DEGIRO vs. Interactive Brokers

When DEGIRO is the better pick

You want simpler tax handling among foreign brokers. Both DEGIRO and IBKR are foreign brokers from a German tax perspective (no automatic withholding). But DEGIRO's annual statement is more straightforward — single-currency EUR for European trades, simpler position reconciliation. IBKR's USD-based statement requires more EUR-conversion work for tax filing.

You want lower commissions on European stocks at small-to-medium volume. DEGIRO charges 2 € + 0.03 % for European trades — €3.50 on a €5 000 European order. IBKR charges $1 fixed (or tiered $0.005/share) — about €0.95 on the same order. IBKR is cheaper on raw commission, but the gap is small in absolute terms and offset by IBKR's complexity.

You want a friendlier UI for retail investors. DEGIRO's webtrader and app are designed for retail. IBKR's TWS (Trader Workstation) is professional-grade and notoriously steep for new users.

You only need European + a handful of US/Asian markets. DEGIRO's 50+ exchange access is sufficient for most European retail investors. IBKR's 150+ exchanges include many specialized Asian and Latin American venues that most retail users will never touch.

You don't trade options or futures actively. DEGIRO offers basic Eurex options access. IBKR's options/futures depth is wasted on users who don't trade them frequently.

When Interactive Brokers is the better pick

You trade options actively (5+ contracts/month). IBKR's per-contract fee at $0.65 (or $0.15–0.55 Tiered) is materially cheaper than DEGIRO's per-contract structure. For active options traders, the savings compound across hundreds of contracts. IBKR also offers options on futures, single-stock options on a wider universe of underlyings, and complex multi-leg strategies.

You trade futures, FX, or bonds professionally. IBKR offers Eurex/CME/CBOE futures, 100+ FX pairs with sub-pip spreads on majors, and direct corporate + government bond markets. DEGIRO offers limited futures and no professional FX or bond market access.

You trade non-European markets at scale. IBKR routes to 150+ exchanges including all Asian/Latin American/Middle Eastern markets. DEGIRO's 50+ is good but stops short of complete global coverage.

You hold $50 k+ in USD cash. IBKR pays SOFR-based USD interest at tier rates (4.33 %+). DEGIRO pays 0 % on cash regardless of currency. For users with US-dollar exposure, IBKR is structurally cheaper.

You want a professional trading platform. IBKR's TWS, IBKR API, and Risk Navigator are designed for serious volume. DEGIRO's tools are competent but consumer-grade.

You manage capital across multiple accounts. IBKR supports sub-accounts, joint accounts, custodial accounts, and the IBKR Pro / Lite tiers for advisory setups. DEGIRO is single-user only.