DEGIRO Review Switzerland 2025: Pros and Cons
Updated: Jan 4
DEGIRO is a leading Dutch broker that has been shaping the European market with low fees for over 10 years. Today, DEGIRO has over 3 million customers. Swiss nationals can also trade here and keep their securities 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.
📖 Overview
☝️ At a glanceAdvantages
Disadvantages
|
Introduction: DEGIRO Review & Experience
When looking for a trading platform, it's easy to come across DEGIRO. The Dutch online broker has focussed on very competitive fees and an easily accessible trading platform right from the start. In this review, we will shed light on whether DEGIRO is also the right choice for Swiss investors.
What is DEGIRO?
DEGIRO is an international online broker that has established itself as one of the leading providers for securities trading in recent years. 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 impresses 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 was previously often associated with high fees and complexity, more accessible to the masses. The company operates entirely online and has no physical branches, which makes its low cost structures possible.
In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of DEGIRO's services, trading opportunities and the advantages and disadvantages of the broker, especially for Swiss investors.
Opening an Account with DEGIRO
To use DEGIRO, you must be at least 18 years old, have a bank account and a valid ID. DEGIRO can only be opened via the app. You must first enter your personal details, then scan your ID document and finally take a selfie. Finally, to complete the opening process, you need to make an initial deposit from your account to DEGIRO. Just 1 franc is enough for this initial transfer, which is why you can try out DEGIRO without any high entry hurdles. The account is held in Swiss francs, so deposits and withdrawals are made in CHF.
The Trading Platform of DEGIRO
Platform
DEGIRO offers a user-friendly platform that is available both via the web browser and as an app. The platform is characterised by its clear and intuitive user interface, allowing even beginners to quickly find their way around. The platform focuses on a minimalist design that makes navigation and placing trading 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 access to real-time market data, access to 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 the DEGIRO trading experience has been consistently positive so far. However, you have to be aware that DEGIRO finances the favourable fees through securities lending, which harbours a certain risk of default despite hedging. In addition, Swiss brokers such as Saxo have followed suit in terms of prices in recent years, meaning that there are also attractive alternatives for customers who prefer a Swiss provider.»
– Flurin Bleisch, Editor , Investments
Financial products
DEGIRO allows you to trade a wide range of financial products, including shares, bonds, ETFs, investment funds, options and futures. The trading platform offers access to more than 50 international stock exchanges, including stock exchanges in the USA, Europe and Asia. Investors from Switzerland also have the opportunity to trade on the domestic stock exchange 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 fixed price or better.
Stop loss order: Sell when the price reaches a certain value 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 extremely competitive fee structure. DEGIRO charges very low fees compared to traditional banks and brokers. Especially for international transactions and trading in ETFs, DEGIRO is often one of the most favourable options.
Shares
The following fees are charged per share trade (buy / sell) regardless of the trading volume - i.e. regardless of whether you trade CHF 10 or CHF 10,000:
Stock exchange | Fee per share trade |
|---|---|
US stock exchanges 🇺🇸 (NASDAQ, New York Stock Exchange) | EUR 2 |
Swiss stock exchange 🇨🇭 (SIX) | CHF 6 |
German stock exchange 🇩🇪 (Börse Frankfurt, Tradegate, Xetra) | EUR 4.90 |
UK stock exchange 🇬🇧 (London Stock Exchange) | EUR 4.90 |
French stock exchange 🇫🇷 (Euronext Paris) | EUR 4.90 |
ETFs
The following fees are charged 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 worldwide, regardless of the exchange.
Trading ETFs from the so-called Core Selection is more favourable. Here you only pay EUR 1 per trade. If you want to trade the same core ETF again in the same month, the EUR 1 price only applies under two conditions:
The order volume is over 1,000 EUR/GBP/USD
It is the same trade type (i.e. either buy or sell). For example, if you have ‘bought’ an ETF, you must ‘buy’ again to take advantage of the 1 EUR fee.
Otherwise you pay 3 EUR, as with all other ETFs. As there are currently no ETFs in Swiss francs in the core selection, additional foreign currency fees of around 0.25 % apply.
Custody fees & Connectivity fee
There are no custody account fees at DEGIRO. There are also no inactivity fees. In return for the low fees, your securities can be lent out without you receiving a share of the return - more on this in the next section. There is also a fee of EUR 2.50 per year and per stock exchange for trading on foreign stock exchanges or holding securities purchased on foreign stock exchanges. This fee is called the connectivity fee. Foreign stock exchanges are all stock exchanges except the Swiss stock exchange SIX.
