DEGIRO
★★★★★4.0/5
Strengths
- 50+ Global Exchanges
- Low Fees
- Options & Futures
- Access to Asian Markets
Weaknesses
- No Savings Plan
- No Crypto
Best for
International Stocks
Go to DEGIRO →* Affiliate link · no extra cost for you
Broker Comparison 2026
DEGIRO vs. Scalable Capital
Detailed comparison of all fees, features, and suitability — updated for 2026.
DEGIRO
vs
Scalable Capital
Our Recommendation
DEGIRO is the better choice for International Stocks, while Scalable Capital wins for Savings Plan Investors. Which one suits you depends on your strategy — the detailed comparison below shows every difference.
Numeric Comparison
| Metric | DEGIRO | Scalable Capital | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order fee per trade | 2.00 € | 0.99 € | 1.01 € cheaper at Scalable Capital |
| 10y savings plan cost @ €100/month | 240 € | 0 € | 240 € cheaper at Scalable Capital |
| Interest on €10,000 cash (1 year) | — | 2.60 % = 260 € | +260 € more at Scalable Capital / year |
| Free ETF savings plans | 0 | 2.400 | +2.400 more at Scalable Capital |
| Available exchanges | 8 | 2 | +6 more at DEGIRO |
| BMInsider rating | 4.0/5 | 4.2/5 | +0.2 at Scalable Capital |
Bottom line: on €10,000 cash Scalable Capital earns about 2.600 € more interest over 10 years.
Scalable Capital
★★★★★4.2/5
Strengths
- Flat-Rate Model for Active Traders
- Xetra Access
- Free Savings Plans
- Prime+ with Interest on Cash
Weaknesses
- Flat Rate Costs Extra
- Few Exchanges
Best for
Savings Plan Investors
Go to Scalable Capital →* Affiliate link · no extra cost for you
Detailed Comparison
All fees, products, and platform features compared side-by-side. The "Winner" column shows which broker leads in each category.
| Feature | DEGIRO | Scalable Capital | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees & Costs | |||
| Order Fee | 2€ + 0.03% (Europa) / 2€ + 0.05% (USA) | 0.99€ or flat rate from 4.99€/Month | Scalable Capital |
| ETF Savings Plan Fee | - | 0€ | Scalable Capital |
| Account Fee | 0€/Year + 2.50€ Connectivity fee/Exchange/Year | 0€ (Free) / 4.99€/Mo (Plus) / 9.99€/Mo (Premium) | Scalable Capital |
| Minimum Deposit | 0€ | 0€ | Tie |
| Interest on Cash | 0% | 2.6% (Plus/Premium) | Scalable Capital |
| Product Range | |||
| Stocks | Tie | ||
| ETFs | Tie | ||
| Crypto | Scalable Capital | ||
| Options | DEGIRO | ||
| CFDs | Tie | ||
| Fractional Shares | Scalable Capital | ||
| Number of Exchanges | Xetra, Euronext, NYSE | gettex, Xetra | DEGIRO |
| Platform & Tools | |||
| Mobile App | Tie | ||
| Desktop Platform | Tie | ||
| Demo Account | Tie | ||
| Security & Regulation | |||
| Regulated by | AFM / BaFin | BaFin | Tie |
| Deposit Protection | 100.000€ | 100.000€ | Tie |
| Founded | 2013 | 2014 | Tie |
| Overall Rating | |||
| Rating | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Scalable Capital |
Which Broker for Whom?
Depending on your strategy and experience, one broker fits better. Here's how to decide:
For Beginners
Scalable Capital
Low barriers, simple app, demo account and no hidden costs — perfect to get started.
More about Scalable Capital →For Active Traders
DEGIRO
Low per-order fees, many trading venues and derivatives access — important if you trade regularly.
More about DEGIRO →For Long-Term Investors
Scalable Capital
Free savings plans, interest on cash and no custody fee — what matters when you buy & hold.
More about Scalable Capital →Detailed Assessment
Who is DEGIRO?
DEGIRO offers access to 50+ exchanges worldwide at low fees. Ideal for internationally diversified portfolios.
Strengths in Detail
- 50+ Global Exchanges
- Low Fees
- Options & Futures
- Access to Asian Markets
Weaknesses
- No Savings Plan
- No Crypto
- No Interest on Cash
- Not Tax-Simple for Austria
Who is DEGIRO worth it for?
Particularly suitable for: International Stocks, Active Traders, Advanced Investors.
Who is Scalable Capital?
