DEGIRO Review Switzerland 2026: Pros and Cons
DEGIRO is a Dutch broker that has been shaping the European market with low fees for over 10 years. Today, DEGIRO has over 3 million customers. Swiss investors can also trade here and hold their account in Swiss francs – an advantage over many other foreign brokers. In our review, we show you when DEGIRO is an attractive choice for you.
📖 Table of contents
Welcome offer
CHF 100 trading credit
Receive a credit of CHF 100 on trading fees at DEGIRO. The bonus only applies if you access the DEGIRO website via the partner link and open your account there.
Note: We are an independent Swiss financial platform. If you click on a link (affiliate link) or use a promotional code from us, we receive a commission from the provider – at no extra cost to you. Accounts are opened exclusively with the provider; we do not receive any personal data. Our tests, reviews and rankings remain unaffected by this. Learn more
☝️ At a glanceAdvantages
Disadvantages
|
Introduction: DEGIRO review & experience
When looking for a trading platform, you quickly come across DEGIRO. From the outset, the Dutch online broker has focused on very competitive fees and an easily accessible trading platform. In this review, we look at whether DEGIRO is also the right choice for Swiss investors.
What is DEGIRO?
DEGIRO is an international online broker that has established itself in recent years as one of the leading providers of securities trading. Founded in the Netherlands in 2008, the company expanded rapidly and is now active in 15 countries. DEGIRO is aimed at both private and institutional investors and stands out with low fees, an intuitive trading platform and access to a large number of international markets.
DEGIRO was founded by a group of former employees of a Dutch financial institution who wanted to make securities trading more efficient and cost-effective. Since its foundation, DEGIRO has pursued the goal of making share trading – which used to be associated with high fees and complexity – accessible to a broad public. The company operates entirely online and has no physical branches, which is what makes its low cost structure possible in the first place.
In this review, we give you a comprehensive overview of DEGIRO's services, trading options and the broker's advantages and disadvantages, especially for Swiss investors.
Opening an account with DEGIRO
To use DEGIRO, you must be at least 18 years old and have a bank account and a valid ID. A DEGIRO account can only be opened via the app. You first enter your personal details, then scan your ID document and finally take a selfie. To complete the process, you then need to make an initial deposit from your bank account to DEGIRO. Just 1 franc is enough for this first transfer, so you can try out DEGIRO without any high entry barriers. The account is held in Swiss francs, so deposits and withdrawals are made in CHF.
The DEGIRO trading platform
Platform
DEGIRO offers a user-friendly platform that is available both in the web browser and as an app. The platform stands out for its clear and intuitive user interface, which means even beginners quickly find their way around. It focuses on a minimalist design that makes navigating and placing orders as easy as possible. Nevertheless, DEGIRO offers all the basic tools an investor needs to make informed trading decisions. The platform is functional and offers, among other things, access to real-time market data, financial news and analyses as well as performance reports.
What a Become Wealthy editor says about DEGIRO
«The DEGIRO app is modern and easy to use. My experience with trading on DEGIRO has been consistently positive so far. DEGIRO's fee structure is very attractive. However, Swiss brokers such as Saxo have caught up on price in recent years, so there are also attractive alternatives for customers who prefer a Swiss provider.»
Financial products
DEGIRO lets you trade a wide range of financial products, including shares, bonds, ETFs, investment funds, options and futures. The trading platform offers access to more than 45 international trading venues, including exchanges in the USA, Europe and Asia. Investors from Switzerland can also trade on their home exchange, the SIX Swiss Exchange.
Order types
The most important order types are available at DEGIRO:
Market order: Buy/sell at the best price currently available.
Limit order: Buy/sell only at a set price or better.
Stop-loss order: Sell when the price reaches a certain level, to limit losses.
Stop-limit order: Sell when a certain price is reached, but only at the specified limit price or better.
Fees at DEGIRO Switzerland
One of DEGIRO's biggest advantages is its highly competitive fee structure. Compared to traditional banks and brokers, DEGIRO charges very low fees. Especially for international transactions and ETF trading, DEGIRO is often one of the cheapest options.
