Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
FBS vs Trading 212
FBS vs Trading 212: the differences
| Compare |  FBS | Trading 212 ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $5 | £1 |
| Stock trade fee | $0 | £0 |
| Account fee | $0 | £0 |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | £0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, MetalsCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs |
| Regulators | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)Covers more |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 | Trading 212 App, Web Platform |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 66.43% | Not confirmed |
| EUR/USD spread | 0.5% | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free | Not confirmed |
| Account types | Not confirmed | ISA, SIPP, Joint |
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Key differences
- Trading 212 scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.1.
- Regulators: only Trading 212 offers Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
- Founded is lower at Trading 212: 2006 vs 2009.
- Trading 212 is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only FBS offers Metals.
- Platforms: only FBS offers MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5.
- Platforms: only Trading 212 offers Trading 212 App, Web Platform.
- Features: only Trading 212 offers Fractional shares.
Our verdict on each
FBS
Fbs Partners suits readers who want a plain, low cost picture from a firm regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission: the account fee is $0 and the stock trade fee is $0. The EUR/USD spread of 0.5% and the retail loss rate of 66.43% are the figures to weigh before funding.
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 | FBS | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | 9.3Charges sit at the floor: £0 on a trade, £0 on the account, £0 when idle. |
| Offer | 9.3Higher | 9.2 |
| Trust | 8.8 | 9.5Higher |
What each covers
| Markets | FBS | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Metals | Yes | No |
Availability and regulation
| Country | FBS | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32 | |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Where these facts come from
FBS
- investing.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- fbs.eu: 7 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Trading 212
- en.wikipedia.org: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | FBS | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 101 of 490 | 74 of 490 |
| Forex brokers | 44 of 147 | 32 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 42 of 145 | 30 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 35 of 122 | 25 of 122 |
| Low-fee brokers | 10 of 11 | 9 of 11 |
| Brokers for beginners | 33 of 88 | 28 of 88 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | FBS | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Beginners | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Tradestone Limited | Trading 212 Markets Ltd |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | Cyprus |
| Founded | 2009 | 2006Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | FBS | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail accounts that lose money | 66.43%below the median | Not confirmed | 70.375% |
| EUR/USD spread | 0.5%below the median | Not confirmed | 0.6% |
Median across 38 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
FBS
Pros
- An account regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission: Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission licenses Tradestone Limited under 331/17, so the contract has a named entity behind it.
- The stock trade fee is $0 on a commission free model, so dealing in the shares and ETFs inside stocks, etfs and forex carries no ticket charge.
- The inactivity fee is $0, so a dormant balance is not quietly drained by account charges.
Cons
- The EUR/USD spread of 0.5% is the charge that lands on every forex and CFD trade, so currency traders feel it more than the flat fees suggest.
- The minimum deposit of $5 sits above CFI's $0, so readers who want the smallest opening balance have a lower floor elsewhere.
- The market list stocks, etfs and forex leaves out crypto and futures, which eToro covers in stocks, etfs and forex.
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
FBS
Who it suits
- Beginners opening a new trading account: the minimum deposit is $5 and the account fee is $0.
- Readers who hold shares and ETFs alongside forex: stocks, etfs and forex covers that mix on the same account.
- European readers who want a Cyprus regulated firm: Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission licenses the entity behind the brand.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want the smallest possible opening balance: CFI takes $0.
- Readers who need crypto or futures in the same account: eToro lists stocks, etfs and forex, and those lines sit outside stocks, etfs and forex.
- Readers who want crypto added to a forex, CFD, stock, ETF and metals mix: Vantage covers forex, cfds and stocks.
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
FBS
What does it cost to run an account at Fbs Partners?+
The account fee is $0, the stock trade fee is $0 and the inactivity fee is $0, so nothing is charged for holding the account, dealing in shares or leaving a balance idle. Deposits and withdrawals carry no charge either. What remains on a forex or CFD trade is the spread, quoted at 0.5% on EUR/USD.
How much does the EUR/USD spread cost in practice?+
The EUR/USD spread is 0.5%. On a currency pair that spread is the dealer's charge for opening and closing, so it lands on every position rather than on a ticket line. The stock trade fee of $0 and the account fee of $0 sit alongside it, which makes the spread the number to size positions around.
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.