Scalable Capital vs DEGIRO (2026):
Full Comparison for EU Investors
Updated May 2026 · 10 min read · EU / EEA investors
Two different philosophies. Scalable Capital automates ETF investing from €1, pays 2.50% p.a. on uninvested cash on both FREE and PRIME+, and is built around the passive DCA investor. DEGIRO is an execution-first platform covering 45+ global exchanges with 1,000+ commission-free Core ETFs and access to options and futures. For most EU passive investors buying mainstream UCITS ETFs, Scalable FREE already costs €0 per trade — fewer investors actually need DEGIRO than they assume.
Some of the links on this site are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you sign up through them. This does not affect our reviews or recommendations — we only feature products we genuinely believe are useful for investors. This site provides educational content only, not personalized investment advice. Investments can lose value and past performance does not guarantee future results. You are responsible for your own financial decisions and for confirming the tax and legal rules that apply in your country.
Head-to-head overview
Structural differences at a glance. Fee detail and break-even math follow in the next section.
| Category | Scalable Capital | DEGIRO |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Passive DCA investors — savings plans, automation, cash interest | Global-access traders — broad exchanges, options, futures, manual control |
| ETF trade (popular UCITS, PRIME ETFs ≥ €250) | €0 — FREE tier | €1 handling fee (Core Selection on Tradegate) |
| Platform fee | €0 (FREE) / €4.99/mo (PRIME+) | €0 |
| Overnight account (cash interest) | 2.50% p.a. — FREE and PRIME+ | 0% |
| Savings plan / SEPA direct debit | Yes — from €1 | No |
| Fractional shares | No (savings plan execution: partial amounts) | No |
| ETF universe | 2,000+ UCITS ETFs | 6,000+ (1,000+ Core Selection) |
| Stocks / exchanges | 8,000+ stocks, primarily German venues | 50,000+ stocks, 45+ markets, 30+ countries |
| Options / Futures | No | Yes — Eurex, CBOE |
| Countries available | 6 (DE, AT, FR, IT, ES, NL) | 15 EU countries |
| Regulator | BaFin, Deutsche Bundesbank | BaFin, AFM (NL), DNB (NL) |
| Cash protection | Up to €500k (PRIME+ · 5 banks) / €100k+ (FREE · bank + MMF) | €100,000 (flatexDEGIRO Bank SE) |
| Publicly listed | No (private GmbH) | Yes (flatexDEGIRO SE, Frankfurt — FTK) |
Full fee comparison
All figures from confirmed sources, verified May 2026. Use the DEGIRO fee schedule and Scalable Capital plan pages for the latest rates.
| Fee | Scalable FREE | Scalable PRIME+ | DEGIRO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | €0/month | €4.99/month | €0/month |
| PRIME ETFs (Amundi, iShares, Vanguard, Xtrackers) ≥ €250 | €0 | €0 | €1 handling fee |
| All other ETFs ≥ €250 on Gettex/EIX | €0.99 | €0 | €1 Core / €3 non-Core |
| Any order below €250 | €0.99 | €0.99 | €1 Core / €3 non-Core |
| Non-Core ETFs / stocks | €0.99 | €0 (≥ €250 on Gettex/EIX) | €3 (€2 + €1 handling) |
| FX markup | Embedded in exchange spread | Embedded in exchange spread | 0.25% AutoFX on foreign-currency trades |
| Connectivity fee | None | None | 0.25% / max €2.50 per exchange per year |
| Overnight account p.a. | 2.50% (variable, unlimited) | 2.50% (variable, unlimited) | 0% |
| Minimum deposit | €1 | €1 | €0 |
Is Scalable PRIME+ worth the upgrade? The trade-cost break-even.
