Detailed comparison of all fees, features, and suitability — updated for 2026.
Scalable Capital is the better choice for Active Traders, while Smartbroker+ wins for Free Trades. Which one suits you depends on your strategy — the detailed comparison below shows every difference.
| Metric | Scalable Capital | Smartbroker+ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order fee per trade | 0.99 € | 0.00 € | 0.99 € cheaper at Smartbroker+ |
| 10y savings plan cost @ €100/month | 0 € | 0 € | identical |
| Interest on €10,000 cash (1 year) | 2.60 % = 260 € | — | +260 € more at Scalable Capital / year |
| Free ETF savings plans | 2.400 | 2.000 | +400 more at Scalable Capital |
| Available exchanges | 2 | 3 | +1 more at Smartbroker+ |
| BMInsider rating | 4.2/5 | 4.0/5 | +0.2 at Scalable Capital |
All fees, products, and platform features compared side-by-side. The "Winner" column shows which broker leads in each category.
| Feature | Scalable Capital | Smartbroker+ | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees & Costs | |||
| Order Fee | 0.99€ or flat rate from 4.99€/Month | 0€ (gettex, from 500€) / 4€ (Xetra) | Smartbroker+ |
| ETF Savings Plan Fee | 0€ | 0€ | Tie |
| Account Fee | 0€ (Free) / 4.99€/Mo (Plus) / 9.99€/Mo (Premium) | 0€/Year | Tie |
| Minimum Deposit | 0€ | 0€ | Tie |
| Interest on Cash | 2.6% (Plus/Premium) | 0% | Scalable Capital |
| Product Range | |||
| Stocks | Tie | ||
| ETFs | Tie | ||
| Crypto | Tie | ||
| Options | Smartbroker+ | ||
| CFDs | Tie | ||
| Fractional Shares | Tie | ||
| Number of Exchanges | gettex, Xetra | gettex, Xetra, und weitere | Smartbroker+ |
| Platform & Tools | |||
| Mobile App | Tie | ||
| Desktop Platform | Tie | ||
| Demo Account | Tie | ||
| Security & Regulation | |||
| Regulated by | BaFin | BaFin | Tie |
| Deposit Protection | 100.000€ | 100.000€ | Tie |
| Founded | 2014 | 2019 | Tie |
| Overall Rating | |||
| Rating | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Scalable Capital |
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 Smartbroker+ →Low per-order fees, many trading venues and derivatives access — important if you trade regularly.
More about Smartbroker+ →Free savings plans, interest on cash and no custody fee — what matters when you buy & hold.
More about 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.
Particularly suitable for: Active Traders, Savings Plan Investors, Beginners.
Smartbroker+ offers free trades from €500 order volume and free Xetra access. A strong competitor to Trade Republic.
Particularly suitable for: Free Trades, Savings Plan Investors, Cost-Conscious Investors.
Scalable Capital (founded 2014, BaFin) and Smartbroker+ (founded 2019, BaFin, spun off from Wallstreet:Online) are both German neo-broker discount specialists with overlapping target audiences. Both offer €0 ETF savings plans, modern web/app, BaFin-regulated steuereinfach status. Where they diverge: pricing model (Scalable's two-tier subscription vs Smartbroker+'s €500-gettex-free threshold) and cash interest (Scalable PRIME+'s 2.6 % vs Smartbroker+'s 0 %).
The honest framing: both are excellent neo-brokers for German DIY investors. The right choice depends on whether you trade many small orders (Scalable PRIME+ wins), few large orders (Smartbroker+ wins), or value cash interest (Scalable PRIME+ wins).
You hold idle EUR cash and want PRIME+ interest. Scalable PRIME+ pays approximately 2.6 % p.a. on idle EUR cash. Smartbroker+ pays 0 % on the cash account. For users with €5 k–€20 k buffers, this is the decisive factor.
You trade many small orders. Scalable Free's €0.99/trade applies regardless of size. Smartbroker+ requires ≥€500 for the gettex commission-free tier — orders below €500 cost €4 on Xetra or are not commission-optimized. For €100–€499 trades, Scalable is cheaper.
You trade more than 6 orders per month. Scalable PRIME+ at €4.99/month gives €0 commission — break-even at 6 orders. Smartbroker+ has no flatrate option; pricing is per-order forever.
