Best Stock Trading Platforms & Brokers in Europe 2022

From these, 2 made it onto our highly recommended list, which we will go through in more detail in this guide. And so, without further ado…

Our List of the Best Trading Platforms & Brokers in Europe:

• One of the Best CFD Forex Trading Platforms: Plus500
• Best Stock Broker for Advanced Traders: IG Markets

Use the list above to find the best online broker for you directly, or read through the complete article with broker reviews, trading tips, and much more.

Which is one of the Best CFD Platforms for Forex Trading in Europe?

Plus500

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When you trade with Plus500's app, you will be using the highest-ranked trading app for both Android and iOS.

You will also gain access to some of the world's best mobile trading features and a great selection of asset classes.

What we like

✔ Easy to use mobile software

✔ Competitive spread

✔ Top rated in both app stores

What we don't like

✔ Limited monthly transactions

✔ Only 2,200 CFD assets on offer

✔ Easy to use mobile software

✔ Competitive spread

✔ Top rated in both app stores

✗ Limited monthly transactions

✗ Only 2,200 CFD assets on offer

Go to Plus500 ➤

Features

Fees: Overnight Funding, Currency Conversion Fee and Inactivity fee (read more about Plus500 fees here)
Demo Account: Yes
Min Deposit: £100
CFD Assets: 2,000+
License: FCA, CySEC, ASIC, FSCA, MAS

Ratings:

Rating by our editorial team

users gave the score of ERROR/5

3.1K users gave the score of 3.7 /5

99,476 users gave the score of ERROR/5

16 users gave the score of 4.4/5

Total score:

102,576 users gave the score of 2.05/5

82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Plus500 has been named the best CFD provider in the UK, Spain, and Germany by the Investment Trends 2019 Leverage Trading Report in the UK and Spain. In 2018, Plus500 was named the best CFD mobile platform by the Investment Trends 2018 Australia CFD report.

Plus500 offers a simple, yet effective trading platform, with all the tools you could need to analyse and trade on several markets.

The broker also currently has one of the highest-ranked trading app in the industry, making Plus500 a perfect choice for those who prefer mobile trading.

With that being said, Plus500 does have a limited selection of assets, compared to some of the brokers on this page, and the platform can be limited to certain professional day traders.

Which is the Best Stock Broker for Advanced Traders in Europe?

IG Markets

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IG Markets is one of the oldest and biggest online brokers in the world.

This UK-based broker has been offering trading opportunities since the early 1970s.

Still to this day, IG Markets keeps trail blazing the industry and setting the standard for all other online brokers.

What we like

✔ Real stock trading of the exchanges

✔ Huge selection of international stocks.

What we don't like

✔ High minimum deposit.

✔ Commission on spread betting and CFD stock trading.

✔ Real stock trading of the exchanges

✔ Huge selection of international stocks.

✗ High minimum deposit.

✗ Commission on spread betting and CFD stock trading.

Go to IG Markets ➤

Features

Fees: Low spread & commission.
Demo Account: Yes
Min Deposit: £300
Deposit Options: Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Bank Transfer
Assets: 10,000+
License: FCA, ASIC, CFTC, MAS

Ratings:

Rating by our editorial team

users gave the score of ERROR/5

28.7K users gave the score of 4.6 /5

15,137 users gave the score of ERROR/5

9 users gave the score of 4.7/5

Total score:

43,837 users gave the score of 2.15/5

Between 73-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.

According to IG Group, which is the parent company of IG Markets, they are the number 1 CFD broker in the world, especially for advanced stock traders.

As a European trader, you gain access to thousands of international stocks from several exchanges around the globe. Moreover, IG Markets allows you to trade stocks as CFDs or by using IG Market’s direct market access (DMA) platform.

Even though IG Markets offers a range of great educational material for beginners, this broker is typically better suited for traders with a little more experience.

Your Guide to Online Trading in Europe

Before you start trading in Europe, there are a couple of things you need to consider. To help you better understand what’s required by you and the tools you use, we’ve put together a simple list.

1. Only Use Regulated Brokers

Every broker in Europe that we test and review are regulated and licensed by trustworthy regulatory bodies. A license ensures that the broker is honest and safe to use and that you don’t have to worry about the safety of your personal information or funds.

In Europe, two main regulatory bodies oversee all online trading, namely:

• Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC)
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)

In this particular guide, there is one exception. AvaTrade is the only broker that is regulated and licensed by the Central Bank of Ireland, which is just as trustworthy as CySEC or the FCA.

2. Pick a Market to Focus On

Before you can decide which broker suits you better, you need to pick one or a few markets that you want to trade on.

As you can see in the guide above, certain brokers are better suited for certain markets. For example, only some brokers offer DMA trading, while others offer CFD and spread betting.

