Brokers: rankings by country 2026
We compare brokers for private investors only on facts anyone can check in the regulator's register and on official websites: since when the broker has been licensed, whether it belongs to an investor compensation scheme, whether it holds client assets separately from its own, whether it publishes financial reports, what it charges on a reference order and which asset classes it offers. Only brokers licensed by their own country's regulator are included; offshore brokers are excluded. Every fact links to its source with the date we checked it. Customer reviews and media rankings are not used. The ranking is not investment advice and does not recommend a particular broker. Investing puts your capital at risk: you can lose money. The Score is not for sale; sponsored placements, if there are ever any, will be a separate labelled block.
Pick a country
- Australia 6
- Austria 8
- Canada 7
- France 6
- Germany 6
- Poland 8
- Spain 7
- Switzerland 4
- United Kingdom 10
- United States 10
Brokers
Canada
- 1Desjardins Online Brokerage (Disnat)70/100
- 2National Bank Direct Brokerage70/100
- 3Interactive Brokers Canada65/100
Full ranking (7) Updated
Frequently asked questions
What does first place in the ranking mean?
The broker in first place has the highest Score under our open methodology among brokers in that country. That is not advice: look at what matters to you, and always read the broker's contract and fee schedule.
Is this investment advice? Can I lose money?
No, this is not investment advice. The ranking compares brokers, not securities, and does not tell you what to buy. Investing puts your capital at risk: you can lose money, and neither a licence nor a high Score protects you from that.
Who is included and where does the data come from?
Only brokers licensed by their own country's regulator: KNF, BaFin, the FCA, the SEC and FINRA, ARDFM. Offshore brokers are excluded. The data comes from registers, compensation scheme member lists and official websites. Every fact links to the page and shows the date we checked it.
How do you measure commission? Does zero commission mean free?
We take the standard published tariff with its minimum fee and work out the percentage of a reference order: 4,000 PLN on GPW (Poland), 1,000 EUR on Xetra or the standard venue (Germany), 1,000 GBP (UK), 1,000 USD (US), 500,000 KZT on KASE (Kazakhstan). Spreads, currency conversion, taxes and stamp duty are excluded, so zero commission does not mean a free service. Commissions are rechecked every 60 days.
Which asset classes do you count?
Five: stocks, ETFs, bonds, funds and options. CFDs, forex, crypto and futures do not count: we do not rate leveraged products or recommend them.
Does a compensation scheme protect me from losses?
No. A compensation scheme (KDPW in Poland, EdW or EdB in Germany, FSCS in the UK, SIPC in the US) applies when a broker fails, has limits and does not cover a fall in the value of your investments. We found no comparable scheme in Kazakhstan, so the fact is empty there.
Why do some facts show no data, and can I compare countries?
We count a tax-advantaged account only where we found a clear equivalent: IKE/IKZE in Poland, ISA or SIPP in the UK, IRA in the US. It is not counted in Germany and Kazakhstan. An empty fact earns no points, and reference orders and rules differ by country, so compare the Score only within one country.
Why don't you use reviews and media rankings?
They cannot be reliably verified, and the number of complaints depends on a broker's size. We rely only on facts with a source.
Can a place in the ranking be bought?
No. The Score uses one formula for all brokers and is not for sale. Sponsored placements, if there are ever any, will be a separate labelled block and will not affect the Score.