Trading 212 Fees Review
TU Experts will familiarize you with Trading 212 in great detail right here — you can use our guide to determine the broker’s cost-effectiveness more easily. The Trading 212 platform was first registered as a brokerage company in London back in 2006. Since then, they’ve specialized in providing services for active trading and investment in the stock and foreign exchange markets. Most notably, the broker is licensed and regulated by the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Before we get into more details on their fees, here’s a quick rundown:
| Assets | Average fee | Fee terms |
|---|---|---|
S&P 500 CFD |
Average |
Commission is a part of the spread, the average spread in peak trading hours is 1.9 points |
EURUSD forex pair |
High |
Commission is a part of the spread, the average spread in peak trading hours is 1.9 points |
Europe 50 CFD |
Average |
Commission is a part of the spread, the average spread in peak trading hours is 3.2 points |
Inactivity penalty |
Nonexistent |
None |
Is Trading 212 Cheap?
While the table above presents the basic information on this broker’s fees, you still want the bottom line answer — is Trading 212 cheap, or is it an expensive broker.
The answer is — it depends.
This is basically a semi-cheap broker, because its affordability depends on the trading instruments you use the most. If you’re into ETF and stock trading, this is an excellent platform because the trades are commission-free — the broker’s cut is built into the spread. Plus, the non-trading fee structure is better than at most other brokers; there are no inactivity fees, or withdrawal or deposit commissions.
However, the fees for forex trading and CFDs are not as approachable. And while Trading 212 is a good platform for beginners that need a user-friendly place to deal in CFD and stocks, trading in the former is not as great of a money-making proposition as some would have you believe.
Dealing in the Contracts for Difference (CFDs) does fall under the umbrella term of “trading”, but buying and selling these has more in common with gambling than it does with trading forex or shares. Essentially, it’s a bet on whether a specific asset will rise or fall in value — with the seller and broker agreeing that the one who guesses correctly will pay the other party the spread.
Making any real money with CFDs requires leverage — which means that, in the long run, you have higher chances of losing money. And when a platform like Trading 212 makes CFDs even more expensive through tough spreads, many junior traders lose a lot of money.
Trading 212 Stocks and ETFs Fees
As we’ve mentioned above, Trading 212 is definitely a CFD-focused broker — and though they offer options for ETF and stock trading, these trades have zero commission. Also, bear in mind that you can only use leverage to trade on ETFs and stocks with a Trading 212 Invest account.
Here’s a breakdown of the average fees and spread:
| Types of CFD | Typical Spread | Fee |
|---|---|---|
US Stocks |
1.9 points |
None |
US ETFs |
1.9 points |
None |
UK Stocks |
3.2 points |
None |
Compared to direct competitors like Interactive Brokers, Trading 212 does have much lower fees — in fact, Interactive Brokers has a $3 fee for most trades where Trading 212 has none. However, the spreads offered by Interactive Brokers are much tighter, because they don’t make their money on them but through fees instead.
Trading 212 Forex Fees
Unfortunately, Trading 212 is not the ideal broker when it comes to Forex trading — they have a 0.15% conversion fee for each transaction. And while this is still among the lowest in the entire industry, when combined with their costly spreads, it can amount to a fair bit of expense per trade.
| Forex pair | Trade fee with 30:1 leverage and a $20,000 transaction |
|---|---|
EURGBP |
$27.7 |
EURCHF |
$19.3 |
AUDUSD |
$17.7 |
GBPUSD |
$23.7 |
EURUSD |
$29.7 |
On Interactive Brokers and most of Trading 212’s competition, the fees for this kind of trade are substantially lower.
Trading 212 CFDs Fees
As we’ve mentioned above, Trading 212 doesn’t generally boast favorable CFD and forex rates. You can see this from our direct example below — we used a $2,000 position for stock and stock index CFDs, with 20:1 leverage for stock index CFDs and a smaller 5:1 leverage for stock CFDs.
Here are the average fees you can encounter with that position:
| CFDs | Average fees for transaction outlined above |
|---|---|
S&P 500 index CFD |
$4.2 |
Vodafone CFD |
$14.8 |
Apple CFD |
$15.5 |
Europe 50 index CFD |
$4.5 |
For reference, the fees for a similar investment into Apple CFDs on Interactive Brokers would set you back a flat fee and a smaller $12.4 fee.
Trading 212 Non-Trading Fees
The good news is that Trading 212 has incredibly low fees when it comes to non-trading activities.
Does Trading 212 Charge Inactivity Fee?
No, Trading 212 has no fees for inactivity, regardless of how long you don’t log into your account.
Does Trading 212 Have Deposit and Withdrawal Fees?
There are no withdrawal fees on Trading 212. That being said, there are deposit fees in certain situations. While you can deposit funds into Invest accounts via bank transfers and make any deposits to CFD accounts free of charge, there’s a 0.7% commission for deposits higher than $2,000 via electronic wallets or debit and credit cards.
Does Trading 212 Charge Other Fees?
In addition to the fees we’ve outlined above, there’s also a 0.5% fee on CFD trading for currency conversion, and a lower 0.15% currency conversion fee for ETFs and real stocks. However, this fee is only applied when you deposit funds into a trade account or trade in assets that aren’t denominated in your account’s base currency.
