Investing in exchange-traded funds or ETFs means you are planning for your long-term goals. This also gives you access to more diverse assets, which somewhat minimises the unstable risks involved in investing in some private company stocks.
The best thing about it—you can access ETFs online using different reliable platforms in Ireland.
Best ETF Platforms to Use in Ireland
We’re listing down the most reliable ETF platforms using the following factors:
1. Trade Republic IE
| Trading fees | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Security | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Variety of investments | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| User experience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
To us, the best feature of Trade Republic IE is its simplicity, making it easy to use even for beginner traders. The interface makes it easy to trade, invest, or even transfer money, making it a one-stop convenient ETF platform for everyone.
We love that Trade Republic has very detailed tutorials available on how to use the platform to your advantage. This maximises the use of the app to your advantage.
According to some users we talked to, they use Trade Republic for two reasons—as an investment app and as a bank app. For an investment app, they loved that you could invest in so many products for just €1—sounds very practical to us!
On the other hand, there’s also an advantage if you use it as a wallet. First of all, there’s no withdrawal fees, and the transfer of money to your bank account is quite fast—we just love how efficient and convenient it is especially for busy people.
We also love that it’s secure! Like you don’t need to worry too much about any type of data breach—plus it’s very strict with identity verification!
Speaking of verification though—that’s one of the few things we hope the developers of the platform will improve on. Some users encounter errors during identity verification, and that’s a bit inconvenient.
You might also encounter delays in reply from customer service. But the good thing about it is that they still reply and make sure they answer your queries via email.
So to us, if you’re looking for an all-around platform with little to minimal fees, you should try Trade Republic. It’s an easy-to-use app that’s perfect for diversifying and keeping track of your investments!
Pros
- Easy to use
- Little to no transaction fees
- Polite customer service
- Diverse investment options
- Everything is automated
- Functional interface
- Fast transfer to bank accounts
- Secure
- Guides on how to use the functions
- Offers 4% interest on uninvested funds
Cons
- Customer service can only be reached through email
- Identity verification needs to be developed more
Customer Reviews
Several choices for investment with low fees
Easy to use. Nice user experience. Diversity of products. Recurring interest. Simplified tax declaration. To have passed on many applications, I recommend this one with my eyes closed. — Julien Auvity, Trust Pilot
Transparent and user-friendly
A fully transparent and user friendly app that allows you to invest part of your money on ETF, Actions and Crypto without any fees in a periodic way. — Duncan, Trust Pilot
2. Lightyear
| Trading fees | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Security | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Variety of investments | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| User experience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Lightyear is another ETF platform in Ireland that is so simple users told us it’s perfect for non-professional traders. The user interface is so transparent, and there are no unnecessary buttons so you can easily get the hang of using it!
What the users love about it the most though is that you can easily connect it to your bank accounts. We love that you can easily transfer money in seconds and then use it to buy ETFs on a regular basis.
Another thing we love—the upfront fees. The platform’s very honest when it comes to transaction fees—and they’re also quite low for a trading fee!
The customer service is amazing as well! We love that the developers of the platform consider feedback from the user and consistently update it.
One thing we notice about Lightyear though is that the available investments are limited. So if you’re planning to invest in other markets, they might not be available on this platform.
Another thing that might frustrate users is the gruelling verification methods, not only regarding identities, but also during deposits or withdrawals. However, this is understandable to us especially because it’s an investment platform.
We actually love that Lightyear makes sure every transfer or investment is safe and protected. We wouldn’t mind submitting verification documents if it means our investments are safe.
Pros
- Low fees
- Good user interface
- Simple app
- Transparent regarding fees
- Considers user feedbacks
- Allows users to buy ETFs on a regular basis
- Easy to transfer money from bank accounts
- Good for non-professional investors
Cons
- Lack of variety in investments
- Gruelling verification methods
Customer Reviews
Simple UI with upfront costing
It is a simple and straightforward app, has a great user experience, and is honest regarding costs. It also keeps improving and actually seems to take user feedback seriously. Overall, it’s a great product, and I will keep using it!— Miguel Vieira, Trust Pilot
Easy to connect to bank accounts
Lightyear is a great choice for not non-professional investors. The app is super user-friendly and easy to use. The top-up is simple and fast, I can connect any of my bank accounts and send money to my Lightyear account in a few seconds. Since I am not a professional investor, my favourite feature is the repeat order, so I can use dollar cost averaging to buy my favourite ETFs on a regular basis. — Marton Dobos, Trust Pilot
3. eToro
| Trading fees | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Security | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Variety of investments | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| User experience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
If you ask us what we think is eToro’s best feature as an ETF platform, it’s the presence of a dedicated account manager. They’re very helpful in terms of guiding you through the app and addressing any concerns you have—makes it more convenient to use.
The user interface is very simple yet functional. We love that you can easily navigate through the platform even if you’re not very techie.
Some users told us that they appreciate that their account managers have really extensive knowledge, not only about the platform but most especially about investments–this was very useful to some of them who are beginner traders!
