Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
XTB vs Zerodha
What sets them apart
| Compare |  XTB |  Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | €0 | ₹0 |
| Account fee | €0 | ₹300 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto | Bonds, ETFs, Funds, Futures, Options, Stocks |
| Regulators | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNF | Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free deposits; free withdrawals above 100 EUR/USD | Free withdrawals |
| Platforms | XStation 5, XStation Mobile | Coin, Console, Kite |
| Minimum deposit | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Inactivity fee | €10 | Not confirmed |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 77% | Not confirmed |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.5% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | ₹20 |
| 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 9.1.
- Regulators: only XTB offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNF.
- Regulators: only Zerodha offers Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
- Founded is lower at XTB: 2002 vs 2010.
- XTB is licensed in 2 more countries.
- Markets: only XTB offers Forex, CFDs, Crypto.
- Markets: only Zerodha offers Bonds, Funds, Futures.
- Platforms: only XTB offers XStation 5, XStation Mobile.
- Platforms: only Zerodha offers Coin, Console, Kite.
- Features: only XTB offers 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.
Zerodha
Zerodha suits Indian investors who place their own orders and want trading costs kept down. The stock trade fee is INR 0 and the account fee is INR 300, so the bill lands on holding an account and on derivatives rather than on the shares. Platforms for placing orders are Coin, Console and Kite.
Score breakdown
| Area | XTB | Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1 | 9.1Equity orders cost INR 0 in brokerage, but the account fee of INR 300 and INR 20 on an options contract add up. |
| Offer | 9.3 | 9.5Higher |
| Trust | 9.6Higher | 8.8 |
What each covers
| Markets | XTB | Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | No |
| CFDs | Yes | No |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | XTB | Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 259400HM2TR4U3LF5D43 | Not confirmed |
| India | Not confirmed | Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) INZ000031633 |
| Poland | Not confirmed | |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
How they place
| Ranking | XTB | Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 3 of 471 | 132 of 471 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | XTB | Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, CryptoCovers more | Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free, Low fees | Commission free, Low fees |
| Audience | Beginners | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | XTB Limited | Zerodha Broking Limited |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2002Lower | 2010 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | XTB | Zerodha | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | €0below the median | Not confirmed | €1 |
| Inactivity fee | €10above the median | Not confirmed | €2.45 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 77%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 72.05% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.5%above the median | Not confirmed | 0.45% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | ₹20at the median | ₹20 |
Median across 47 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%.
Zerodha
Pros
- One account covers bonds, etfs and funds, so shares, funds, bonds, options and futures sit with a single provider.
- Oversight comes from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in India, with Zerodha Broking Limited as the named legal entity.
- Withdrawals carry no charge, and demo account and mobile app includes a demo account and a mobile app, so a new user can practise before funding.
Cons
- The account fee of INR 300 ranks 107 of 138 brands on that measure, above the site median of €0.
- Options contracts are charged INR 20, so the low equity cost does not carry over to derivatives.
- Crypto is not among its markets (bonds, etfs and funds), so digital asset traders need a second provider.
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
Zerodha
Who it suits
- Indian investors placing their own share, fund and bond orders, with Coin, Console and Kite available to trade on.
- Newcomers who want to try a demo account and a mobile app, both listed in demo account and mobile app.
- Derivatives traders who can absorb INR 20 on an options contract and want funds, bonds and equities in one place.
Who should look elsewhere
- CFI, for readers who want forex, CFDs and crypto in one account, since stocks, etfs and forex covers that wider asset list.
- Vantage, for light traders who would rather pay an account fee of $0 than INR 300.
- eToro, for readers who only compare the equity charge, since its stock trade fee is also $0.
Country by country
| Country | XTB | Zerodha |
|---|---|---|
| India | 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.
Zerodha
What does Zerodha charge to buy and sell shares?+
The stock trade fee is INR 0, and Zerodha ranks 1 of 161 brands on that measure, so equity dealing sits at the cheap end of the table. Derivatives are priced apart from equities, with an options contract charged INR 20, so the headline equity cost is not the whole bill.
Is there an account fee, and how does it compare?+
Yes. The account fee is INR 300, which places Zerodha at 107 of 138 on the account fee table, well below its stock trade fee ranking of 1 of 161. Withdrawals, by contrast, cost nothing. Holding the account open is the pricier side of this cost profile, while dealing through it ranks well.
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 BlackBull Markets
- XTB vs EBC Financial Group