XTB vs Revolut in 2026: which is better for investing?

XTB and Revolut both let you invest, but they solve different problems. XTB is a dedicated broker, with more than 20 years in the market and an offering built for people who want to take investing seriously. Revolut is, first and foremost, a digital bank that also lets you invest - but as one more feature inside an app.

That's why this comparison focuses mostly on investing, where XTB plays at home, without forgetting that Revolut is much more of a generalist: besides investing, it gives you a bank account (with local IBANs in a growing number of European countries), currency exchange, savings and an everyday card. XTB goes all-in on investing and trading.

Let's see, point by point and with European investors in mind, where each one wins and which makes more sense for you.

Summary

• XTB: the choice for anyone who wants to invest in real stocks and ETFs with no commissions up to €100,000 in monthly volume, CFDs, options*, interest on uninvested cash, a multi-currency card and the xStation 5 platform. It also has local branches in several European countries, which can make tax paperwork simpler depending on where you live. New users can use the XTB promo code "IITW".
• Revolut: the choice for anyone who wants to invest inside an account that does everything. It offers stocks, ETFs, bonds, crypto and a robo-advisor, but its real strength is being a complete digital bank, with local IBANs in many countries, currency exchange, savings and a card. It offers a welcome bonus to new customers.**

In short: if investing is your main goal, XTB offers more instruments, lower costs and better tools. If you want to invest simply inside the app you already use for everyday banking, Revolut is more practical. Revolut is also better if you want to earn interest on savings over the long run.

^{*Options are available in selected European countries. **The welcome bonus amount and steps vary by country (typically €10-€30) - open an account through our link and complete the required steps within the deadline. Revolut's Terms and Conditions apply.}

General comparison table

^{Data collected from xtb.com and revolut.com. Fees, rates and conditions can change and may vary by country - always confirm the current information on each platform.}

XTB - overview

XTB is a broker with more than 20 years in the market and over 2.5 million investors, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, which adds transparency and public scrutiny to its accounts. The parent company, XTB S.A., is supervised by Poland's financial regulator (KNF), and the group operates across Europe with local branches and registrations in several countries.

The offering is clearly investment-focused: real stocks and ETFs, fractional shares, CFDs on indices, forex, commodities and crypto, options (in selected countries), automated Investment Plans and interest on uninvested cash. All built on the xStation 5 platform, award-winning and considered one of the best in the market, with a strong education and analysis component.

To dig deeper, we have a full XTB review.

XTB pros and cons

Pros

• Real stocks and ETFs with no commissions up to €100,000 in monthly volume
• Much broader offering, including CFDs and options
• Advanced xStation 5 platform, with analysis and education
• Interest on uninvested cash and a multi-currency card
• Local branches in several European countries (which can mean simpler tax reporting, depending on the market)

Cons

• Not a bank: it's an investment firm, with no everyday account or local IBAN
• Steeper learning curve for beginners
• Inactivity fee on accounts left idle for a long time
• The company still relies on CFDs, riskier derivative instruments, which can be a downside for long-term "buy and hold" investors

Revolut - overview

Revolut is, above all, a digital bank. It operates through Revolut Bank UAB, licensed in Lithuania, with local branches - and local IBANs - in a growing number of European countries. Investing is just one of many features: you also get a current account, currency exchange, savings with interest, cards and budgeting, all in the same app.

On the investing side, it lets you buy stocks and ETFs, bonds, crypto (spot) and use a robo-advisor. It's a good entry point for beginners who want simplicity, but it doesn't have the depth of instruments or the tools of a dedicated broker.

Revolut pros and cons

Pros

• Invest inside an account that does everything (local IBAN in many countries, FX, savings)
• Simple interface, ideal for beginners
• Stocks, ETFs, bonds, spot crypto and a robo-advisor
• Savings with interest and deposit guarantee coverage up to €100,000

Cons

• Fewer instruments and tools than a dedicated broker
• Less advantageous investing fees for frequent investors
• Investments executed from Lithuania - in most countries, reporting gains is your job
• The best conditions are reserved for paid plans
• Customer support only via in-app chat

Instruments and markets

XTB stands out for breadth: besides commission-free real stocks and ETFs, it gives you access to options, forex, indices and commodities through CFDs, and a demo account to practise without real money.

Revolut covers the long-term investor's essentials well - stocks, ETFs, bonds and spot crypto - and has added CFDs, although only for eligible clients and after an appropriateness questionnaire. It has no options and no forex as a trading instrument.

If you're starting out and just want to buy a few ETFs, either will do. If you want a fuller portfolio or advanced instruments, XTB is clearly more capable.

Investing fees

For the stock and ETF investor, XTB tends to work out cheaper. It charges 0% commission on real stocks and ETFs up to €100,000 in monthly volume, with 0.20% (minimum €10) above that, and applies a currency conversion fee (0.50%) when you trade in a currency other than your account's (buying dollar-listed stocks, for example).

With Revolut, the number of commission-free orders per month depends on your plan: zero on the Standard and Plus plans, five on Premium and ten on Metal and Ultra. Above that limit, each order costs €1. There's no custody fee, but currency exchange fees can apply when funding your investment account in another currency, plus possible regulatory charges. For anyone investing regularly, these differences add up.

Interest on uninvested cash

Both pay you on idle money, but through different routes. XTB pays interest on uninvested funds inside the investment account itself, with a preferential rate for the first 90 days and a standard rate after that. Revolut pays through its Instant Access Savings account, a deposit sub-account covered by the deposit guarantee scheme.

