YGT #14
💸 Our Broker Checklist Is Here!
Hi all 💙
During our first Cohort 4 coffee meetup, the discussion was already on 🔥
“Which broker should I choose?” was the question on everyone’s mind.
So… we listened, we compared, and we’ve finally put it all together in one place:
✨ The You Got This Broker Checklist!
A 12 pages guide, for every YGT member who’d ever wondered:
“Is this the best broker app for me?”
Spoiler: there’s no universal “best” broker, only the one that works for you. All the apps we mention are already being used by some of the YGT members (note the list is not exhaustive). So don’t overanalyze. Pick one and begin.
We’ll share some of the items we compared brokers on in this newsletter, so you’ll know what to look for when selecting yours.
🎓 Starting with: what is a broker?
A broker is the platform (usually an app or website) you use to buy and sell investments: like ETFs, stocks, or funds.
Think of it as the bridge between you and the financial markets. You decide what you want to invest in, and the broker executes the order.
Some brokers offer lots of bells and whistles (advanced charts, global market access), while others are designed for simple, automatic investing. What matters most is finding one that matches your style, and helps you stay consistent.
💡 So… what actually matters?
Choosing a broker isn’t just about what’s cheapest or flashiest. It’s about what fits you, your habits, your goals, your future investor identity.
Here’s what we now know to check for:
🛡 Regulation & Safety
Before we talk features or fees: is the broker EU-regulated? Is your money protected if something goes wrong?
✅ All brokers in comparison are regulated. Most use segregated accounts, meaning your investments remain yours even if the broker goes under.
🔁 Automatic Investing
If you don’t want to think about investing every month, this is a must-have.
💛 Standouts: Trade Republic, Trading 212, BUX
Bonus: Some offer fractional shares too (aka only buying a part of a share), so you can invest exact amounts.
📦 Product Range
From ETF junkies to index fund minimalists, we all have different needs.
🔍 Want tons of options? → DEGIRO, IBKR, Saxo
🤓 Want simple set-it-and-forget-it? → Peaks, Brand New Day
🎯 Most of us? Somewhere in between Trade Republic and Trading 212 hit the sweet spot.
💰 Costs & Fees
Fees compound too, just like returns. We found out there were so many different costs involved when investing, that were different per broker. We won’t summarize all of them here, but some Highlights ⚡ from our comparison:
Trade Republic: €0 for auto-invest, €1 per trade
DEGIRO: low manual trade costs, but watch for connectivity fees (aka the fees you pay per unique exchange you invest on)
Revolut: great if you already bank with them
Brand New Day: easy but higher long-term platform costs
Check FX (currency conversion) fees, platform fees, and exchange access costs. They can sneak up on you.
📱 Ease of Use
You could pick the most powerful platform out there… but if it overwhelms you, you won’t stick with it.
⭐ Beginner favorites: BUX, Trading 212, Brand New Day, Revolut
💻 Advanced flexibility: DEGIRO, IBKR, Saxo
🎯 Our YGT Picks: Based on You
Thanks to your input at our session, here’s how we’d sum it up:
“I want to invest monthly and never think about it again.”
→ Trade Republic, Trading 212, BUX
→ Or hands-off: Brand New Day, Peaks
“I want full control + low fees.”
→ DEGIRO, IBKR
“I don’t want to pick my own ETFs.”
→ Brand New Day, Peaks
“I’m curious about niche ETFs or global markets.”
→ IBKR, Saxo, DEGIRO
And don’t forget:
📲 If you’re starting a new account, ask for a referral code from someone around: often you both get a little bonus.
✅ Walk the Talk: Choose Your Match
Here’s your challenge for the week:
💡 Pick 2 brokers from the checklist and download them.
Do a side-by-side comparison using our table.
Ask yourself:
Which one feels easiest to stick with?
Does it fit my goal: hands-off or hands-on?
Am I OK paying a little more for simplicity, or do I want to optimize for control?
Our take: this is also helpful if you’re already investing with one of these as features change regularly. It might be useful for you to switch brokers or add another one..
💬 Final Thoughts
This checklist is a work in progress, just like all of us 😉
We’re not here to find “the best broker.”
We’re here to learn, grow, and take that next right step: whatever that looks like for you.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. But it should make sense to you.
And if it gets you one step closer to investing with confidence?
That’s a win.
You’re not too late. You’re not too early. You’re right on time.
Just start exploring!
You got this. 💪
– Tessel & Eva
ps. This is not investing advice. Want to become a member too? Go to our LinkedIn and comment #join on one of our posts.