Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com vs eToro, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
FOREX.com, established in 1999, is a well-regarded online broker known for its strong regulatory standing. It holds an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses, underscoring its reputation for high trust, as evidenced by its perfect Trust Score rating of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. While not a bank, this broker is publicly traded, offering added transparency and investor confidence.
Founded in 2007, eToro is also a notable player in the online trading space with a good regulatory background. It has secured three Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a solid level of trust, and carries an admirable ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 96. Like FOREX.com, eToro is publicly traded but does not operate as a bank. Both brokers assure traders of a reliable trading environment with their regulated status.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When it comes to evaluating commissions and fees, FOREX.com offers a variety of execution methods and account types, with transparent execution statistics. While FOREX.com is a top market maker choice, it is slightly more expensive compared to the industry average, especially in the U.S. For instance, its Standard account, available to MetaTrader clients, features high spreads, averaging 1.4 pips on the EUR/USD. Meanwhile, the newly launched RAW Spread account provides lower spreads, averaging 0.13 pips, but includes a commission. This account also offers volume-based rebates for active traders, ranging from $2 to $9 per million, depending on the trading volume. With six volume tiers, FOREX.com's active trading incentives can be appealing, although unless you trade more than $50 million monthly, costs are similar to their Standard account.
eToro, another market-maker broker, lists a typical spread of 1 pip on the EUR/USD, which is slightly above the industry average. However, traders often choose eToro for its robust social copy trading platform rather than its competitive spreads. eToro offers a VIP club with five membership tiers ranging from Silver to Diamond, requiring balances from $5,000 to $250,000. VIP members enjoy exclusive benefits, such as access to Trading Central, reduced withdrawal and deposit fees, and dedicated account managers.
Both brokers boast a solid reputation, with FOREX.com scoring 4.5 stars and ranking 13th out of 63 brokers for commissions and fees according to ForexBrokers.com. Similarly, eToro also earned a 4.5-star rating but ranked slightly lower at 22nd on the same list. While FOREX.com may appeal to active traders seeking structured rebates, eToro might attract those interested in enriched trading experiences through its VIP benefits and social trading features.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50-$10,000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FOREX.com and eToro both offer a broad selection of investment options, including forex trading available as CFDs and spot contracts. FOREX.com provides access to an impressive 5500 tradeable symbols and offers 80 forex pairs, while eToro presents a comparable 5461 tradeable symbols and 55 forex pairs. However, eToro has the upper hand in terms of exchange-traded securities, allowing clients to buy actual shares on both U.S. and international exchanges. On the other hand, FOREX.com does not offer this feature.
When it comes to cryptocurrency, eToro stands out again by offering the ability to purchase actual cryptocurrencies alongside derivatives. FOREX.com only provides cryptocurrency derivatives. Moreover, eToro supports copy trading, a feature not available with FOREX.com. Despite these differences, both platforms are highly rated with five stars each for their range of investments. FOREX.com ranks slightly higher in industry ratings, positioned at #7 compared to eToro at #10 for investment range, according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 5461 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 55 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When considering online trading platforms, both FOREX.com and eToro offer their own rich set of trading tools and resources. FOREX.com provides a proprietary platform along with support for popular software like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, catering to varying levels of trader expertise. By contrast, eToro boasts its own in-house developed platform with a focus on user experience, though it does not support MetaTrader integrations. Both platforms offer virtual demo accounts to practice trading risk-free, and they are both accessible via web browsers. However, FOREX.com extends its offerings with a downloadable Windows-based platform, enhancing convenience for desktop users.
