Real shares or share CFDs
| Broker |  Capital.com |  XM |  XTB |  ActivTrades |  Plus500 |  AvaTrade |  Finansero |  Tradit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4.8/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.4/5 | 4.4/5 | 4.3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Real shares | Yes | not available | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Real ETFs | Yes | not available | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Share CFDs | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional shares | Yes | not available | Yes | not available | not available | not available | not available | not available |
| How shares are held | Omnibus account | not available | Omnibus account | not available | not available | not available | not available | Nominee account |
| Minimum deposit | $20 | $5 | $0 | $0 | $100 | $100 | $200 | $200 |
| Regulation | CySEC in Cyprus, FCA in the UK, ASIC in Australia | CySEC in Cyprus | FCA in the UK, CySEC in Cyprus | FCA in the UK | FCA in the UK, MAS in Singapore | ASIC in Australia, FSA in Japan | CySEC in Cyprus | not available |
| Open an account | Visit Capital.com65% of retail CFD accounts lose money. | Visit XM80% of retail CFD accounts lose money. | Visit XTB77% of retail CFD accounts lose money. | Visit ActivTrades82% of retail CFD accounts lose money. | Visit Plus50082% of retail CFD accounts lose money. | Visit AvaTrade70% of retail CFD accounts lose money. | Visit Finansero86% of retail CFD accounts lose money. | Visit Tradit83% of retail CFD accounts lose money. |
What buying real shares costs
| Broker | Capital.com | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Commission on a EUR 1,000 purchase | None | None |
| Custody fee | None | None |
| Account fee | not available | None |
| Inactivity fee | None | EUR 10 a month |
| Fractional shares | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum deposit | $20 | $0 |
| Open an account | Visit Capital.com65% of retail CFD accounts lose money. | Visit XTB77% of retail CFD accounts lose money. |
How to read this comparison
Real shares. You buy the shares themselves. A share CFD is a contract on the share price: you never own the share.
How shares are held. An omnibus account pools client holdings in one account at the custodian. A nominee account holds the shares in the nominee's name on the client's behalf.
Commission on a EUR 1,000 purchase. The commission for one market purchase of EUR 1,000 in a share listed on a European exchange, on the standard pricing plan.
Custody fee. The yearly fee for holding shares, as a percentage of the holdings.
Head-to-head comparisons
Choose two of these brokers and compare them in full, including accounts, fees and platforms.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the best stock brokers list?
The ranked list orders brokers by overall rating. This page puts the same brokers side by side on what they offer for shares, so you can compare access and costs yourself.
What is the difference between real shares and share CFDs?
With real shares you buy the shares themselves. With a share CFD you hold a contract on the share price and never own the share.
Which brokers are included?
Brokers that offer shares, either real shares or share CFDs, and that pass the BrokerCheck eligibility check.
Why are some brokers missing from the cost table?
The cost table covers brokers that sell real shares. Brokers that offer share CFDs only appear in the first table.