DEGIRO Fees: The Complete Guide

Who this guide is for: You — a European retail investor comparing brokers, buying stocks, ETFs, or funds, or tracking trading costs. Read this if you want clear numbers. Expect concrete examples and line-item guidance. This solves the usual surprises: small fees that eat returns, per-exchange costs, and margin penalties that hit when you least expect them. You will learn where fees show up on statements. You will learn how to estimate the real cost per trade. You will get a decision tree to pick the right execution route.

Quick Answer / TL;DR
– If you trade ETFs infrequently and use DEGIRO’s core selection, you may pay €0 trading commission for qualifying ETF trades.
– If you trade non-core ETFs or trade on foreign venues, expect a fixed extra fee such as €3 plus exchange connectivity or handling costs.
– Expect handling/service fees on some markets (example: CHF 1.00 handling for Swiss trades) and fund service fees such as €3.90 + 0.20% annually on certain investment funds.
– Avoid margin shortfalls: closing-deficit fee is €50 + 0.50% (max €500); exceeding margin can cost €100 + 1.00% (max €500).

Types of DEGIRO Fees — 6 categories

List the main fee buckets you’ll see on statements. There are 6 main categories: trading fees, handling fees, market-data and connectivity fees, fund/service fees, margin and insufficient-funds charges, and miscellaneous service fees. Check each line on your account PDF. Small items add up.

1) Trading fees
– Trading fees cover commissions for stocks, ETFs, options, and futures.
– They can be fixed per trade or percentage-based.
– Some ETF trades on the core list can be free of execution commission.
– Count: 6 fee categories in total across statements.

2) Handling & exchange fees
– DEGIRO bundles third-party charges into handling fees.
– Example: CHF 1.00 handling for Swiss exchange trades.
– Handling covers clearing, settlement, regulatory levies, and contract notes.
– This prevents dozens of tiny third-party lines, but you still pay the same total.

3) Market-data and connectivity fees
– Market-data fees are per-exchange subscriptions for real-time prices.
– Connectivity fees allow routing to specific venues.
– Expect a separate fee line for each exchange you use.

4) Fund/service fees and recurring charges
– Some investment funds incur a monthly service fee.
– Example: a fund service fee of €3.90 plus 0.20% annually.
– DEGIRO charges the percentage monthly, based on portfolio value on the last day of the month.

5) Margin and insufficient-funds penalties
– Closing a position because of an ongoing deficit: €50 + 0.50% (max €500) plus regular fees.
– Costs for exceeding margin of 125%: €100 + 1.00% (max €500) plus regular fees.

6) Miscellaneous service fees
– Outgoing transfers, paper contract retrieval, corporate-action handling, and other special services can incur fixed charges.
– These are one-off fees but can be €20, €50, or more depending on the service.

Watch out for: Fees that look small per trade. A €1 handling fee, a €3 ETF routing fee, and a €0 execution commission can still total €4 per trade. Multiply by 100 trades and you pay hundreds.

How Trading Fees Work — 3 pricing elements

Break trading fees into 3 elements you must add: (1) execution commission, (2) handling/third-party charges, (3) exchange connectivity/market-data costs. Treat each as a separate line item on your trade ticket or monthly PDF.

Execution commission
– This is the broker’s execution commission.
– It varies by instrument and market.
– Commissions can be a fixed amount per trade or a percentage of trade value.
– Example: in a real trade example the total came to €7 after adding all elements.
– Count: 3 pricing elements you must sum for the true trade cost.

Handling / third-party charges
– DEGIRO often applies a handling fee to cover third-party costs.
– Example: CHF 1.00 handling on Swiss trades.
– The handling fee covers clearing, settlement, exchange fees, and regulatory charges.
– It reduces the number of small third-party line items on your statement.

Exchange connectivity and market data
– Market-data (real-time feeds) are charged per exchange.
– Connectivity costs apply when routing to specific venues.
– These can add per-trade or recurring monthly costs.
– If you trade 5 exchanges, expect 5 separate market-data lines.

Watch out for: Offers that sound free. Zero-commission or “reduced fee” claims often omit handling and connectivity costs. Add the 3 elements. Compare totals, not headlines.

Non‑Trading Fees and Service Charges — 5 common items

Non-trading fees can erode long-term returns. They recur or trigger during special events. Check the fee PDF and your account statements for these five common items.

1) Deposit and withdrawal fees
– Many deposit methods are free.
– Withdrawals may be limited or charged depending on your country and method.
– Example: some users see zero for incoming transfers, but an outgoing transfer can cost €10–€120 depending on country and route.
– Check your country-specific fee schedule for exact numbers.

2) Account maintenance and inactivity
– DEGIRO publishes a schedule showing which account types incur nothing.
– Some special services or account types may have a maintenance charge.
– Example thresholds: free accounts for active traders; small monthly fees for legacy or special-service accounts.

3) Market-data and real-time price feeds
– Market-data fees are per exchange.
– Typical feeds cost from a few euros to tens of euros per month per exchange.
– Example: subscribing to 3 exchanges could cost €5, €10, and €12 respectively.

4) Exchange connectivity (per-exchange access)
– Connecting to extra venues adds costs.
– Trading an ETF on a venue outside the core route can add a per-trade connectivity fee.
– Example: a €3 per-ETF trade plus connectivity fees can apply if you switch venues.

5) Special processing fees
– Outgoing transfers, paper contract retrieval, and corporate-action handling can incur fixed charges.
– Example fees: €25 for a paper contract, €50 for a special processing task, or similar amounts.

Concrete penalty examples from the fee schedule
– Closing a position because of an ongoing deficit: €50 + 0.50% (max €500) + regular fees.
– Costs for exceeding margin of 125%: €100 + 1.00% (max €500) + regular fees.

