Top margin trading brokers compared

About Top margin trading brokers compared

Borrowing to trade magnifies gains and losses, so the figures that decide a margin broker matter more than the marketing. This ranking covers 20 brokers offering margin, and it is written for readers who weigh what a trade costs, how the money is protected, and how the account behaves day to day. The central trade-off is cheap dealing against cheap borrowing. Plenty of brokers here charge nothing to buy and sell shares, yet charge a rate on the amount you borrow. Quantfury sets that rate at 0%, among the lowest on the list, and offers 20x trading power. Others keep dealing costs low and lend at 12.075% or 8.99%. Protection also varies, from FSCS up to GBP 85,000 through SIPC up to USD 500,000 to EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 on the European entity. Note that 70.15% of retail accounts lose money, and the spread runs from 40.3% to 88%. A low margin rate does not make leveraged trading safe.

How we picked

Every brand here is scored on published facts, weighted across separate groups. Trust carries the most weight at 40%, covering the regulator, the legal entity and the investor protection scheme on offer. Cost carries 35%, built from the margin rate, trading fees, account fees, inactivity fees and the minimum deposit. Offer carries 25%, covering markets, account types, platform access and support channels. The cost and offer figures are read against the spread across this ranking, so a number only means something beside its peers. Stock trade fees here run from €0 to €4.38, with a median of €0. Minimum deposits run from €0 to €26,308.87. Account fees span €0 to €105.24, and inactivity fees €0 to €13.15. Sources are each broker's own pricing, conditions and licence pages, plus the ESMA register for European entities and the SIPC member list. Partners are listed first where applicable, then the rest by score. No brand buys a better position.

Our top picks

1. 2. Robinhood

   Robinhood sits just behind Quantfury in this ranking, and its costs stay competitive with the brand above without matching the borrowing rate. Leverage caps at 10X, margin costs 3.95%, and stock and options trades are both $0. A minimum deposit of $0 means the account can start small, with individual retirement and joint options among the account types. Money moves out at $100 outgoing transfer. Clients of Robinhood Europe UAB are supervised by the Bank of Lithuania, with investor protection of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000, a lower cap than the cover Public below lists.

   • Minimum deposit: $0
   • Stock trade fee: $0
   • Account fee: $0

   Pros

   • Nothing to pay to open or hold an account, with an account fee of $0 and an inactivity fee of $0
   • Trading a share costs $0, so a small first order is not eaten by commission
   • You can start with a deposit of $0, lower than most brands on our data
   • Fractional shares, options, futures, crypto and a mobile app are all available on the same account
   • Supervised by the Bank of Lithuania and a SIPC member, so your money sits with a regulated firm

   Cons

   • Leverage is available at 10X, which magnifies losses as well as gains
   • Outgoing transfers carry a charge of $100 outgoing transfer
   • Margin borrowing is priced at a margin rate of 3.95%, so interest adds to your cost
   • The listed account types cover retirement and joint accounts rather than tax-sheltered UK and European wrappers

2. 3. Angel One

   Angel One is in this ranking as the option-heavy Indian broker, and it charges for the trade rather than the loan. Stock and options dealing both come to INR 20, against $0 for shares at Public above, while the margin rate itself is 0%. The account fee is INR 0 and the minimum deposit INR 0, so opening an account costs nothing on those terms. Markets cover bonds, ETFs, forex, funds, futures, options and stocks, and a demo account and mobile app come as standard. Compared with Public above, the borrowing is free here and the dealing is not.

   • Minimum deposit: ₹0
   • Stock trade fee: ₹20
   • Account fee: ₹0

   Pros

   • Account upkeep is simple: the account fee is INR 0.
   • You can start small, since the minimum deposit is INR 0.
   • One account covers bonds, etfs and forex, so shares, funds, bonds and derivatives sit together.
   • A demo account and a mobile app both appear in demo account and mobile app, so you can practise before you fund it.

   Cons

   • The stock trade fee of INR 20 is the weak spot: eToro lists $0 for the same trade.
   • On stock trade fee it ranks position 99 of 161, so it sits well down that list.
   • Each options contract adds INR 20, and that charge repeats on every contract you trade.

3. 4. Interactive Brokers

   Interactive Brokers is the value pick in this ranking for traders who want breadth over the cheapest loan. Margin runs at 4.38%, below M1 above, while stocks and ETFs cost $0, options $0.65, and idle cash earns 3.38%. Account types are the widest in the list at isa, sipp and ira. Several platforms serve clients, from the Client Portal to the Trader Workstation, and support runs on help centre and community. The entity INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC is listed with the SEC and FCA, with SIPC protection of SIPC up to USD 500,000. Mirae Asset Securities below also offers an API, but charges a higher rate to borrow at 8.99%.

   • Minimum deposit: $0
   • Stock trade fee: $0
   • Markets: Bonds, ETFs, Forex, and 4 more

   Pros

   • A stock trade costs $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, the pairing behind rank 1 of 161 on stock trade fees among the brokers tracked here.
   • The account types listed cover isa, sipp and ira, so an ISA, SIPP, IRA, joint or corporate account all sit under a single provider.
   • bonds, etfs and forex puts stocks, ETFs, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures on the same account, with a margin rate of 4.38% for geared positions.
   • Regulation runs through the FCA in the UK under licence 208159 and the SEC and SIPC in the US, with investor protection stated as SIPC up to USD 500,000.
   • The platform list covers Client Portal, IBKR Desktop and IBKR Mobile, so a web portal, a desktop terminal, a mobile app and a workstation all run off the same account.

