Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Deriv vs Trading 212
Deriv vs Trading 212: the differences
| Compare |  Deriv | Trading 212 ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $5 | £1 |
| Stock trade fee | $0 | £0 |
| Inactivity fee | $25 | £0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto, BondsCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs |
| Platforms | Deriv MT5, Deriv Trader | Trading 212 App, Web Platform |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Regulators | Not confirmed | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) |
| Investor protection | Not confirmed | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 74% | Not confirmed |
| Account types | Not confirmed | ISA, SIPP, Joint |
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Key differences
- Trading 212 scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 8.9.
- Markets: only Deriv offers Crypto, Bonds.
- Platforms: only Deriv offers Deriv MT5, Deriv Trader.
- Platforms: only Trading 212 offers Trading 212 App, Web Platform.
- Features: only Deriv offers Crypto.
- Features: only Trading 212 offers Fractional shares.
- Audience: only Deriv offers Day traders.
Our verdict on each
Deriv
Deriv suits beginners and day-traders who want a $0 stock trade fee, a $5 minimum deposit and a demo account to practise on. Most retail accounts here lose money, at 74%, so the cheap entry is not a reason to trade lightly.
Trading 212
Trading 212 suits UK and European beginners who want flat costs: a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of £0 and an ISA, SIPP and joint account. Forex and CFDs share the same menu, so the easy entry is the reason to look closer, not to trade heavily.
Score breakdown
| Area | Deriv | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.9An inactivity fee of $25 is the weak spot, against $0 at Vantage. | 9.3HigherCharges sit at the floor: £0 on a trade, £0 on the account, £0 when idle. |
| Offer | 8.9 | 9.2Higher |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 9.5 |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Deriv | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 160 of 471 | 83 of 471 |
| Forex brokers | 69 of 147 | 35 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 67 of 145 | 33 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 58 of 122 | 27 of 122 |
| Brokers for beginners | 42 of 88 | 28 of 88 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Deriv | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32 |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
What each covers
| Markets | Deriv | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Deriv | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Crypto | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Day traders, BeginnersCovers more | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | Trading 212 Markets Ltd |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Cyprus |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2006 |
| Support channels | Help centre | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Deriv | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | Not confirmed | £0at the median | £0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 74%above the median | Not confirmed | 72.05% |
Median across 47 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Deriv
Pros
- A single account covers stocks, etfs and forex, so no second broker is needed
- demo account, mobile app and crypto covers a demo account and a mobile app alongside Deriv Trader and Deriv MT5
- Built for beginners and day traders (day traders and beginners) rather than experienced traders only
Cons
- An inactivity fee of $25 applies to dormant balances, against $0 at Vantage
- Support runs on help centre only, with no phone line or live chat listed
- Deriv reports that 74% of retail accounts lose money, above the 70.15% site median
Trading 212
Pros
- Nothing to pay for holding or for going quiet: the account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0.
- Trading shares costs £0, the same stock trade fee eToro lists at $0, so the trade price is not the reason to move.
- The entry of £1 sits under the $5 Vantage asks for, which matters for a first transfer.
Cons
- The market list pairs shares and ETFs with forex and CFDs in stocks, etfs and forex, so a platform aimed at beginners, beginners, also carries leveraged products.
- The fee sheet is the easy part: retail accounts lose money at 70.15% across the brokers compared, and a £0 trade cost does not remove that risk.
- The money side runs through Trading 212 Markets Ltd in Cyprus, registered with the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission as MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32, so a UK saver is dealing with a Cyprus entity alongside the UK one.
Who each suits
Deriv
Who it suits
- Beginners who want a demo account and a small minimum deposit before going live
- Day-traders who want stocks, etfs and forex in a single account
- Traders already comfortable with charting platforms, since Deriv MT5 is one of the platforms listed (Deriv MT5 and Deriv Trader)
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone leaving money parked for long: Vantage lists an inactivity fee of $0
- Traders who want futures in the same account: the markets at eToro, stocks, etfs and forex, include them
- Traders who want the smallest possible entry: CFI lists a minimum deposit of $0
Trading 212
Who it suits
- Beginners and small regular investors who want a low bar to entry, since the minimum deposit is £1 and the app and demo account in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app support a cautious start.
- UK and European savers who care about holding cost, because the account fee of £0 and the inactivity fee of £0 leave the account free to sit and free to open.
- Savers who want a tax-wrapped and shared holding together, since isa, sipp and joint covers an ISA, a SIPP and a joint account under one provider.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for forex and CFD traders who want a deeper market list: Trading 212 stops at stocks, etfs and forex, while eToro and Vantage cover more of the leveraged side.
- Not for anyone who needs a no-cost opening: CFI takes a minimum deposit of $0 against the £1 asked here.
- Not for savers who want a bigger spread of wrappers: the account range is listed as isa, sipp and joint, which does not stretch to every tax-sheltered account type.
Questions about each
Deriv
What does it cost to open a Deriv account?+
The minimum deposit is $5, so the account opens on a small balance. Stock trades are charged at $0, which sits inside a commission-free model, so no commission is added per trade. Beginners and day traders are the stated audience.
Will I be charged if my account sits idle?+
Yes. Deriv charges an inactivity fee of $25 on an account left unused, which is the main cost trap here. Vantage lists an inactivity fee of $0 by comparison, so a dormant balance is cheaper elsewhere. Move money you are not using rather than leaving it parked.
Trading 212
What is the minimum deposit to open a Trading 212 account?+
The published minimum deposit is £1, low enough to open and fund in one step. That entry sits under the €4.64 level seen across the brokers compared here, and under the $5 Vantage asks for, so a small first transfer is enough to get going.
Does Trading 212 charge for keeping an account open or leaving it idle?+
The account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0, so neither holding the account nor letting it sit dormant is billed on the published sheet. The €10 inactivity level across the brokers compared sits well above that floor, which is where dormant-account charges usually show up.
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