Shares
The following fees apply per share trade (buy/sell), regardless of the trading volume – so whether you trade CHF 10 or CHF 10,000:
Exchange | Fee per share trade |
|---|---|
US exchanges 🇺🇸 (NASDAQ, New York Stock Exchange) | EUR 2 |
Swiss exchange 🇨🇭 (SIX) | CHF 6 |
German exchange 🇩🇪 (Xetra) | EUR 4.90 |
UK exchange 🇬🇧 (London Stock Exchange) | EUR 4.90 |
French exchange 🇫🇷 (Euronext Paris) | EUR 4.90 |
ETFs
The following fees apply per ETF trade (buy/sell), regardless of the trading volume:
ETF | Fee per ETF trade |
|---|---|
Worldwide 🌍 | EUR 3 |
Core Selection 🏆 | EUR 1 |
Trading ETFs costs EUR 3 per trade – except for ETFs from the Core Selection.
ETFs from the so-called Core Selection are cheaper to trade. It includes all ETFs, ETCs and ETNs traded on the Tradegate Exchange – more than 1,000 products in total. Here you pay no commission, only the handling fee of EUR 1 per trade. As Tradegate trades in euros, you as a CHF customer also pay currency conversion costs of 0.25 %. The Core Selection also has an exception for the connectivity fee (see the next section): it is not charged for Core Selection ETFs.
Custody fees & connectivity fee
Custody fees are not charged at DEGIRO. There are also no inactivity fees.
If you trade on foreign exchanges or hold securities bought there in your account, DEGIRO charges a so-called connectivity fee. It amounts to EUR 2.50 per year and per foreign exchange. All exchanges except the Swiss exchange SIX count as foreign. The fee does not apply to ETFs from the Core Selection.
For small accounts, the fee is reduced automatically: it amounts to at most 0.25 % of your account balance (based on the highest balance in the calendar year). This only makes a difference for an account balance below around EUR 1,000.
Example: If your account balance is EUR 400, you only pay EUR 1.00 instead of EUR 2.50 per exchange (0.25 % of EUR 400). With an account balance of EUR 5,000, on the other hand, you pay the full EUR 2.50 per exchange – if you trade on NASDAQ and the NYSE, for example, that comes to EUR 5.00 per year.
Currency exchange
Deposits to and withdrawals from your DEGIRO account are only possible in Swiss francs. If you want to trade in foreign currencies, DEGIRO offers you two options for currency conversion:
Auto FX: DEGIRO converts your money automatically. This is the default setting. Currency conversion costs 0.25%. For example, if you buy shares in USD, DEGIRO converts the amount from CHF to USD for you. Conversely, dividend income in USD is automatically converted into CHF.
Manual FX: If you don't want the currency to be converted automatically with every trade, you can activate ‘Manual’ mode for USD, EUR and GBP. Here a currency conversion costs EUR 10 + 0.25%. If you activate manual mode for USD, for example, the proceeds from selling US shares remain in USD until you convert them manually. When you buy in USD, the amount is debited from your USD account. If you want to withdraw your USD balance, you first have to convert it back into your base currency (CHF).
Real-time prices
At DEGIRO, traders have access to real-time prices. For the Euronext exchanges (Amsterdam, Brussels, Lisbon, Paris, Oslo) and other exchanges listed in the price list, real-time price data is provided free of charge. On some exchanges – in particular NASDAQ – real-time prices are subject to a fee. Here you can activate real-time prices for a monthly subscription fee. Real-time prices for NASDAQ, for example, cost EUR 5 per month.
Securities lending at DEGIRO
At DEGIRO, you can lend out your shares, ETFs and bonds for a fee and earn some extra income. It works a bit like renting out a flat: other market participants, such as large financial institutions, borrow your securities for a certain period and pay for it. DEGIRO first deducts the costs of external partners that help with processing. DEGIRO and you then split the rest equally.
Securities lending is voluntary and you can opt out at any time. However, you can't choose which securities are lent out: if you take part, it applies to your entire portfolio. During the loan, you stay in control and can sell your securities at any time. As security, borrowers must provide collateral worth 105 % of the securities lent. Our experience shows here too: whether your securities are actually lent out depends heavily on demand. It is therefore an interesting way to earn additional income – but it is not guaranteed.
