Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Firstrade vs S Broker
Where Firstrade and S Broker differ
| Compare |  Firstrade |  S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | $0 | €0.95 |
| Account fee | $0 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Funds, Bonds, OptionsCovers more |
| Regulators | SIPC, FINRA | Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, European Central Bank |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to USD 500,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, IPad | Mobile App, Desktop, Profi Software |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free for bank transfers, $25 for wire transfers | Not confirmed |
| Account types | IRA, Roth IRA, Joint | Not confirmed |
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Firstrade scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.3.
- Regulators: only Firstrade offers SIPC, FINRA.
- Regulators: only S Broker offers Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, European Central Bank.
- Markets: only S Broker offers Bonds.
- Platforms: only Firstrade offers Web, iOS, Android.
- Platforms: only S Broker offers Mobile App, Desktop, Profi Software.
- Support channels: only S Broker offers Email.
- Features: only Firstrade offers Options, Fractional shares.
Our verdict on each
Firstrade
Firstrade is a US commission-free broker for retail savers who want retirement accounts and low costs in the same place. Protection is listed as SIPC up to USD 500,000, the minimum deposit is $0, and the trade-off is a market list limited to US equities, funds and options.
S Broker
S Broker keeps the running costs of a German brokerage account down, with an account fee of €0 and a stock trade fee of €0.95, and it is supervised by the Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht. It suits investors who want a single account for stocks, funds, bonds and options in a regulated German firm.
Score breakdown
| Area | Firstrade | S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.5HigherStock trades cost $0 and options contracts $0; transfers run Free for bank transfers, $25 for wire transfers. | 8.9Account fee of €0 ranks 1 of 138 on the site; stock trades at €0.95 sit above the site median. |
| Offer | 9.4 | 9.4 |
| Trust | 9.6Higher | 9.5 |
Which one suits you
Pick Firstrade if cost matter most.
Pick S Broker if markets matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | Firstrade | S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 38 of 490 | 15 of 490 |
| Options trading platforms | 10 of 103 | 2 of 103 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Firstrade | S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Options, Mobile app, Fractional sharesCovers more | Mobile app, Demo account |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Not confirmed |
| Audience | Beginners, Experienced, Day traders | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | FIRSTRADE SECURITIES INC | S Broker AG & Co. KG |
| Headquarters | United States | Germany |
| Founded | 1985 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Firstrade | S Broker | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0below the median | Not confirmed | $10 |
| Inactivity fee | $0at the median | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Options contract fee | $0lowest quarter | Not confirmed | $0.59 |
Median across 99 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Firstrade
Pros
- Regulated in the US by FINRA and SIPC, with protection stated as SIPC up to USD 500,000 and a membership record at SIPC member 34642.
- A traditional IRA, a Roth IRA and a joint account all sit in ira, roth ira and joint under the commission-free pricing in commission free, so retirement and shared accounts hold at the same cost.
- Fractional shares and a demo account sit in demo account, options and mobile app, which helps the beginners and day traders named in beginners, experienced and day traders start small.
Cons
- The market list in stocks, etfs and options covers stocks, ETFs, options and funds, a narrow range next to eToro at stocks, etfs and forex and CFI at stocks, etfs and forex.
- Live chat and email are not among the listed support channels (phone and help centre), which pair a phone line with a help centre.
- An ISA and a SIPP are not among the listed account types (ira, roth ira and joint), which cover a traditional IRA, a Roth IRA and a joint account.
S Broker
Pros
- An account fee of €0 and stock trades at €0.95 keep the running cost of the account low.
- Regulated in Germany by the Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht and the European Central Bank, with deposits covered by the EU investor compensation scheme.
- A single account covers stocks, etfs and funds.
Cons
- Stock trades cost €0.95 each, which adds up for anyone dealing often.
- The market list is stocks, etfs and funds, so forex, CFDs and crypto traders have to look elsewhere.
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre, with no live chat listed.
Who each suits
Firstrade
Who it suits
- US savers who want commission-free stock and ETF trading inside a retirement account, since the list in ira, roth ira and joint covers an IRA and a Roth IRA.
- Investors who trade in small amounts, because fractional shares in demo account, options and mobile app work alongside a $0 entry point.
- Day traders in US equities, named in beginners, experienced and day traders with a mobile app among the platforms in Web, iOS and Android.
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders who want forex, CFDs or crypto alongside equities: eToro lists stocks, etfs and forex and CFI lists stocks, etfs and forex, while Firstrade stays within stocks, etfs and options.
- UK and European savers who need a tax wrapper, since ira, roth ira and joint names no ISA or SIPP. Vantage, which sets $5 as its entry point, is worth pricing alongside.
S Broker
Who it suits
- Investors who want stocks, ETFs, funds and bonds in a single account with an account fee of €0.
- German residents who want a supervised German firm and phone support as well as email.
- Options traders who also hold stocks, funds or bonds and want a single account for all of it.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro, if a stock trade fee of $0 matters more than a German account with funds and bonds on the platform.
- CFI, if forex, CFDs and crypto matter, since its markets of stocks, etfs and forex reach well past stocks, etfs and funds.
- Anyone who wants live chat support, since support runs on email, phone and help centre only.
Country by country
| Country | Firstrade | S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | No | Yes |
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Firstrade
What does it cost to trade stocks and options?+
Stock trades cost $0 and the options contract fee is $0, so nothing is charged per trade on either side. The pricing model listed is commission free, which matches that, and the same terms apply to stocks and options contracts. A reader comparing quotes will find the same line on both markets.
Are there account or inactivity fees?+
The account fee is $0 and the inactivity fee is $0, so an account can sit open and untouched without an annual charge or a dormant penalty. That suits a saver who funds a retirement account and does not trade every month, since holding a small balance costs nothing beyond the trades themselves.
S Broker
What does S Broker charge for a stock trade and for the account?+
Stock trades cost €0.95 and the account fee is €0, so holding the account costs nothing. Across the site the median stock trade fee is €0, which leaves S Broker a little dearer than the cheapest stock platforms but with no account charge to set against it.
Who regulates S Broker and what happens to the money in the account?+
The legal entity is S Broker AG & Co. KG, supervised by the Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht and the European Central Bank. Deposits sit under the EU investor compensation scheme, so a firm failure is covered within that scheme's stated limits rather than by the broker itself.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- Firstrade vs Markets.com
- Firstrade vs Merrill Edge
- Firstrade vs Betterment
- Firstrade vs Webull
- Firstrade vs tastyfx
- Firstrade vs Composer
- Firstrade vs Global Prime
- Firstrade vs Public
- Firstrade vs JPMorgan Chase
- Firstrade vs Fennel
- Firstrade vs TradeStation
- Firstrade vs BMO InvestorLine
- Firstrade vs Capital.com
- Firstrade vs Trading 212
- Firstrade vs FBS
- S Broker vs ActivTrades
- Firstrade vs XTB
- S Broker vs NAGA
- S Broker vs UNest
- Firstrade vs eToro
- Firstrade vs LANDE
- Firstrade vs Robinhood
- Firstrade vs Traders Place
- Firstrade vs CapTrader
- Firstrade vs Afranga
- Firstrade vs Kraken
- Firstrade vs Nectaro