Both FREE and PRIME+ earn 2.50% p.a. on the Overnight account — cash interest is identical on both tiers. The break-even for upgrading from FREE to PRIME+ (€4.99/month) is purely trade-volume driven: PRIME+ makes all trades above €250 free on any ETF or stock, while FREE charges €0.99 per non-PRIME ETF trade.
| Non-PRIME ETF trades/month | Annual cost on FREE (€0.99/trade) | PRIME+ annual cost | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | €11.88 | €59.88 | FREE |
| 3 | €35.64 | €59.88 | FREE |
| 5 | €59.40 | €59.88 | ~Break-even |
| 8 | €95.04 | €59.88 | PRIME+ |
| 12 | €142.56 | €59.88 | PRIME+ |
Real scenario: monthly UCITS ETF investor, €500/trade
Buying a Vanguard or iShares world ETF once a month (12 trades/year), €3,000 average cash buffer between contributions.
12 PRIME ETF trades = €0. Interest on €3,000 at 2.50% = +€75. No subscription. Best total outcome for this profile.
Same trades €0. Same 2.50% interest = +€75. Subscription -€59.88. Costs €60/year more than FREE for the same result here.
12 x €1 handling = €12. Connectivity fee up to €2.50/exchange/year. No interest on €3,000 cash. €87/year worse than Scalable FREE.
For a passive EU investor buying mainstream UCITS ETFs, Scalable FREE is superior to DEGIRO on both dimensions — zero trade cost and 2.50% on idle cash. PRIME+ adds €59.88/year with identical trade and interest terms; upgrade only if you make 5+ non-PRIME ETF trades per month or need deposit protection above €100,000.
What you can actually trade
DEGIRO’s product universe is significantly broader. That advantage only matters if you plan to use it.
| Asset / Market | Scalable Capital | DEGIRO |
|---|---|---|
| ETFs | 2,000+ UCITS ETFs | 6,000+ (1,000+ Core Selection at €1 handling on Tradegate) |
| Stocks | 8,000+ stocks | 50,000+ across 30+ countries |
| Exchanges | Primarily Gettex, EIX, Xetra (German venues) | 45+ global markets (NYSE, Euronext, Xetra, LSE, and others) |
| Options / Futures | No (warrants and knock-outs via partner banks only) | Yes — Eurex, CBOE and major derivatives exchanges |
| Crypto exposure | Via physically backed ETPs (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana — 32 assets total) | Via ETCs and ETPs only — no direct crypto |
| CFDs | No | No |
| Savings plans | Yes — from €1 (stocks, ETFs, funds, crypto) | No SEPA direct debit; limited recurring option only |
| Countries available | 6 (DE, AT, FR, IT, ES, NL) | 15 EU countries |
Savings plans: the biggest practical difference
If you invest on a monthly schedule, this section matters more than the fee table above.
- Automated recurring purchases: ETFs, stocks, funds, and crypto
- Minimum: €1 per plan
- SEPA direct debit — funds pulled directly from your bank account on execution day; no manual transfer needed
- Scheduling: monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually
- Execution dates: nine options per month (1st, 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 22nd, 25th)
- Partial amounts invested — full target sum deployed each execution
- Plans can be paused, adjusted, or reactivated at any time
- Limited recurring buy option for a curated list of popular ETFs
- Minimum: €50 per recurring order
- Monthly intervals only
- No SEPA direct debit — account must be pre-funded manually
- Whole shares only — leftover cash below one ETF unit sits idle at 0%
- No fractional execution
Interest on uninvested cash
One broker pays 2.50% on idle cash. The other pays 0%. Over years of investing, cash drag is a real cost — one these brokers handle very differently.
- Available on both FREE and PRIME+ plans
- Unlimited cash — no cap
- Variable rate benchmarked to ECB policy — verify current rate on Scalable’s website
- EUR only — no GBP or USD rate
- Broker cash itself earns 0% — the Overnight account is the separate yield product
- No interest on uninvested cash in any currency
- Cash held at flatexDEGIRO Bank AG
- No opt-in or upgrade available to earn interest
- Cash sitting between trades earns nothing
Both Scalable FREE and PRIME+ earn 2.50% p.a. on the Overnight account — the difference between plans is deposit protection, not the rate. PRIME+ stacks coverage across up to five banks for up to €500,000 in statutory protection; FREE distributes across banks and qualifying money market funds with €100,000 statutory protection per bank. On cash interest alone, there is no reason to upgrade from FREE to PRIME+. The relevant comparison is any Scalable tier versus DEGIRO’s 0% on idle cash.
