eToro vs. Plus500 – Which is Best in 2024?

eToro and Plus500 are popular trading platforms supporting multiple asset classes, including stocks, ETFs, forex, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. But which platform is the best option in 2024?

This eToro vs Plus500 comparison takes a deep dive, revealing which platform stands out for fees, markets, safety, payments, and other important factors. Read on to make an informed decision.

eToro vs. Plus500 – Our Verdict

Overall, eToro and Plus500 share many characteristics. They both support thousands of financial markets and offer leverage to eligible clients. Both are heavily regulated and provide a safe trading experience. What’s more, eToro and Plus500 ensure seamless payments, with support for debit/credit cards, bank transfers, and e-wallets.

Now for the differences.

While both platforms support retail CFD accounts, only eToro offers ‘real’ assets. This means eToro clients can directly invest in stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies. eToro also offers a more beginner-friendly experience and lower deposit minimums.

That said, Plus500 offers fee-free payments. This isn’t always the case at eToro, as some currencies incur an FX charge. Plus500 falls short in the passive investing department, while eToro offers copy trading and professionally managed portfolios.

In terms of trading fees, Plus500 offers commission-free trading on all supported markets. eToro offers commission-free access to stocks and ETFs in most countries, as well as spread-only trading on CFDs. However, eToro charges a hefty commission of 1% on cryptocurrencies.

Key Takeaways:

  • Both eToro and Plus500 are safe, reputable, and regulated trading platforms.
  • eToro is the best option for investing in traditional assets like stocks and ETFs and accessing passive trading tools.
  • Plus500 might be preferred by active day traders seeking 0% commissions on all supported markets.

eToro Plus500
Licensing FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), ASIC (Australia), FINRA (US) FCA (UK), CySEC (EU), FSA (Seychelles), FMA (New Zealand), MAS (Singapore), EFSA (Estonia)
Asset Classes Real: Stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies

CFDs: Stocks, ETFs, indices, cryptocurrencies, forex, commodities

CFDs: Stocks, ETFs, indices, cryptocurrencies, forex, commodities, options
No. of Tradable Instruments 6,000+ 2,800+
Copy Trading? Yes No
Demo Account? Yes Yes
Min. Deposit From $50 $100
Established Since 2007 2008
Mobile App? Yes Yes

Tradable Assets

eToro: 9/10

Plus500: 7/10

eToro and Plus500 support over 6,000 and 2,800 tradable markets, respectively. However, only eToro supports real investments, covering stocks and ETFs from multiple global exchanges. eToro also supports real cryptocurrency investments. This includes Bitcoin and some of the best altcoins, like Ethereum, Uniswap, and Litecoin.

eToro markets

CFDs can be traded at both eToro and Plus500, covering stocks, ETFs, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Plus500 also supports options. UK traders can also access spread betting markets at Plus500. This covers the same asset classes as its CFD department.

eToro Plus500
Real Assets Stocks, ETFs, Cryptocurrencies No
Stock CFDs Yes Yes
ETF CFDs Yes Yes
Indices CFDs Yes Yes
Forex CFDs Yes Yes
Commodity CFDs Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency CFDs Yes Yes
Options CFDs No Yes

eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and crypto assets, as well as trading CFDs. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.

eToro Fees vs. Plus500 Fees

eToro: 8/10

Plus500: 9/10

The next section of this comparison between eToro and Plus500 will discuss trading and non-trading fees.

Trading Fees

All eToro clients get 0% commission on real ETF investments. Most clients get commission-free access to stocks, with some exceptions. Clients from Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Australia, and New Zealand pay $2 when buying stocks listed in Australia, Hong Kong, and Dubai.

Other exchanges attract commissions of $1-2 depending on the country of residence. eToro charges commissions of 1% when trading the best cryptocurrencies. CFD markets can be traded on a spread-only basis. Spreads start from 1 pip when trading major forex pairs like EUR/USD.

Plus500 offers 0% commissions on all tradable markets. Spreads on EUR/USD are dynamic, currently at 1.3 pips. This makes Plus500 slightly more expensive in real terms. Note that both eToro and Plus500 charge overnight fees when carrying CFD positions until the next day. This varies depending on the financing rates and position size.

