In this guide

  • Our verdict
  • Details
    • Share trading details
    • Forex details
    • CFD details
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Your reviews
  • Ask a question
Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own.
eToro
4.4
★★★★★
Finder score
Go to site

CFD service. Your capital is at risk.

Standard brokerage fee
US$2
Available markets
ASX, NASDAQ, NYSE
Support
Email

Our verdict

We look at the fees, features, pros and cons of one of the world's biggest online trading platforms.

eToro has something that will appeal to most investors. For those starting their investing journey, eToro’s ease of use, educational resources and copy-trading platform will help you learn how to trade markets while taking some of the complexity out of trading.

It's also one of the cheapest brokers around. According to Finder's research, it was the first broker to offer $0 brokerage on Australian stocks without any caveats (but no longer does so). The broker also allows you to trade in most of the world and it has incredibly cheap trading fees for US and global stocks.

If you're looking for a platform that's easy to use and offers a mix of stocks, ETFs, crypto and thematic portfolios, this could be the one for you. On the downside, your account will be based in US dollars. It's also more targeted towards active traders over long-term passive investors as you can also trade contracts for difference (CFDs) and forex, which are riskier financial products.

Pros

  • US$2 commissions on ASX and global stocks
  • Low minimums
  • Fractional shares
  • Copy-trading feature
  • Trade 16 markets around the world
  • A single account for stocks, forex, CFDs and cryptocurrency

Cons

  • Account base currency always in US dollars
  • Offers CFDs and other riskier products
  • No MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
  • Forex trading fees higher than some others

In this guide

  • Our verdict
  • Details
    • Share trading details
    • Forex details
    • CFD details
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Your reviews
  • Ask a question

While there are plenty of global online brokers, eToro's big drawcard is its social trading feature that allows you to copy the actions taken by the platform's leading traders.

Although targeted towards more active traders, the fact that you can learn from others and share investment ideas makes this platform a solid option for anyone looking to master their skills in stock, forex, commodities and cryptocurrency trading.

Details

Share trading details

Type of broker Online only
ASX products Shares, Exchange traded funds
Available markets ASX, NASDAQ, NYSE
Standard brokerage fee US$2
Support Email
Go to site
More Info

Forex details

Type of broker Online
Available markets 55 global currency pairs
Minimum Spreads for Major Currencies 1.0 pips
Commission $0
Minimum opening balance US$200
Minimum Trade Size US$200 (to CopyTrade)
Leverage 1:1 to 30:1
Platforms eToro Trading Platform
Support Email
More Info

CFD details

Type of broker Online
Available CFD markets Forex, Shares, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, ETFs
Commission - ASX 200 Shares No commission
Minimum Opening Deposit US$50
Minimum trade size 0.01 lot
Platforms eToro Trading Platform
Support Email
More Info

What do Australians think of eToro share trading platform?

  • 4.06/5 overall for Customer Satisfaction — lower than the average of 4.18
  • 4.02/5 for Trust — lower than the average of 4.55, and this was the lowest score in the category
  • 4.09/5 for Customer Service — lower than the average of 4.11

Based on eToro share trading platform scores in Finder's 2024 Customer Satisfaction Awards.

About eToro

Fees

★★★★★ 4.5/5

eToro offers zero commission trades on stocks from Australia (til August), the US and other global exchanges, including Hong Kong and the UK.
Trading tools

★★★★★ 4/5

It has a lot of trading tools, including copy trading, stop-loss orders, social features and the ability to use leverage.
Research and education

★★★★★ 5/5

There's a bunch of educational content available through eToro's Investing Academy, plus you can practice your trade strategy through the online demo account.
Available securities

★★★★★ 4/5

You can trade stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, and forex CFDs via eToro.
Customer support

★★★★★ 2.0/5

While it's not always easy to contact eToro over the phone, it does offer a live chat option through the platform.
Available countries

★★★★★ 4.5/5

eToro offers 16 markets, including the ASX, US, UK, Hong Kong, France and Germany. That being said, it doesn't offer the full range of equities in each market.
To learn how our star ratings are calculated, read the methodology here.

eToro is a social network of stocks, CFDs, commodities and forex trading that came out of Tel Aviv back in 2006. In the years since, the broker has become a global powerhouse spreading across 140 countries around the world.

The platform made a name for itself through a few nods to retail investors. Its claim to fame is its popular copy-trading feature, which allows users to track and imitate the actions of the platform's top traders. It also offers cheap brokerage and educational resources, plus it lets you trade a number of financial products all in one place.

If you're looking for more than just a standard forex or CFD broker, then the social trading elements outlined in this review could be for you.

Is eToro safe?

eToro is regulated by a host of financial authorities including the US, Europe and Australia. In Australia, it's licensed by the Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC) under the trading name eToro AUS Capital Pty Ltd.

Among popular user review sites, feedback has been mixed. On the complaints side, reviewers primarily point to the withdrawal fees, spreads and poor online customer service. The positive reviews highlight eToro's user-friendly platform and OpenBook feature that allows users to share live trading news and ideas with one another.

Ratings from review sites:

  • Forex Peace Army: 2*/5
  • AU Trustpilot: 2.5*/5
  • ForexBrokers.com: 4*/5

Note: Forex and CFD trading always carry risks, which you should be aware of, so read up before you start investing. Do your research before signing up to any forex or CFD trading platform.

What markets can I trade with eToro?

