Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Scalable Capital vs Trading 212
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Scalable Capital | Trading 212 ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | €1 | £1 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Crypto | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | Trading 212 App, Web Platform |
| Account types | Not confirmed | ISA, SIPP, Joint |
| Interest on cash | 2.6% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Trading 212 scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.0.
- Regulators: only Scalable Capital offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).
- Regulators: only Trading 212 offers Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
- Founded is lower at Trading 212: 2006 vs 2014.
- Trading 212 is licensed in 1 more country.
- Markets: only Scalable Capital offers Crypto.
- Markets: only Trading 212 offers Forex, CFDs.
- Features: only Trading 212 offers Fractional shares, Demo account.
Our verdict on each
Scalable Capital
Scalable Capital suits investors who want to start small and later hand a pot of money to a managed portfolio. The self-directed account takes a minimum deposit of €1, while the managed plan starts from €20 with fees of 0.245% to 0.375% a year.
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 | Scalable Capital | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | 9.3Charges sit at the floor: £0 on a trade, £0 on the account, £0 when idle. |
| Offer | 9.3HigherCash interest of 2.6%, a mobile app, and managed portfolios across etf and esg options. | 9.2 |
| Trust | 8.6 | 9.5Higher |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Scalable Capital | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 147 of 471 | 83 of 471 |
What each covers
| Markets | Scalable Capital | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
Where these facts come from
Scalable Capital
- de.scalable.capital: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- scalable.capital: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Trading 212
- en.wikipedia.org: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Scalable Capital | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Commission free |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Scalable Capital Bank GmbH | Trading 212 Markets Ltd |
| Headquarters | Germany | Cyprus |
| Founded | 2014 | 2006Lower |
| Support channels | Phone, Chat, Email, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Scalable Capital | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.245% to 0.375% | Not confirmed |
| Minimum investment | €20 | Not confirmed |
| Portfolio types | ETF, ESG | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Scalable Capital | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | £0at the median | £0 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | £0at the median | £0 |
| Interest on cash | 2.6%below the median | Not confirmed | 3% |
Median across 43 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Scalable Capital
Pros
- A low entry point of €1 on the self-directed account
- Managed portfolios start from €20 with fees of 0.245% to 0.375%
- Regulated by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and deposits sit under EU ICS up to EUR 20,000
Cons
- Managed fees of 0.245% to 0.375% a year sit above the cheapest managed rivals
- Support runs on phone, chat and email only, with no branch or in-person service
- Managed portfolios are limited to etf and esg options, so there is no custom mandate
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
Scalable Capital
Who it suits
- New investors who want to build a portfolio in a mobile app from a small first deposit
- Savers with a lump sum who want a ready made ETF or ESG portfolio
- Investors who care more about a named regulator and deposit protection than the lowest management fee
Who should look elsewhere
- You want a wider choice of instruments, as stocks, etfs and crypto is a single market cluster rather than a full exchange list
- You need advice built around you, because managed portfolios cover only etf and esg options
- You are comparing the very lowest managed fee, since 0.245% to 0.375% is not the cheapest on the market
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
Scalable Capital
What is the minimum deposit to start investing?+
The self-directed account takes a minimum deposit of €1, so you can open and fund it from a small amount. That entry point is well below the typical requirement, which is one of the reasons people try the app first. You can add to it as your savings grow.
How much does the managed portfolio cost?+
Management fees run at 0.245% to 0.375% a year on the managed side, charged on the portfolio rather than per trade. That sits above the cheapest managed plans elsewhere, so it pays to compare before committing a large lump sum. Smaller pots feel the percentage more.
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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