Scalable Capital offers a flat-rate model from €4.99/month for unlimited trades. With Xetra access and free savings plans, a good choice for active investors.
Strengths in Detail
- Flat-Rate Model for Active Traders
- Xetra Access
- Free Savings Plans
- Prime+ with Interest on Cash
Weaknesses
- Flat Rate Costs Extra
- Few Exchanges
- No Options
Who is Scalable Capital worth it for?
Particularly suitable for: Active Traders, Savings Plan Investors, Beginners.
DEGIRO vs Scalable Capital — pan-European discount vs DACH-focused neo-broker
DEGIRO (Dutch, founded 2013, now part of flatexDEGIRO) and Scalable Capital (founded 2014 in Munich, BaFin-regulated) appeal to overlapping investor profiles but with key differences. DEGIRO is the specialist pan-European discount broker with 50+ exchanges including Asia/Pacific, very low commissions, and options/futures access. Scalable is the DACH-focused hybrid neo-broker with a two-tier model — Free at €0.99/trade, PRIME+ at €4.99/month for €0 commission.
The honest framing: both are EU-based and BaFin-touching (DEGIRO via flatexDEGIRO group). The choice depends on whether you value (1) German tax-simple status + cash interest + savings plans (Scalable) or (2) global market access + lowest pure commission (DEGIRO).
When DEGIRO is the better pick
You want non-European market access. DEGIRO routes to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Australia, Toronto, Singapore — 50+ exchanges total. Scalable routes only to gettex and Xetra. For Asian or Australian stock exposure, DEGIRO is the only option of these two.
You trade options or futures. DEGIRO offers Eurex options and selected futures. Scalable does not offer options at all. For Eurex strategies, only DEGIRO is structurally relevant.
You want lowest pure commission on European stocks. DEGIRO charges 2 € + 0.03 % for European trades — cheaper than Scalable Free's €0.99 once you exceed ~€350 order size. For €5 000+ trades, DEGIRO costs ~€3.50 vs Scalable Free's €0.99 — Scalable still wins on absolute commission for these specific sizes.
You're a DIY tax-filing investor. DEGIRO's foreign-broker tax handling is workable with Smartsteuer / WISO. If you DIY-file anyway, DEGIRO's commission savings on multi-venue routing dominate.
You want a desktop-first webtrader. DEGIRO's webtrader is more capable than Scalable's web interface — better charting, more order types, and a watchlist scanner. Scalable's app is excellent; the web is secondary.
When Scalable Capital is the better pick
You are a German tax resident wanting steuereinfach. Scalable withholds 26.375 % KESt + Soli at source automatically. DEGIRO is not steuereinfach — manual Anlage KAP filing required.
You want fee-free ETF savings plans on hundreds of ETFs from €1. Scalable offers €0 savings plans on >2 000 ETFs from €1 minimum. DEGIRO has the Core Selection (~200 ETFs) with one free trade per month, but no automated savings-plan feature; recurring buys require manual market or limit orders.
You hold idle cash and want PRIME+ interest. Scalable PRIME+ pays approximately 2.6 % p.a. on idle EUR cash. DEGIRO pays 0 % on the cash account. For users with €5 k+ buffers, the differential is ~€130/year free at Scalable.
You want a polished mobile-first interface. Scalable's app is universally praised; DEGIRO's app is functional but visibly older-generation, designed primarily as a companion to the desktop webtrader.
You want native crypto + fractional shares. Scalable supports both. DEGIRO does not offer crypto and has limited fractional-share support.
You trade more than 6 manual orders per month. Scalable PRIME+ at €4.99/month gives €0 commission — break-even at 6 orders. DEGIRO charges €2 + 0.03 % regardless. For active traders making 8+ orders/month, Scalable PRIME+ saves money.
Taxes — DACH specifics
Germany — Scalable is steuereinfach, DEGIRO is not. Scalable withholds 25 % KESt + 5.5 % Soli + optional Kirchensteuer at source automatically. DEGIRO is a foreign broker — manual Anlage KAP filing required for every transaction.
Austria — neither austriakonform. Both Scalable and DEGIRO require self-reporting via Anlage E1kv on FinanzOnline for Austrian residents. DEGIRO Austria explicitly states it is "kein steuereinfacher Broker für AT".
Vorabpauschale 2026: Scalable applies the Vorabpauschale automatically on January 2 by debiting the cash account. DEGIRO reports the Vorabpauschale base in the year-end statement; manual Anlage KAP-INV filing required.
