XTB Review 2026: Fees, Safety, Platform & My Experience

So, is XTB a good broker for long-term investors in 2026? Here is what I have learned from using it myself. This review reflects my personal experience and is not investment advice. Every investment decision is ultimately your own responsibility.

XTB (X-Trade Brokers) is one of Europe's largest online brokers. Founded in Poland in 2002, the company has since expanded internationally and is now present in more than 15 countries,

As a Czech investor, one of the advantages I particularly appreciate is XTB's local Czech branch and full customer support in Czech . You can find the basic information on the broker's official website 👉https://www.xtb.com. I find XTB's website clear and modern, and the information I need is generally easy to find.

XTB is also a publicly traded company, listed on a stock exchange, which contributes to greater transparency and regulatory oversight. In my view, this adds to an investor's confidence in the broker's stability. However, I don't consider XTB's share price performance a key criterion when choosing a broker.

The fact that XTB is a publicly traded company is nevertheless a positive signal in my view. It means greater transparency, stricter regulatory oversight, and regular publication of financial results, which can reduce the risk of unethical behavior or broker failure.

Investor Protection

From the perspective of client asset protection, XTB meets the standard requirements expected of a regulated broker. Client assets are held separately from the company's own assets (asset segregation), meaning that if the broker becomes insolvent, client assets do not form part of the company's bankruptcy estate.

If the broker were nevertheless to fail, clients are covered by the compensation scheme operated by Krajowy Depozyt Papierów Wartościowych (KDPW):

• 100% of deposits up to EUR 3,000
• 90% of the amount above EUR 3,000, up to a maximum total compensation of EUR 22,000

In my view, this represents a standard but fully adequate level of protection that is consistent with the size and long-standing operation of XTB. Under the Polish compensation scheme, the maximum compensation is EUR 22,000, while under Czech regulation the limit would be slightly lower at EUR 20,000.

Available Instruments

XTB offers access to more than 12,600 financial instruments in total, including over 7,100 stocks and more than 1,800 ETFs, as well as thousands of CFD instruments. The selection should comfortably meet the needs of both long-term investors and more active traders.

The core of the offering includes:

• Stocks – around 7,100 instruments, including stocks listed on the Prague Stock Exchange
• ETFs – approximately 1800 funds, with the selection gradually expanding
• Stock CFDs – leveraged trading based on the price movements of individual stocks

In addition, XTB offers currency pairs (Forex), cryptocurrencies, and many other derivatives. Personally, this range is more than enough for me.

I also appreciate my personal experience with XTB's customer support. When I asked them to add a specific ETF (AVWS) to their offering, the instrument actually appeared on the platform within a few weeks. Whether this was the result of demand from a larger number of clients or part of XTB's own plans, I consider the support team's approach a positive experience.

Fees

Trading Fee

As of September 2026, XTB offers 0% commission on the purchase and sale of stocks and ETFs for monthly trading volumes of up to EUR 100,000. This limit is more than sufficient for most investors — at least in my case. Once the limit is exceeded, a 0.2% commission is charged on the transaction value, with a minimum fee of EUR 10.

For small and medium-sized investors, this is a very attractive fee structure. During the first years of investing, you can often pay nothing at all in commissions for buying or selling stocks and ETFs.

Deposit Fee

When depositing funds, it is also worth considering any potential deposit fees. If you use a bank transfer or Revolut, XTB does not charge any fee. However, your bank may charge its own fees, particularly for international payments or transactions in foreign currencies.

Be careful when depositing funds using a payment card or PayPal. In these cases, fees apply — currently 0.85% for PayPal Express payments and 0.7–0.9% for card payments, depending on the transaction currency.

For detailed and up-to-date information on deposits, it is always best to check the XTB website directly, as the fees may change over time.

Currency Conversion Fee

Another fee that may affect a large number of investors is the currency conversion fee. If you invest in assets denominated in a different currency from the one you hold in your account (for example, buying USD-denominated assets with funds held in CZK), XTB automatically performs the currency conversion immediately.

This actually works out slightly better than Revolut, although it depends heavily on the banking plan and exchange rates available to me. In any case, there are ways to avoid this fee, for example by using Revolut within its EUR 1,000 monthly limit.

For many investors, this fee can therefore be seen as a price for convenience — XTB handles the currency conversion quickly and without any additional administration. The fee is clearly stated upfront and transparent. Over the long term, however, 0.5% (or 0.8%) can noticeably reduce returns when dealing with larger amounts, so it may be worth considering converting the currency yourself if you want to minimize costs. On the other hand, if you don't want to deal with unnecessarily complicated transfers or open another account, accepting the fee can make sense — your investing becomes a little simpler, and you know exactly what you are paying for.

