Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
XTB vs Zacks Trade
What sets them apart
| Compare |  XTB |  Zacks Trade |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | €0 | $250 |
| Stock trade fee | €0 | $1 |
| Inactivity fee | €10 | $15 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds, Funds |
| Regulators | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNF | FINRA |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Platforms | XStation 5, XStation Mobile | Zacks Trade Pro, Client Portal, Zacks Trade app |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 77% | Not confirmed |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.5% | Not confirmed |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 8.83% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $1 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free deposits; free withdrawals above 100 EUR/USD | Not confirmed |
| Account types | Not confirmed | IRA |
| Maximum retail leverage | 1:30 | Not confirmed |
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 8.7.
- Regulators: only XTB offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNF.
- Regulators: only Zacks Trade offers FINRA.
- Founded is lower at XTB: 2002 vs 2013.
- XTB is licensed in 2 more countries.
- Markets: only XTB offers Forex, CFDs, Crypto.
- Markets: only Zacks Trade offers Options, Bonds, Funds.
- Platforms: only XTB offers XStation 5, XStation Mobile.
- Platforms: only Zacks Trade offers Zacks Trade Pro, Client Portal, Zacks Trade app.
- Features: only XTB offers Demo account, Crypto.
Our verdict on each
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.
Zacks Trade
Zacks Trade is a US broker built for experienced traders and day traders who want options and margin, charging a stock trade fee of $1 and a minimum deposit of $250 on its IRA account. The catch is the $15 inactivity fee for anyone whose account sits idle.
Score breakdown
| Area | XTB | Zacks Trade |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Higher | 8.5Cheap trades at $1 a stock and $1 an option, offset by a $250 minimum deposit and a $15 inactivity fee. |
| Offer | 9.3Higher | 9.2 |
| Trust | 9.6Higher | 8.7 |
How they place
| Ranking | XTB | Zacks Trade |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 3 of 471 | 201 of 471 |
Licences and countries
| Country | XTB | Zacks Trade |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 259400HM2TR4U3LF5D43 | Not confirmed |
| Poland | Not confirmed | |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed | |
| United States | Not confirmed | FINRA 7874 |
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | XTB | Zacks Trade |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | No |
| CFDs | Yes | No |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | XTB | Zacks Trade |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Crypto | Mobile app, Options |
| Pricing model | Commission free, Low feesCovers more | Low fees |
| Audience | Beginners | Experienced, Day traders |
| Legal entity | XTB Limited | LBMZ Securities Inc. |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | United States |
| Founded | 2002Lower | 2013 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone | Email, Chat, Phone |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | XTB | Zacks Trade | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | €0at the median | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 77%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 72.05% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.5%above the median | Not confirmed | 0.45% |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 8.83%above the median | 8.75% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $1highest quarter | $0.625 |
Median across 52 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
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%.
Zacks Trade
Pros
- Simple per-trade pricing: $1 a stock, $1 an options contract, margin at 8.83%.
- FINRA registration under licence 7874, and client holdings sit with SIPC protection.
- Support covers email, chat and phone, so phone and chat are both available.
Cons
- The $15 inactivity fee sits above the €10 upper quartile among the brokers compared.
- A $250 minimum deposit is well above the €4.64 median on the site.
- Account types cover ira only, which rules out a taxable brokerage account for wider investing.
Who each suits
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
Zacks Trade
Who it suits
- Experienced traders and day traders who already know the markets they trade.
- US investors who want an IRA and plan to trade options or use margin.
- Investors who will keep trading, since the inactivity fee applies once an account goes quiet.
Who should look elsewhere
- CFI, which takes a minimum deposit of $0 rather than $250.
- eToro, where a stock trade costs $0 against $1 here.
- Vantage, with a minimum deposit of $5, which suits a smaller starting balance.
Country by country
| Country | XTB | Zacks Trade |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
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.
Zacks Trade
What does it cost to trade stocks and options?+
Stocks cost $1 per trade and options contracts $1, and the account opens at a minimum deposit of $250. Margin runs at 8.83%. Every figure here applies to the IRA account, which is the account type on offer.
Is my money protected and who regulates the broker?+
Zacks Trade is registered with FINRA under licence 7874, and the legal entity behind the brand is LBMZ Securities Inc. Client holdings sit with SIPC protection, which is the scheme covering money in the account rather than the firm's own balance sheet.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- XTB vs Afranga
- XTB vs Nectaro
- XTB vs FBS
- XTB vs Interactive Brokers
- XTB vs flatex Online-Broker (DE)
- XTB vs IG
- XTB vs Vanguard
- XTB vs AvaTrade
- XTB vs quantfury
- XTB vs Libertex
- XTB vs Avanza
- XTB vs Charles Schwab
- XTB vs CMC Markets
- XTB vs VT Markets
- XTB vs Plus500
- XTB vs Freedom24
- XTB vs OANDA
- XTB vs tastytrade
- XTB vs Trading 212
- XTB vs iFOREX
- 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