   Cons

   • Support runs on help centre and community, so a phone line and live chat sit outside the offer.
   • bonds, etfs and forex covers shares, ETFs, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures but leaves out crypto and CFDs, which eToro lists in stocks, etfs and forex.
   • An options contract costs $0.65 against a stock trade at $0, so options strategies pay a visible premium per contract.

4. 6. BMO InvestorLine

   BMO InvestorLine is the Canadian name in this ranking, and its standout is service, with phone and chat reaching clients directly. Margin costs 8.75%, while stock and ETF dealing is CAD 0, the account fee is CAD 0 and the inactivity fee is CAD 0. Options run CAD 0.90 per contract, and currency conversion of 0.4% to 1.6% can dominate a small trade. Transfers cost $0 EFT, $10 wire, with EFTs free. Markets cover stocks, ETFs, options, bonds and funds, and the firm has traded since 1988. Sahm Capital below charges less to borrow, at 7%.

   • Stock trade fee: CA$0
   • Account fee: CA$0
   • Inactivity fee: CA$0

   Pros

   • Stock and ETF trades cost CAD 0 and the account fee is CAD 0, so holding a portfolio costs nothing.
   • The inactivity fee is CAD 0, so an untouched account is not charged.
   • Support runs on phone and chat, giving a phone line and live chat.
   • Markets cover stocks, etfs and options, so bonds, funds and options sit alongside shares.

   Cons

   • Margin borrowing is priced at 8.75%, so a leveraged position carries a borrowing cost.
   • Options contracts carry a fee of CAD 0.90 each.
   • Currency conversion is the hidden cost, at 0.4% to 1.6%, and deposits and withdrawals run $0 EFT, $10 wire.

5. 7. Public

   Public earns its place in this ranking for anyone who wants a margin account next to a cash account paying 3.3%. Margin costs 4.2%, above Quantfury and Robinhood but below M1, and equity and ETF dealing is $0. Options run $0.06 to $0.18 per contract, where Robinhood above charges $0. Markets cover stocks, ETFs, crypto, options and bonds, and the minimum deposit is $0. The entity is Open to the Public Investing, Inc., regulated by FINRA and the SEC, with investor protection of SIPC up to USD 500,000. Support runs on email and help centre, against the wider channels Charles Schwab offers further down.

   • Minimum deposit: $0
   • Stock trade fee: $0
   • Markets: Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, and 2 more

   Pros

   • Stock trades cost $0, so a regular monthly purchase is not eaten by commission.
   • The account opens from $0, which is below the €4.64 typical minimum across the brokers on our data.
   • Cash parked in the high-yield account earns 3.3% while it waits to be invested.
   • SIPC up to USD 500,000 covers the cash and securities held for US clients.
   • Fractional shares and crypto sit alongside stocks, etfs and crypto, so a small monthly amount can still be split across holdings.

   Cons

   • Options contracts add a fee of $0.06 to $0.18 each, on top of the premium you pay for the option itself.
   • Margin borrowing runs at 4.2%, so borrowed positions carry an interest charge that keeps accruing.
   • Support runs on email and help centre only, so there is no phone line for questions about a transfer or a tax form.
   • The account list is limited to ira and roth ira, so a taxable or joint account is not offered here.

What to look for

What you pay to borrow

The margin rate decides your running cost on every leveraged position, and the spread across this ranking is wide. Quantfury charges 0% and Angel One 0%, while Charles Schwab lends at 12.075% and Mirae Asset Securities at 8.99%. Borrowed money is not free anywhere, so the rate belongs near the top of your checks.

Who regulates the entity you sign up with

The legal entity matters as much as the brand on the app store. Robinhood trades through Robinhood Europe UAB under the Bank of Lithuania, Public through Open to the Public Investing, Inc. under FINRA and the SEC, and Sahm Capital through Sahm Capital Financial Company under the Capital Market Authority. Check which entity holds your cash, because the protection that follows it may differ.

What the protection scheme covers

A protection scheme is a backstop if the firm fails, not a cushion against trading losses. Quantfury lists FSCS up to GBP 85,000 in protection, Public lists SIPC up to USD 500,000, M1 lists SIPC up to USD 500,000, and Robinhood's European entity lists EU ICS up to EUR 20,000. Read the scheme and the cap together, because they cover different failures.

How much leverage is offered

Retail leverage caps set how far a position can move against you before the broker steps in. Quantfury offers 20x trading power, Robinhood 10X, Mirae Asset Securities 4X, and M1 allows borrowing of Up to 50% of portfolio value. More buying power means a faster route to a margin call, so cap size deserves the same attention as the rate.

What the account lets you hold

A margin account often sits inside a wrapper, so the account types matter before you apply. Individual retirement accounts appear across most of this ranking, and Interactive Brokers lists isa, sipp and ira. Minimum deposits in the ranking run €0 to €26,308.87, with a median of €0, which sets how quickly a new account can be opened and tested.

Frequently asked questions

Top margin trading brokers compared by country

• India
• United States

Brokers compared head to head

• Mirae Asset Securities vs quantfury
• Mirae Asset Securities vs SogoTrade
• Mirae Asset Securities vs Lime Financial
• quantfury vs SogoTrade
• quantfury vs Lime Financial
• SogoTrade vs Lime Financial

The data behind this ranking

All data and the CSV