Trading 212 Financing Rates
If you prefer trading long positions, be prepared to pay substantial yearly financing rates.
| Type of rate | Average rate |
|---|---|
EURGBP annual financing rate |
6.1% |
EURUSD yearly financing rate |
6.7% |
Vodafone CFD annual financing rate |
36.9% |
Apple CFD financing rate |
36.5% |
What is a Trading 212 account Minimum?
Fortunately, there are no minimum deposit amounts for any trading account on Trading 212.
Rebate From Traders Union
How to earn more with best Forex cashback rebateCollaborating with Traders Unions gives traders myriad benefits — participating can help online traders lower their trading costs, or even bring them down to zero. All you need to do is to register an account on the Traders Union website, link your Trading 212 account to it, and start trading. You’ll receive active bonuses in the shape of rebates, which will be directly deposited into your Traders Union account.
Try it — we guarantee you’ll like this!
Register on the Traders UnionTop 5 Trading 212 Reviews
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Comment
I haven’t traded or registered with Trading 212 yet, but I think I should try, since the company is interesting. I am currently studying reviews about this broker. So far nothing bad has happened.
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Comment
I like trading with trading 212. The conditions are normal. The minimum deposit is really minimal - €1, but it is better to make a normal deposit, you understand. The platform works properly too. I checked the quotes, they correspond to the market. Sometimes, opening and closing of trades is not fast enough, but it is within reasonable time.
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Comment
I have been trading with Trading 212 for almost 2 years. The broker is not bad and it withdraws money. However, there are some problems: there are requotes and the platform freezes sometimes. But the broker is regulated, which is a plus! I’m currently trading with another company, but I have this one in mind.
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Comment
Withdrawals and execution are fine at Trading 212. Now I make a profit, but there were different situations. I decided to trade here, as they withdraw money without any problems.
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Comment
I came to trading 212 a couple of years ago, it’s a worthy company. What I like most is the respectful attitude towards the trader. The support has helped me more than once; the operators regularly advise me on all issues that arise. This helps me a lot in trading.
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Comment
The company does not have the best conditions for novice traders, otherwise the conditions are good. The broker doesn't cheat with money, it comes on time. So I'm all for Trading 212.
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Comment
I miss bonuses and contests here) Yes, that would really be nice. Trade company Trading 212 suits me completely. I can't say that something is wrong. Everything is good. You can trade with confidence.
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Comment
Trading 212 did not let me down in various trading moments. I got into various troubles on Forex and I can not note any problems with trading transactions. They work for traders, and not vice versa. If I have small comments, but I won’t even voice them. I hope that the broker will only develop.
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Comment
Registered on Trading 212 using a referral link. I must say right away that the first thing I also wanted to take part in the affiliate program, as I have experience in this and applied. I was required to fill out a lengthy questionnaire, but was subsequently denied a partnership. Apparently, for some reason I did not fit. To be honest, this is the first time I have met such a tough selection for an affiliate program. If we talk about trading, then the conditions here are really favorable: there are no additional commissions, and the spreads are almost zero. The downside is that the broker takes 0.5% of the transaction amount for conversion during operations on the account. Often this commission is higher than if the exchange was carried out at the current rate. Other than that, I like the company.
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Comment
I chose the company for trading based on reviews. There were only positive reviews about Trading 212. The trading conditions are also very tempting here. The Web Trading platform is a great platform. I really like. Everything is clear and accessible here. In general, I can't say anything bad about the broker.
FAQs
Does trading 212 have FX fees?
Yes, from 2024 they have conversion fees for forex trading.
Is trading 212 still free?
While the broker does have small conversion fees, most of their profit is still made from the spreads.
How much does it cost to start trading 212?
There is no minimum deposit, you can invest as little as you want.
Which is better: eToro or trading 212?
While both have their pros and cons, eToro is regulated by more international bodies.
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Team that worked on the article
Oleg Tkachenko is an economic analyst and risk manager having more than 14 years of experience in working with systemically important banks, investment companies, and analytical platforms. He has been a Traders Union analyst since 2018. His primary specialties are analysis and prediction of price tendencies in the Forex, stock, commodity, and cryptocurrency markets, as well as the development of trading strategies and individual risk management systems. He also analyzes nonstandard investing markets and studies trading psychology.
Peter Emmanuel Chijioke is a professional personal finance, Forex, crypto, blockchain, NFT, and Web3 writer and a contributor to the Traders Union website. As a computer science graduate with a robust background in programming, machine learning, and blockchain technology, he possesses a comprehensive understanding of software, technologies, cryptocurrency, and Forex trading.
Having skills in blockchain technology and over 7 years of experience in crafting technical articles on trading, software, and personal finance, he brings a unique blend of theoretical knowledge and practical expertise to the table. His skill set encompasses a diverse range of personal finance technologies and industries, making him a valuable asset to any team or project focused on innovative solutions, personal finance, and investing technologies.
Mirjan Hipolito is a journalist and news editor at Traders Union. She is an expert crypto writer with five years of experience in the financial markets. Her specialties are daily market news, price predictions, and Initial Coin Offerings (ICO). Mirjan is a cryptocurrency and stock trader. This deep understanding of the finance sector allows her to create informative and engaging content that helps readers easily navigate the complexities of the crypto world.