Scalable Capital vs DEGIRO: fees, features compared (2026)

Last verified: 2026-03-24

At a glance

Scalable Capital and DEGIRO are two of the most popular investment platforms in Europe, but they serve different types of investors. Scalable Capital uses a subscription model - pay EUR 4.99 per month and trade unlimited for free - while DEGIRO charges per transaction with no monthly fee. This fundamental pricing difference shapes which platform is cheaper depending on how often you trade.

Feature	Scalable Capital	DEGIRO
Headquarters	Munich, Germany	Amsterdam, Netherlands (flatexDEGIRO AG)
Regulation	BaFin (Germany)	BaFin (Germany), AFM (Netherlands)
Trading fee	EUR 0.99 (FREE) / EUR 0 for orders over EUR 250 (PRIME+)	EUR 1 per trade
Monthly fee	EUR 0 (FREE) / EUR 4.99 (PRIME+)	EUR 0
ETFs available	2,300+	Commission-free selection of ~1,000
Stocks available	7,000+	Thousands across 50+ exchanges
Savings plans	Free on all plans	Not available
Fractional shares	Yes	No
Crypto	Crypto ETPs	Yes (since October 2025)
Exchanges	gettex, XETRA	50+ global exchanges
Minimum deposit	EUR 1	EUR 0.01
Deposit protection	EUR 100,000 (German DGS)	EUR 100,000 (German DGS) + EUR 20,000 investor compensation

Fee comparison

The right platform depends entirely on how often you trade. Here is what each costs at different trading frequencies:

Trades per month	Scalable Capital (FREE)	Scalable Capital (PRIME+)	DEGIRO
1	EUR 0.99	EUR 4.99	EUR 1.00
3	EUR 2.97	EUR 4.99	EUR 3.00
5	EUR 4.95	EUR 4.99	EUR 5.00
10	EUR 9.90	EUR 4.99	EUR 10.00
20	EUR 19.80	EUR 4.99	EUR 20.00

The breakeven point for PRIME+ is around 5 trades per month. If you trade fewer than 5 times monthly, DEGIRO's per-trade model or Scalable's FREE plan is cheaper. If you trade more than 5 times, PRIME+ saves money quickly. For buy-and-hold investors making one or two trades per month, both platforms cost roughly the same.

An important additional cost at DEGIRO is the exchange connectivity fee of EUR 2.50 per exchange per year (Tradegate is exempt). If you hold positions on four exchanges, that adds EUR 10 per year. Scalable Capital has no such fee because all trades execute on gettex or XETRA.

Currency conversion is another factor. DEGIRO charges 0.25% on non-EUR trades. Scalable Capital does not offer non-EUR exchanges directly - you are limited to EUR-denominated instruments on gettex and XETRA. For investors who want direct access to US or Asian markets in local currency, DEGIRO is the better option despite the FX cost.

Product range

DEGIRO has a significantly broader product range. With access to 50+ global exchanges, it covers stocks, ETFs, bonds, options, futures, and warrants. You can buy individual stocks on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Australian ASX, or Hong Kong HKEX - markets that most European neobrokers simply do not offer.

Scalable Capital focuses on the core European market. The 7,000+ stocks and 2,300+ ETFs cover the most popular instruments, and all execute on gettex or XETRA. The crypto ETP access adds digital asset exposure without leaving the regulated securities framework. The robo-advisor service (0.75% annual fee) creates algorithmically managed portfolios - a feature DEGIRO does not offer.

For savings plans, Scalable Capital is the clear winner. Over 2,500 stocks and ETFs are available in free savings plans from EUR 1 per month, with fractional shares. DEGIRO does not offer savings plans at all. If regular automated investing is your strategy, this alone may decide the comparison.

Platform and user experience

Scalable Capital offers a clean, modern mobile app and a functional web interface. The app is designed for simplicity: portfolio overview, watchlists, savings plan management, and one-tap trading. The PRIME+ subscription dashboard shows your savings versus per-trade pricing. The robo-advisor has its own separate interface with risk profiling and portfolio rebalancing.

DEGIRO provides a web platform and mobile app that are more functional than beautiful. The interface is straightforward - search, order, portfolio view - but it has not had the same design polish as the neobroker generation. What DEGIRO lacks in aesthetics, it gains in depth: detailed order types (limit, stop-limit, trailing stop), real-time price feeds (EUR 5/month add-on for live data), and access to derivatives markets.

Neither platform offers a demo account. Both have English-language interfaces available across Europe.

Regulation and safety

Both platforms operate under BaFin supervision in Germany, which provides strong regulatory oversight. Scalable Capital is regulated solely by BaFin. DEGIRO, as part of flatexDEGIRO AG, has BaFin as its primary regulator with additional conduct supervision by the AFM in the Netherlands.

Cash deposits at both platforms are protected up to EUR 100,000 under the German Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS). Securities (stocks, ETFs) are held in segregated accounts at both brokers, meaning they are not part of the company's balance sheet if the broker were to become insolvent.

DEGIRO adds an extra layer with EUR 20,000 investor compensation through the Dutch Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) for any shortfall in asset segregation. Scalable Capital does not offer a separate investor compensation scheme beyond the German DGS.

Tax reporting

Both platforms provide tax reporting documents for European investors. DEGIRO generates an annual tax overview that is compatible with Dutch, German, and other EU tax systems. Scalable Capital provides a Jahressteuerbescheinigung (annual tax certificate) for German tax returns and equivalent documents for other countries.

For Dutch investors using the Box 3 wealth tax system, both platforms provide portfolio value statements as of January 1st. German investors benefit from Scalable Capital's automatic Abgeltungssteuer (withholding tax) deduction - DEGIRO does not automatically withhold German tax, so German residents file it manually.

Who should choose which?

Choose Scalable Capital if: you trade frequently (5+ times per month), you want free automated savings plans with fractional shares, you prefer a subscription model with predictable costs, you are interested in a robo-advisor service alongside self-directed investing, or you primarily invest in European-listed ETFs and stocks.

Choose DEGIRO if: you are a buy-and-hold investor making fewer than 5 trades per month, you need access to global markets beyond Europe (US, Asia, Australia), you trade bonds, options, or futures, you want the lowest possible per-trade cost without a monthly commitment, or you need access to specific exchanges not covered by gettex/XETRA.

For the typical European ETF investor making one savings plan purchase per month, Scalable Capital's free plans edge ahead. For the diversified global investor who wants direct access to Tokyo, Sydney, or Hong Kong, DEGIRO is the only option of the two.

Related guides

• DEGIRO review 2026
• Scalable Capital review 2026
• Best ETF brokers in the Netherlands 2026
• Trade Republic vs Scalable Capital 2026

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or investment advice. Capmap.eu is an independent comparison platform - we do not provide personal recommendations. Always verify current fees, rates, and regulations with the provider or a qualified adviser before making financial decisions. Information was accurate at the time of writing but may have changed.