Platform, research tools, and daily workflow
| Feature | Scalable Capital | DEGIRO |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Web app + mobile app (iOS / Android) | WebTrader + mobile app (iOS / Android) |
| Interface complexity | Minimal — designed for low friction | More menus; built for active traders |
| Charting / indicators | Basic — static period charts, no technical indicators | Interactive charts, ~13 indicators (RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands, etc.) |
| Research tools | Basic metrics, Smart Predict (PRIME+), Compare Stocks (PRIME+) | LSEG data feed, analyst ratings, ESG scores, fundamental statements |
| Education | In-app newsletters, blog, audio podcasts | Investor’s Academy (10-lesson video/text course) |
| Demo / paper trading | Not available | Not available |
| Customer support channels | In-app chat (bot + human escalation), contact form, email | Phone (local language lines), email |
| Support hours | Mon–Fri, 9:00–19:00 CET | Mon–Fri, 7:00–21:00 CET (order desk to 22:00) |
Regulation, protection, and what to know before depositing
Both brokers operate under BaFin supervision with equivalent statutory protection. The structural differences are minor.
| Feature | Scalable Capital | DEGIRO |
|---|---|---|
| Primary regulator | BaFin, Deutsche Bundesbank | BaFin, AFM (NL), DNB (NL) |
| Legal entity | Scalable Capital GmbH / Scalable Capital Bank GmbH | flatexDEGIRO Bank SE (Dutch Branch) |
| Custodian / banking licence | Own custody — Scalable Capital Bank GmbH (full ECB banking licence, 2025) | Own banking licence (flatexDEGIRO Bank SE) |
| Cash protection | Up to €500k (PRIME+ · 5 banks) / €100k+ (FREE · bank + MMF) | €100,000 (flatexDEGIRO Bank SE) |
| Securities protection | 90% of losses / max €20,000 (EdW) | 90% of losses / max €20,000 (EdW) |
| Fund segregation | Confirmed — held at Scalable Capital Bank GmbH, segregated client assets since Nov 2025 | Confirmed — held in separate custody pools (Stichting DEGIRO) |
| Publicly listed | No — private GmbH | Yes — flatexDEGIRO SE on Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FTK) |
| Known incidents | 2020 data breach (personal data and balances of early clients accessed) | 2022–2023 BaFin reprimands and fines (AML and risk management gaps) |
Strengths and weaknesses at a glance
- €0/trade on PRIME ETFs (Amundi, iShares, Vanguard, Xtrackers) ≥ €250 on the FREE tier
- True automated savings plans from €1 via SEPA direct debit
- 2.50% p.a. on the Overnight account — available on both FREE and PRIME+, no cap
- Clean, modern platform — low barrier to entry for new investors
- €1 minimum per savings plan execution
- Only 6 EU countries — unavailable in Portugal, Ireland, Poland, and others
- No options or futures
- Limited to primarily German exchanges (Gettex, EIX, Xetra)
- 2020 data breach (historic)
- 45+ global exchanges across 30+ countries
- 6,000+ ETFs (1,000+ Core Selection at €1 handling on Tradegate)
- 50,000+ stocks — broadest access among EU retail brokers
- Options and futures on Eurex, CBOE, and other derivatives venues
- Available in 15 EU countries
- Publicly listed — additional transparency via public filings
- 0% on uninvested cash — idle money earns nothing
- No real savings plan or SEPA direct debit automation
- €1 handling fee per Core ETF trade (vs €0 on Scalable FREE for PRIME ETFs)
- No fractional shares
- 2022–2023 BaFin reprimands for AML and risk management shortfalls
Who each broker actually fits
- You want automated monthly DCA into UCITS ETFs without manual intervention
- You buy from Amundi, iShares, Vanguard, or Xtrackers in orders above €250
- You hold a meaningful cash buffer and want 2.50% on it — available on both FREE and PRIME+
- A clean, minimal interface matters to you — fewer menus, less temptation to tinker
- You are based in DE, AT, FR, IT, ES, or NL
- You want access to global stocks on NYSE, Euronext, LSE, or other international exchanges
- You trade or plan to trade options and futures (Eurex, CBOE)
- You live in one of the 9 EU countries Scalable does not serve
- You want the widest possible ETF choice beyond the 2,000 available on Scalable
- You prefer manual execution and local-language phone support
If you invest passively in mainstream UCITS ETFs on a monthly schedule, Scalable Capital FREE is cheaper and more automated than DEGIRO. If you need global exchange access, derivatives, or live outside the 6 Scalable countries, DEGIRO is the answer. These two brokers are not really competing for the same investor — the choice is usually straightforward once you know which category you fall into.
