Trade Republic vs Discovery Bank.
Trade Republic (T81/100) and Discovery Bank (D45/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Trade Republic leads Discovery Bank 8-1.
| D Discovery Bank №82 · SARB 45 /100 | T Trade Republic №05 · BaFin 81 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 45 /100 | 81 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €95 /mo | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 1.50% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Payment inst. SARB | Full bank BaFin |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded ZA.CODI | €100,000 EU.DGS.DE |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 17 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | 50 coins |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | Yes | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 3.3 ★ 28k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.6 · And 4.4 | 4.4 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.1 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Discovery Bank if…
Premium ZA digital-first bank backed by JSE-listed Discovery Group. SARB full-bank licence since 2019. Vitality Money behavioural-banking model — your rates and rewards rise with healthy financial behaviour, integrated with Discovery Health/Life. CODI cover. The only ZA digital bank with a serious premium-tier offering (Black tier with metal card, lounges, Vitality Travel).
Pick Trade Republic if…
Pick if you want the cheapest brokerage in Europe (€1/trade) and the highest interest on idle cash. Not a primary current account.
- Best for fees Trade Republic won 2 of 4
- Best for protection Trade Republic won 2 of 2
- Best for reach Trade Republic won 2 of 3
- Best for ux Tied
Trade Republic vs Discovery Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Discovery Bank better than Trade Republic?
Under our v3 methodology, Trade Republic leads Discovery Bank 8–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Discovery Bank 45/100 vs Trade Republic 81/100. Trade Republic is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Discovery Bank or Trade Republic cheaper?
Monthly fee — Discovery Bank: €95; Trade Republic: €0. Card FX markup — Discovery Bank: 1.50%; Trade Republic: Interbank. Trade Republic wins more fee rows (2 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Discovery Bank or Trade Republic?
Discovery Bank holds a Payment inst. licence under SARB; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Trade Republic holds a Full bank licence under BaFin; deposit guarantee per depositor: €100,000. Trade Republic is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Discovery Bank and Trade Republic?
Discovery Bank operates in 1 country; Trade Republic operates in 17 countries. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
Want a 3- or 4-way comparison?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.