^{XTB rates as of 13 July 2026 - variable, updated weekly, and they may differ by country. Revolut rates vary by plan and country and can change. Always confirm the current rates on xtb.com and revolut.com.}

In practice, XTB is more attractive at the start, especially in the first 90 days and in dollars, but the standard rate drops considerably after that period. Revolut's rates are steadier, although plan-dependent, and it plays with a structural advantage: the money sits in a deposit covered by the guarantee scheme up to €100,000, not just in segregated funds.

Platform, app and education

XTB is built on xStation 5, an award-winning web and mobile platform with advanced charts, market data, screeners and analysis tools. It adds a lot of education: articles, daily webinars, courses and market analysis. It's designed for people who want to understand and follow the markets.

Revolut's app is simpler and more pleasant, but investing is just one tab among many. It lacks the depth of tools and the dedicated educational content an investor gets from a specialist. 

If you're starting out and value simplicity, Revolut may be enough; for more advanced investors, XTB is likely the better fit.

Regulation and safety

It's worth understanding the difference. With XTB, your assets are segregated and covered by the investor compensation fund, which responds if the broker becomes insolvent - not for market losses. XTB adds the scrutiny of being a publicly listed company. For a deeper look, see our article on whether XTB is safe for European investors.

With Revolut, two protections coexist: your account and savings balance is covered by the deposit guarantee up to €100,000, thanks to the banking licence, while your invested assets, held via Revolut Securities Europe UAB, are covered up to €22,000 by the Lithuanian investor compensation scheme. For large idle balances, that's a clear advantage; for large stock and ETF portfolios, the covered amount is the same order as XTB's.

Revolut Securities Europe UAB, the entity that executes the investments, is based in Vilnius and provides services across the EEA under the European passport, without a local investment establishment in most countries. XTB, by contrast, operates through local branches in several European markets. This distinction doesn't affect the safety of your investments, but it explains the difference in tax treatment we cover next.

Taxes in Europe

This is an often-forgotten point where the two differ - and the difference lies in the entity that executes your investments, not in the IBAN.

With XTB, in countries where the group has a local branch, it's that branch that intermediates your investments. Depending on the market, that can mean locally reported (sometimes even pre-filled) capital gains and a tax report prepared for local rules - a real convenience at tax time.

With Revolut, the banking side may be local, but stock and ETF investments are executed by Revolut Securities Europe UAB, based in Lithuania and without a local establishment in most countries. So even if you have a local IBAN, capital gains are generally treated as foreign-sourced income that you have to calculate and report yourself.

As for interest on cash, XTB withholds or reports tax on the interest it pays depending on your market, and Revolut savings interest may come with local withholding in some countries and gross in others. Tax rules vary a lot across Europe - when in doubt, confirm with a local accountant.

Who is each one for?

Choose XTB if:

• Investing is your main goal;
• You want real stocks and ETFs with no commissions, and more instruments;
• You value an advanced platform, analysis and education;
• You value phone support in your own language, which XTB offers alongside chat and email;
• You'd like the convenience of a broker with a local branch in your country (available in several European markets).

Choose Revolut if:

• You want to invest simply inside the app you already use;
• You mainly need a digital bank and/or want to earn interest (local IBAN, FX, savings);
• You're starting out and value simplicity above all;
• You want savings, card and investments in the same place.

What if you use both?

It's a combination that makes sense: XTB for investing, with low costs, more instruments and potentially simpler tax handling, and Revolut for everyday life, as a main account with a local IBAN (where available), FX and savings. Since opening an account is free with both, you can use each for what it does best.

So, which one should you choose?

If your priority is investing, XTB is the stronger choice: more instruments, commission-free stocks and ETFs, better tools and, in several countries, the practical advantage of a local branch. It's the platform for anyone who wants to take investing seriously.

If you're looking to invest simply inside an account that also handles your day-to-day, Revolut is more practical, even if less deep on the investing side. Its strength is being a complete digital bank, not a broker.

You don't have to decide forever: opening an account is free with both, and many investors end up using XTB to invest and Revolut for everything else.

Frequently asked questions

XTB or Revolut - which is better for investing?

For investing, XTB is generally more complete: it has real stocks and ETFs with no commissions up to €100,000/month, more instruments and better tools. Revolut is better suited to anyone who wants to invest simply inside an account that does everything.

Does XTB charge commissions on stocks and ETFs?

Not up to €100,000 in monthly volume on real stocks and ETFs. Above that, 0.2% applies (minimum €10). A currency conversion fee may also apply when you trade in another currency.

Which pays more interest on idle cash?

It depends on the rates in force. XTB pays interest on uninvested funds (variable, with a preferential rate for the first 90 days) and Revolut pays interest in its Instant Access Savings account, covered by the deposit guarantee scheme, between roughly 1.50% and 2.25% depending on the plan. Rates also vary by country - always confirm the current rates on each platform.

How are capital gains taxed with each one?

It depends on your country. With XTB, in markets where the group operates through a local branch, gains can be reported under local rules, sometimes with pre-filled tax data. With Revolut, investments are executed by Revolut Securities Europe UAB in Lithuania, so gains are generally treated as foreign-sourced income that you calculate and declare yourself. Check the specific rules of your country or ask an accountant.

Are XTB and Revolut safe?

Both are regulated: XTB by Poland's KNF (among others, with local registrations across the EU) and Revolut by the Bank of Lithuania. XTB keeps client funds segregated and offers investor compensation; Revolut covers deposits through a deposit guarantee scheme up to €100,000.

Can I have accounts with both at the same time?

Yes. Opening an account is free with both, and it's common to use XTB for investing and Revolut as the everyday account.

_{This article is for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or tax advice, nor an investment recommendation. Investing involves risk of capital loss. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage: 72% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Fees, rates and conditions can change and may vary by country - always confirm the current information on xtb.com and revolut.com. This article may contain affiliate links: if you open an account through them, we may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. Our editorial content remains independent.}