How to Open a Scalable Capital Account
(2026, EU Investors)
Updated September 2026
Fees verified August 2026 against official pricing pages — see our methodology
Scalable Capital is open to residents of six EU countries and registration takes under 20 minutes. The one decision people get wrong is the plan — and it is simpler than it looks, because FREE and PRIME+ pay exactly the same 1.99 EUR per trade. The monthly fee buys features, not cheaper orders.
FREE vs PRIME+: what the monthly fee actually buys
Scalable Capital offers two broker plans at signup. They share an identical order price, so the choice is not a cost calculation on trades — it is a question of whether you use the handful of things PRIME+ changes. Get it the wrong way round and you pay 4.99 EUR a month for nothing.
A trade at Xetra or gettex costs 1.99 EUR on FREE and 1.99 EUR on PRIME+. That applies at every order size, and it applies to PRIME-marked ETFs from Amundi, iShares, Vanguard and Xtrackers exactly as it does to anything else. Savings plan executions are 0 EUR on both plans, from 1 EUR.
Pricing reflects Scalable Capital’s fee schedule effective 1 September 2026.
- 1.99 EUR per trade at Xetra and gettex, any order size
- PRIME ETFs from Amundi, iShares, Vanguard and Xtrackers: 1.99 EUR, same as any other trade
- Savings plan executions: 0 EUR from 1 EUR
- Securities account and custody: 0 EUR
- Cash held with Scalable, partner banks and qualifying money market funds
Best for: almost everyone. The order rows are identical to PRIME+, so paying nothing costs you nothing.
- 1.99 EUR per trade at Xetra and gettex — identical to FREE
- Crypto ETP spread surcharge 0.69% instead of 0.99%
- Instant deposits 0.69% instead of 0.99%
- Variable borrowing rate 3.49% p.a. instead of 4.49% p.a.
- Cash held with Scalable and partner banks, without money market funds
- Billed monthly in advance
Best for: crypto ETP buyers, frequent Instant depositors, borrowers, and anyone who wants the full platform tools.
This is the part most comparison tables still get wrong. Because both plans pay 1.99 EUR per trade, the 4.99 EUR monthly fee can never be recovered out of commission — trading more does not move the arithmetic, it just costs more on both plans equally. There is no break-even to calculate.
What PRIME+ does buy is a narrow, checkable list. The crypto ETP spread surcharge drops from 0.99% to 0.69% of executed volume. Instant deposits drop from 0.99% to 0.69% of the first 5,000 EUR. The variable borrowing rate drops from 4.49% to 3.49% p.a. Cash is held with Scalable and partner banks rather than also in qualifying money market funds. And the platform unlocks full portfolio analysis, unlimited portfolio groups and price alerts, side-by-side security comparison, Smart Predict orders, and emailed copies of trade confirmations.
Work out what those are worth to you in a month. If the answer is under 4.99 EUR — and for a buy-and-hold ETF investor it usually is — FREE is the correct plan no matter how often you trade.
| What one order costs | FREE | PRIME+ |
|---|---|---|
| Per trade at Xetra, any order size | 1.99 EUR | 1.99 EUR |
| Per trade at gettex, any order size | 1.99 EUR | 1.99 EUR |
| PRIME ETFs — Amundi, iShares, Vanguard, Xtrackers | 1.99 EUR | 1.99 EUR |
| Savings plan execution (from 1 EUR) | 0 EUR | 0 EUR |
| Account and funding costs | FREE | PRIME+ |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan fee | 0 EUR | 4.99 EUR, billed monthly in advance |
| Securities account (Depot) and custody | 0 EUR | 0 EUR |
| Interest on broker clearing balance | 0% p.a. | 0% p.a. |
| Overnight account interest (separate account) | 2.60% p.a.* | 2.60% p.a.* |
| Deposit by SEPA transfer or direct debit | 0 EUR | 0 EUR |
| Deposit via Instant | 0.99% of the first 5,000 EUR | 0.69% of the first 5,000 EUR |
| Crypto ETP spread surcharge on executed volume | 0.99% | 0.69% |
| Variable borrowing rate, charged quarterly | 4.49% p.a. | 3.49% p.a. |
| Transfer securities out | 0 EUR, plus any third-party costs charged by the other custodian | |
| Fractional shares | Savings plans only — fractions cannot be bought directly, and cannot be sold individually | |
| Minimum deposit to open | None (a transfer of any amount verifies your reference account) | |
What you’ll need
Scalable publishes its signup requirements directly. Have these ready before you open the registration page — missing any one of them stalls the application mid-flow.
