BUX Review (2026)
*BUX B.V. is authorized and regulated by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB). BUX is a wholly owned subsidiary of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. Uninvested client cash is held at ABN AMRO Clearing Bank N.V. and guaranteed up to €100,000 under the statutory Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS). Investing in shares and ETFs involves material risk of capital loss.
The Vibe Check
"BUX (formerly BUX Zero) has undergone an institutional coming-of-age. Originally a scrappy Dutch venture-backed neobroker, it was fully acquired by **ABN AMRO Bank N.V.** in late 2023, instantly upgrading its counterparty profile from an unproven startup to one of the most established banking institutions in Europe. For everyday accumulators across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Italy, the mobile app is clean and accessible: **fractional investing starts from €10**, automated monthly **ETF Investment Plans carry zero commission**, and for Belgian investors, BUX solves an enormous administrative headache by **automatically calculating, withholding, and remitting the Belgian Stock Exchange Tax (TOB)** on every transaction. But make no mistake: BUX is no longer a free lunch. To escape their **0.20% annual custody fee on the Basic plan**, you must upgrade to **BUX Plus at €2.99/month (€35.88/year)** or **BUX Prime at €7.99/month (€95.88/year)**. Furthermore, their 'Zero Orders' are **batched and executed in the final hour of trading (16:00 to 17:30 CET)**, subjecting you to daytime price drift, and the free Basic plan slaps an aggressive **0.75% currency conversion markup on US stocks**."
The Fine Print: Valerie's BUX Fee Audit
BUX operates on a tiered subscription architecture, dividing users between a free tier with variable custody fees and paid tiers with reduced transaction markups:
| Fee Type | BUX Pricing Schedule | Valerie's Audit Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BUX Basic Plan | €0.00 / Mo + 0.20% Custody / Year | ⚠️ No fixed monthly fee, but levies an ongoing 0.20% annual variable service fee on invested portfolio value. Zero Orders excluded. |
| BUX Plus Plan | €2.99 / Month (€35.88 / Year) | Unlocks 3 Zero Orders/month, cuts US FX markups to 0.25%, pays 1.75% cash interest, and waives the 0.20% variable custody fee on assets under €250k. |
| BUX Prime Plan | €7.99 / Month (€95.88 / Year) | Unlocks 5 Zero Orders/month, cuts US FX to 0.20%, pays 2.00% cash interest, drops market orders to €0.99, and provides J.P. Morgan curated portfolios. |
| Zero Orders (EU Shares & ETFs) | €0.00 Commission | Available on Plus/Prime plans and Investment Plans. Orders are batched and executed between 16:00 CET and market close. |
| Market & Limit Orders (EU) | €1.99 Flat / Order (€3.99 on Basic) | Real-time execution on Euronext and major European bourses. Drops to €0.99 per order on the BUX Prime subscription. |
| US Equities (Market Orders) | €0.99 Flat / Order (€1.99 on Basic) | Direct access to US exchange-listed shares and fractional positions via partner execution desks. |
| FX Currency Markup (US Stocks) | 0.25% (Plus) | 0.75% (Basic) | ⚠️ Sizable currency friction on Basic: 0.75% (75 bps) applied on buy and sell orders of US securities (a 1.50% round-trip drag). |
| Automated Investment Plans | €0.00 Commission (All Plans) | Monthly recurring savings plans execute free of trade commission as Zero Orders across all subscription tiers (including Basic). |
| Uninvested Cash Interest | 1.75% (Plus) | 2.00% (Prime) | Cash held in ABN AMRO Clearing accounts earns interest up to €25,000 balances (0.00% paid on the free Basic plan). |
| Belgian Stock Exchange Tax (TOB) | €0.00 Admin Fee (Auto-Withheld) | BUX automatically calculates, withholds, and declares the Belgian TOB (0.12%, 0.35%, or 1.32%) directly to Belgian tax authorities. |
| Portfolio Transfer Out | Not Supported (Liquidate to Cash) | ⚠️ BUX does not support automated outbound broker-to-broker share transfers (ACATS/Depotübertrag); you must sell positions to cash to exit. |
*Securities lending is enabled by default on BUX accounts under Dutch regulatory provisions; client shares may be lent to institutional borrowers with collateralization.
