eToro vs Interactive Brokers

eToro or Interactive Brokers – which is better for UK traders 2024? Compare eToro and Interactive Brokers in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

eToro vs Interactive Brokers Comparison Table 2024
eToro Interactive Brokers
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4.1
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4.3
eToro is ranked #18 among CFD brokers. Interactive Brokers is ranked #8 among CFD brokers.
eToro is a top-rated multi-asset platform which offers trading services in thousands of CFDs, stocks and cryptoassets. Launched in 2007, the brand has millions of active traders globally and is authorized by tier one regulators, including the FCA and CySEC. The brand is particularly popular for its comprehensive social trading platform. Cryptoasset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in the UK and some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply. 76% of retail CFD accounts lose money. Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a premier brokerage for experienced traders, providing access to 150 markets in 33 countries, along with a suite of comprehensive investment services. With over 40 years of experience, this Nasdaq-listed firm adheres to stringent regulations by the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC, amongst others, and is one of the most trusted brokers for trading around the globe.
76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading with this provider. eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
Pros
  • The copy trading app facilitates a best-in-class social environment, with an engaging social feed and community chat
  • The broker's services are great for beginners, with commission-free stock trading, a low minimum deposit and an unlimited demo
  • Charts are powered by TradingView and offer strong technical analysis features, including 9 chart types and over 100 indicators
  • There's a comprehensive online training academy with accessible resources, from bitesize articles to comprehensive courses
  • The web platform and mobile app perform better in user reviews and app rankings than top competitors, including AvaTrade
  • Top copy traders can receive annual payments up to 1.5% of assets under copy in the broker's Popular Investor Program
  • Exciting investment portfolios are available covering traditional market trends as well as tech, crypto and more
  • eToro is a world-renowned brand with top-tier global regulation and a 25M+ user community
  • IBKR is one of the most respected and trusted brokerages and is regulated by top-tier authorities, so you can have confidence in the integrity and security of your trading account.
  • The TWS platform has clearly been built for intermediate and advanced traders and comes with over 100 order types and a reliable real-time market data feed that rarely goes offline.
  • The new IBKR Desktop platform takes the best of TWS while adding bespoke tools like Option Lattice and Screeners with MultiSort to create a genuinely impressive trading experience for traders at every level.
  • There's a vast library of free or paid third-party research subscriptions catering to all types of traders, plus you can enjoy commission reimbursements from IBKR if you subscribe to Toggle AI.
  • IBKR continues to deliver unmatched access to global stocks with tens of thousands of equities available from 100+ market centres in 24 countries.
  • While primarily geared towards experienced traders, IBKR has made moves to broaden its appeal in recent years, reducing its minimum deposit from $10,000 to $0.
  • With low commissions, tight spreads and a transparent fee structure, IBKR delivers a cost-effective environment for short-term traders.
Cons
  • The lack of additional charting platforms like MT4 will reduce the appeal for seasoned traders accustomed to using third-party software
  • There are no guaranteed stop loss orders which would be a useful risk management feature for beginners
  • There is a $30 minimum withdrawal amount and a $5 fee, which will affect novices with low capital
  • Traders will face currency conversion fees for account denominations other than USD
  • There are limited contact methods aside from the in-platform live chat
  • TWS’s learning curve is steep, and beginners may find it challenging to navigate the platform and understand all the features. Plus500's web platform is much better suited to new traders.
  • IBKR provides a wide range of research tools, but their distribution across trading platforms and the web-based 'Account Management' page lacks consistency, leading to a confusing user experience.
  • Support can be slow and frustrating based on tests, so you might find it challenging to reach customer service representatives promptly or encounter delays in resolving issues.
  • You can only have one active session per account, so you can’t have your desktop program and mobile app running simultaneously, making for a sometimes frustrating trading experience.
Awards
  • Best Cryptocurrency Trading Platform 2022 - Finder
  • Education Materials/Program 2022 - Investment Trends
  • Best Copy Trading Platform 2021 - Ultimate Fintech Awards
  • Best Multi-Asset Trading Platform 2021 - Ultimate Fintech Awards
  • Best Stockbroker 2021 - Ultimate Fintech Awards
  • Best Social Trading Platform 2019 - ADVFN International Financial Awards
FCA Regulated
Yes Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, ETFs, Smart Portfolios, Commodities, Futures, Crypto, NFTs Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$50 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
$10 $100
Regulator
FCA, ASIC, CySEC, FSA, FSRA, MFSA FCA, SEC, FINRA, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
Trading App

eToro bring their social trading platform to your mobile, enabling you to copy trades, manage your account and invest via Android or iOS. Trade the key forex pairs from the palm of your hand.

