Best Online Brokers in Germany 2026
BaFin-regulated brokers in Germany — ranked by fees, ETF selection and Depot support for German investors in 2026.
✅ BaFin Regulated
🇩🇪 BaFin Regulated
📊 XETRA Access
💶 €1k Tax Allowance
🔬 Tested with real accounts
🔄 Last updated: July 2026 · Reviewed by WhichBrokr Research Team
⚠️ Risk warning: Investing involves risk of loss. Capital is not guaranteed. Some links on this page are affiliate links — this does not affect our rankings.
⚡ No time to read? Our top picks for Germany
Trade Republic — Europe's fastest-growing investment app. €1 flat fee, 3.25% interest on uninvested cash.
XTB — Best overall broker for European investors. Zero commission stocks & ETFs up to €100k/month.
DEGIRO — Europe's lowest-cost broker for stocks & ETFs. Access to 50+ exchanges in 30 countries.
Interactive Brokers — The broker of choice for serious investors. Access to 150+ markets in 33 countries.
Top 4 Best Online Brokers in Germany — Detailed Reviews
TR
Editor's Choice
Trade Republic
Regulated by BaFin
4.5/5
Commission
€1 flat fee per trade
Europe's fastest-growing investment app. €1 flat fee, 3.25% interest on uninvested cash.
XTB
Editor's Choice
XTB
Regulated by FCA
4.7/5
Commission
0% up to €100k/month
Best overall broker for European investors. Zero commission stocks & ETFs up to €100k/month.
DG
Editor's Choice
DEGIRO
Regulated by AFM
4.4/5
Commission
1 + exchange fee per trade
Europe's lowest-cost broker for stocks & ETFs. Access to 50+ exchanges in 30 countries.
IB
Best for Professionals
Interactive Brokers
Regulated by SEC
4.6/5
Commission
From $0.005/share (Pro; EU only)
Europe's lowest-cost broker for stocks & ETFs. Access to 50+ exchanges in 30 countries.
How to Get Started with Best Brokers in Germany
1
Choose a regulated platform
Pick a broker regulated by BaFin or operating under an international licence. All platforms on this page qualify.
2
Open your account
Account opening is fully online. You'll need a photo ID (passport or national ID) and proof of address. Most platforms verify within 1–2 business days.
3
Fund your account
Deposit via bank transfer (free, 1–3 days) or debit card (instant, small fee). Minimum deposits vary — most top platforms start from €0.
4
Start investing
Diversify across stocks and ETFs. Consider low-cost index ETFs for long-term growth.
🇩🇪 Germany: Country Environment Blueprint
Primary Watchdog
Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFin) —
www.bafin.de
Passporting / Access
✅ Fully accepted. Any EU/EEA-regulated broker can legally serve Germany residents via MiFID II passport — no local entity required.
Regulatory Blacklist
✅ Active. BaFin publishes Verbraucherwarnungen (consumer warnings). Check bafin.de before depositing.
Capital Gains Tax
26.375% (Abgeltungsteuer — flat withholding tax incl. solidarity surcharge) — Annual tax-free allowance (Sparerpauschbetrag): €1,000/person (€2,000 couples) from 2023. Auto-withheld by German brokers.
Dividend Tax
26.375% flat (same as CGT). Withheld at source.
Foreign Account Reporting
⚠️ Required. Anlage KAP / KAP-INV. Fines: Material penalties and interest for undeclared foreign income.
Loss Carry-Forward
Indefinite. Stock losses offset stock gains only. CFD/futures losses ring-fenced.
Depot (Standard Taxable Account)
Cap: No cap €1,000 annual Sparerpauschbetrag tax-free. Abgeltungsteuer auto-deducted by German depots.
Riester-Rente
Cap: €2,100/year with subsidy Government-subsidised pension. €175 base subsidy + €185/child. Tax deductible.
Betriebliche Altersvorsorge (bAV)
Cap: 8% of BBG Employer pension. Pre-tax contributions. Major tax savings for higher earners.
US ETF Access (PRIIPs)
⛔ US-domiciled ETFs are restricted for retail investors (PRIIPs regulation). Use UCITS equivalents: iShares CSPX, Amundi CU2, or Vanguard VWRA.
Domestic Exchanges & Indices
XETRA (Frankfurt) · Index: DAX 40
Key stocks: SAP (SAP.DE), Siemens (SIE.DE), Allianz (ALV.DE), Deutsche Telekom (DTE.DE), BASF (BASF.DE)
What Germany Investors Need to Know in 2026
German investors pay 26.375% Abgeltungsteuer on gains above the €1,000 Sparerpauschbetrag. German-domiciled brokers withhold this automatically — foreign brokers require manual reporting.
Germany's best crypto tax perk: crypto held >1 year is completely tax-free. One of Europe's most favourable long-term crypto jurisdictions.
Trade Republic and Scalable Capital are reshaping German retail investing with near-zero commission trades. Traditional Direktbanken (comdirect, ING, DKB) remain popular.
🏠 Local Platforms to Know
TR
Trade Republic — Germany's fastest-growing broker. €1/order, 3.75% on cash. 8M+ customers. Full BaFin regulation.
SC
Scalable Capital — Munich-based broker, free and premium plans. Strong ETF savings plan selection.
ING
ING (Germany) — Commission-free ETF savings plans. Strong mobile app.
COM
Comdirect — Part of Commerzbank. Comprehensive brokerage with research tools. Higher fees.
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How we chose these platforms
Our team opened real accounts, deposited funds and tested each platform in Germany. We evaluate regulation quality, fees (commissions, spreads, FX conversion), platform usability, customer support response times and local features specific to Germany investors. Rankings are updated regularly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is crypto taxed in Germany? +
Crypto held >1 year: 0% tax. Sold within 1 year: taxed as personal income (up to 45%). €600 annual exemption for short-term misc gains.
What is the Sparerpauschbetrag? +
€1,000 annual tax-free allowance on investment income/person (€2,000 for couples). Submit a Freistellungsauftrag to your broker to apply it.
Can I buy US ETFs in Germany? +
No. PRIIPs blocks US-domiciled ETFs for EU retail investors. Use UCITS equivalents: iShares CSPX (S&P 500), Vanguard VWRA (world).