A valid passport or national identity card. Scalable states that identification with a foreign passport is possible in every market it serves. Expired documents are not accepted. In Germany, if your document is not supported for POSTIDENT video, you can verify in person at a Deutsche Post branch instead.
In your own name, at a bank based in the SEPA area. Scalable is explicit that it must be an account for payment transactions: savings accounts and call money accounts are not permitted. If it is a joint account, you must be registered as the beneficial owner. You enter the IBAN during registration.
Your TIN for your country of tax residence. In Germany that is the Steueridentifikationsnummer; in Italy the Codice Fiscale; in the Netherlands the BSN; in Spain the NIF; in France the numéro fiscal. You must also confirm that you are not subject to US taxation.
Scalable requires a phone number from a country within the European Economic Area. It is used for two-factor authentication and, in Germany, for POSTIDENT video identification. You also need to be over 18.
Register and choose your plan
You can register through the Scalable Capital app or on the web. The form is long enough that a laptop is more comfortable, but either route works, and you will need the app later for logging in and for identity verification.
- Go to the Scalable Capital registration page and start an account.
- Enter your email address and confirm it, then set a password.
- Choose your broker plan — FREE at 0 EUR per month, or PRIME+ at 4.99 EUR per month. Both pay the same 1.99 EUR per trade, so this is a question about features, not order costs.
- Set up two-factor authentication on your phone.
Enter personal, tax and financial details
This is the longest part of the process and every field is required. Work through it in one sitting where you can — roughly fifteen to twenty minutes.
- Full legal name, exactly as on your ID
- Date of birth, place and country of birth
- Current residential address
- Nationality
- EEA mobile phone number
- Tax residency and Tax Identification Number
- Confirmation you are not a US person for tax purposes
- Employment status, profession and industry
- Politically Exposed Person (PEP) status
- The IBAN of your reference current account
Scalable will only accept money from an account registered in your own name. Payments from third-party accounts, and deposits that cannot be clearly allocated to you — Scalable names PayPal as an example — are rejected and returned automatically, which can take up to two bank working days. The account also has to be a payment-transactions account: savings and call money accounts are refused. Getting the IBAN right at this stage avoids a bounced first deposit later.
Complete identity verification
The verification partner depends on where you live. Both routes are fully digital and you start either from the app or on the web, by logging in after you have finished registering.
Run by Deutsche Post. Three options, and Scalable names the second as the fastest:
- Online ID function (eID) — with a German ID card, electronic residence permit, or an EU/EEA eID card. Scalable calls this the fastest and easiest route.
- POSTIDENT video — a live video chat. Also works with a foreign ID card or passport, if your document is on the supported list.
- In person — at a Deutsche Post branch, the fallback when your document is not supported for video.
Automated verification in the Scalable app, run by Fourthline — an Amsterdam-based digital identification provider, part of Safened-Fourthline BV, regulated as a payment institution by the Dutch central bank and the Dutch financial conduct authority.
- Scan your ID document
- Take a selfie for biometric matching
- Confirm and submit — a foreign passport is accepted
- Unsupported ID documents. Deutsche Post publishes separate lists of documents accepted for POSTIDENT video and in branch. If yours is not on the video list, go straight to the branch route rather than failing the video attempt first.
- Questions on your submitted data. Scalable states it will contact you proactively after reviewing the matter, and tell you what documents or proof it needs. Account opening is delayed until that is resolved.
- Kids’ accounts need every guardian. Consent is required from all legal representatives, and delays most often happen because the second guardian has not confirmed. They need to log into their own Scalable account, find the junior securities account under “Broker”, click “Review”, and confirm by entering the first legal guardian’s date of birth. Once that lands, opening proceeds automatically.