The IBKR Mobile app, available on both iOS and Android devices, makes your phone a powerful gateway to your IBKR accounts, offering you the freedom to keep an eye on portfolios, initiate trades, and dive into real-time quotes and charts, all while managing your account activities on the fly. This app stands out for its intuitive design, making it especially welcoming for those just starting their trading journey, providing a smoother and more accessible experience than the more complex TWS platform.

iOS App Rating
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4.8
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3.4
Android App Rating
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4
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4.6
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
1% 1.55 - 2.59%
MetaTrader 4
No No
MetaTrader 5
No No
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No Yes
OmniTrader
No Yes
TradingView
No No
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No Yes
Trading Central
Yes Yes
STP Account
Yes Yes
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No Yes
MAM Account
No Yes
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
Yes Yes
Robo Advisor
No Yes
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
Yes No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Auto Trading
Automate your trades via CopyTrader - follow profitable traders. Open and close trades automatically when they do. Capitalise.ai & TWS API
Copy Trading
Yes No
Copy Trading Platform
eToro continues to deliver one of the best proprietary copy trading platforms on the market, at no additional cost for eToro clients. The web-based platform features a user-friendly and interactive layout and also comes with a community chat, making it a stand-out choice for beginners.
Social Trading
Yes No
Trade Signals
Yes
VPS Hosting
No No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
Yes Yes
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$10 $0
Islamic Account
Yes No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • INR
  • JPY
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • HUF
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Oil
  • Copper
  • Cotton
  • Coffee
  • Livestock
  • Wheat
  • Precious Metals
  • Platinum
  • Gasoline
  • Cocoa
  • Sugar
  • Palladium
  • Corn
  • Aluminium
  • Soybeans
  • Nickel
  • Lead
  • Iron
  • Lithium
  • Cannabis
  • Natural Gas
  • Orange Juice
  • Zinc
  • Gold
  • Zinc
  • Aluminium
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Lead
  • Precious Metals
CFD
You can trade CFDs on over 3,000 assets and access rich market data through the integrated TradingView charts. There are also comprehensive free learning tools available for beginners via the eToro Academy, including dedicated CFD trading courses and guides. Over 8,000 CFDs are offered on a vast array of instruments, encompassing stocks, indices, forex, and commodities. Moreover, the TWS platform lends itself to seasoned traders, offering a comprehensive selection of over 100 order types and algorithms, alongside premium market data sourced from reputable sources such as Reuters and Dow Jones.
Leverage
1:30 1:50
FTSE Spread
1.5 0.005% (£1 Min)
GBPUSD Spread<
1.9 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Oil Spread
0.05 0.25-0.85
Stocks Spread
0.57 (Apple) 0.003
Forex
An above-average selection of 55 currencies are available with reasonable spreads averaging 0.9 pips on EUR/USD during peak hours. Aspiring traders can continuously hone their forex strategies by switching between demo mode and their live account any time, with full access to the broker's 100+ technical indicators. IBKR presents an extensive range of over 100 major, minor, and exotic forex pairs, surpassing the offerings of nearly all leading alternatives, though not CMC Markets. Forex trading occurs over multiple platforms and boasts institutional-grade spreads starting from 0.1 pips and 20 complex order types, including brackets, scale, and one-cancels-all (OCA) orders.
Assets
55 100+
GBPUSD Spread
1.9 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURUSD Spread
0.9 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURGBP Spread
1.3 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Currency Indices
  • USD
Cryptocurrency
eToro leads the way in cryptocurrency trading, offering competitive spreads and a fixed 1% commission, plus their own wallet service. The broker offers a vast list of tokens which is continually being updated. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. IBKR lets you purchase and hold Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin at competitive commission rates and without needing a crypto wallet. Additionally, there is a range of other diverse assets to explore, such as crypto indices like the NYSE Bitcoin Index, as well as futures contracts like the BAKKT Bitcoin Futures.
Spread
BTC 1% 0.12%-0.18%
Coins
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • BCH
  • XRP
  • DASH
  • LTC
  • ETC
  • API3
  • CRO
  • SKL
  • IMX
  • ADA
  • MIOTA
  • XLM
  • EOS
  • NEO
  • TRX
  • ZEC
  • BNB
  • XTZ
  • DOT
  • MKR
  • COMP
  • LINK
  • UNI
  • YFI
  • DOGE
  • AAVE
  • FIL
  • ALGO
  • ATOM
  • MANA
  • APE
  • LRC
  • ENJ
  • BICO
  • BAT
  • BNT
  • OGN
  • MATIC
  • FLR
  • GALA
  • ALICE
  • CHZ
  • HBAR
  • DYDX
  • SOL
  • THETA
  • FTM
  • GRT
  • 1INCH
  • CRV
  • ANKR
  • OXT
  • REN
  • SNX
  • STORJ
  • ZRX
  • CELO
  • SUSHI
  • QNT
  • BAL
  • FET
  • SHIBxM
  • AMP
  • AXS
  • SGB
  • CTSI
  • ENS
  • UMA
  • LUNC
  • FTT
  • SRM
  • LPT
  • KNC
  • ARB
  • RNDR
  • OP
  • LDO
  • BTC
  • LTC
  • ETH
  • XRP
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
eToro Interactive Brokers
76% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading with this provider. eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
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