Scalable Capital vs Trade Republic Comparison
Scalable Capital and Trade Republic are practically level in our overall rating, 2.9 to 2.9 out of 5 points. Our table lists the trading fee as “€0.99 + 0.99 %” for Scalable Capital and “0 %” for Trade Republic. The two are level in all five sub-ratings.
| €0.99 + 0.99 % | Fees | 0 % |
| € 10.89 | Minimum cost per €1,000 | € 1.00 + spread |
| 32 (as ETPs) | Cryptos | 50 |
| SEPA Direct Debit, SEPA Transfer | Payment Methods | SEPA Instant Transfer, SEPA Transfer, Credit Card |
| Full bank (CRR credit institution) supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank | Regulation | Full banking licence from BaFin, crypto services notified under MiCA (Art. 60) |
Cost comparison
The basis is a Bitcoin purchase worth €1,000, calculated from the disclosed trading fee. A price markup in the spread is not included, because most providers do not publish it.
| € 10.89 | Minimum cost per €1,000 | € 1.00 + spread |
| €0.99 + 0.99 % | Fees | 0 % |
| – | Wallet transfer | € 0 + network fee |
| Yes | Cost transparency | Limited |
| € 1 | Minimum Amount | € 1 |
| SEPA Direct Debit, SEPA Transfer | Payment Methods | SEPA Instant Transfer, SEPA Transfer, Credit Card |
Scalable Capital offers cryptocurrencies only through ETPs, i.e. exchange-traded securities. Costs consist of three parts: the order fee, a spread markup that Scalable calls the crypto fee, and the running product costs of each ETP. The FREE plan has no monthly fee, PRIME+ costs €4.99 a month.
| Transaction | FREE | PRIME+ |
|---|---|---|
| Order via the European Investor Exchange | €0.99 | €0 from €250, below that €0.99 |
| Order via Xetra or gettex | €1.99 | €1.99 |
| Savings plan from €1 per instalment | no order fee | no order fee |
| Crypto fee (spread markup on crypto ETPs) | 0.99% | 0.69% |
| Running product costs (TER) per year, examples | CoinShares Physical Bitcoin 0.15%, Bitwise Physical Ethereum 1.49%, 21Shares Solana Staking 2.50% | |
| Custody fee | €0 | €0 |
| Deposit by bank transfer or direct debit | €0 | €0 |
| Instant deposit (every euro above €5,000 per deposit free of charge) | 0.99% | 0.69% |
How to save: A €100 crypto purchase costs €1.98 on the FREE plan (€0.99 order fee plus €0.99 spread markup); for €1,000 it is €10.89. On PRIME+ the same €1,000 purchase costs €6.90, plus the monthly fee. Savings plans avoid the order fee, but the spread markup remains, so for pure crypto savings plans PRIME+ only pays off from around €1,660 a month.
As of 1 November 2026 according to Scalable Capital's cost overview and crypto page.
Trade Republic charges no order commission for crypto trading. Each single order carries a flat fee of EUR 1, while savings plans run without it. Every purchase and sale also includes the spread, the gap between buy and sell price, which is built into the quoted price.
| Transaction | Cost at Trade Republic |
|---|---|
| Buying or selling a cryptocurrency (single order) | EUR 1 flat fee per order, no order commission, plus the spread |
| Crypto savings plan from EUR 1 | no flat fee, only the spread |
| Custody of your coins | free, most of it held in cold wallets at BitGo Europe GmbH |
| Sending to and receiving from external wallets | no Trade Republic fee, only the blockchain's network costs |
| Staking, including SOL, ETH and DOT | no additional fee, the app shows the net yield |
| Paying with crypto via the card | only the spread; 2% Crypto Saveback on up to EUR 1,500 card spending per month if at least EUR 50 goes into savings plans each month |
| Card: monthly fee and withdrawals | free, withdrawals under EUR 100 cost EUR 1 |
How to save: If you buy regularly, use the savings plan, since the EUR 1 flat fee does not apply there. For single orders, larger amounts pay off: on EUR 50 the flat fee is 2%, on EUR 1,000 only 0.1%. We compare exchanges with maker and taker fees in our crypto exchange comparison.
As of 1 November 2026 according to Trade Republic's crypto page and price overview and its help article on crypto fees (German price list).