Quellensteuer on US dividends: Scalable credits the standard 15 % US withholding against German KESt automatically. DEGIRO withholds 15 % (W-8BEN filed) but does not auto-credit — you claim it yourself in Anlage KAP.
Currency-gain tracking: EUR-tax-resident clients holding USD-denominated DEGIRO positions trigger taxable currency gains/losses on every position close. Scalable EUR-only operations abstract this away.
Cost example — €15 000 active investor over 10 years
Profile: 1 monthly ETF savings plan at €100, 8 manual one-off purchases per month at €500 each, average €5 000 idle EUR cash buffer.
| Item | DEGIRO | Scalable PRIME+ |
|---|---|---|
| 120× savings-plan equivalent | €0–€60 (Core Selection) | €0 |
| 960× manual orders €500 | €2 044 (€2 + 0.03 % × €500 each) | €0 |
| Connectivity / venue fees | €25 (€2.50 × 10 yrs) | €0 |
| PRIME+ subscription (10 yrs × 12 mo) | €0 | €598 |
| Cash interest (€5 k × 10 y) | €0 | +€1 300 (2.6 %) |
| Tax-handling (Steuerberater for DEGIRO) | €2 000 (10y × €200) | €0 |
| Net 10-year cost | €4 069 | −€702 |
For a German tax resident at this active-trading profile, Scalable PRIME+ comes out ~€4 771 ahead. The drivers: zero commissions on PRIME+, EUR cash interest, and no tax-handling overhead. DEGIRO's commission edge on individual trades is overwhelmed by the per-trade cumulative cost at this volume plus the Steuerberater fee.
For a low-frequency DIY-tax-filer (1 manual order/month), the comparison is closer: DEGIRO ~€350 over 10 years vs Scalable Free ~€118 — Scalable still wins narrowly. For DIY-filers wanting Asian market access, DEGIRO becomes the only meaningful option since Scalable cannot serve those markets.
Verdict by investor profile
Beginner with €25–€100/month savings plan
Pick: Scalable Free. €0 savings plans on >2 000 ETFs, €0.99 manual orders, €1 minimum savings plan rate. DEGIRO has Core Selection but no automated savings-plan feature — friction at this scale.
Active investor 8+ orders/month
Pick: Scalable PRIME+. €0 commission breaks even at 6 orders. DEGIRO's per-trade fees compound at this volume.
DIY tax-filing investor with European focus
Pick: Scalable Free (or PRIME+ if active). Even for DIY filers, Scalable's steuereinfach handling saves time. DEGIRO only wins on absolute commission for very specific patterns.
International stock picker (Asian markets)
Pick: DEGIRO. Scalable does not route to Asian/Australian exchanges. For these markets, DEGIRO is the structural answer.
Active Eurex options trader
Pick: DEGIRO (or upgrade to IBKR). Scalable does not offer options. DEGIRO's Eurex access serves occasional volume; IBKR overtakes at 5+ contracts/month.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most common questions about DEGIRO vs Scalable Capital.
For order fees, Scalable Capital leads at 0.99€ oder Flatrate ab 4.99€/Monat, while DEGIRO charges 2€ + 0.03% (Europa) / 2€ + 0.05% (USA). Note: with CFD brokers, spreads add hidden cost — the lower nominal price isn't always cheaper overall.
DEGIRO is regulated by AFM / BaFin, Scalable Capital by BaFin. Both fall under EU oversight. Deposit protection: DEGIRO 100.000€, Scalable Capital 100.000€.
For German/Austrian customers, language, BaFin regulation and tax-simple status often matter most. Check the 'Regulated by' and 'Languages' rows — DACH-focused brokers usually have the edge.
Scalable Capital offers free ETF savings plans from 1€. If a savings plan matters to you, that's a clear edge.
Both are covered under their home regulator's deposit protection. DEGIRO: 100.000€, Scalable Capital: 100.000€. Securities are held in segregated accounts and protected in case of broker insolvency.
Scalable Capital leads on cash interest at 2.60%. Watch the conditions — some brokers require a paid plan or cap the amount.
Both offer native mobile apps with good app-store ratings. Which is better depends on your needs — try both with a demo account if available.
A second broker makes sense when one offers features the other lacks (e.g. options, crypto, more exchanges). A full switch is only worth it if the cost difference or missing features are significant.
Ready to Get Started?
Sign up with the broker that fits your strategy. Both are regulated and offer a demo account to test risk-free.