CFDs EUR/USD Spread Real Stocks/ETFs Real Cryptocurrencies
eToro Trading Fees Spread-only From 1 Pip 0% commission for most clients. Up to $2 for certain nationalities. 1%
Plus500 Trading Fees 0% commission Currently 1.3 Pips N/A N/A

Non-Trading Fees

eToro offers free deposits when using USD, EUR, or GBP. Withdrawals in USD cost $5, while EUR and GBP are free. Payments in other currencies can incur an FX fee. This varies depending on the currency.

eToro also charges an inactivity fee of $10 per month. This kicks in after 12 months of inactivity. Plus500 offers free deposits and withdrawals. However, it charges an inactivity fee of $10 per month. This is levied after just three months of inactivity.

Deposits Withdrawals Inactivity Fee
eToro Non-Trading Fees USD/EUR/GBP are free. Other currencies incur an FX fee EUR/GBP are free. USD costs $5. Other currencies incur an FX fee $10 (after 12 months)
Plus500 Non-Trading Fees Free Free $10 (after 3 months)

Trading Tools & Features

eToro: 9/10

Plus500: 6/10

eToro wins hands down in the trading tools and features department. Read on to discover what’s available on both platforms.

Copy Trading

eToro is one of the best copy trading platforms. This feature offers a passive investing experience. Users choose from thousands of verified traders, and their positions are automatically mirrored.

eToro copy trading

Traders are executed at proportionate amounts. For example, suppose the copied trader risks 2% of their balance on a GBP/USD position. The eToro client invested $1,000 in that trader, so they automatically risk $20.

No copy trading tools exist on Plus500.

Smart Portfolios

Another automated tool on eToro is smart portfolios. These are pre-built portfolios based on the user’s risk tolerance and goals. Alternatively, eToro clients can pick smart portfolios based on specific investment niches, such as dividend or utility stocks.

No automated portfolios exist on Plus500.

Leverage and Short-Selling

Both eToro and Plus500 offer CFDs, meaning leverage is supported. The maximum leverage limit depends on the client’s country of residence and the respective asset.

For example, traders from the EU, UK, and Australia can perform forex trading on major pairs with leverage of up to 1:30. They can also do 1:20 when trading minor/exotic forex pairs and gold.

Native Trading Platforms

Both eToro and Plus500 have created native trading platforms that are accessible on desktop browsers and iOS/Android apps. Both online trading platforms support charts and technical indicators.

eToro’s platform is geared more toward beginners. While Plus500 is better suited for intermediate-to-advanced traders.

Social Features

eToro is also a social trading platform. It enables clients to share trading ideas and insights in a public setting, with ‘likes’ and ‘comments’ supported.

This is a great way to gauge broader market sentiment from millions of eToro users. Plus500 offers sentiment bars but no social trading features.

Staking

eToro is one of the best crypto staking platforms. It enables users to stake Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, and TRON when buying these coins on its platform.

Up to 90% of the staking rewards are retained by eToro clients, although this depends on the account tier. Plus500 doesn’t offer real cryptocurrencies, and thus, staking isn’t supported.

Demo Accounts

Our eToro vs. Plus500 comparison found that both platforms offer a free demo account. This works the same as the main account but with paper funds instead of real money.

Plus500 demo account

Both demo accounts can be used indefinitely, and balances can be replenished at any time. Some basic personal information is needed to access the demo account. However, neither KYC documents nor deposits are needed.

User Experience

eToro: 9/10

Plus500: 8/10

We enjoyed a smooth user experience when testing eToro and Plus500. It took less than five minutes to register an account and complete KYC on both platforms. Depositing funds was also seamless; we simply needed to choose our preferred payment method and meet the minimum deposit requirement.

Plus500 user experience

Searching for assets and markets is also a breeze. Both platforms categorize trading markets by asset class, such as forex, stocks, or commodities. Further filters are offered, such as the stock exchange or commodity type.

Plus500 user experience

That said, we found that eToro’s user experience is slightly more geared toward novice traders. Its trading suite is cleaner and easy to navigate, too. Plus500 clients will find more analysis tools and order types, so prior experience is advised.

