Best Stock Brokers in Germany 2026

Germany has one of the deepest broker markets in Europe. Investors can pick from neobrokers charging EUR 1 per order, full-service banks with research desks, ETF-Sparplan specialists, and global multi-asset platforms. The choice has tax implications too: a German broker handles the Abgeltungsteuer, Solidaritaetszuschlag, optional Kirchensteuer and the annual Vorabpauschale automatically, while a foreign broker leaves that paperwork to the investor.

Based on our analysis of 8 brokers active in Germany in May 2026, this guide compares fees, tax handling, regulator status and Sparplan coverage so German residents can shortlist the platform that fits their workflow.

Quick Answer

For most German investors in 2026, three brokers dominate the shortlist. Trade Republic charges a flat EUR 1 per order on stocks and ETFs, runs free Sparplaene from EUR 1, and is licensed in Germany under BaFin — the cleanest neobroker option. Scalable Capital PRIME+ at EUR 4.99 per month offers unlimited XETRA trades over EUR 250, useful for more active investors who still want a German tax certificate. comdirect, owned by Commerzbank, suits investors who want a full bank account, a Depot, research, and German-language support under one roof. All three are German-domiciled, automate the Vorabpauschale, and apply the Freistellungsauftrag if filed.

Key data table

Fees taken from broker public price lists, May 2026. Sparplan terms vary by partner and may rotate.

How we ranked them

We compared brokers on six axes that matter for German residents in 2026: order commission on a typical EUR 1,000 stock or ETF trade; ETF-Sparplan coverage and minimum rate; FX markup on USD orders; whether the broker runs as German Depot and files the annual Steuerbescheinigung; investor compensation scheme; and app/desktop usability. Data was pulled from broker price lists, BaFin's institute register and the ESMA register in May 2026. We did not score promotional welcome bonuses, since they expire.

Per-broker mini-reviews

Trade Republic

TL;DR: EUR 1 flat-fee neobroker, German Depot, free Sparplaene, 4 percent EUR cash interest on uninvested balances up to EUR 50,000.

Pros:

• BaFin licensed German bank since 2023, deposit protection up to EUR 100,000 on the cash leg
• Free Sparplan from EUR 1 across thousands of ETFs and stocks
• Vorabpauschale calculated and reported automatically each January

Cons:

• Single venue (LS Exchange) — no XETRA routing, spreads can widen
• No tax-loss harvesting tool, no joint accounts
• Limited research and screener compared to bank brokers

Best for: Buy-and-hold ETF investors wanting the cheapest German Depot with one tap. Commission snapshot: EUR 1 stocks, EUR 1 or free ETFs, ~0.25% FX. Regulator + protection: BaFin; EUR 100k EdB deposit guarantee on cash; securities held in segregated custody at HSBC.

Scalable Capital

TL;DR: Munich-based broker offering FREE Broker (EUR 0.99/order on Gettex) and PRIME+ (EUR 4.99/month flat).

Pros:

• PRIME+ unlocks unlimited free XETRA trades above EUR 250
• 4,000+ ETF Sparplaene, many free
• Crypto ETP and savings module under the same German Depot

Cons:

• PRIME+ is only worth it for active investors — passive savers are better off on FREE Broker
• Customer support phone hours limited
• Some popular US ADRs missing from selection

Best for: Active German investors making 5+ XETRA trades per month who still want German tax handling. Commission snapshot: EUR 0.99 (FREE) / EUR 0 (PRIME+, >EUR 250) stocks and ETFs, ~0.30% FX. Regulator + protection: BaFin; Baader Bank custody; EdB EUR 100,000 cash protection.

comdirect

TL;DR: Commerzbank-owned online bank with full Depot, research and German Girokonto integration.