Pros & Cons
- Full bank based in Munich: Scalable Capital Bank GmbH has held an ECB licence for deposit and lending business since September 2025 and is supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank
- Savings plans for crypto and ETFs possible from just €1
- Staking via individual crypto ETPs, with staking rewards of 3 to 5% a year according to the provider
- Device-bound 2FA is considered a solid security solution
- Broad range of stocks and ETFs in addition to crypto
- No custody fee; with PRIME+ at €4.99 a month, orders from €250 carry no order fee
- No actual coins: you trade ETPs, which are bonds issued by the ETP providers; transfers to your own wallet are not possible
- Crypto selection with 32 coins is room for improvement compared with specialized providers
- On top of the order fee comes a 0.99% spread markup (PRIME+ 0.69%) plus the ETPs' running costs: a €100 crypto purchase costs €1.98 on the FREE plan
- Trading only during exchange hours, not around the clock as on crypto exchanges
- Deposits only by bank transfer, direct debit or the paid Instant deposit (0.99%, 0.69% with PRIME+)
- MiCA authorisation from BaFin, listed in the French AMF's CASP register as “Licensed MICA” with Germany as the licensing country
- Savings plans for crypto, stocks and ETFs from €1
- Crypto transfers to and from external wallets with no transaction fee charged by Trade Republic
- Staking available, according to the provider for SOL, ETH and DOT among others, at no extra charge
- 2 % Crypto Saveback on card payments up to €1,500 per month
- No order commission on crypto: EUR 1 flat fee per single order, savings plans without it, plus the spread
- 50 cryptocurrencies tradable alongside stocks and ETFs
- Deposits via SEPA, SEPA instant transfer and credit card
- Trade Republic's own help pages contradict its product page: on 1 November 2026 they still stated that sending and receiving crypto was not possible
- Cost transparency on crypto spreads has room for improvement, according to users
- SMS-based two-factor authentication; stronger methods would be welcome
Score Comparison
User Experiences
AI AnalysisAccording to reviews, Scalable Capital presents a mixed user picture: some users appreciate the clear and intuitive app as well as everyday use that is perceived as reliable. At the same time, users report login and 2FA issues, as well as occasional delays with withdrawals and support.
According to the evaluated user data, Trade Republic is especially appreciated for its intuitive and clear app. At the same time, users report room for improvement in support, while fees and individual aspects of the app are perceived in mixed ways according to reviews.
Provider details (fees, licences, pros and cons) editorially reviewed: November 2026. This analysis is based on 292 AI-evaluated user reviews from Google Play Store, Trustpilot. The total number of reviews on the respective platforms may be higher, the platform ratings shown (star ratings) refer to all reviews available there. The ratings shown reflect users' experiences and do not represent the site operator's own assessment. All information without guarantee. Ratings as of: September 2026; review summaries as of: March 2026. This comparison does not constitute investment advice.
Features
| available | Savings plan | available |
| available | Staking (via ETPs) | not specified |
| not available | Wallet transfer | not available |
| not available | Credit card payment | available |
| available | BaFin regulation | available |
| available | Web platform | available |
| available | Mobile app (iOS/Android) | available |
| available | Stocks & ETFs | available |
| available | SEPA direct debit | not specified |
| not specified | Staking | not available |
| not specified | SEPA instant transfer | available |
- Neobroker with stocks, ETFs, and crypto in one place
- BaFin-regulated with headquarters in Germany
- Crypto savings plans from €1 for regular investing
- Staking available via crypto ETPs
- Neobroker for crypto, stocks, ETFs, and derivatives from a single source
- Savings plans from €1 for long-term wealth building
- MiCA authorisation from BaFin, based in Germany
- 50 tradable cryptocurrencies
- Wallet transfers and staking available
The five areas head to head
AI AnalysisFees & Costs
There is only limited concrete feedback in the user data regarding fees and costs. According to reviews, users mainly comment on usability, login, and features in comparison, while pricing questions are mentioned less often.
When it comes to fees and costs, user opinions are mixed. Some users describe Trade Republic as inexpensive, while according to reviews, higher fees are also occasionally criticized.
Usability & User Experience
According to reviews, users particularly appreciate Scalable Capital for its clear and partly intuitive app, which some also describe as easy to learn. At the same time, users also report a confusing interface and login problems. From the user perspective, usability is therefore perceived differently.
Users particularly appreciate Trade Republic for its intuitive, clear, and easy-to-use app. According to reviews, the application is often described as beginner-friendly, which makes getting started easier. However, the app is also occasionally described as somewhat unclear.