Currency exchange
Deposits and withdrawals to and from your DEGIRO account are only possible in Swiss francs. If you want to trade in foreign currencies, DEGIRO provides you with two options for currency conversion:
Auto FX: DEGIRO automatically converts your money here. This is the default option. Currency exchange costs 0.25%. For example, if you buy shares in USD, DEGIRO will change the currency from CHF to USD for you. Dividend income in USD is automatically converted into CHF.
Manual FX: If you do not want to perform the currency exchange automatically for every trade, you can activate the ‘Manual’ mode for the currencies USD, EUR and GBP. Here a currency exchange costs 10 EUR + 0.25%. If you activate the manual mode for USD, for example, the proceeds from the sale of US shares remain in USD until you carry out the exchange manually. When you buy in USD, the amount is debited from your USD account. If you wish to withdraw your USD balance, you must first convert it back to your base currency (CHF).
Real-Time Prices
At DEGIRO, traders have access to real-time prices. For the Euronext exchange network (Amsterdam, Brussels, Lisbon, Paris, Oslo) and other exchanges, which you can find in the price list, real-time price data is provided free of charge. For some exchanges - in particular NASDAQ - real-time prices are subject to a charge. Here you have the option of activating the real-time quotes for a monthly subscription fee. Real-time quotes for the NASDAQ exchange, for example, cost EUR 5 per month.
Securities Lending at DEGIRO
Securities lending is a central aspect of DEGIRO's business model. This involves lending your securities to third parties in order to generate additional income. This is usually done to institutional investors who need securities for short selling or other purposes. In return, DEGIRO receives a lending fee. Thanks to this income, fees can be kept low
However, securities lending also harbours risks. If the borrower becomes insolvent, it could be difficult to recover the securities lent. To minimise this risk, DEGIRO requires borrowers to deposit collateral that exceeds the value of the securities lent. Despite the collateral deposited, securities lending is associated with a certain residual risk.
Is DEGIRO safe?
As a Dutch broker, DEGIRO is subject to the regulations of the financial market supervisory authorities in the Netherlands. Customer funds are strictly separated from company funds and kept separately. The assets of Swiss customers that are not invested in securities are held at the German flatexDEGIRO Bank. This means that in the event of bankruptcy, up to 100,000 euros are protected by the German banks' compensation scheme.
The securities are not recorded in the bank's balance sheet, but remain your property at all times. In the event of DEGIRO's bankruptcy, you could have the securities transferred to another broker.
DEGIRO Customer Service
DEGIRO offers a customer service that can be reached by phone or e-mail. However, there is no local customer service for Swiss customers. Nevertheless, you can get advice in German. In our experience, response times are fast and the staff are friendly and competent.
Disadvantages of DEGIRO
For many private investors, securities lending is an acceptable compromise as it rarely leads to losses in practice and helps to keep trading fees low. However, investors who are uncomfortable with the idea of their securities being lent out should opt for a different broker.
DEGIRO also does not provide a tax statement that is compatible with Switzerland. You therefore have to transfer your securities to the tax return yourself and cannot simply import the e-tax statement, as would be possible with a Swiss broker. Especially if you execute a lot of trades, the tax return can be time-consuming.
DEGIRO does not offer direct investment in cryptocurrencies. However, you do have access to crypto trackers (ETPs). If you want to hold cryptocurrencies, you will have to choose a different broker.
Is DEGIRO Worth It? Our Conclusion
DEGIRO is a recommended broker for Swiss investors who want to invest in a wide range of international financial products at low cost. The low fees, access to numerous markets and user-friendly platform make DEGIRO an attractive choice. The broker offers excellent conditions, especially for investors who primarily want to trade shares and ETFs.
DEGIRO offers an attractive alternative for Swiss investors in particular, who are often faced with high trading fees. The broker impresses with low costs, an intuitive trading platform and a wide range of trading instruments. DEGIRO is suitable for high trading volumes due to its flat fees that are independent of the trading volume. As DEGIRO is not based in Switzerland, there is no Swiss stamp duty.
However, investors should be aware that the securities may be lent out. Those who accept this will be rewarded with low fees.
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?
Can I be entered in the shareholders' register?
In which currency are dividends paid out?
Does DEGIRO offer savings plans?
Sources
Note: Investing involves risk of loss.
