Smartbroker review

The account fee is €0, so there is no monthly charge for keeping the account open. Entry is also open, with a minimum deposit of €0. Trading costs still apply on individual orders, and the pricing page is where per-trade charges are set out.

Smartbroker is regulated by BaFin and Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), and the listed investor protection is EU ICS up to EUR 20,000. The German regulator supervises the firm, while the compensation scheme pays out on eligible balances up to the stated limit.

The market list covers stocks, etfs and crypto, so equities, ETFs, funds, bonds, metals and crypto sit in the same account. Trading runs on Web and App, and a mobile app appears in the feature list. Forex, options and futures are not part of that range.

There is a daily deposit account paying 2.25%, which suits holding money before you put it to work. The brokerage account itself carries an account fee of €0, so idle balances are not being charged a monthly rental.

It fits European investors, with the firm headquartered in Germany and supervised by BaFin and Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). The low-fee model suits people who want broad market access without a monthly bill, and access runs through Web and App for both browser and phone.

Support runs on email, phone and help centre, so you can reach the firm by email or phone, or use the help centre. Live chat is not listed among the support channels, which matters if you prefer instant messaging during market hours.

On entry cost it sits at 1 for minimum deposit among 213 brands, at €0. CFI lists $0 for comparison, while Vantage asks for $5 before you start.

Among the stock brokers on the site, the median share of retail accounts that lose money is 72.03%, with a site-wide median of 70.15%. Those figures describe the wider market, not one account, and fees are only part of the cost of trading.