Features & Offering
According to reviews, Scalable Capital is used by users primarily for long-term investing, and some also highlight the cash account positively. At the same time, users express several wishes, including a trailing stop-loss, an overall profit and loss overview, more ELTIFs, and more savings plans. Users also want changes to the dark design and the YTD view, as well as a group watchlist and less analysis in the free area.
Users repeatedly wish for availability in Switzerland, an iPad version, and a CSV export. According to reviews, a simpler tax overview and the option for automatic dividend reinvestment are also mentioned occasionally. Wishes are also expressed in the available user data regarding the search function and stop-limit orders.
Stability & Security
According to reviews, users describe Scalable Capital as reliable in part. At the same time, users report technical issues such as a black screen, OTP codes not being sent, as well as app problems and crashes. Stability is therefore perceived differently by users.
Users report mixed experiences regarding stability and reliability. It is occasionally mentioned that the app crashes, while others describe the app as easy to use in everyday life.
Customer Support
According to reviews, users occasionally report rather negative experiences with support, especially in connection with login or 2FA topics. Some feedback describes customer service as slow or not very helpful.
When it comes to support, many users report room for improvement. According to reviews, it is often mentioned that customer service is difficult to reach or that responses take a while to arrive. In direct contact in particular, users therefore rate support critically.
Details
| Scalable Capital GmbH | Company | Trade Republic Bank GmbH |
| 2014 | Founded | 2015 |
| Full bank (CRR credit institution) supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank | Regulation | Full banking licence from BaFin, crypto services notified under MiCA (Art. 60) |
| € 1 | Minimum Amount | € 1 |
| eID, Video-ID, PostIdent | KYC | Video-ID |
Verdict
Both providers are practically level in our overall rating (2.9 to 2.9).
Neither provider reaches 4.0 out of 5 in our rating, so we do not give an unreserved recommendation here.
Scalable Capital has made a name for itself in the DACH region primarily as a robo-advisor and ETF broker and has also offered crypto since December 2021. Since September 2025 the company has been a full bank: Scalable Capital Bank GmbH in Munich received the ECB licence for deposit and lending business and is supervised by BaFin and the Deutsche Bundesbank. Since March 2026 it has also been listed in ESMA's MiCA register with a notification for advice on crypto-assets. According to its September 2026 fact sheet, Scalable serves more than one million customers with over €60 billion in assets.
The crypto offering covers 32 cryptocurrencies, which are not traded as coins but through crypto ETPs on regulated exchanges. No wallet or private keys are needed; in return, holdings cannot be moved to your own wallet, and trading is limited to exchange hours. Savings plans from €1 make for a particularly low-threshold entry, and some ETPs add staking rewards. Besides the €0.99 order fee there is a 0.99% spread markup, or 0.69% with the PRIME+ subscription at €4.99 a month. Since September 2026, orders via Xetra and gettex have cost a flat €1.99.
For investors who mainly put money into stocks and ETFs and want to hold crypto as an addition in the same securities account, Scalable Capital is a practical solution. Anyone who wants to hold actual coins, move them to their own wallet or trade around the clock is better served by a crypto exchange.
Trade Republic is considered one of the best-known neobrokers in the DACH region and is used by many users as an entry point into the world of cryptocurrencies. Trade Republic is a bank supervised by BaFin and, in addition to 50 cryptocurrencies, also offers stocks, ETFs, and derivatives from a single source. By its own account it is one of the first banks in Europe authorised under the EU's MiCA regulation; ESMA's register has listed the crypto services of Trade Republic Bank GmbH since 28 April 2025, notified to BaFin as a bank under Article 60 of MiCA. Users appreciate that Trade Republic charges no order commission; each single order costs a flat EUR 1, savings plans run without it, and the remaining costs arise through the spread, whose transparency is occasionally rated as room for improvement.
Particularly appreciated are the savings plans from €1, which make it easy to get started with regular crypto investing. For investors who want to manage crypto, stocks, and ETFs in a single app, Trade Republic is considered one of the most accessible solutions on the German market. The app is described as intuitive and clearly geared toward beginners and occasional investors.
The Crypto Wallet lets you send cryptocurrencies to external wallets and receive them from there, according to Trade Republic without any transaction fees of its own. The SMS-based 2FA security is also considered room for improvement. Trade Republic is therefore especially suitable for investors looking for a regulated, uncomplicated way to access cryptocurrencies as part of a broad securities offering and who want to be able to move their coins to a wallet of their own.