Watch out for: Small monthly services and per-exchange costs that compound. If you trade 10 markets, even €2 per market becomes €20 per month.

ETF Cost Structure and Core Selection — 3 things to know

ETFs are a major reason many choose DEGIRO. Learn three things about the core selection mechanics and the fees outside it. Use the core list to cut costs when possible.

1) Core selection mechanics
– DEGIRO publishes a list of “core” ETFs.
– Trades in these ETFs often enjoy reduced or zero execution commission for qualifying trades.
– You may get one free trade per ETF per month on the core list (verify current terms in your account).
– Count: 3 things to know about ETFs on DEGIRO.

2) Non-core ETF fees
– If you trade non-core ETFs or choose non-default venues, expect extra charges.
– Example fixed fee: €3 for trading other ETFs on certain venues.
– Add connectivity or handling fees on top.
– If you trade the same ETF on a non-core venue 10 times, that’s €30 in fixed fees plus all connectivity costs.

3) Investment funds vs ETFs
– Investment funds that are not exchange traded use a different fee structure.
– Example service fee: €3.90 plus 0.20% annually on certain investment funds.
– DEGIRO charges the percentage monthly, based on portfolio value on the last day of each month.
– If your fund holding is €10,000, 0.20% equals €20 per year, plus €3.90 service fees as applicable.

Watch out for: Venue switching. Buying the same ETF on Tradegate might be free. Buying it on XETRA or Euronext may add €3 + connectivity costs. Check the venue before you confirm a trade.

Margins, Short Selling and Insufficient Funds — 4 scenarios

Margin trading and short selling introduce variable costs and punitive fees when you breach rules. Know these four scenarios and the likely financial outcomes.

1) Margin mechanics (maintain required equity)
– Margin is borrowed capital (borrowed capital).
– You must keep required equity thresholds to avoid forced action.
– If your margin ratio falls below maintenance, DEGIRO may close positions.
– Example corrective fee for exceeding margin of 125%: €100 + 1.00% (max €500).

2) Margin call and forced close of positions
– Sequence: margin call → forced close → penalties plus regular fees.
– Example closing-deficit fee: €50 + 0.50% (max €500).
– Regular fees still apply on the closed trades.
– If you owe €2,000 and a forced close reduces positions, the penalty adds to the deficit.

3) Short selling costs (borrowing fees)
– Short positions require borrowing stock.
– Borrowing fees are variable and set per instrument.
– Fees are typically charged as an annual percentage and accrue daily.
– Example: a 5% annual borrow fee on a €1,000 short position accrues roughly €50 per year, prorated daily.

4) Interest and financing on leveraged positions
– Leveraged positions carry interest or financing costs.
– Rates vary by instrument and currency.
– Example: a financing rate of 2% applied to a €5,000 leveraged position costs €100 per year.
– Monitor rates; they can change and increase costs quickly.

Watch out for: Short-selling fees that grow weekly or monthly. Borrow rates might rise to 10% or more for hard-to-borrow stocks. Always check the current borrow rate before opening a short.

Extras, Market Data and Exchange Connectivity — 4 cost types

Beyond trade execution, extras add fixed or recurring costs that change your per-trade economics. Count the cost types before you trade internationally.

Market data (real-time feeds)
– DEGIRO charges market-data subscriptions per exchange.
– Typical fees range from a few euros to tens of euros per month per exchange.
– Example: subscribe to 4 exchanges and you might pay €5 + €8 + €10 + €12 monthly.

Exchange connectivity
– Connecting to a venue you do not normally use can trigger connectivity costs.
– Connectivity fees may be per trade or per month.
– Example: a per-trade connectivity charge of €3 plus the venue’s own handling fee.

Additional services and one-offs
– Paper contract retrieval can cost €20–€50.
– Outgoing transfers may cost €25–€120 depending on the instrument and country.
– Corporate action handling or special processing can be €10–€75 per event.

Subscription traps and recurring scaling
– Many of these extras are recurring monthly costs.
– If you trade 6 exchanges, 6 subscriptions can mean €50–€100 per month.
– Do the math: €50 monthly equals €600 per year.

Watch out for: Subscribe only to the market data and exchange access you need. If you trade 8 markets intermittently, unsubscribe from unused feeds to save tens or hundreds.

Comparison table — quick reference showing typical DEGIRO fees by category and a concrete example for each.

Closing: How to use this guide

Check your planned trades using the 3-element model: execution commission, handling/third-party charges, and exchange connectivity/market data. Price out a sample trade with real numbers. Example: buy an ETF on a Swiss venue with free execution, CHF 1.00 handling, and a €3 connectivity fee. Total per-trade cost = €4 plus any currency conversion fees. Multiply by 12 trades to see annual impact.

Decide by comparing scenarios
– If you plan 1–5 ETF trades per year, use core selection and keep costs near €0 per qualifying trade.
– If you trade 50+ times across 5 venues, expect several hundred euros per year in connectivity and market-data fees.
– If you use margin, keep a cash buffer equal to at least 10–20% of leveraged exposure to avoid the €50 and €100 penalties listed above.

Final checklist before you place an order
– Check the ETF’s venue and whether it’s in the core list.
– Add execution commission, handling fee, and connectivity cost.
– Verify market-data subscriptions and monthly amounts.
– Confirm borrow rates for short positions and financing rates for leverage.
– Keep a margin buffer to avoid a forced close and the €50 or €100 penalties.

Test this process with one small trade. Compare the headline commission to the final fees on your account PDF. If the final sum is acceptable, scale up. If not, change venue, switch to the core ETF list, or pick a different broker. Your future returns will thank you.