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 |
When examining the commissions and fees for Trading 212 and GBE brokers, each offers unique pros and cons for potential investors. Trading 212 provides two main accounts: the Invest account designed for trading shares and the CFD account for trading CFDs, with the latter requiring a minimum deposit of 10 euros. Known for its zero-commission trading, Trading 212 still charges a spread when dealing with CFDs and forex. Notably, the average spread for the EUR/USD pair was 2.7 pips in April 2025, which is above the industry standard. This could put Trading 212 at a slight disadvantage in comparison to other top-rated CFD and forex brokers.
GBE brokers, while not providing detailed average spread data, stand strong in comparison to Trading 212 based on their overall ranking for commissions and fees. Receiving a four-star rating out of five, GBE brokers outpace Trading 212 by ranking 37th out of 63 brokers in this category. Despite the lack of explicit average spread information, GBE brokers seems to maintain a competitive edge according to industry assessments.
In summary, while both Trading 212 and GBE brokers share a four-star rating for commissions and fees, GBE brokers holds a better position within the ranking landscape, coming in 37th compared to Trading 212’s 49th place. Potential traders might want to consider these rankings and the spread data, especially when precision and cost-effectiveness in trading are key priorities.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $500 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 2.7 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When exploring the investment offerings of Trading 212 and GBE brokers, Trading 212 stands out with an extensive range of 7,868 tradable symbols, including 146 forex pairs, while GBE brokers provides a more limited selection of 500 symbols with 71 forex pairs. Trading 212 allows clients to invest in exchange-traded securities from both U.S. and international exchanges, offering opportunities to purchase stocks such as Apple and Vodafone directly, whereas GBE brokers are restricted to CFD and forex trading only, with no option for direct stock purchases on major stock exchanges.
For those interested in cryptocurrency trading, both platforms offer cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither allows for the purchase of actual digital coins. Another notable difference is that Trading 212 does not support copy trading, unlike GBE brokers, which provides this feature. With a five-star rating for its range of investments compared to GBE brokers’ 3.5 stars, Trading 212 secures the 15th spot among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, while GBE brokers is ranked at 44th, reflecting Trading 212's more diverse and broad investment options.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7868 | 500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 71 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
When choosing between Trading 212 and GBE Brokers, both platforms offer valuable tools for traders seeking a comprehensive trading experience. Trading 212 shines with its in-house developed proprietary platform, appealing to those who prefer a custom interface. While it lacks a Windows-based desktop app, it compensates with a user-friendly web platform and a free virtual demo account for newer traders to practice risk-free. Trading directly from stock charts and a decent variety of drawing tools enhance Trading 212's charting experience. However, Trading 212 doesn’t support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and 5 or copy trading services, which may deter some traders. Despite this, it garners an impressive 4-star rating for its trading platforms and tools and stands out in the industry by ranking 20th out of 63 brokers.
GBE Brokers, by contrast, offers a traditional trading experience, which includes a Windows-based desktop platform along with access to both MetaTrader 4 and 5, appealing to traders who appreciate well-known and widely trusted software. Offering a free virtual demo account and the ability to copy trade enhances its appeal to those seeking strategy-sharing features. GBE Brokers includes a solid array of web-based tools and fields for watch lists but offers fewer drawing tools compared to Trading 212. While GBE Brokers also scores 4 stars for its trading platforms and tools, it ranks lower at 57th, suggesting some limitations in its overall platform offering compared to its competitor. Ultimately, both brokers have distinct features tailored to different trading priorities, allowing users to choose according to their specific needs and preferences.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both Trading 212 and GBE brokers offer solid options for iPhone and Android users. They both support essential features like stock or forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines on charts, and the capability to view different time frames. However, Trading 212 takes a significant lead with 104 technical studies available for charting compared to GBE brokers' 30. Furthermore, Trading 212 stands out by allowing seamless watchlist symbol syncing between mobile devices and online accounts, a feature not offered by GBE brokers.
Both platforms provide the option to create a watchlist with real-time quotes, and they each receive a decent rating of 4 out of 5 stars for their mobile trading apps. However, when it comes to ranking among 63 brokers, Trading 212 fares much better, securing the 17th spot, while GBE brokers find themselves at 57th. This difference in ranking suggests that while both apps are well-rated, Trading 212 offers enhanced functionality and user experience for mobile traders looking for a bit more flexibility and depth in their trading tools.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing Trading 212 and GBE brokers in terms of market research offerings, there are noticeable differences in the features they provide. Trading 212 delivers comprehensive forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, which can provide users with reliable insights into market trends. While it does not offer daily market commentary, it compensates for this gap by providing a sentiment-based trading tool that displays a ratio of long or short positions in various currency pairs and other instruments. Additionally, Trading 212 includes an economic calendar to keep traders updated on significant global news events, making it a valuable tool for those looking to understand market dynamics better.
On the other hand, GBE brokers provide daily market commentary, which can be advantageous for traders seeking regular market updates. However, it lacks forex news from renowned sources and sentiment-based tools, which might limit the depth of market insight available to its users. Like Trading 212, GBE brokers offer an economic calendar but does not feature tools from Autochartist, Trading Central, or Acuity Trading. In the realm of research quality, Trading 212 earns a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, placing it at the 44th position among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, GBE brokers receive a 3-star rating, ranking them at number 62. For traders focused on extensive research features, these offerings highlight that Trading 212 may provide more comprehensive tools for informed decision-making.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, Trading 212 stands out with a variety of learning tools geared towards forex and CFDs. They provide more than ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars focusing on these financial subjects. Additionally, Trading 212 offers a searchable archive of previously recorded webinars, enabling users to revisit past lessons anytime. They also have a solid selection of beginner and advanced educational videos, catering to various learning levels. Moreover, Trading 212 offers an investor dictionary with over 50 terms, allowing newcomers to brush up on investment vocabulary. With these resources, Trading 212 earns a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 20th out of 63 brokers in the Education category by ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, GBE brokers provide limited educational content for beginners. They fall short of offering a comprehensive set of resources, lacking the minimum ten educational pieces focusing on forex or CFDs that new investors might find beneficial. Unlike Trading 212, GBE brokers do not offer a searchable archive of webinars or a substantial number of beginner educational videos. There is also no investor dictionary available, which could be a drawback for those unfamiliar with trading terminologies. As a result, GBE brokers have a slightly lower education rating of 3 stars and are ranked last in the Education category by ForexBrokers.com. This comparison highlights Trading 212 as a more comprehensive option for beginners seeking educational resources in the world of online trading.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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
|
GBE brokers
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 80 | 71 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both Trading 212 and GBE Brokers do not offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to purchase cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both Trading 212 and GBE brokers facilitate ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires for depositing and withdrawing account funds, while GBE brokers additionally support Skrill, a feature not available with Trading 212.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 80 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) |
| ||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| 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) | No | No | |
| 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) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7868 | 500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 71 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | 2.7 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | Trading 212 | GBE brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 80 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill