Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 vs GBE brokers, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
When comparing online brokers Trading 212 and GBE brokers, both offer distinctive features and trust levels as rated by ForexBrokers.com. Established in 2004, Trading 212 holds 3 Tier-1 licenses, securing them a Trust Score of 80, which places them in the 'trusted' category. On the other hand, GBE brokers, founded in 2013, have 1 Tier-1 license and a Trust Score of 71, marking them with an 'average risk' rating. Neither of these brokers is publicly traded or operates as a bank, but their regulatory distinctions are a key consideration for traders prioritizing security and trust.
While both brokers operate under the scrutiny of financial regulations, Trading 212’s higher number of Tier-1 licenses underscores their commitment to reliability. This contrasts with GBE brokers, who remain in the 'average risk' category due to their lesser Trust Score. For potential clients deciding between Trading 212 and GBE brokers, these regulatory insights offer a clearer understanding of each platform’s dedication to oversight and customer protection.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2013 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Trading 212 and GBE brokers both earn 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but their standings differ in the ForexBrokers.com rankings: GBE brokers is placed #38 out of 63, while Trading 212 sits at #50 out of 63.
Trading 212 offers two accounts—Invest (minimum deposit 1 euro) and CFD (minimum deposit 10 euros)—with this comparison focusing on the CFD account. Trading 212 advertises zero-commission trading, but you still pay the spread. The broker publishes average spread data; for April 2025, its EUR/USD average spread was 2.7 pips, which is higher than the industry average and can mean higher overall trading costs versus top CFD and forex competitors.
GBE brokers does not provide average spread data, making precise cost comparisons harder. Even so, it carries a 4 out of 5 star rating for commissions and fees and ranks #38 of 63 on ForexBrokers.com, ahead of Trading 212’s #50. If you want published average spreads, Trading 212 offers that visibility; if you prioritize a stronger category ranking for fees, GBE brokers has the edge.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $1000 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2.7 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing Trading 212 vs GBE brokers on investment variety, Trading 212 delivers a much larger selection: 7,868 tradeable symbols and 146 forex pairs, versus GBE brokers’ 500 symbols and 71 forex pairs. Both support forex trading via CFDs and/or spot, and both let you speculate on digital assets through cryptocurrency CFDs (neither offers direct, delivered crypto). A key difference is stock access: Trading 212 lets you buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international markets—think shares listed on NASDAQ or the London Stock Exchange—while GBE brokers does not offer real share dealing.
Feature-wise, GBE brokers includes copy trading, while Trading 212 does not. Reflecting the broader product lineup, Trading 212 earns 5 stars and ranks #16 out of 63 for Range of Investments at ForexBrokers.com, compared with GBE brokers’ 3.5 stars and #45 ranking. If you want the widest choice of assets and real stocks across global exchanges, Trading 212 stands out; if copy trading matters more and you’re comfortable with a smaller menu, GBE brokers can fit the bill.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7868 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 71 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Trading 212 and GBE brokers both offer free demo (paper) accounts and let you place trades directly from charts. Trading 212 provides its own in-house platform and a smooth web experience, but it does not offer a Windows desktop download, copy trading, MT4, or MT5. GBE brokers, on the other hand, does not have a proprietary platform but supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, includes a Windows desktop platform and a web platform, and offers copy trading. The number of built-in technical indicators and watchlist columns for either broker wasn’t specified.
Both brokers earn 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, yet Trading 212 ranks higher (#20 of 63) than GBE brokers (#58 of 63) on ForexBrokers.com. Choose Trading 212 if you prefer a streamlined, in-house web platform and don’t need MetaTrader or copy trading. Pick GBE brokers if you want MT4/MT5, a Windows desktop platform, and access to copy trading.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Trading 212 and GBE Brokers both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto‑saved chart annotations. Each app earned 4 out of 5 stars. That said, Trading 212 ranks higher for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com—17th out of 63 brokers—while GBE Brokers sits at 58th.
Key differences come down to convenience and charting depth. Trading 212 syncs your watchlists between the app and your online account (GBE Brokers does not), and it offers far more built‑in technical studies for charts (104 vs. 30). If you want deeper chart tools and seamless watchlist syncing across devices, Trading 212 has the edge. If you mainly need core features on iPhone or Android, GBE Brokers still gets the job done.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
In the Trading 212 vs GBE brokers market research comparison, each stands out in different ways. Trading 212 streams forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while GBE brokers does not. GBE brokers publishes daily market commentary; Trading 212 does not. Both brokers include a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning and provide an economic calendar. Neither offers Autochartist or Trading Central tools. Trading 212 does not include TipRanks or Acuity Trading; GBE brokers does not specify support for TipRanks or Acuity Trading.
Based on ForexBrokers.com’s research scores, Trading 212 earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 45th of 63 brokers, whereas GBE brokers earns 3 out of 5 stars and ranks 63rd of 63. In short, choose Trading 212 if you value built-in, top-tier news coverage; pick GBE brokers if daily commentary is more important to you.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Acuity Trading | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing Trading 212 vs GBE Brokers for beginner education, Trading 212 offers more on-demand learning you can watch at your own pace. It provides at least 10 beginner videos plus at least 10 advanced videos that explain trading topics in a straightforward way. GBE Brokers does not meet the 10-video mark for either beginners or advanced learners, and neither broker hosts monthly live educational webinars. If you prefer a clear video library over live sessions, Trading 212 has the edge.
These differences are reflected in third-party ratings. Trading 212 earns 3.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks 21st out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. GBE Brokers scores 3 out of 5 stars and ranks 64th out of 63 in the same category. For newcomers seeking more guided video content, Trading 212 is the more compelling choice.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Trading 212 is better than GBE brokers. Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31, while GBE brokers finished with an overall rank of #57.
Best known for its mobile trading app, Trading 212 offers an easy-to-use trading platform suite for CFD and share trading, as well as a large variety of forex pairs. However, despite its well-designed platform and wide range of symbols, its lack of advanced trading tools and flat research offerings hamper Trading 212’s bid to be considered a top broker.
| Feature |
Trading 212
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GBE brokers
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 71 |
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In this comparison, online brokers Trading 212 and GBE brokers do not support purchasing actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both provide access to trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
Trading 212 vs GBE brokers: both offer ACH/SEPA transfers; Trading 212 additionally supports PayPal and bank wires and does not support Skrill, while GBE brokers’ support for PayPal, Skrill, cards (Visa/Mastercard), and bank wires is unspecified.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 80 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2013 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7868 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 71 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2.7 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $1000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
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