Important to know: As long as your securities are lent out, they do not legally belong to you. Instead, you have a claim to get them back. This has practical consequences: you lose your voting rights at the general meeting during this time, and you receive dividends as a substitute payment, sometimes later than usual. If DEGIRO goes bankrupt, you are only protected by the collateral provided, and in the worst case its value could be lower than the value of your securities. So think carefully about whether the additional income is worth this risk.
Is DEGIRO safe?
DEGIRO belongs to the German flatexDEGIRO Bank SE, which is supervised by the German financial regulator BaFin – the counterpart to the Swiss FINMA. Because DEGIRO operates from Amsterdam, the Dutch authorities AFM and DNB also supervise it.
Cash: Money you haven't invested is held in your own cash account at flatexDEGIRO Bank. If the bank goes bankrupt, it is protected up to EUR 100,000 by the German deposit guarantee scheme. This is comparable to the protection at Swiss banks (up to CHF 100,000).
Shares and ETFs: Your securities belong to you, not to DEGIRO. They are held by a separate foundation, apart from the company's assets. If DEGIRO goes bankrupt, its creditors cannot access them. Your securities would be returned to you or transferred to another broker, although this can take time. If securities were nevertheless missing, the German investor compensation scheme covers 90 % of the loss, up to a maximum of EUR 20,000.
Good to know for Swiss investors: Swiss depositor protection does not apply at DEGIRO. Instead, the German scheme applies, which is comparable in amount. However, an emergency would be handled under German or Dutch law, which can be more complicated for you. If you take part in securities lending, the lent securities do not legally belong to you during the loan. During this time, they are secured by the collateral provided (see section on securities lending).
DEGIRO customer service
DEGIRO offers customer service by phone or email. However, there is no local customer service for Swiss customers. You can nevertheless get support in German. In our experience, response times are fast and the staff are friendly and competent.
Disadvantages of DEGIRO
DEGIRO does not provide a tax statement compatible with Switzerland. You therefore have to enter your securities in your tax return yourself and cannot simply import an e-tax statement, as would be possible with a Swiss broker. Especially if you execute a lot of trades, your tax return can become time-consuming.
DEGIRO does not offer direct investments in cryptocurrencies. However, you do have access to crypto trackers (ETPs). If you want to hold cryptocurrencies directly, you will need to choose a different broker.
Is DEGIRO worth it? Our conclusion
DEGIRO is a recommended broker for Swiss investors who want to invest cost-effectively in a wide range of international financial products. The low fees, access to numerous markets and the user-friendly platform make DEGIRO an attractive choice. The broker offers excellent conditions, especially for investors who mainly want to trade shares and ETFs.
DEGIRO is an attractive alternative especially for Swiss investors, who are often faced with high trading fees. The broker stands out with low costs, an intuitive trading platform and a wide range of trading instruments. Thanks to flat fees that are independent of trading volume, DEGIRO is suitable for high trading volumes. As DEGIRO is not based in Switzerland, no Swiss stamp duty applies.
Welcome offer
CHF 100 trading credit
Receive a credit of CHF 100 on trading fees at DEGIRO. The bonus only applies if you access the DEGIRO website via the partner link and open your account there.
Note: We are an independent Swiss financial platform. If you click on a link (affiliate link) or use a promotional code from us, we receive a commission from the provider – at no extra cost to you. Accounts are opened exclusively with the provider; we do not receive any personal data. Our tests, reviews and rankings remain unaffected by this. Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Can fractional shares be traded at DEGIRO?
No, fractions of shares cannot be traded at DEGIRO.
Can I transfer my DEGIRO portfolio to another broker?
Yes, the portfolio can be transferred to another broker.
Can I be entered in the share register?
No, entry in the share register is not possible with DEGIRO. However, there is an indirect way to attend the general meeting. For this, DEGIRO can issue a so-called ‘Certificate of Ultimate Beneficiary Ownership’ (UBO) on request, which costs a one-off fee (EUR 5 per certificate). As a second option, you can ask DEGIRO to register you for the general meeting, which is also subject to fees (EUR 100.00 minimum fee + additional costs incurred).
In which currency are dividends paid out?
If you receive dividends in a foreign currency, they are automatically converted into Swiss francs (unless you use ‘Manual FX’). A currency conversion fee of 0.25% applies.
Does DEGIRO offer savings plans?
No, savings plans are not available at DEGIRO.
Sources
Note: Investing involves the risk of loss.