You want a polished mobile-first app. Scalable's app is universally praised; Smartbroker+'s app is functional but newer and less mature.
You want established neo-broker brand. Scalable has 10+ years of operation and ~600k+ depot customers. Smartbroker+ is younger.
You consistently trade orders ≥€500 on gettex with no flatrate. Smartbroker+ charges €0 commission on gettex orders ≥€500 — without any subscription fee. Scalable Free charges €0.99/trade regardless. For users who do exactly 1–4 manual orders/month and don't want PRIME+, Smartbroker+'s permanent €0 on gettex wins.
You want Eurex options access in a German tax-simple discount broker. Smartbroker+ offers Eurex retail options. Scalable does not offer options at all.
You want the broader product range without subscription pressure. Smartbroker+ supports stocks, ETFs, fractional shares, native crypto, AND Eurex options — all in one BaFin account, no flatrate required. Scalable matches the first four but lacks options.
You don't keep idle cash in the broker. If you're always fully invested, Scalable PRIME+'s 2.6 % cash interest is wasted. Smartbroker+'s €0 gettex commission then dominates.
Germany — both steuereinfach. Scalable and Smartbroker+ both withhold 25 % KESt + 5.5 % Soli + optional Kirchensteuer at source. Both apply Sparerpauschbetrag automatically.
Austria — neither austriakonform. Both Scalable and Smartbroker+ require self-reporting via Anlage E1kv on FinanzOnline.
Vorabpauschale 2026: Both apply Vorabpauschale automatically on January 2.
Quellensteuer on US dividends: Both file W-8BEN; the standard 15 % US withholding is creditable against German KESt automatically.
Eurex-options tax handling: Smartbroker+ supports Eurex options; the controversial €20 000 Verlustverrechnungstopf cap on Termingeschäft applies. Scalable does not offer options, so this consideration does not apply to Scalable customers.
Profile: 1 monthly ETF savings plan at €100, 6 manual one-off purchases per year at €1 000 each (gettex above €500), average €5 000 idle EUR cash buffer.
| Item | Scalable PRIME+ | Smartbroker+ |
|---|---|---|
| 120× savings-plan execution | €0 | €0 |
| 60× manual orders €1 000 (gettex) | €0 (PRIME+ included) | €0 (above €500 threshold) |
| PRIME+ subscription (10 yrs × 12 mo) | €598 | €0 |
| Cash interest (€5 k × 10 y) | +€1 300 (2.6 %) | €0 |
| Net 10-year cost | −€702 | €0 |
Scalable PRIME+ wins by €702 over 10 years for this profile, almost entirely due to the cash interest. Strip out the €5 k cash buffer (always-fully-invested user) and Scalable PRIME+ costs €598 vs Smartbroker+'s €0 — Smartbroker+ wins.
The choice comes down to cash management: do you keep €3 k+ idle in the broker? If yes, Scalable PRIME+. If no, Smartbroker+. For €15 k+ cash buffers, Scalable PRIME+ wins decisively.
Pick: Scalable Free. Permanent €0 savings plans on >2 000 ETFs, €0.99 manual orders. Smartbroker+'s €500 gettex threshold is a hard cliff for sub-€500 buys.
Pick: Scalable PRIME+. The €4.99/month flatrate plus 2.6 % cash interest on idle balances dominate at this profile.
Pick: Smartbroker+. €0 commission on gettex without subscription. Scalable PRIME+'s subscription fee is unnecessary if you don't benefit from cash interest.
Pick: Smartbroker+. Scalable does not offer options. Smartbroker+ supports Eurex retail.
Pick: Either, with slight Smartbroker+ edge for Eurex+crypto combo. Both offer native crypto. Smartbroker+ adds Eurex options as a structural feature Scalable lacks.
Answers to the most common questions about Scalable Capital vs Smartbroker+.
For order fees, Smartbroker+ leads at 0€ (gettex, ab 500€) / 4€ (Xetra), 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.
Scalable Capital is regulated by BaFin, Smartbroker+ by BaFin. Both fall under EU oversight. Deposit protection: Scalable Capital 100.000€, Smartbroker+ 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. Scalable Capital: 100.000€, Smartbroker+: 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.
