Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
TradeUP vs XTB
What sets them apart
| Compare |  TradeUP |  XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | $0 | €0 |
| Markets | ETFs, Options, Stocks | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto |
| Regulators | SIPC | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNF |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to USD 500,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €10 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.5% |
| Options contract fee | $0.65 | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free deposits; free withdrawals above 100 EUR/USD |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | XStation 5, XStation Mobile |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | 1:30 |
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
- XTB scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 8.8.
- Regulators: only TradeUP offers SIPC.
- Regulators: only XTB offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNF.
- XTB is licensed in 2 more countries.
- Markets: only TradeUP offers Options.
- Markets: only XTB offers Forex, CFDs, Crypto.
- Pricing model: only XTB offers Low fees.
Our verdict on each
TradeUP
TradeUP suits retail investors who want free stock dealing and low options costs from a US broker holding SIPC membership. Stock trades cost $0 and investor protection stands at SIPC up to USD 500,000. Markets are limited to etfs, options and stocks, so it suits single market US investors.
XTB
XTB suits retail traders who want to hold stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto under one Cyprus-based account without a monthly charge. The account fee is €0, deposits cost nothing, and CySEC, FCA and KNF authorisations sit behind a legal entity founded in 2002.
Score breakdown
| Area | TradeUP | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0Stock trades cost $0 and options contracts cost $0.65, with no account charge listed. | 9.1Higher |
| Offer | 8.8 | 9.3Higher |
| Trust | 8.6 | 9.6Higher |
What we checked
TradeUP
- play.google.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- sipc.org: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- tradeup.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
XTB
- xtb.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- hello-brokers.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- eupersonalfinance.eu: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- linkedin.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | TradeUP | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 188 of 471 | 3 of 471 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | TradeUP | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Not confirmed | Demo account, Mobile app, Crypto |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | TRADEUP SECURITIES INC | XTB Limited |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Cyprus |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2002 |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Email, Chat, Phone |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | TradeUP | XTB | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | €0below the median | €1 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0at the median | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €10above the median | €2.45 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77%highest quarter | 72.05% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.5%above the median | 0.45% |
| Options contract fee | $0.65above the median | Not confirmed | $0.625 |
Median across 52 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
TradeUP
Pros
- Stock trades carry a fee of $0 on a commission free model
- Options contracts cost $0.65
- Client accounts sit with SIPC protection of SIPC up to USD 500,000
Cons
- Trading is limited to etfs, options and stocks
- The regulated entity is TRADEUP SECURITIES INC, so claims are made in the US
XTB
Pros
- Account fee of €0 on the standard account, and stock trades cost €0.
- Minimum deposit of €0, so the account opens without a funding floor.
- Regulated by CySEC, the FCA and KNF across Cyprus, the UK and Poland.
Cons
- An inactivity fee of €10 applies, unlike eToro, which has no such charge.
- Forex and CFD trading is not cost free: fx trading costs 0.5%.
- CFDs carry a high proportion of losing retail accounts, and XTB's own figure is 77%.
Who each suits
TradeUP
Who it suits
- Retail investors buying and holding US shares and ETFs
- Options traders who keep contract costs low
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro, which covers a wider set of stocks, etfs and forex
- Vantage, which adds forex, cfds and stocks
- CFI, which lists stocks, etfs and forex
XTB
Who it suits
- Retail traders in the UK and Europe who want stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto in one account
- Beginners who want a demo account and a mobile app before committing money
- Cost conscious traders who will not hold a balance large enough to trigger the inactivity fee
Who should look elsewhere
- Vantage, if a small minimum deposit of $5 suits a smaller starting balance better
- CFI, for traders who want forex and CFDs without paying an fx charge of 0.5%
- Anyone who plans to hold an idle balance for a long period, given the inactivity fee of €10
Country by country
| Country | TradeUP | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
TradeUP
How much does it cost to buy shares?+
Buying and selling shares carries a fee of $0, and the pricing model is commission free. There is no listed account charge or inactivity charge to offset that, so the dealing cost sits entirely on the trade.
What does an options contract cost?+
An options contract is charged at $0.65. Options are part of the etfs, options and stocks range, so contracts can be traded alongside shares and ETFs in the same account.
XTB
What does XTB charge to open and hold an account?+
The account fee is €0, so there is no monthly or annual cost to keeping the account open. A stock trade costs €0 on the same account. The only recurring charge to watch is an inactivity fee of €10 for traders whose balance sits idle.
Is there a minimum deposit at XTB?+
The minimum deposit is €0, which means the account can be opened and funded with a small amount. It is a lower floor than the $5 asked by Vantage, so it suits a trader testing the platform before scaling up.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- XTB vs Afranga
- XTB vs Nectaro
- TradeUP vs TradeZero
- TradeUP vs Lightspeed Financial
- TradeUP vs Plum
- TradeUP vs IG
- TradeUP vs Swissquote
- TradeUP vs AJ Bell
- TradeUP vs Freedom24
- TradeUP vs Admirals
- TradeUP vs Nutmeg
- XTB vs FBS
- XTB vs Interactive Brokers
- XTB vs flatex Online-Broker (DE)
- XTB vs Vanguard
- XTB vs AvaTrade
- XTB vs quantfury
- XTB vs Libertex
- XTB vs Avanza
- XTB vs Charles Schwab
- XTB vs ActivTrades
- XTB vs DKB (Deutsche Kreditbank)
- XTB vs NAGA
- XTB vs UNest
- XTB vs eToro
- XTB vs Linxea
- XTB vs bunq
- XTB vs Mintos
- XTB vs Robinhood
- XTB vs Empower Personal Dashboard
- XTB vs Kraken
- XTB vs EBC Financial Group
- XTB vs BlackBull Markets