In terms of unique features, eToro shines with its copy trading capability, a favored feature for users interested in mimicking successful trades. FOREX.com, meanwhile, stands out with more sophisticated charting capabilities, with 239 drawing tools and the ability to trade directly from stock charts, compared to eToro's 161 drawing tools and lack of direct chart trading functionality. Additionally, FOREX.com equips its users with 20 fields for watchlist customization, in contrast to eToro's 6. Overall, while both brokers are highly rated, FOREX.com scores slightly higher with a perfect rating for trading platforms and tools, whereas eToro is not far behind with an impressive 4.5 stars. Despite their close competition, FOREX.com is ranked #7 compared to eToro's #8 in trading tools by ForexBrokers.com, indicating a slight edge in this aspect for FOREX.com.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 104 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 161 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 20 | 6 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of FOREX.com and eToro, both platforms offer comprehensive tools for trading on the go. Available on both iPhone and Android, these apps provide stock and forex price alerts and support watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring that any modifications made to watchlists are consistently updated across all devices. While eToro slightly edges out FOREX.com in terms of technical studies for charting—offering 104 compared to FOREX.com’s 88—FOREX.com provides users with the capability to draw trendlines on charts, a feature that is absent from eToro's app. Furthermore, only FOREX.com’s app supports auto-saving of chart drawings, which could be a nice bonus for meticulous traders.
Both apps allow for the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes and support viewing multiple chart timeframes such as daily, weekly, or intraday. Despite these similarities, users have rated FOREX.com’s app more highly, awarding it 5 stars compared to eToro’s 4.5 stars. Reflecting this rating, FOREX.com is ranked third out of 63 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category by ForexBrokers.com, whereas eToro holds the tenth spot. Whether you prioritize advanced charting features or mobile app ratings, both platforms offer reliable tools tailored to meet the needs of modern traders.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both FOREX.com and eToro offer comprehensive market research features, making them appealing choices for traders seeking insights. Each platform provides daily market commentary and an economic calendar to keep traders informed of important events and updates. While FOREX.com and eToro both utilize Trading Central for technical analysis, only FOREX.com offers forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, giving it an edge in news coverage. Conversely, eToro partners with TipRanks to offer unique market research, which FOREX.com does not provide.
In terms of sentiment analysis tools, both brokers provide resources that reveal trading sentiment across various currency pairs. However, neither platform offers research tools from Acuity Trading or uses Autochartist for technical analysis. Both brokers are rated 4.5 stars for their research capabilities, though FOREX.com holds a slightly higher ranking, coming in at 9th place out of 63 brokers, compared to eToro’s 13th place. This marginal difference may matter to traders who prioritize top-tier news access and higher-ranked research offerings.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing educational resources for beginners between FOREX.com and eToro, both brokers provide a wealth of learning materials, making them excellent choices for starting your trading journey. Each platform ensures access to over ten articles, videos, or archived webinars dedicated to forex or CFDs education. In addition, both brokers host client webinars monthly to keep users updated and engaged with the latest market insights. Notably, the ability to access and search through archives of previously recorded webinars is available on each platform, enhancing the learning experience by allowing users to replay and review essential content at their leisure.
For those new to trading, FOREX.com and eToro cater to beginners with at least ten introductory videos specifically tailored to cover fundamental trading topics. This focus on novice traders ensures a smoother transition into the trading world. Likewise, both platforms extend their educational generosity to seasoned traders by offering at least ten advanced educational videos. To cap it off, each broker provides an investor dictionary with definitions for over 50 investing terms, deepening users' understanding of essential concepts. With both platforms earning 4.5 stars for their education offerings, FOREX.com holds a slight edge in its ranking position at fourth place as opposed to eToro's fifth position in the education category evaluated by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that FOREX.com is better than eToro. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #5, while eToro finished with an overall rank of #9.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 |
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Unlike FOREX.com, which only offers cryptocurrency derivatives, eToro provides the capability to buy actual, delivered cryptocurrencies in addition to derivatives.
Both FOREX.com and eToro provide multiple deposit and withdrawal options, including ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, with the key distinction that eToro also supports Skrill, whereas FOREX.com does not.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | FOREX.com | eToro | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | eToro Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | eToro | |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2007 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 5461 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $50-$10,000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 20 | 6 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 104 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 161 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FOREX.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | FOREX.com Review | eToro Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | eToro | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | eToro Review |
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