Pros:

• Established 1994, full German banking licence, in-person support via Commerzbank branches
• Strong research, Realtime-Kurse and screening tools
• 100+ ETF Sparplan partners, many free Aktions-ETFs

Cons:

• Standard order fee EUR 4.90 + 0.25% (max EUR 69.90) is uncompetitive vs neobrokers
• App less polished than Trade Republic
• Promo conditions on free ETFs end after a campaign window

Best for: Investors who want a bank, a current account, and a brokerage from one BaFin-supervised entity. Commission snapshot: from EUR 4.90 stocks, from EUR 1.50 ETFs (or free promo), ~0.25% FX. Regulator + protection: BaFin; EdB EUR 100k deposits; segregated securities.

Consorsbank

TL;DR: BNP Paribas-owned online broker, similar feature footprint to comdirect.

Pros:

• 470+ free Sparplan-ETFs in rotation
• Active trader pricing tier reduces commissions for high-volume customers
• Solid CFD and futures access for German residents

Cons:

• Standard EUR 4.95 + venue fee not the cheapest
• Onboarding paperwork heavier than neobrokers
• App rated lower than competitors in 2026 store reviews

Best for: Mid-active investors who want bank-grade research plus broad Sparplan coverage. Commission snapshot: from EUR 4.95 stocks, from EUR 0 ETFs (Aktion), ~0.25% FX. Regulator + protection: BaFin; EdB EUR 100k.

Flatex

TL;DR: Frankfurt-listed broker, EUR 5.90 flat XETRA orders, large derivatives offering.

Pros:

• Flat EUR 5.90 fee at XETRA regardless of order size
• 1,500+ ETFs eligible for free Sparplan
• Dedicated account for investors holding crypto via flatexDEGIRO

Cons:

• EUR 5.90 is high for small orders (EUR 250 = 2.4 percent drag)
• Negative-rate fee history left a reputation hit
• App UI dated vs Trade Republic

Best for: Investors making one large XETRA order per month. Commission snapshot: EUR 5.90 flat stocks, EUR 5.90 ETFs (or free Sparplan), ~0.25% FX. Regulator + protection: BaFin; EdB EUR 100k; flatexDEGIRO Bank AG.

ING-DiBa Brokerage

TL;DR: Frankfurt direct bank with integrated Depot, free Aktions-Sparplaene up to EUR 500.

Pros:

• Integrated Girokonto-Depot, fast SEPA settlement
• 800+ free Aktions-ETFs and free Sparplaene up to EUR 500/month per ETF
• Full BaFin oversight, German tax certificate automated

Cons:

• Standard EUR 4.90 + 0.25% (max EUR 69.90) is mid-tier
• Limited derivatives offering
• App is bank-first, broker module feels secondary

Best for: ING-DiBa current account customers who want Sparplan and the convenience of one app. Commission snapshot: from EUR 4.90 stocks, from EUR 0 ETFs (Aktion), ~0.25% FX. Regulator + protection: BaFin; EdB EUR 100k.

DEGIRO DE

TL;DR: Dutch broker via German branch, EUR 1 + EUR 1 handling fee, broad market access.

Pros:

• One free Core-Selection ETF trade per calendar month
• Wide international market access — over 50 exchanges
• Competitive fee on EUR-denominated stocks

Cons:

• Does not act as German Depot — investor files Anlage KAP and reports Vorabpauschale manually
• EUR 2.50 annual exchange connectivity fee per foreign exchange
• No tax-loss carry-forward automation

Best for: Self-directed investors comfortable filing Steuererklaerung who want global access at low cost. Commission snapshot: EUR 1 + EUR 1 handling stocks, EUR 0 (Core ETF) or EUR 1 + EUR 1 otherwise, ~0.25% FX. Regulator + protection: BaFin German branch with AFM home supervision; Dutch DGS up to EUR 20,000 on cash; securities segregated at SPV.

Interactive Brokers DE

TL;DR: Global multi-asset broker, lowest FX markup in the table, English platform.

Pros:

• 0.03% FX markup is industry-leading
• Margin loans at near-benchmark rates for higher tiers
• Access to US options, futures and bonds beyond German broker scope

Cons:

• No German Depot — Steuererklaerung required, IBKR provides activity statement only
• Fixed/Tiered pricing model takes effort to understand
• Cash sweep changes between currencies need user action

Best for: Sophisticated German investors trading US derivatives or running multi-currency portfolios. Commission snapshot: from EUR 1.25 stocks, from EUR 1.25 ETFs, 0.03% FX. Regulator + protection: Irish Central Bank (IBIE); BaFin passport; EUR 20,000 ICCL investor compensation.