Account Maintenance Fee

There is also a monthly account maintenance fee, more commonly referred to as an inactivity fee, which probably describes its purpose more accurately. This fee is charged only if:

• No position of any kind has been opened or closed during the previous 365 days
• No funds have been deposited into the account during the previous 90 days

An important note: simply holding purchased stocks or ETFs counts as an active position. So if you invest at least once and continue holding your positions, this fee does not apply to you. The fee is mainly aimed at inactive accounts — accounts with no activity at all. From the broker's perspective, this is a logical setup, but it is good to be aware of it and avoid unnecessarily leaving your account completely inactive.

Custody Fee

XTB also charges what is known as a custody fee, which in practice applies only to larger portfolios. Personally, I see it more as a large portfolio management fee, as this better reflects its purpose. The fee applies when the daily value of the portfolio exceeds EUR 250,000 (roughly CZK 6 million). A 0.2% fee, with a minimum of EUR 10, is then charged on the portion of the portfolio above this threshold.

Even if you exceed this threshold — for example, if you have EUR 300,000 invested — the fee would only be EUR 100 (EUR 50,000 × 0.2%). In practice, this fee therefore affects only very large portfolios. For small and medium-sized investors, the fee structure is fair and transparent and, in most cases, does not affect them at all.

Personally, I focus on euro-denominated stocks and ETFs, where XTB offers transparent and fair conditions. The only significant disadvantage is the currency conversion fee, which can be avoided by using currency sub-accounts or external services. After several years of using XTB, I have otherwise not encountered any unpleasant surprises when it comes to fees.

Platform

XTB offers its own trading platform called XStation, available in three versions: a mobile app, a web-based platform, and a desktop application. XTB no longer supports MetaTrader and now focuses entirely on its own platform.

A demo account is also available, allowing you to try out the platform without risking real money. I consider this an ideal option, especially for beginners who want to get familiar with the interface, but it can also be useful for more experienced investors testing new strategies. 

You can try the XTB demo account here  👉XTB Demo Account. If you are considering opening a live account, there is no better way to start than by trying the platform first and seeing whether it suits you.

Education and Resources

Another important factor is education, where XTB has long offered a wide range of materials. Its educational resources cover everything from free online courses and webinars to practical guides and tutorials.

I repeatedly came across XTB's educational content long before opening an account, completely independently of various investment forums, articles, and YouTube. The topics range from the absolute basics of investing to more advanced areas, including technical analysis and trading psychology.

Based on my own experience, I would recommend one specific course 👉Building a Stock Portfolio. Notes: This course is probably available only in Czech, but XTB offers many other courses in multiple languages.  

This course is just one of the many educational resources offered by XTB. The broker also provides regular newsletters, its own YouTube channels, and other educational content that it has been developing over the years. XTB is an international broker, so it also offers educational courses in multiple languages.

The breadth and quality of these materials can be a significant advantage, especially for beginner and intermediate investors. In my view, XTB's strong focus on education is one of its biggest strengths, and these resources are worth exploring even if you ultimately decide to choose a different broker.

Currency Sub-Accounts and Fractional Shares

Another useful feature, which is not always available at every broker, is the ability to invest in fractional shares — in other words, buying fractions of shares without having to purchase a whole share. This can be particularly useful when investing smaller amounts regularly and spreading investments across multiple holdings.

Fractional shares are still relatively new (in the Czech market), and I don't actively use them myself. Nevertheless, I consider it a significant advantage that XTB offers them, as they can make getting started much easier, especially for beginners and smaller investors.

A relatively new feature at XTB, introduced in 2025, is Investment Plans. The broker is putting significant emphasis on them, which makes sense both in connection with the Long-Term Investment Product and as a simple tool for traditional long-term investing. They are another kind of "helping hand" designed to make the entire investing process as simple as possible.

Personally, I have only tested Investment Plans and don't currently use them, but they can provide clear value for many investors. The principle is simple: you create your own portfolio from selected ETFs, set their target weights, and then simply deposit money on a regular basis — ideally using a standing bank order. The minimum investment is EUR 15, and the app automatically allocates the investment according to your chosen proportions.

XTB Review – Summary and Final Thoughts

The second point is the mobile app, which does its job well for quickly checking and monitoring positions, but could benefit from further improvements in terms of clarity and usability. Last but not least, it is worth mentioning CFD instruments — these are complex and risky products and are certainly not suitable for every investor. However, if you stick to stocks and ETFs and keep your costs under control, these drawbacks may not be particularly significant for you.

Overall, XTB comes across to me as a dynamic and forward-looking company that doesn't rest on its laurels — unlike some of its competitors — and has earned my full trust. It has been quick to add new features to its offering, such as Investment Plans, and fractional shares. I see it as a stable and reliable broker with ambitions to continue growing and improving its services.

In my view, XTB makes the most sense for long-term investors who want to invest regularly in stocks and ETFs and value simplicity, transparency, and accessible customer support. For active traders or CFD trading, however, there are also more specialized alternatives.