Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs Plus500, 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.
eToro (founded 2007) and Plus500 (founded 2008) are both publicly traded online brokers and neither is a bank. According to ForexBrokers.com, eToro holds a Trust Score of 97/99 and Plus500 scores 99/99—both in the “highly trusted” 90–99 range (80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, under 59 not trusted).
On regulation, eToro holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, while Plus500 holds 7 Tier-1 and 4 Tier-2 licenses (Tier-1 is considered highly trusted and Tier-2 trusted by ForexBrokers.com). In short, Plus500 has a wider set of top-tier regulatory approvals, while eToro also provides extensive oversight through multiple Tier-1 regulators.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 7 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 4 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When comparing commissions and fees, eToro and Plus500 are both a bit more expensive than the cheapest brokers, but they appeal to traders for different reasons. eToro is a market-maker broker with a typical variable spread of 1 pip on EUR/USD, which is slightly above the industry average. Even so, many retail traders choose eToro less for low-cost trading and more for its social copy trading features. eToro earns 4 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #22 out of 36 brokers in this category.
Plus500 also comes in slightly above the industry average on pricing. Its EUR/USD spread averaged 1.5 pips in April 2024, which is higher than average and puts it behind top brokers for active trader pricing. Plus500 does not offer discounts for retail clients, though eligible Professional clients may qualify for cash rebates. Plus500 is rated 4.0 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #24 out of 36 brokers.
Overall, eToro has a slight edge over Plus500 on commissions and fees, but the gap is small. If lower spreads are your main priority, neither broker is the cheapest option; however, eToro may be more appealing if you also want copy trading tools, while Plus500 may suit traders who value straightforward pricing and platform simplicity.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | €50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1 | 1.3 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, eToro has the edge over Plus500. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and each offers 65 forex pairs, plus access to U.S. and international exchange-listed shares. However, eToro gives traders a wider overall selection, with 7,441 tradeable symbols compared with 5,500 at Plus500. That broader menu may appeal to investors who want more choice across markets.
eToro also stands out for features Plus500 does not offer, including copy trading and the ability to buy actual cryptocurrency instead of only crypto CFDs. Plus500 does offer crypto CFDs, but not direct crypto ownership. These differences help explain why eToro is rated 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranked #10 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #16.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 5500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, eToro and Plus500 both give traders a free virtual demo account, a web-based platform, and a proprietary platform built by the broker. Neither offers a Windows desktop download platform or support for MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5. Both are also rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, showing strong overall user satisfaction.
The main difference is that eToro includes copy trading and lets users place trades directly from a stock chart, which may appeal to beginners and traders who want to follow others’ strategies. Plus500 does not offer these features. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings for Trading Platforms and Tools, eToro places higher at #8 out of 36 brokers, while Plus500 ranks #14, giving eToro the edge in this category.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
eToro and Plus500 both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so traders can manage accounts on either platform from a phone or tablet. Each app also includes stock and forex price alerts, watchlist syncing between the mobile app and online account, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Neither app auto-saves chart drawings, so users will need to save changes manually.
When it comes to charting tools, Plus500 has a small edge with 115 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 104 for eToro. Still, both apps are highly rated, with each earning 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, eToro places higher at #10, while Plus500 comes in at #14.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 115 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, both eToro and Plus500 give traders daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long-versus-short positioning, and an economic calendar to track important global events. They also earn the same Research rating from ForexBrokers.com at 4.5 out of 5 stars, showing that each platform offers a solid set of tools for staying informed.
The main differences come down to the news and third-party research sources they include. eToro stands out for offering forex news from top-tier outlets like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus market research from TipRanks. Plus500 does not include those sources, but it does offer Trading Central tools, which eToro does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s Research rankings, eToro places higher at #12 out of 36 brokers, while Plus500 comes in at #16.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, both eToro and Plus500 give new traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers forex and CFD learning material, regular online client webinars, and at least 10 beginner and 10 advanced videos covering trading topics. Both are also rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education, so neither platform falls short on basic learning support.
The main difference is in how they are ranked overall. eToro places much higher for Education, coming in at #3 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 sits at #26. For beginners who want more guided learning options and a stronger overall education setup, eToro has the edge, even though Plus500 still provides a solid set of educational tools.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that eToro is better than Plus500. eToro finished with an overall rank of #9, while Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14.
eToro is a winner for its easy-to-use copy-trading platform, where traders can copy the trades of experienced investors – or receive exclusive perks for sharing their own trading strategies.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 99 |
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eToro vs Plus500: eToro lets you buy real, delivered cryptocurrency and trade crypto CFDs, while Plus500 offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not support purchasing actual coins.
Both eToro and Plus500 support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, but only eToro also offers ACH/SEPA transfers.
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 | eToro | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | Plus500 | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 97 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 7 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 4 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 5500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. |
| Cost | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1 | 1.3 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | €50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 115 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 115 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | eToro | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | eToro Review | Plus500 Review |
| Overall | eToro | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | Plus500 Review |
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