Brokers
Every broker here is scored against the same ten areas, so the scores compare directly rather than one review at a time. Each one also shows what it costs to hold for ten years, worked out on the same investor.
Written & reviewed by Stockember Team · 15 brokers reviewed
MEXEM
MEXEM provides low-cost access to 150+ global markets using Interactive Brokers execution engine, with local regulation in the UK and Europe.
Stockember score
4.5/ 5
Exceptional
Trading 212
Trading 212 offers commission-free stock and ETF trading with zero platform fees and a low 0.15% FX conversion markup. It combines intuitive mobile-first portfolio management with institutional custody via Interactive Brokers and BNY Mellon.
Stockember score
4.4/ 5
Excellent
CapTrader
CapTrader operates as a German introducing broker for Interactive Brokers, providing access to 150+ global exchanges with personal German-language support.
Stockember score
4.4/ 5
Excellent
IG
IG pairs commission-free share dealing and flexible Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) with Citi custody and FTSE 100 backing, offset by a 0.70% foreign exchange fee on non-GBP investments.
Stockember score
4.2/ 5
Excellent
Freedom24
Freedom24 provides access to 15+ global stock exchanges under CySEC regulation, featuring multi-currency accounts and uninvested cash interest for European investors.
Stockember score
3.9/ 5
Good
CMC Invest
CMC Invest delivers commission-free UK and US share trading with zero platform custody fees, backed by London Stock Exchange listed CMC Markets and statutory FCA regulation.
Stockember score
3.8/ 5
Good
Swissquote
Swissquote is a Swiss-regulated banking group offering multi-asset trading across 30+ global exchanges, though high minimum trading commissions and quarterly custody fees make it best suited for larger portfolios.
Stockember score
3.8/ 5
Good
Hargreaves Lansdown
Hargreaves Lansdown is the UK's largest retail investment platform, offering access to thousands of global shares and funds, plus Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), with top-tier FCA regulation and Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection.
Availability varies by country
Stockember score
3.7/ 5
Good
Pearler
Pearler is an Australian long-term investing platform offering CHESS-sponsored ASX shares from AU$6.50 alongside automated US investing and micro-investing portfolios.
Stockember score
3.5/ 5
Good
flatex
German bank-backed discount broker offering low-fee share trading and a wide range of zero-commission ETF savings plans under direct supervision by Germany's financial regulator, BaFin.
Stockember score
3.5/ 5
Good
eToro
eToro combines $0 commission ETF trading with social CopyTrader features, but charges $1–$2 per stock trade, a $5 withdrawal fee, and does not allow transferring shares out to another broker.
Availability varies by country
Stockember score
3.4/ 5
Average
Fidelity
Fidelity Investments provides commission-free US stock and ETF trading, zero account fees, and auto-sweep cash yields, but restricts new account opening strictly to US residents.
Stockember score
3.0/ 5
Average
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers provides direct access to 170+ global markets with stock commissions from a $0.35 minimum (Tiered) or $1 (Fixed) and no inactivity fees, though the $2 minimum on currency conversions favors larger trades.
Stockember score
3.0/ 5
Average
Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab provides $0 commission US stock and ETF trading, thinkorswim tools, and SIPC protection, with no minimum deposit for Schwab One International accounts.
Availability varies by country
Stockember score
3.0/ 5
Average
BUX
BUX provides a streamlined European mobile brokerage backed by ABN AMRO with fractional investing, but charges a 0.20% annual portfolio fee on its basic tier and does not allow share transfers out.
Stockember score
3.0/ 5
AverageHow we score these brokers
Each broker earns points across ten areas, weighted for someone holding for ten years. Trust and custody carry the most weight, because whether a broker can be trusted with your money, and whether you actually own your shares, matter more over a decade than saving a few dollars in commission.
4.5 – 5.0
Built for buy-and-hold. Few reservations.
4.0 – 4.4
Strong overall, one or two real weak spots.
3.5 – 3.9
Workable, with gaps worth knowing about.
3.0 – 3.4
Does the job, better homes exist.
2.0 – 2.9
Real problems in an area that matters.
Under 2.0
We cannot recommend holding here.
No broker can pay to appear higher on this page or to raise its score.
Scores and ordering come from the criteria alone.
New to choosing a broker?
If you are still working out what custody, currency conversion and tax wrappers actually mean for a long hold, start with our guides before you compare. They explain the terms used across every review on this page.
Investing guidesImportant information
This page is published for information only. Stockember is an independent publisher, not a broker, investment adviser, or financial institution. We are not authorized or regulated by any financial regulator, we do not arrange or execute trades, and we do not hold client money. Nothing here is investment, tax, or legal advice; nothing here is a recommendation to open an account, and nothing is tailored to your circumstances. Do your own research before making a financial decision.
Investing carries risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you put in. Past performance does not predict future results. Some brokers we review also offer CFDs or other leveraged products, which do not give you ownership of the underlying asset and carry a high risk of rapid loss due to leverage. These products are not part of Stockember’s long-term investing framework.
Our scores and cost figures are estimates, not guarantees. A Stockember Score is our editorial assessment against published criteria on the date shown. It is not a credit rating, a measure of a broker’s financial strength, or a guarantee that your money is safe. Ten-year cost figures are modeled on one fixed set of assumptions and will not match your own circumstances. Fees, protections, tax treatment, and availability vary by country and can change without notice. Broker details are reported as the broker discloses them, so check the broker’s current terms before opening an account.
Links to brokers take you outside Stockember. No broker can pay to be included, rank higher, or receive a higher score. We are not responsible for a broker’s website, its security, or how it handles your data. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Stockember is not liable for losses arising from reliance on information published here. If you think something is wrong, tell us and we will check it against the source.