Furthermore, some brokers focus on offering the best forex trading opportunities and some are better for stocks, EFTs, commodities, etc.

In other words, figuring out which market you want to trade on will affect the broker you pick.

3. Compare Different Brokers

Chances are high that you will find more than one broker that offers what you’re looking for.

Therefore, you need to compare them even closer and test them before making your final decision.

The quickest way to compare all the best trading platforms and brokers in Europe is by using the recommendations above.

In addition to the summaries in this guide, we have written comprehensive broker reviews about each of the brokers. In those reviews, you can find everything you need to know about a broker, making it easier to compare them with each other.

One great way to test a broker is to sign up for a free demo account with virtual money.

4. Start Improving Your Knowledge

At this point, you should have found a broker that you like and it’s time to register and start trading.

With that said, learning how to trade is not easy and you will have to start educating yourself before you can expect to make any profits.

Luckily, all the top brokers in Europe have great educational material and there is a plethora of trading guides, videos, and books that you can use to improve your skills and develop a strategy.

How Do I Choose the Right Platform or Broker?

As mentioned in the section above, several factors play a part when finding a broker.

The most important factor is that the broker is licensed and regulated so that you can trade in a safe and legal environment. Naturally, the broker also has to offer the assets and tools that you want to trade.

In the end, picking a broker is a matter of personal preference and the aim of our recommendations is to assist you in the process.

When our team of trading experts review brokers and create guides like these, they follow the same procedure as when someone picks a broker, just more detailed.

In fact, so far we’ve spent well over 150 hours on testing every regulated broker in Europe.

We always prioritise safety when examining a broker.

How Do I Start Trading in Europe?

With the help of this guide and the recommendations at the top of this page, you can quickly find a broker that suits you.

Moreover, you will also have to learn the basics of trading and risk management, as well as master a couple of tested strategies, before making a profit.

We always recommend our readers to start small, ie. deposit a small amount of money and start by opening and closing positions with small amounts of money. That way you limit some of the risks, while getting much-needed practice.

Is Forex and Stock Trading Legal in Europe?

Yes, both forex and stock trading is regulated and tightly monitored in all of Europe. In the European Union, all trading is offered in compliance with MiFID, which was created to increase transparency and safety in the investment and trading industry.

However, you need to be at least 18 years of age and fulfill the requirements set up by brokers regarding verification of identity, proof of payments etc., to trade legally.

How Do I Invest in European Stocks?

You invest in stocks by buying them from an exchange, such as the London Stock Exchange (LSE) or Nasdaq Stockholm, etc., but there is more to the process than that.

You see, to invest in stocks, one typically uses a stockbroker that acts as a middleman between you and the exchange in question. For a small fee, the broker executes your orders and they often offer advice on how to best invest.

There are also several ways that one can invest in a European stock. Traditionally, you buy stocks of the exchange’s order books and then own a fraction of the company that you invested in.

But there are also derivatives, or assets based on underlying securities, such as Contracts for Difference (CFDs) and spread betting. Derivatives are generally better suited for stock trading, but they can technically also be used for investments.

Where Can I Buy European Stocks?

By using a stockbroker, you gain access to stocks from all over Europe and the rest of the world. Some of these brokers sell stocks as they are and others offer derivatives based on the stocks’ market value.

See our recommendations above to find some of the best stockbrokers in Europe.

How Do I Buy Stocks in Europe?

Once again, the answer is by using a broker that offers the type of investments and trading that you are looking for.

Can You Trade U.S. Stocks from Europe?

Yes! With the right broker, you can trade U.S. stocks from Europe. In fact, many brokers offer stocks from all over the world, including American stocks, European stocks, and stocks listed in South Africa or Australia, to mention a few.

How Can I Buy U.S. Stocks in Europe?

With the fact that the U.S. stock market has exchanges such as NYSE and Nasdaq, most stockbrokers in the world offer a huge selection of U.S. stocks.

Every single top stockbroker in Europe that we recommend offer American stocks, indices, and alike.

FAQs:

Conclusion

Finding the best trading platform and broker in Europe that will suit you can be time-consuming and overwhelming.

That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you and put all the European brokers through rigorous tests. You can read more about the top brokers further up on this page, or find reviews using the main menu.

Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t only listen to what we and other third parties tell you about the brokers. Instead, you must test the brokers for yourself.

Note: Don’t hesitate to leave a comment below in case you have any questions regarding trading platforms, safety, day trading, investments, financial systems, or anything else that might come to mind while spending time on our website. We promise to answer you as soon as possible.

Our Author:

Adam Jarfjord is a Swedish day trader, investor, and copywriter. He works as head of content at BullMarketz.com and has been providing editorial content within the financial sector for more than 5 years.
Read more about him by visiting his LinkedIn profile or contact us directly to learn more about the team.