Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Vanguard vs XTB
Where Vanguard and XTB differ
| Compare |  Vanguard |  XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | €0 |
| Stock trade fee | $0 | €0 |
| Account fee | $20 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €10 |
| Regulators | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNF |
| Investor protection | Not confirmed | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.5% |
| Options contract fee | $1 | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free deposits; free withdrawals above 100 EUR/USD |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | XStation 5, XStation Mobile |
| Account types | IRA, Roth IRA, Joint | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | 1:30 |
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Key differences
- XTB scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.1.
- Markets: only Vanguard offers Options, Bonds, Funds.
- Markets: only XTB offers Forex, CFDs, Crypto.
- Pricing model: only XTB offers Low fees.
Our verdict on each
Vanguard
Vanguard suits beginner US investors who want straightforward retirement investing without a trading bill, with stock trades at $0 and a minimum deposit of $0. The catch is an account fee of $20, plus $1 for every options contract traded.
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 | Vanguard | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.9Stock trades cost $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, but the account itself carries an account fee of $20. | 9.1Higher |
| Offer | 9.5Higher | 9.3 |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 9.6 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Vanguard | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 259400HM2TR4U3LF5D43 |
| Poland | Not confirmed | |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Feature by feature
| Markets | Vanguard | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| CFDs | No | Yes |
| Options | Yes | No |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
Where these facts come from
Vanguard
- investor.vanguard.com: 7 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- investguiding.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- vanguard.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 | Vanguard | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 128 of 471 | 3 of 471 |
| Brokers for beginners | 34 of 88 | 1 of 88 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Vanguard | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Not confirmed | Demo account, Mobile app, Crypto |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Audience | Beginners | Beginners |
| Legal entity | The Vanguard Group, Inc. | XTB Limited |
| Headquarters | United States | Cyprus |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2002 |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Email, Chat, Phone |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Vanguard | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio types | ETF | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Vanguard | XTB | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | $1highest quarter | Not confirmed | $0.625 |
Median across 47 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Vanguard
Pros
- Stock trades cost $0 and the account opens at $0, so entry costs nothing
- stocks, etfs and options covers the range most long term investors need in one place
- Account types include ira, roth ira and joint, which suits retirement saving
Cons
- An account fee of $20 applies to the account whatever the trade volume
- Options cost $1 per contract against $0 for stock trades
- Forex, crypto and CFDs are not among its stocks, etfs and options
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
Vanguard
Who it suits
- Beginners building a retirement pot in the US
- Investors holding funds and ETFs alongside individual stocks
- Anyone who accepts an account fee to keep trading costs low
Who should look elsewhere
- Day traders who want no account fee, since eToro charges $0
- Traders wanting forex, crypto or CFDs alongside shares, which CFI lists in stocks, etfs and forex
- Anyone put off by an opening balance, since Vantage requires $5 where Vanguard asks $0
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
Questions about each
Vanguard
What does it cost to buy shares at Vanguard?+
Buying shares costs $0, and the account opens at a minimum deposit of $0. The running cost is an account fee of $20 rather than a charge on each trade, so frequent trading does not add commission.
Is there an account fee?+
There is. The account fee is $20, and it is the main ongoing cost here. Investors who expect to hold rather than trade repeatedly can absorb it, while active traders would feel it more on smaller balances.
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.
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