Another thing we think of as an advantage when you use eToro is the variety of stocks, ETFs, and crypto available for you. This gives you a lot of options, and you can ask your account managers to guide you through it if you’re not very familiar with everything.
We also love that there’s 0% commission on stocks and ETFs. This is perfect for new investors who aren’t very familiar with the risks involved in trading just yet.
In relation to this though is that one disadvantage we see when you use eToro. Crypto fees are very high, which is totally understandable but still a little bit off-putting to some traders.
Also, we have to warn you that there might be delays in responses regarding issues or concerns. The good thing about it though is even if there are delays, your concerns will still be addressed.
Pros
- Team easily fixes platform problems
- Provides a dedicated account manager
- Simple and functional
- Variety of stocks and ETFs
- Several types of crypto available
- 0% commission on stocks and ETFs
- Beginner-friendly
Cons
- Crypto fees are very high
- Delays in responses to complaints
Customer Reviews
Dedicated account managers
Etoro is an easy effective trading platform to use – and having a dedicated account manager Thomas Williams has been an additional bonus I wasn’t expecting, Thomas is very responsive and knowledgeable and has answered all of my queries when using Etoro. Using good tech is one thing , having an account manager to help is the icing on the cake — IDC, Trust Pilot
No hidden fees
I love trading with eToro, no hidden fees, all information is clear and concise. There’s great support from the eToro team whenever there are any questions or queries. I’ve even received a gift from them on my birthday. That’s caring. — Tezza, Trust Pilot
4. Degiro
| Trading fees | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Security | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Variety of investments | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| User experience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Degiro might be a simple ETF platform, but it has very strict security measures on trading, verification, and fund transfers. We actually love this because it gives us a sense of security, making us want to entrust the platform with our investments.
We love that every step needs strict verification, and to us, that’s a good move for the platform developers! Trading is a high-risk investment, and having this type of security measures ensures us that our money and investments are safe.
However, this is also a source of complaints to some users we’ve chatted with. They find it tedious to repeat the same processes again just because the platform is very strict with verification documents and steps.
Another thing—due to EU regulations, there are limited US shares the platform offers. However, you can email them and they’ll try to add it for you.
User interface is easy to navigate so it’s easy to find information on the platform. Degiro sends you regular emails as well as in-app notifications so you won’t miss any important updates.
We also want to add that Degiro has information available regarding market trends. This’ll allow you to learn more about the different trading options and assets you can invest on—very useful to new traders!
Pros
- 0% commission + €1 handling fee on shares and EFTs
- Safe and reliable
- User-friendly platform
- Informative regarding market trends
- Simple trade steps
- Strict safety measures
Cons
- Tedious bank account verification
- Has limited markets
Customer Reviews
Trading steps made simple
Every step of trade is made simple here, all one needs to do is make the right choice of stocks/funds, buy and stay invested. The market is a lot smarter than any man or computer script put together. Thank you— Uma Kadamakudi, Trust Pilot
Lots of safety measures in place
Great service with lots safety measures to stop inexperienced trading.— Rowdoc, trust Pilot
5. Plus500
| Trading fees | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Security | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Variety of investments | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| User experience | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Plus500 is another easy-to-use ETF platform in Ireland for beginner traders. It’s easy to navigate, and there’s a lot of information in-app that’ll guide you on investment, trade, and fund transfer!
In relation to this, some platform users we’ve chatted with told us they loved the trade insights they can find in Plus500. Most of them are beginners in trading assets, so the information was useful to them.
We also love that Plus500 offers several markets–CFDs, Indices, Crypto, ETFs, and Forex among others. This gives you options on which asset to invest in.
You can also easily connect your bank accounts to Plus500. It used to take several days to withdraw funds (and there might still be delays at times), but now it only takes a few hours most of the time.
We also appreciate the different tools that’ll help you understand the tricks of the trade. There are graphics and analysis tools available for you to make use of!
The only issue we think you might encounter while using the app is it forces you to log out sometimes. This is a bit inconvenient but also probably a security measure to ensure protection of your accounts.
In addition to this, we really appreciate the customer support. Any security issues or other user experience concerns you might encounter, they’re easy to reach so things are easily addressed.
Pros
- Offers a wide range of assets
- Good customer support
- Perfect platform for beginners who want to learn the how-tos first
- Variety of stocks to choose from
- Transparent fees
- Easy and informative platform (has trade insights)
- Analysis tools work well
- Secure
Cons
- Minor technical issues like forced logouts
- Delays in withdrawal requests
Customer Reviews
Easy to navigate and informative
Your platform is easy and informative. Your graphical component and analysis tools work well. I also like your method for communication, it is fast and complete. Your funds transfer works well and my account security is too notch. — John Clowes, Trust Pilot
Stable and reliable trading platform
Very good, stable real time trading platform with user friendly built-in tools to help in decision making.— Anonymous, Trust Pilot
FAQs About the Best ETF Platforms in Ireland
And that’s it for this list! We hope our review gave you an idea what type of platform you can use for your ETF. If you want to invest in a similar endeavour, check out the Best Stock Brokers in Dublin.