Interactive Brokers vs Trade Republic: Which Broker Suits You?
Interactive Brokers scores 4.8 and Trade Republic 3.4 out of 5 on our published methodology. Interactive Brokers leads on Costs & Fees, Platform & Tools, Regulation & Trust, Asset Range and Account Access & Support. Both accept clients in the EU.
Higher overall score
Interactive Brokers
4.8/5
Best for: Active & globally-minded traders
Read the full Interactive Brokers review →Overall score
Trade Republic
3.4/5
Best for: Low-cost EU investing & savings plans
Read the full Trade Republic review →Score by score
Each category is scored 1–5 using our published methodology. The overall score is the plain average of the first five; ease of use is shown separately.
Key facts side by side
| Interactive Brokers | Trade Republic | |
|---|---|---|
| What you own | Real assets | Real assets |
| Available assets | Stocks, ETFs, options, futures, bonds, forex, crypto across 170+ markets | Stocks, ETFs, bonds and crypto, plus warrants and private-market funds |
| Regulated by | SEC, FINRA, FCA, ASIC, CIRO and others | German bank licence, supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank, with branches in several EU countries |
| Stands out for | Unmatched global market access from a single account | A flat €1 order fee, free savings plans and interest on uninvested cash |
| Watch out for | Trader Workstation has a genuinely steep learning curve | EU only, an app-first service whose support has struggled with rapid growth, and tax reporting that varies by country |
| Accepts clients in | The US, the UK, the EU and other countries | The EU |
Is Interactive Brokers cheaper than Trade Republic?
On our Costs & Fees score, Interactive Brokers rates 5/5 against Trade Republic’s 4/5, so it is generally the cheaper of the two for the costs we assess: commissions, spreads, currency conversion and account fees. Fees differ by country and account type and change often, so check both brokers’ current price lists before you choose.
Which is safer, Interactive Brokers or Trade Republic?
Interactive Brokers is regulated by SEC, FINRA, FCA, ASIC, CIRO and others; Trade Republic by German bank licence, supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank, with branches in several EU countries. Interactive Brokers scores higher on our Regulation & Trust measure (5/5 against 4/5). Which company holds your account, and which investor compensation scheme covers it, depends on where you live. Compensation schemes cover a broker failing, never investment losses.
Which is better for beginners?
On ease of use for a beginner, which sits outside the overall score, Interactive Brokers scores 2/5 and Trade Republic 5/5. Trade Republic is the gentler place to start.
Who each one tends to suit
Interactive Brokers
- Tends to suit
- Active & globally-minded traders
- Stands out for
- Unmatched global market access from a single account
- Watch out for
- Trader Workstation has a genuinely steep learning curve
Trade Republic
- Tends to suit
- Low-cost EU investing & savings plans
- Stands out for
- A flat €1 order fee, free savings plans and interest on uninvested cash
- Watch out for
- EU only, an app-first service whose support has struggled with rapid growth, and tax reporting that varies by country
More head-to-heads
Scores and facts come from our own reviews as of September 2026 and follow one published methodology. Plain Investor has no commercial relationship with either broker. This is general education, not personal financial advice. Fees, features and regulation change, so confirm current terms with each broker before opening an account.