In short
For an ETF savings plan in the child's name you pay no custody or savings plan fees at Scalable Capital, SMARTBROKER+, Fidelity, Consorsbank, S Broker, Trade Republic, ING and flatex. Single purchases of €1,000 cost €0 at Scalable Capital and SMARTBROKER+ (with a minimum size or venue restriction), €1 at Trade Republic. Fixed execution fees per instalment (DKB €1.50) or order prices from €7 (ING, flatex, DKB) cost more. A robo-advisor such as quirion manages the investment but charges 0.48% of the portfolio value each year.
All information comes from the providers' sites and price lists, as of 12 November 2026.
What is a children's brokerage account?
A children's brokerage account (also junior account) is a securities account in the child's name. The parents manage it as legal representatives, but the money legally belongs to the child. Money paid in is a gift and cannot simply be taken back – withdrawals are only allowed in the child's interest.
Opening usually requires the consent of all guardians; most providers ask for the birth certificate. With neobrokers such as Scalable Capital, flatex or SMARTBROKER+, the parents also need their own account with the same provider.
Child's account or parents' account?
- Taxes: The child has its own saver's allowance of €1,000 a year. If it has no other income, a non-assessment certificate (NV-Bescheinigung) from the tax office keeps much higher investment income tax-free, because the basic tax-free allowance also applies.
- Control: in a children's account the money belongs to the child, who controls it alone at 18. In the parents' account the parents keep control.
- Gift tax: parents can give each child up to €400,000 tax-free within 10 years, grandparents €200,000.
- Benefits: assets in the child's name may later count towards student grants (BAföG) or other benefits.
What happens at 18?
On the 18th birthday the parents' authority ends. Providers contact the child beforehand, ask for new identification and convert the account to the child (Scalable Capital, flatex, SMARTBROKER+, quirion, Consorsbank) or offer a switch to an account for young adults (ING “Depot Young”, S Broker “Young Invest”). At Fidelity the fee waiver ends after the year of the 18th birthday. If you want to keep some influence, talk to your child about the money early.
How we compared
We evaluated the providers' product pages, FAQs and price lists (retrieved 12 November 2026). Cards are sorted by the annual cost of a €50 monthly ETF savings plan; for the robo-advisor we assume a €5,000 portfolio. Ongoing fund/ETF costs and spreads are not included. Where a provider does not price the children's account separately, the general terms apply (Trade Republic). Not included: OSKAR (fees inconsistent on the product page), finanzen.net zero (page not accessible), growney (no account in the child's name).