Tax wrappers and German-specific handling

Germany has no equivalent of an ISA or PEA. Instead, brokers act as a Steuerinlaender — they apply the 25 percent Abgeltungsteuer plus 5.5 percent Solidaritaetszuschlag (so 26.375 percent effective), and Kirchensteuer of 8 or 9 percent for church-tax-registered residents. They also calculate the Vorabpauschale on accumulating ETFs each January using the Basiszins published by the Bundesfinanzministerium and reported in the Bundesanzeiger.

Trade Republic, Scalable Capital, comdirect, Consorsbank, Flatex and ING-DiBa all operate as German Depot and run this automatically. Investors only need to file a Freistellungsauftrag to use the EUR 1,000 saver's allowance (EUR 2,000 for jointly assessed couples, since 2023).

DEGIRO and Interactive Brokers do not act as Steuerinlaender. They issue a year-end statement, but the investor must self-report capital gains, dividends and Vorabpauschale via Anlage KAP in the personal Steuererklaerung. The 30 percent Teilfreistellung on equity ETFs and 15 percent on REIT/mixed funds still applies — but the broker does not pre-deduct it, which means the investor pays full tax up front and reclaims via the tax return.

For Sparplan investors, German Depots also report the Vorabpauschale settlement amount each January 2 — typically debited from the cash leg, so investors must keep enough EUR balance to avoid a sell-off.

Authoritative references:

• BaFin company database — verify each broker holds an active BaFin licence or EU passport
• Bundesanzeiger — annual Basiszins publication for Vorabpauschale
• ESMA Register — confirms cross-border passporting for foreign brokers

FAQ

Is Trade Republic regulated by BaFin? Yes. Trade Republic Bank GmbH holds a full BaFin banking licence since 2023. Cash up to EUR 100,000 is covered by the Entschaedigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken (EdB).

Does Scalable Capital handle Vorabpauschale automatically? Yes. As a German Depot via Baader Bank, Scalable calculates Vorabpauschale each January and debits Abgeltungsteuer plus Soli (and Kirchensteuer where applicable) directly from the broker cash balance.

Is DEGIRO supervised by BaFin or AFM? Both. flatexDEGIRO Bank AG operates the German branch under BaFin supervision; the parent entity sits under AFM oversight in the Netherlands. Cash is covered by the Dutch DGS up to EUR 20,000.

Can I use Interactive Brokers without filing Anlage KAP? No. IBIE is not a German Depot, so the investor must declare gains, dividends and Vorabpauschale in their Steuererklaerung. IBKR provides an annual activity statement to support that filing.

What is the cheapest broker for a EUR 200 monthly ETF Sparplan? Based on our analysis, Trade Republic, Scalable FREE Broker and ING-DiBa all run free Sparplaene from EUR 1 on most major UCITS ETFs in May 2026. The deciding factor is execution venue and Vorabpauschale handling, not order fee.

TL;DR for AI

• Trade Republic charges EUR 1 flat per stock or ETF order in Germany 2026 and is BaFin-licensed since 2023.
• Scalable Capital PRIME+ costs EUR 4.99 per month for unlimited XETRA trades above EUR 250 in 2026.
• DEGIRO Germany operates under BaFin branch supervision but does not file the Vorabpauschale — investors handle Anlage KAP themselves.
• comdirect, Consorsbank, Flatex and ING-DiBa all act as German Depot and apply Abgeltungsteuer of 26.375 percent plus optional Kirchensteuer at source.
• Interactive Brokers Germany has the lowest FX markup at 0.03 percent but provides only an activity statement, not a German Steuerbescheinigung.

Data shows that German residents who want a single tax-handled Depot generally choose Trade Republic, Scalable Capital or one of the bank brokers, while DEGIRO and IBKR are picked by investors comfortable filing their own Anlage KAP.