Trade Republic vs Sony Bank.
Trade Republic (T81/100) and Sony Bank (S69/100), 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 Sony Bank 7-0.
| S Sony Bank №41 · JFSA 69 /100 | T Trade Republic №05 · BaFin 81 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 69 /100 | 81 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 Free tier |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | 0.15% | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | — |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Full bank JFSA | Full bank BaFin |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded No DGS | €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 | 4.1 ★ iOS 4.2 · And 4.0 | 4.4 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.1 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Sony Bank if…
Japan's longest-running internet-only bank (operational since June 2001) — predates Rakuten Bank's eBank acquisition and tied with SBI Sumishin for first-net-bank tenure. The structural specificity is multi-currency forex strength: foreign-currency deposit accounts in 12+ currencies plus retail FX margin trading, the deepest retail-FX product among Japanese chartered net banks. Wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Financial Group, in turn part of Sony Group Corporation (TYO: 6758). Sony Bank ≠ Sony Pay / Sony Mobile Wallet — the bank holds a full Banking Act licence, the wallet brands do not.
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 1 of 4
- Best for protection Trade Republic won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Trade Republic won 2 of 3
- Best for ux Trade Republic won 2 of 2
Trade Republic vs Sony Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Sony Bank better than Trade Republic?
Under our v3 methodology, Trade Republic leads Sony Bank 7–0 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Sony Bank 69/100 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 Sony Bank or Trade Republic cheaper?
Monthly fee — Sony Bank: €0; Trade Republic: €0. Card FX markup — Sony Bank: 0.15%; Trade Republic: Interbank. Trade Republic wins more fee rows (1 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Sony Bank or Trade Republic?
Sony Bank holds a Full bank licence under JFSA; 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 Sony Bank and Trade Republic?
Sony 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.