Detailed comparison of all fees, features, and suitability — updated for 2026.
Bitvavo is the better choice for Krypto-Anleger, while Scalable Capital wins for Active Traders. Which one suits you depends on your strategy — the detailed comparison below shows every difference.
| Metric | Bitvavo | Scalable Capital | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order fee per trade | 0.25 € | 0.99 € | 0.74 € cheaper at Bitvavo |
| 10y savings plan cost @ €100/month | 30 € | 0 € | 30 € 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 | 1 | 2 | +1 more at Scalable Capital |
| BMInsider rating | 4.3/5 | 4.2/5 | +0.1 at Bitvavo |
All fees, products, and platform features compared side-by-side. The "Winner" column shows which broker leads in each category.
| Feature | Bitvavo | Scalable Capital | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees & Costs | |||
| Order Fee | 0.25 % | 0.99€ or flat rate from 4.99€/Month | Bitvavo |
| ETF Savings Plan Fee | - | 0€ | Scalable Capital |
| Account Fee | 0€/Year | 0€ (Free) / 4.99€/Mo (Plus) / 9.99€/Mo (Premium) | Tie |
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | 0€ | Tie |
| Interest on Cash | 0% | 2.6% (Plus/Premium) | Scalable Capital |
| Product Range | |||
| Stocks | Scalable Capital | ||
| ETFs | Scalable Capital | ||
| Crypto | Tie | ||
| Options | Tie | ||
| CFDs | Tie | ||
| Fractional Shares | Tie | ||
| Number of Exchanges | Krypto-Spot | gettex, Xetra | Scalable Capital |
| Platform & Tools | |||
| Mobile App | Tie | ||
| Desktop Platform | Tie | ||
| Demo Account | Tie | ||
| Security & Regulation | |||
| Regulated by | DNB · MiCA | BaFin | Tie |
| Deposit Protection | - | 100.000€ | Tie |
| Founded | 2018 | 2014 | Tie |
| Overall Rating | |||
| Rating | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Bitvavo |
Depending on your strategy and experience, one broker fits better. Here's how to decide:
Low barriers, simple app, demo account and no hidden costs — perfect to get started.
More about Bitvavo →Low per-order fees, many trading venues and derivatives access — important if you trade regularly.
More about Bitvavo →Free savings plans, interest on cash and no custody fee — what matters when you buy & hold.
More about Scalable Capital →Bitvavo is the leading crypto exchange for price-conscious European investors. Regulated by the Dutch central bank (DNB) and fully MiCA-licensed since 2025 — at 0.25% spot fee, one of the cheapest EU options.
Particularly suitable for: Krypto-Anleger, Bitcoin-Käufer, HODL-Investoren.
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.
Particularly suitable for: Active Traders, Savings Plan Investors, Beginners.
Bitvavo (Bitvavo B.V., MiCA licence since June 2025, BaFin custody licence) and Scalable Capital (BaFin, Baader Bank, Munich, founded 2014) meet with two very different crypto approaches. Bitvavo offers 400+ real spot coins at 0.15% maker / 0.25% taker (down to 0.04% at volume), free fiat withdrawals, self-custody withdrawal. Scalable offers crypto as 30+ ETPs (securities with §20 EStG character), free stock/ETF savings plans, FREE or PRIME+ tariff (€4.99/month for 2.6% cash interest).
Honest take: Bitvavo is the pick for serious crypto investors with on-chain needs. Scalable is the pick for DACH multi-asset investors who prefer to hold crypto via ETPs (inheritable, §20 EStG, steuereinfach) rather than real coins.
You want real crypto coins with self-custody option. Bitvavo spot buys with wallet withdrawal to hardware wallets. Scalable crypto ETPs can't be moved to self-custody.
You want the broadest coin range. Bitvavo 400+ coins (incl. mid and small caps). Scalable 30+ crypto ETPs, only established coins.
