash
• Research tools are more basic than IBKR’s
• Connectivity fees on non-home exchanges

Interested in learning more? Check out DEGIRO’s platform.

Disclaimer: Investing involves risk of loss.

6. Freedom24

Freedom24 is part of Freedom Holding Corp, listed on the Nasdaq, and is run by Freedom Finance Europe Ltd, regulated by CySEC (licence 275/15). It provides access to stocks, ETFs and bonds on exchanges in the US, Europe and Asia, as well as US options.

The web and mobile apps are straightforward and come with market analysis (“InvestIdeas”) and educational resources (“Freedom Academy”). New clients who register between 1 June and 31 October 2026 can get up to 20 gift shares, depending on the size of their first deposit (from €1,000). Gift shares are allocated randomly and their value varies. Terms apply, and the promotion is not available in every country.

Pros:

• Access to stocks, ETFs, bonds and US options in one app
• No minimum deposit for general trading
• Demo terminal to try the platform before opening an account
• No custody fee
• Welcome offer of up to 20 gift shares

Cons:

• €7 per withdrawal
• Fees depend on the plan you choose (on the Smart plan, €2 plus €0.02 per share)
• No cryptocurrencies

Interested in learning more? Read our Freedom24 review or find more information about Freedom24.

7. Trading 212

Trading 212 is one of the most popular investing apps in Europe. It offers commission-free investing in stocks and ETFs (other fees may apply, see terms and fees) and fractional shares, in an app that is very intuitive for beginners. 0.15% FX fee applies when converting funds. Other fees may apply.

Trading 212 also pays interest on uninvested cash. New clients of Trading 212 EU GmbH (BaFin) get a promotional 4.20% on EUR for 4 months if they open an Invest account between 16 September and 2 November 2026 and meet the conditions, while Trading 212 Markets Ltd (CySEC) clients earn 2.50%. Rates are variable and were checked in September 2026. When investing, your capital is at risk. If you enable interest, Trading 212 will hold your cash in qualifying money market funds and banks. Otherwise, your cash will be held only in banks. Interest applies on cash in an investment account. Terms apply. The rates shown may no longer be current. Please refer to Trading 212’s Terms and Fees page for the live rates.

In selected countries, you can also spend your cash with the 212 Card, available with a T212 Invest Account (not currently available to new Trading 212 EU GmbH clients). 212 Cards are issued by Paynetics which provide all payment services. T212 provides customer support and user interface.

New users can get a free fractional share with our promo code “FINTECH“:

Pros:

• User-friendly app: intuitive and accessible for investors of all levels.
• Commission-free investing in stocks and ETFs (other fees may apply)
• Fractional shares and interest on cash

Cons:

• Limited product range: no bonds, options or futures.
• Limited advanced tools: experienced traders may miss more sophisticated charting and analysis.

Interested in learning more? Check out Trading 212’s platform.

*Sponsored Link. To get free fractional shares worth up to 100 EUR/GBP, you can open an account with Trading 212 through this link. Terms apply.

Risk disclaimer: When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results.

All in all

There are many trading apps in Europe, each with a different target audience. Do you value commission-free trades? Do you want to earn interest on your cash? Do you value reputation and product range above all? Interactive Brokers is our top pick overall, while Trading 212, Lightyear and eToro are the easiest starting points for beginners.

For a wider comparison that also covers Trade Republic, see our ranking of the best online brokers for European investors.