Wait for approval, then fund your account
Your accounts are opened directly with Scalable Capital Bank GmbH. There is nothing to do on your side during the review.
- Scalable states opening ideally takes a maximum of three business days after successful identification
- Duration varies; follow-up questions on your data can extend it
- You are informed automatically once opening is complete
- Standard SEPA transfer — usually available in your clearing account within 1 to 2 banking days
- SEPA instant — available immediately
- Deposit from Home, then your product, then Payments, then Deposit
Ordinary SEPA transfers and direct debits cost nothing. Deposits made via Instant are charged at 0.99% on FREE and 0.69% on PRIME+, applied to the first 5,000 EUR of the deposit, with every further euro free.
This is widely misread. It caps the amount you are charged; it does not exempt large deposits. An 8,000 EUR Instant deposit on PRIME+ costs 0.69% of 5,000 EUR — that is 34.50 EUR, not zero. A 2,000 EUR Instant deposit costs 0.69% of 2,000 EUR, or 13.80 EUR. If you do not need the money within the hour, use an ordinary transfer.
Instant is also more than a payment method. The client documents allow Scalable to accept and execute purchase orders against SEPA direct debits that have not yet reached their value date, and state plainly that the clearing account may as a result be further overdrawn. Scalable’s own customer support has stated that the balance available for withdrawal can be reduced for up to eight weeks after deposits made by direct debit or Instant, to protect the clearing account against chargebacks. Treat the eight weeks as Scalable’s stated practice rather than a contractual term — but budget for it if you might need the money back quickly.
- There is no minimum deposit to open the account — Scalable states it is not necessary to make an initial deposit to fully open your broker account. But to start investing you do need a verified reference account, and that takes a transfer of any amount from an account in your own name.
- In the app: Profile › Personal Information › Bank account, then the “+” icon to see your Scalable clearing account details. On the web: Profile › Personal Information › Bank Details, the pencil icon, then “Verify new account”.
- Transfers from a third-party account are rejected and returned automatically, which can take up to two bank working days.
- Payment method availability can vary by client and market. If Instant or direct debit does not appear for you, Scalable’s position is that it may make particular methods subject to further requirements — use one of the methods shown in your app.
What to set up next
Your broker account is live. These four things are worth handling before your first trade.
Executions are 0 EUR on every plan, from 1 EUR per plan, and you can run several at once. Two things Scalable’s own contract says that its marketing does not: the fractional leg of a savings plan executes at the European Investor Exchange, and execution timing depends on tradability and available balance and is expressly not guaranteed. See the savings plan setup guide for the full walkthrough.
Cash in your broker clearing account earns 0%. The 2.60% p.a. is paid on the separate Overnight account, which you open under Home › Add Product › Overnight. It needs a broker or wealth portfolio first, costs nothing, has no minimum, and receives its own IBAN. Scalable is explicit that you must actively deposit into it to earn the interest — either from your current account or by internal transfer from your clearing account, which happens in real time. External deposits are only accepted from your verified reference account.
Scalable Capital Bank GmbH is licensed by BaFin and supervised by BaFin and the Deutsche Bundesbank. German securities are held in collective custody at Clearstream Banking AG, where you acquire co-ownership of the collective holding; foreign securities are normally held in the home market of the security. Custody costs nothing, though third-party custody costs on things like ADRs are passed on. For cash: with PRIME+, balances are spread across up to five banks for up to five times the 100,000 EUR statutory guarantee. Without PRIME+, cash goes to banks carrying 100,000 EUR each or into money market funds under UCITS rules rather than deposit protection — and either can be your sole holding form. Check the current split under Product details › Balance allocation.
Junior accounts are created from the parent’s app and need every legal guardian to hold a Scalable account and confirm the opening. The part nobody advertises: on children’s accounts, Scalable credits an amount equal to the ongoing charge (TER) of selected iShares and Xtrackers PRIME ETFs, calculated daily and paid quarterly, provided the ETF is still held on the last day of the quarter — and it is reinvested automatically. Each child can also have one Overnight account.
Ready to open your account?
Pick your plan, have your ID and IBAN ready, and complete registration in under 20 minutes. No minimum deposit required to open.
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Common questions
Is PRIME+ worth 4.99 EUR a month?