You want direct crypto staking rewards. Bitvavo staking on 30+ coins (3–10% p.a.). Scalable ETPs aren't stakeable (passive securities).
You want the lowest crypto trading fees. Bitvavo 0.15% maker. Scalable PRIME+ crypto spread 0.69% on ETP buys — worse than Bitvavo on active trades.
You want §23 EStG tax-free after 1-year holding. Bitvavo spot coins fall under §23 — 1-year tax-free. Scalable crypto ETPs are §20 EStG securities — always 25% KESt.
You want the German tax certificate. Scalable withholds 25% KESt automatically on all assets. Bitvavo pays gross; crypto trades self-declared in Anlage SO.
You want crypto ETPs inheritable in the portfolio. Scalable crypto ETPs are securities, inheritable to heirs without wallet complexity. Bitvavo spot coins require inheritance procedure with wallet/recovery phrase.
You want multi-asset (stocks + ETFs + crypto) in one app. Scalable 8 000+ stocks, 2 700+ ETFs, 30+ crypto ETPs. Bitvavo crypto-only.
You want PRIME+ cash interest 2.6%. Scalable PRIME+ pays 2.6% p.a. on idle EUR cash up to €500 000. Bitvavo pays no EUR interest.
You want free ETF savings plans. Scalable 2 700+ ETF savings plans from €1. Bitvavo also offers real stocks/ETFs (€1 flat) but not as broad as Scalable.
Germany — Scalable steuereinfach, Bitvavo not. Scalable withholds 25% KESt automatically. Bitvavo gross.
§23 vs §20 EStG for crypto: Bitvavo spot coins → §23 EStG (1-year tax-free). Scalable crypto ETPs → §20 EStG (always 25% KESt). Buy-and-hold advantage at Bitvavo.
Austria — neither steuereinfach. Both via FinanzOnline E1kv.
Vorabpauschale 2026: Scalable books ETFs automatically. Bitvavo: no ETFs.
Staking rewards: Bitvavo staking rewards: 10-year speculation period per BMF. Scalable no staking.
Profile: 24 crypto buys at €500 (BTC/ETH/SOL), 12 ETF savings plans at €200, €5 000 idle cash, 5 coins staked at €5 000 each.
| Item | Scalable PRIME+ | Bitvavo |
|---|---|---|
| 24× €500 crypto | 24× €3.45 (0.69% ETP spread) = €83 | 24× €1.25 (0.25% taker) = €30 |
| 12× €200 ETF savings plan | €0 | not offered |
| Cash interest €5 000 | +€130 (2.6%) | €0 |
| Staking rewards €25 000 | not possible (ETP) | ~€750 (3% average) |
| PRIME+ subscription | €59.88 | €0 |
| Net balance | −€13 cost | +€720 gain |
Bitvavo dominates for active crypto investors via staking rewards (~€750/year on staked coins). Scalable only wins on pure cash buffer without crypto staking need.
Pick: Scalable PRIME+. Steuereinfach, ETPs inheritable, cash interest.
Pick: Bitvavo. 400+ coins, wallet withdrawal, staking.
Pick: Bitvavo. §23 tax-free after 1 year. Scalable ETPs always KESt.
Pick: Bitvavo. 0.15% maker beats Scalable 0.69% spread.
Pick: Scalable. 2 700 free savings plans.
Answers to the most common questions about Bitvavo vs Scalable Capital.
For order fees, Bitvavo leads at 0.25 %, while Scalable Capital charges 0.99€ oder Flatrate ab 4.99€/Monat. Note: with CFD brokers, spreads add hidden cost — the lower nominal price isn't always cheaper overall.
Bitvavo is regulated by DNB · MiCA, Scalable Capital by BaFin. Both fall under EU oversight. Deposit protection: Bitvavo -, 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. Bitvavo: -, 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.
Sign up with the broker that fits your strategy. Both are regulated and offer a demo account to test risk-free.