Mobile Apps

eToro: 9/10

Plus500: 9/10

eToro mobile app

eToro and Plus500 both have a strong case as two of the best stock trading apps. Both offer a native application for iOS and Android, which connect to the client’s web account. This ensures traders can access the markets at any time, no matter where they are.

Plus500 mobile app

We found both platforms have done a good job in optimizing their apps, so both score equally. However, we again stress that eToro is designed for beginners and Plus500 for more experienced traders.

Payment Options & Minimum Deposit

eToro: 8/10

Plus500: 9/10

Payments should also be considered when choosing between eToro or Plus500. Both platforms accept the most common payment methods, including debit/credit cards and bank transfers. A selection of e-wallets, including PayPal and Skrill, are also supported.

Unlike Plus500, eToro also accepts local payment methods, such as Przelewy 24 (Poland) and iDEAL (Netherlands). Most deposit methods are processed instantly. The exception is bank transfers, which can take several days.

Minimum deposits at eToro depend on the region. Most nationalities must make a first-time deposit of $50. However, in some countries, this can go up to $10,000. Plus500 has a minimum deposit requirement of $100 no matter where the client is based.

Payment Methods Deposit Fees Withdrawal Fees Min. Deposit
Processing Times
eToro Debit/credit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, local methods in selected countries USD/EUR/GBP are free. Other currencies incur an FX fee EUR/GBP are free. USD costs $5. Other currencies incur an FX fee From $50 Within 2 days
Plus500 Debit/credit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers Free Free $100 Within 1-3 days

Customer Service

eToro: 7/10

Plus500: 9/10

The eToro support team only works between 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM EST, Monday to Friday. This means clients can’t access a representative over the weekend.

Although eToro has a live chat feature, this is only available to registered users who are logged in. Those without an account must submit a contact form. Replies are, however, often fast. But delays can occur during busy periods.

Plus500 live chat

Plus500 offers 24/7 customer support via live chat, regardless of whether the user has an account. Plus500 also offers support via WhatsApp.

Support Working Hours Live Chat? Email? Telephone? WhatsApp?
eToro 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM EST, Monday to Friday Yes, but only for registered users who are logged in Yes No No
Plus500 24/7 Yes Yes No Yes

Regulation & Security

eToro: 9/10

Plus500: 9/10

eToro and Plus500 score highly in the safety department. Both operate in a heavily regulated environment and hold multiple licenses.

eToro Licenses:

  • FCA (UK)
  • CySEC (Cyprus)
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • FINRA (US)

Plus500 Licenses:

  • FCA (UK)
  • CySEC (EU)
  • FSA (Seychelles)
  • FMA (New Zealand)
  • MAS (Singapore)
  • EFSA (Estonia)

eToro and Plus500 also support investor protection schemes in certain jurisdictions. For example, both platforms are members of the UK’s FSCS, which protects UK clients up to £85,000 in the event of a brokerage collapse. However, not all countries have protections in place, so it’s wise to check before proceeding.

We should also note that Plus500 is a public company on the London Stock Exchange. This provides increased transparency via quarterly financial reports. eToro is also planning to go public, although no specific date has been set.

Conclusion

We’ve explored everything there is to know when making a Plus500 vs. eToro comparison. Plus500 is a good option for intermediate-to-advanced traders seeking 0% commissions across thousands of markets.

eToro is the better all-rounder, especially for beginners. Unlike Plus500, eToro supports CFD trading and real asset trading, including stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies. eToro also offers automated investing tools like copy trading and smart portfolios.

If you still want to compare other platforms with eToro, check out our eToro vs. Trading 212 article.

eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and crypto assets, as well as trading CFDs. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.

FAQs

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Kane Pepi
Editor
Kane Pepi
Editor

Kane Pepi is an accomplished financial and cryptocurrency writer who has an extensive portfolio of over 2,000 articles, guides, and market insights. With his expertise in specialized subjects such as asset valuation and analysis, portfolio management, and financial crime prevention, Kane has built a reputation for providing clear explanations of complex financial topics. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Finance and a Master's Degree in Financial Crime, and is currently pursuing his Doctorate degree, which focuses on investigating the complexities of money laundering in the cryptocurrency and blockchain technology sectors. Kane's wealth of knowledge and experience in the field make…