The Core Edge: ABN AMRO Banking Solvency, Automated Belgian TOB & Fractional Compounding
In a crowded continental European neobroker market dominated by venture-backed startups, BUX maintains a distinct technical and institutional moat across three areas:
The primary structural advantage is **ABN AMRO institutional balance-sheet security**. Many retail European fintechs rely on partner clearing networks located in secondary jurisdictions. BUX is a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of **ABN AMRO Bank N.V.**—one of the Netherlands' systemically important banks. Uninvested client cash is held in dedicated accounts at **ABN AMRO Clearing Bank N.V.**, fully protected up to **€100,000 per depositor under the statutory Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS)**, eliminating counterparty insolvency fears.
Second, BUX is an absolute favorite for Belgian retail accumulators due to **automated Belgian Stock Exchange Tax (TOB) withholding**. In Belgium, every buy and sell of stocks and ETFs triggers the *Taks op de beursverrichtingen* (0.12% for standard ETFs, 0.35% for individual shares, and up to 1.32% for accumulating funds registered in Belgium). Foreign neobrokers (like Trade Republic or Scalable Capital) do not handle the TOB, forcing Belgian residents to manually calculate the tax, fill out complex declarations, and submit monthly bank transfers under threat of steep fines. **BUX calculates, deducts, and declares the TOB automatically**, eliminating tax filing friction.
Third, their **fractional ETF Investment Plans** allow users to build automated savings portfolios from just **€10**. Instead of having to wait months to accumulate enough cash to buy a single full share of a high-priced index ETF (like the iShares Core MSCI World IWDA), BUX executes fractional allocations to the penny. Combined with automated bank transfers, it allows young accumulators to put their monthly investing on total autopilot with **zero commission overhead**.
Pros and Cons Breakdown
What We Love
- Backed by ABN AMRO Bank N.V. with €100,000 Dutch statutory deposit protection (DGS)
- Automates Belgian Stock Exchange Tax (TOB) withholding and reporting for Belgian residents
- Fractional share investing from €10 on major European and US equities and ETFs
- Automated monthly ETF Investment Plans execute with €0 trade commission
- Clean, modern mobile app interface tailored for passive buy-and-hold accumulators
- Competitive uninvested cash interest (1.75% on Plus / 2.00% on Prime)
- Regulated by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB)
Where It Falls Short
- €2.99/month service fee on BUX Plus creates heavy drag on accounts under €5,000
- Free Basic plan imposes an ongoing 0.20% annual variable custody fee on asset value
- Basic plan charges an expensive 0.75% (75 bps) FX conversion markup on US stocks
- Zero Orders are batched and executed once daily (16:00–17:30 CET), risking price slippage
- Cannot transfer share positions out to an external broker (must sell to cash to exit)
- Does not automate Belgian dividend withholding tax (30%) or German steuereinfach taxes
Valerie's Final Verdict
"BUX is a polished, bank-backed mobile platform that delivers exceptional value for a specific European profile: passive ETF accumulators in the Netherlands and Belgium who value ABN AMRO's balance-sheet solvency and automated tax withholding. For Belgian residents in particular, BUX’s automated handling of the complex Belgian TOB transaction tax saves hours of manual tax filings every month. However, you must run the arithmetic on their subscription tiers: if your portfolio is under €2,000, paying €2.99/month for BUX Plus extracts nearly €36 a year, representing an unacceptable 1.8%+ annual drag on your returns. Conversely, staying on the 'free' Basic plan exposes you to a 0.20% annual custody fee and a painful 0.75% US dollar conversion toll. If you trade US equities frequently or hold small balances, Trade Republic or Trading 212 offer cheaper execution; but if you are dollar-cost averaging into European ETFs under ABN AMRO safety, BUX Plus is a capable, stress-free engine once your portfolio clears €5,000."
Open An Account If:
You reside in the Netherlands or Belgium, want automated monthly ETF savings plans from €10, demand ABN AMRO banking custody, or want automatic Belgian TOB tax handling.
Skip It If:
You hold small portfolios under €2,000 (where the €2.99/mo fee hurts), trade active US stocks on Basic (0.75% FX toll), or demand direct share transfers out to an external broker.
BUX B.V. is regulated by the Dutch AFM and DNB. Subsidiary of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. Investing in financial markets involves capital risk.