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Broker Comparison

Alpaca Trading vs Scalable Capital

Compare Alpaca Trading and Scalable Capital side by side: fees, regulation, platforms.

Alpaca Trading

Alpaca Trading

API-driven and algorithmic traders

Alpaca Trading is a US API-first broker offering commission-free stocks, ETFs, options and crypto trading wit…

VS
Scalable Capital

Scalable Capital

Passive ETF and savings plan investors

Scalable Capital is a German neobroker and robo-advisor offering stocks, ETFs, funds, bonds, crypto ETPs and …

Head-to-head comparison

Alpaca Trading vs Scalable Capital
Feature Alpaca Trading Scalable Capital
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee Commission: Free for self-directed retail API accounts; SEC fee and FINRA TAF pass-through on sell transactions FREE: EUR 0.99 per trade on gettex and EIX; PRIME+: free for orders EUR 250 or more, EUR 0.99 below EUR 250
Regulators FINRA, SIPC, FinCEN BaFin, Deutsche Bundesbank
Best for API-driven and algorithmic traders Passive ETF and savings plan investors
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
Crypto
Bonds
-
Options
-
Fractional Shares
Margin
-
Demo Account
-
Funds
-
Investment Plans
-
Ready Made Portfolios
-

Pros & cons

Alpaca Trading

Alpaca Trading

Pros

  • Commission-free stocks, ETFs and options for self-directed retail API accounts
  • Paper trading environment available at no cost
  • Fractional shares supported
  • 24/5 extended trading hours on 100+ US stocks
  • Multi-leg options strategies supported
  • FINRA/SIPC member with up to $500,000 SIPC protection
  • Margin available at 4x intraday and 2x overnight
  • Securities lending program with potential income for shareholders

Cons

  • Platform is primarily API-driven; web and mobile apps are available but offer fewer features than conventional retail brokerage interfaces
  • Crypto accounts are not protected by FDIC or SIPC
  • Domestic wire withdrawals cost $25; international wires cost $50
  • Outbound ACATS transfer costs $100
  • Not suited for investors who prefer a full-featured retail brokerage app
  • Commission-free status may not apply to accounts opened through business partners
Scalable Capital

Scalable Capital

Pros

  • No account or custody fees
  • No inactivity fee
  • All savings plans execute for free from EUR 1 per month
  • PRIME+ plan offers commission-free trades for orders of EUR 250 or more, at EUR 4.99 per month
  • Robo-advisor service available alongside self-directed brokerage
  • Full banking licence with BaFin and Deutsche Bundesbank supervision
  • PRIME+ provides enhanced deposit protection of up to 5 x EUR 100,000 across multiple partner banks

Cons

  • No demo account
  • EUR 0.99 per trade on FREE plan can add up for frequent traders
  • Xetra trades cost EUR 3.99 plus a venue fee on all plans
  • Crypto ETP spread surcharge of 0.99% applies on FREE plan
  • Limited advanced charting and analysis tools
  • Instant deposit fee of 0.99% applies on FREE plan for amounts up to EUR 5,000
  • Robo-advisor charges 0.75% p.a. AUM fee
Alpaca Trading

Alpaca Trading

Alpaca Trading is a US API-first broker offering commission-free stocks, ETFs, options and crypto trading with a paper trading environment and margin accounts.

Visit Alpaca Trading Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Scalable Capital

Scalable Capital

Scalable Capital is a German neobroker and robo-advisor offering stocks, ETFs, funds, bonds, crypto ETPs and automated savings plans on a low-cost subscription model.

Visit Scalable Capital Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

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