Ready to open an account?
Both applications are fully online. Check country availability and current plan details on each broker’s site before applying.
Frequently asked questions
Is Scalable Capital better than DEGIRO for ETF investing?
For most EU passive investors buying popular UCITS ETFs from Amundi, iShares, Vanguard, or Xtrackers in orders above €250, Scalable Capital FREE is cheaper than DEGIRO — those PRIME ETFs cost €0 on Scalable FREE, versus €1 handling fee per trade at DEGIRO Core. Scalable also earns 2.50% p.a. on the Overnight account on both FREE and PRIME+, while DEGIRO pays 0% on idle cash. DEGIRO wins when you need access to 45 or more global exchanges, options, futures, or live in one of the 9 EU countries Scalable does not serve.
How much does Scalable Capital PRIME+ cost and is it worth it?
Scalable PRIME+ costs €4.99/month (€59.88/year). Both FREE and PRIME+ earn 2.50% p.a. on the Overnight account with no cap — cash interest is identical on both tiers and is not a reason to upgrade. The break-even for PRIME+ versus FREE is trade-cost driven: PRIME+ makes all trades above €250 free (not just PRIME ETFs), while FREE charges €0.99 per non-PRIME ETF trade. At €0.99 per trade, PRIME+ pays for itself at roughly five non-PRIME ETF trades per month (€4.99 ÷ €0.99 ≈ 5 trades). The other reason to upgrade is deposit protection: PRIME+ stacks cash coverage across up to five banks for up to €500,000 in statutory protection, versus €100,000 per bank on FREE. For pure savings plan investors buying PRIME ETFs, FREE is the right default.
Does DEGIRO have a savings plan or recurring investment feature?
DEGIRO has a limited recurring investment option for a curated list of ETFs: monthly intervals only, €50 minimum per order, whole shares only, and your account must be pre-funded manually — there is no SEPA direct debit. Scalable Capital’s Savings Plans are a different category: from €1, SEPA pulls funds from your bank automatically, scheduling is flexible, and the full target amount is deployed each execution. For serious monthly DCA investors, the gap between the two is significant in practice.
Is my money safe with Scalable Capital and DEGIRO?
Both are BaFin-regulated and provide equivalent statutory protection: cash up to €100,000 per bank under the German Deposit Guarantee Scheme, and securities up to 90% of losses capped at €20,000 via the German Investor Compensation Scheme (EdW). DEGIRO holds a direct banking licence through flatexDEGIRO Bank SE; Scalable Capital holds its own full ECB banking licence through Scalable Capital Bank GmbH, with securities custody brought in-house since November 2025. PRIME+ offers enhanced cash protection by distributing funds across up to five banks, giving up to €500,000 in total statutory coverage. In both cases, your securities are legally owned by you and held separately from the broker’s own assets.
Can I use both Scalable Capital and DEGIRO at the same time?
Yes — there is no rule against holding accounts at both brokers simultaneously. Some investors use Scalable for automated monthly savings plans into core UCITS ETFs while keeping DEGIRO for occasional manual trades in international stocks or ETFs on exchanges not available through Scalable. The practical question is whether managing two accounts adds more complexity than it solves. For most passive investors, consolidating at one broker is the simpler answer.
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Some of the links on this site are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you sign up through them. This does not affect our reviews or recommendations — we only feature products we genuinely believe are useful for investors. This site provides educational content only, not personalized investment advice. Investments can lose value and past performance does not guarantee future results. You are responsible for your own financial decisions and for confirming the tax and legal rules that apply in your country.