Avanza vs Nordea

Courtage and fees: Avanza trades Swedish stocks at 0 SEK courtage; international stocks cost from $1 per trade. Nordea charges from 0.06% of order value (minimum €7) on Nordic exchanges and from €15 internationally — which adds up notably for active investors. On foreign-currency purchases both also apply a currency-exchange fee (valutaväxlingsavgift). Minimum deposit is 0 at both.

Account type and tax — ISK, AF or KF: In Sweden the account type drives the tax burden. The ISK (Investeringssparkonto) is taxed on a flat notional (schablon) basis regardless of realized gains — ideal for long-term buy-and-hold investors and frequent traders. The AF (aktie- & fondkonto) taxes each realized gain and dividend as capital income but allows loss offsetting — useful when you want to net off losses. The KF (kapitalförsäkring) is a flat-taxed insurance wrapper with advantages for foreign dividends and estate planning.

Offering and verdict: Avanza covers stocks, ETFs, funds, bonds, Swedish options, warrants and certificates and is considered very beginner-friendly thanks to its app; Nordea offers stocks, ETFs, bonds, funds and warrants but no options, scoring with full-bank service and research. Common question — broker or bank for ISK saving? For low-cost Swedish stock and fund savings plans inside an ISK, Avanza is the natural choice; those who prefer a house bank with advice and a broad fund range stay with Nordea.