Comparison
Trade Republic vs Scalable Capital: which broker is better for expats investing in ETFs and stocks from Germany?
Reviewed 2026-07-21 · By Mahiuddin Al Kamal · 5 options
Investing in Germany as an expat is surprisingly easy once you have a broker account. The two platforms that dominate the market, Trade Republic and Scalable Capital, both offer commission-free ETF savings plans and competitive cash interest rates. The hard part is choosing between them.
Both platforms are regulated by BaFin (Germany's financial authority), your investments are protected up to 100,000 EUR per the EU deposit guarantee, and both support the MSCI World and Vanguard FTSE All-World ETFs that most passive investors want. The differences come down to how you prefer to invest.
We looked at what matters for expat investors building long-term wealth: ETF savings plan costs, available ETFs, cash interest rates, platform usability, and tax document quality (you'll need proper German tax statements for your Steuererklarung). Both are strong, but Trade Republic edges ahead for most beginners thanks to its simpler interface and higher cash interest rate.
Important: As a German tax resident, you'll pay 26.375% (25% base rate plus 5.5% solidarity surcharge) on investment profits. Both platforms handle the tax withholding automatically, so you don't need to worry about manual reporting for standard investments.
| Option | Best for | Fees | English app | ETF plans | Min invest | Rating | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| comdirect | Wide fund selection | From €0 plans | No | Yes | €1 | 4.0 | Visit → |
Established German broker (Commerzbank group) with a huge fund/ETF selection and savings plans.
| Option | Best for | Fees | English app | ETF plans | Min invest | Rating | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | Global markets & pros | Low, tiered | Full | Yes | None | 4.4 | Visit → |
Global broker with the widest market access and lowest FX costs. Best for serious or international investors.
| Option | Best for | Fees | English app | ETF plans | Min invest | Rating | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eToro | Social & copy trading | FX + spread costs | Full | Limited | $50 | 3.8 | Visit → |
Social/copy-trading platform, English-first. Popular for stocks and crypto, though costs are higher.
| Option | Best for | Fees | English app | ETF plans | Min invest | Rating | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Republic | Low-cost ETF savings plans | €1/trade, free plans | Full | Yes | €1 | 4.5 | Visit → |
| Scalable Capital | Flat-fee frequent traders | Free tier / €4.99+ mo | Full | Yes | €1 | 4.3 | Visit → |
Commission-free investing in stocks, ETFs, and crypto. 1 EUR per trade for savings plans.
Modern broker with free ETF savings plans and a robo-advisor option.
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