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.
Regulation
eToro vs Plus500: eToro was founded in 2007 and Plus500 in 2008. Both brokers are publicly traded and are not banks. According to ForexBrokers.com, eToro holds a Trust Score of 97/99 and Plus500 scores 99/99—ratings in the 90–99 range are considered highly trusted.
On regulation, eToro holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, while Plus500 holds 6 Tier-1 and 4 Tier-2 licenses. Tier-1 regulators are seen as highly trusted and Tier-2 as trusted at ForexBrokers.com, so Plus500 has a wider set of top-tier approvals, while both platforms sit in the high-trust bracket with public listings that support transparency.
| Feature | Visit Site | |
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded info | 2007 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) info | Yes | Yes |
| Bank info | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses info | 4 | 6 |
| Tier-2 Licenses info | 1 | 4 |
| Tier-3 Licenses info | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses info | 1 | 2 |
Fees
Comparing commissions and fees, both eToro and Plus500 sit slightly above the industry average on spreads. eToro, a market‑maker, lists a typical variable spread of 1 pip on EUR/USD, while Plus500 averaged 1.5 pips on EUR/USD in April 2024. For this category, eToro is rated 4 stars and ranked #22 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com; Plus500 is rated 4.0 stars and ranked #24 out of 63.
eToro’s pricing tends not to be the main draw for retail traders; its appeal is the social copy trading platform. For potential savings and perks, eToro offers the eToro Club, a five‑tier VIP program (Silver to Diamond) for account balances from $5,000 to $250,000. Benefits can include access to Trading Central, discounted deposit and withdrawal fees, and a dedicated account manager.
Plus500’s overall pricing is slightly above average and trails top brokers for active trader pricing. It doesn’t provide discounts to retail clients, but qualified Professional clients may receive cash rebates. If you value lower spreads alone, Plus500’s 1.5‑pip average on EUR/USD is higher than what many cost‑focused traders look for.
| Feature | Visit Site | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit info | $50-$10,000 | €50 info |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) – Standard account info | 1 | 1.3 info |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD – Active info | 1 | 1.3 info |
| Non-wire bank transfer info | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info | Yes | Yes |
Range of investments
eToro vs Plus500 on range of investments: eToro lists 7,441 tradeable symbols, while Plus500 offers about 5,500. Both support forex trading via CFDs or spot (availability can depend on your location). For currency traders, Plus500 edges ahead with 65 forex pairs versus eToro’s 55. Both brokers let you buy real, exchange-listed stocks on U.S. and international markets (think Apple and Vodafone), and both offer crypto CFDs. Only eToro lets you buy actual cryptocurrencies, and it also includes copy trading; Plus500 does not offer copy trading or direct crypto ownership.
Ratings reflect these differences: eToro earns 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, while Plus500 scores 4.5 stars and ranks #17. Choose eToro if you want the largest overall selection, copy trading, and the ability to own crypto. Pick Plus500 if your priority is access to a wider set of forex pairs within a large, CFD-focused lineup.
| Feature | Visit Site | |
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info | Yes | Yes info |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) info | 7441 | 5500 info |
| Forex Pairs (Total) info | 55 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) info | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading info | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info | Yes | Yes info |
| 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.
Trading platforms and tools
Comparing eToro vs Plus500 on trading platforms and tools: both brokers offer a free virtual demo account and run proprietary, in-house platforms that work in your web browser. Neither provides a Windows desktop download, and neither supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) or MetaTrader 5 (MT5). A key difference is copy trading—eToro offers it, while Plus500 does not. Another practical edge for eToro is the ability to place trades directly from charts; Plus500 doesn’t support chart-based order placement.
For quality, both earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. That said, ForexBrokers.com ranks eToro higher (#8 of 63) than Plus500 (#14 of 63). If you want copy trading and chart trading, eToro stands out. If you prefer a simple, web-only platform without MetaTrader, both eToro and Plus500 fit the bill.
| Feature | Visit Site | |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) info | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) info | No | No |
| Web Platform info | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading info | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info | No | No |
| Charting – Indicators / Studies (Total) info | 106 | 115 |
| Charting – Trade From Chart info | Yes | No |
Forex trading apps
eToro and Plus500 both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts and watchlist syncing so your symbols stay updated across devices. That means you can track stocks and forex on the go and get notified of key moves without missing a beat. For everyday use, both apps check the big boxes traders expect.
For charting, Plus500 offers 115 technical indicators while eToro provides 104. Both let you draw trendlines, though neither app auto-saves drawings. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, each app earned 4.5 stars; eToro ranks #10 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while Plus500 ranks #14. If you want a few more built-in indicators, Plus500 has the edge; if ranking matters, eToro comes out slightly ahead.
Market research
eToro and Plus500 both deliver daily market commentary, Trading Central tools, sentiment data that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions, and an easy-to-read economic calendar. Where they diverge is research depth: eToro adds forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones and includes TipRanks analyst insights. Plus500 does not offer those two extras. Neither broker provides Autochartist or Acuity Trading tools.
Both brokers earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for research, but eToro ranks higher at #13 of 63 brokers, while Plus500 sits at #17. Traders who value integrated premium news and TipRanks research may prefer eToro, whereas Plus500 can suit those who want core tools and daily commentary without the added news feeds.