eToro Review

eToro is a beginner-friendly day trading broker known for its user-friendly platform, social trading features, and wide selection of assets. It’s particularly suitable for casual traders, long-term investors, and anyone curious about copying professional traders.

Key Strengths

• Zero-commission stock and ETF trading in most regions
• CopyTrader lets you replicate top traders’ moves
• Low minimum deposit ($50 globally, $10 in UK/US)
• Fast, fully digital account setup
• Mobile app rated 4.9/5 with 2FA and biometric login

Weaknesses

• $5 withdrawal fee
• 1% fee on crypto trades
• High forex spreads and CFD costs
• Only USD accounts (currency conversion applies)
• €10/month inactivity fee after 12 months
• Customer support is limited for high-volume traders

Trading Costs

Product	Fees / Spreads
Stocks & ETFs	0% commission (some countries: $1–2)
Forex (EUR/USD)	~1.0 pip spread
CFDs (S&P 500)	$0.15 spread
Crypto	1% fee + market spread
Withdrawal	$5 fixed fee
Currency exchange	Applies to all deposits/withdrawals
Inactivity	$10/month after 12 months

Available Assets

eToro offers a wide and diverse selection of assets, making it suitable for both day traders and long-term investors. One of its key strengths is the ability to trade real assets and CFDs from a single interface—without switching platforms.

• Stocks (3,200+ from 17 exchanges)
• ETFs, Crypto, Forex, Commodities, Indices
• CFDs and leverage on most products
• Smart Portfolios for thematic investing

Stocks

Users can trade over 3,200 real stocks from 17 global exchanges, including major listings in the U.S., UK, Germany, France, and Hong Kong. Stock trading is commission-free in most countries, though small per-trade fees may apply in some regions (e.g. €1–€2 in parts of Europe).

For day traders, the availability of liquid U.S. stocks like Apple, Tesla, and Amazon makes eToro a strong contender, though high-speed execution and order customisation are more limited compared to professional trading platforms.

ETFs

eToro supports dozens of popular ETFs, such as SPY, QQQ, and sector-based funds. These are available for both long-term investing and CFD-based trading with leverage, depending on the user’s selection and location.

Forex

Major currency pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and USD/JPY are available via CFDs with leverage up to 1:30 for retail clients. Spreads are higher than on forex-specialised platforms, averaging around 1.0–1.5 pips.

Crypto

eToro provides access to real cryptocurrency trading (not just CFDs), including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, and dozens of others. Traders can buy and hold actual tokens or use crypto CFDs with 1:2 leverage. Crypto comes with a flat 1% trading fee plus market spread.

Commodities and Indices

Through CFDs, users can trade gold, silver, oil, and indices like S&P 500, NASDAQ, DAX, and FTSE 100. While spreads are wider than on pro platforms, the simplicity and asset coverage benefit casual day traders.

Smart Portfolios

eToro’s Smart Portfolios (formerly CopyPortfolios) allow users to invest in pre-built baskets of assets based on themes like tech stocks, renewable energy, or crypto. These are ideal for passive strategies, but not built for fast day trading.

Leverage

Retail clients can use leverage on all CFDs within EU limits (e.g. 1:30 on forex, 1:5 on stocks, 1:2 on crypto). Leverage settings can be manually adjusted on each trade for risk control.

Platform & Usability

eToro is designed with simplicity in mind. The platform prioritizes ease of use over complex technical setups, making it ideal for beginner traders or those who prefer an intuitive interface over customization.

• Web-based platform: Clean, beginner-focused
• Mobile app: Extremely fast, intuitive, secure
• CopyTrader: Browse and follow other traders, set risk controls
• No options trading in Germany

Web Platform

eToro’s browser-based platform runs without the need for downloads or plugins. The dashboard is clean and focuses on key metrics: portfolio balance, open positions, and asset watchlists. Traders can access price charts, news feeds, and sentiment data in one place.

While the platform includes technical indicators (RSI, MACD, Bollinger Bands, etc.), it lacks the depth and configurability found on professional terminals like MetaTrader or TradingView. This limits its appeal for traders relying on multi-chart layouts or custom scripting.

Order types are also simplified:

• Market orders
• Limit orders
• Stop-loss and take-profit
• Trailing stop (on CFDs only)

Execution is solid for casual trading, but latency-sensitive strategies like scalping are not ideal on eToro.

Mobile App

The mobile app is one of eToro’s strongest features. Rated 4.9/5 in most app stores, it supports full functionality: trade execution, deposits/withdrawals, price alerts, CopyTrader, and two-factor authentication via Face ID or SMS.

Performance is smooth even during high-volatility periods, and interface elements are optimized for gesture-based navigation. It’s particularly well-suited for users who want to manage trades or monitor markets while on the move.

CopyTrader

A unique feature, CopyTrader allows users to browse and follow thousands of verified traders. Once copied, trades are mirrored in real time, proportionally to your selected investment amount. It’s a hands-off way to build exposure to active trading without making manual decisions.

Advanced traders can also apply to become “Popular Investors” and earn a commission when others copy them.

Usability Summary

• Excellent for beginners and casual traders
• Limited for professional traders needing depth
• Strong mobile experience
• Social trading integrated natively
• Minimal learning curve, but fewer pro tools

Regulation & Safety

eToro operates under a multi-jurisdictional structure and is considered a well-regulated and legitimate broker. It holds licenses across several major regions and complies with investor protection standards for retail clients in Germany and the EU.

• Regulated by: CySEC, FCA, ASIC
• Publicly listed on NASDAQ
• Negative balance protection
• No bank-level parent company (no bailout guarantee)

Although headquartered in Israel, eToro’s EU clients—including those in Germany—fall under eToro (Europe) Ltd., supervised by CySEC and compliant with BaFin reporting obligations.

Account Protection

• Negative balance protection: Ensures clients cannot lose more than their deposit
• Segregated client funds: Client money is held separately from broker operating funds
• Investor Compensation Fund (ICF): In case of broker insolvency, eligible clients may claim up to €20,000 under CySEC’s protection scheme

Note: eToro is not a bank, and funds are not protected under German deposit insurance (Einlagensicherung). However, USD balances in the U.S. may be eligible for FDIC insurance via partnered custodians, up to $250,000.

Security Measures

• Two-factor authentication (2FA) available for all accounts
• Encrypted platform access, with regular security audits
• Strong compliance standards, particularly around KYC/AML rules

eToro’s regulatory structure and safety protocols make it a secure choice for retail day traders—though it’s important to note that investor protection is capped, and no system guarantees profits or shields from market risk.

Who It’s Best For

Best for:

• New traders who want to learn by copying others
• Investors looking for a low-entry social trading experience
• Users prioritizing mobile usability over complex charting tools

Not ideal for:

• Those looking to avoid all non-trading fees
• High-frequency traders needing advanced platforms
• Traders wanting EUR-denominated accounts