Admirals vs DEGIRO
DEGIRO is the cleaner setup for EU investors — real assets only with no CFD account alongside, BaFin oversight, €100,000 deposit plus €20,000 securities cover, €2 per US stock trade and €4.90 on most EU exchanges. Admirals is available where DEGIRO is not: Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Georgia, Uzbekistan. Its cover is €20,000 ICF under the Cyprus licence, and its Invest.MT5 account sits next to a CFD account — beginners do confuse the two. Our pick for EU residents: DEGIRO. For CIS residents: Admirals.
Editor: Kyrylo Vasyliev
Admirals (CySEC/FCA, minimum deposit €1) and DEGIRO (BaFin, minimum deposit €0.01) are two regulated brokers competing for retail investors in the CIS and EU markets. This comparison is built from verified data on fees, available instruments, trading platforms and country access — so you can see exactly where each broker wins before you open an account.
Across 3 fee categories Admirals and DEGIRO split wins roughly evenly — the cheaper option depends on your specific trading pattern (stocks vs ETFs, frequency, currency). On asset class coverage Admirals is ahead with 7 instrument categories versus 5 at DEGIRO — relevant if you plan to diversify beyond stocks into bonds, ETFs, commodities or crypto.
If entry budget matters, DEGIRO is more accessible with a minimum deposit of €0.01. Admirals supports 3 trading platforms, DEGIRO supports 2 — check the platforms section below to confirm your preferred terminal is available.
Trust dimensions side by side
Where it's safer
Five trust dimensions per our methodology. The further from the centre — the stronger. The dashed line is our fixed reference level, the same on every axis.
Admirals leads on the combined score — 83/100 vs 75/100. Our fixed reference line is 72.
Overview
Admirals leads with 3 out of 9 objective metrics. On fees specifically, wins 1 of 3 categories.
Fees & Commissions
Fee scenario
Approximate — based on verified fees only. Per-share commissions assume a $50 share price. Real costs depend on instrument, currency conversion and individual trade size.
Instruments & Markets
8k+ instruments · 800k+ instrumentsRegulators & investor protection
- CySEC—Cyprus (EU)
- FCA—United Kingdom
- Additional licences on file: JSC (Jordan).
- BaFin—Germany
- Additional licences on file: AFM/DNB.
Both brokers operate under Tier-1 jurisdictions, so regulatory oversight strength is comparable.
Account & Support
Admirals
DEGIRO
Pros & Cons
Admirals
- Invest.MT5 = real shares, not CFD wrapper — $0.02/share with $1 min on US stocks
- Multi-license coverage (CySEC 201/13 EU + FCA UK + JSC Jordan)
- Established 2001 — 25-year operating history, no licence revocations
- Own web platform with TradingView charts, alongside MT4 and MT5
- Strong Trustpilot rating (4.2★)
- Fragmented account structure: Invest.MT5 (shares) and Trade.MT5 (CFD) are separate accounts
- MT5 platform learning curve — proprietary UI is dated
- Inactivity fee €10/mo after 24 months of no activity
- Google Play mobile rating 3.5 — well below industry norm (4.5+)
- Demo account closes after 30 days
DEGIRO
- Publicly-listed parent — full annual report transparency
- €2 per US stock trade, €4.90 on most European exchanges
- Real assets only — no CFDs in the account
- Strong Trustpilot rating (4.4★)
- Wide instrument selection (800k+)
- Not available in CIS countries — EU/UK residents only
- No fractional shares — each position requires the full share price
- Platform UI has not kept pace with newer entrants
- Compensation caps at €20,000 — below FCA (£85k) / SIPC ($500k)
- No negative balance protection
Who each broker is for
Verdict
Both Admirals and DEGIRO are regulated brokers offering access to global financial markets. However, they differ significantly in fees, available instruments, and minimum deposit requirements. Below is our expert assessment to help you make an informed decision.
Choose Admirals if you want more instruments, negative balance protection, an unlimited demo.
Choose DEGIRO if you want lower entry barrier.
- Just starting outAdmirals· lower entry barrier, an unlimited demo, faster KYC
- Active tradingAdmirals· more instruments
- Advanced / professionalDEGIRO· more exchanges
Ultimately, the best choice depends on your trading style, budget, and preferred instruments. We recommend using our Broker Quiz for a personalized recommendation.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this comparison and how to use it.