Not for the order price. FREE and PRIME+ both pay 1.99 EUR per trade at Xetra and gettex, at every order size, including PRIME-marked ETFs from Amundi, iShares, Vanguard and Xtrackers. There is no number of trades at which the monthly fee pays for itself out of commission, because trading more costs the same on both plans.
PRIME+ earns its fee somewhere else, and the list is short enough to check against your own behaviour: the crypto ETP spread surcharge falls from 0.99% to 0.69% of executed volume, Instant deposits from 0.99% to 0.69% of the first 5,000 EUR, and the variable borrowing rate from 4.49% to 3.49% p.a. Cash is held with Scalable and partner banks rather than also in qualifying money market funds. On the platform side you get full portfolio analysis, unlimited portfolio groups and price alerts, side-by-side security comparison, Smart Predict orders and emailed copies of trade confirmations. If none of that is worth 4.99 EUR to you in a month, FREE is the right plan however much you trade. Savings plan executions are 0 EUR on both plans, from 1 EUR.
Is there a minimum deposit to open a Scalable Capital account?
No. Scalable Capital states that it is not necessary to fully open your broker account by making an initial deposit. Before you can start investing, though, you need to verify your reference account, and that is done by transferring any amount to your Scalable account from a current account in your own name. Savings plans start from 1 EUR per execution.
How long does it take to open a Scalable Capital account?
The registration form takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes. After successful identity verification, Scalable Capital states that opening the clearing account and the securities account ideally takes a maximum of three business days. If there are follow-up questions about the data you submitted, opening can be delayed and Scalable will contact you about what it needs. Once you are open, standard SEPA deposits are usually available within 1 to 2 banking days, and SEPA instant transfers are available immediately.
Can I open a Scalable Capital account if I live outside Germany?
Yes. Scalable Capital states that its service is aimed at people resident in Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, metropolitan France and the Netherlands. You also need to be over 18, not subject to US taxation, hold a current account at a bank based in the SEPA area, and have a phone number from a country within the European Economic Area. One limit worth knowing before you sign up: Scalable Wealth, the managed portfolio product, is available to German and Austrian clients only. Everywhere else, the broker is the only investment product open to you.
How is my money protected at Scalable Capital?
Scalable Capital Bank GmbH holds a BaFin licence and is supervised by BaFin and the Deutsche Bundesbank. German securities are held in collective custody at Clearstream Banking AG, where you acquire co-ownership of the collective holding; foreign securities are normally held in the home market of the security or the country of purchase, and the custody country is shown on your depot statement.
Cash works differently. Scalable states that with PRIME+ your balances are distributed across up to five banks, giving up to five times the 100,000 EUR statutory deposit guarantee, plus additional cover through banks in a voluntary scheme. Without PRIME+, cash is distributed across banks carrying 100,000 EUR statutory protection each, or into qualifying money market funds where UCITS investor protection rules apply instead of the deposit guarantee — and either can be your sole holding form regardless of the amount. The statutory scheme is the Entschädigungseinrichtung deutscher Banken, which covers 100,000 EUR per depositor per credit institution. You can see your current allocation in the app under Product details and Balance allocation.
Does Scalable Capital charge for deposits?
Ordinary SEPA transfers and direct debits are free. Deposits made via Instant are charged at 0.99% on FREE and 0.69% on PRIME+, applied to the first 5,000 EUR of the deposit, with every further euro free. That is a cap on the charged amount, not a threshold — an 8,000 EUR Instant deposit on PRIME+ costs 0.69% of 5,000 EUR, which is 34.50 EUR, not zero. If you do not need the money available within the hour, an ordinary transfer costs nothing and arrives in 1 to 2 banking days.
Can I switch between FREE and PRIME+ after opening my account?
Yes. Plans can be changed at any time under Profile and Products. Scalable’s client documents state that there is no minimum contract term on any product, that you may terminate at any time with no notice period, and that no contractual penalties arise on termination. One separate case is often confused with this: if you exercise the 14-day right of withdrawal from a paid plan, you owe compensation for orders already executed, calculated at FREE Broker rates. That is a withdrawal clause, not a cancellation penalty.
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