  • ASX stocks. Buy and sell Australian stocks with US$2 brokerage.
  • US stocks. Directly buy and sell US stocks listed on the NYSE and Nasdaq.
  • European stocks. Trade stocks from Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Paris, Stockholm and Zurich.
  • Forex. Currencies are traded on eToro as CFDs and you have 47 forex currency pairs to choose from.
  • Stock CFDs. eToro gives you the option of trading a number of global share market CFDs.
  • Indices. Stock market indices allow you to trade a basket of companies, such as the top 500 US stocks in the S&P 500.
  • Commodities. You can trade silver, gold, copper, palladium, platinum, natural gas and oil CFDs.
  • Cryptocurrencies. eToro allows you to trade cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or Ethereum.

eToro highlights

Here are the notable account features worth highlighting:

  • US$2 brokerage. There's a small broker fee (commission) when you trade stocks, including in Australia.
  • Copy trading. You can follow the trading activity of other users and imitate their trades if they have a good track record. The trading decisions made by eToro users are uploaded to the eToro network, where you can view them in different statistical ways.
  • Market data and news. eToro's platform connects you with users around the world so you can discuss, share and learn market ideas and trading strategies. Its Twitter-like news feature on the OpenBook platform offers live user updates on which trades your peers are making and the markets they are keeping an eye on. You also have access to training courses, research papers and price data.
  • Access to markets. From a single account, you can trade US stocks, global forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies and CFDs through any web browser or mobile phone (iOS and Android).
  • Risk management. You can choose your desired risk level and the amount you wish to invest with each trade with mandatory stop-loss levels. This allows you to tailor each trade to suit your risk/reward strategy.
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Who is eToro designed for?

eToro has users across most of the world. It is a platform designed around its social and active traders, with its features favouring them.

eToro's fees make it appealing to pretty much anyone as it offers US$2 commission in a number of countries including Australia. Passive investors might also enjoy the social features that will copy the best traders on eToro's platform.

What are eToro's spreads and fees?

eToro now charges US$2 on normal stock trades. It may also charge foreign exchange spreads and fees.

  • Deposit fees. There is no fee to deposit money into your account.
  • Currency conversion fee: eToro users trade in US dollars, so Australians will need to pay a currency conversion fee when they deposit and withdraw AUD onto and from the account. The fee you get charged depends on what method you use to transfer funds. To make things a bit more confusing, you get charged in pips. Pips is a term most often used in forex trading - for the sake of simplicity, 100 pips means you'll get charged a 1% fee.
    • Bank transfer: 150 pips (1.5%) to deposit, 150 pips to withdraw
    • Debit / Credit card: 150 pips (1.5%) to deposit, 150 pips to withdraw
    • PayPal, Neteller, Skrill: 150 pips (1.5%) to deposit, 150 pips to withdraw
  • Withdrawal fees. The same currency conversion fee applies again to withdraw funds. You can withdraw your funds at any time, but the minimum you can withdraw is AUD30 and there is a AUD5 withdrawal fee. You can withdraw funds using a credit card (1–2 days), PayPal (1–2 days) or bank transfer (up to 8 days).
  • Inactivity fee. If there has been no log in for 12 months, eToro charges an inactivity fee of US$10 per month until any remaining funds are removed. No open positions will be closed to cover this and the fee will stop once a user logs in.
  • Forex trading spreads: eToro doesn't have the lowest forex spreads on the market for forex traders, starting at 1.0 pips for AUD/USD and running as high as 50.0 pips for exotic currency pairings.

Currency conversion example: Say you want to transfer $100 AUD onto eToro using a bank transfer (50 pips). You would be charged $0.50 cents AUD. Since at some point you'll also need to withdraw your funds, you'll be charged another 50 pips (0.5%) plus a withdraw fee of US$5.

Take a look at the eToro app

Picture not described

eToro's app store reviews

Google Play app reviews3.7/5 stars based on 140,000+ reviews
Apple App Store app reviews3.6/5 stars based on 2,200+ reviews

Stocks versus CFD stocks

eToro's platform is unique from most others in Australia's market because you can trade CFDs and stocks from a single account, so it's important to understand the difference.

When you trade stocks, you own the underlying asset and your profits can only be equal to the price rise of the stock. This also means you can't lose more than your initial investment.

CFDs are risky leveraged products that allow you to speculate on the price movements of stocks and other assets such as cryptocurrencies and commodities without ever owning them. Because they're leveraged, both your profits and losses are magnified and you can lose more than your initial investment.

On eToro's platform, you have a choice of adding leverage when you trade stocks. If you choose 1x leverage, you're buying the real stock and you'll see the message, "You are buying the underlying asset."

If you choose to add leverage above 1x, you'll automatically switch to CFD trading as you can see in the image below:

Picture not described

Trading real stocks on eToro.

Picture not described

CFD trading on eToro.

Account comparison

When you sign up to eToro, you have the option of opening a retail account or a professional account. Below is a comparison of the fees, minimum deposits and spreads.

RetailProfessional
Minimum opening balanceUS$50US$200
SpreadsFrom 1.0 pipsFrom 1.0 pips
Commission per lotN/A$7
Leverage1:1–30:11:1–400:1
Minimum trade sizeUS$10 (For share trading)US$10 (For share trading)

What customer support options are available from eToro?

If you have a question about your account, eToro has a help section on the platform. You'll see a live chat option but this isn't available for Australian users at this stage.

You can also learn more about trading forex and CFDs through the eToro Trading Academy. It offers webinars, an ecourse, trading tips and a dedicated education centre.

Support options:

  • Trading Academy
  • Email
  • No phone service
  • No live chat available in Australia yet

How do I open an eToro Australia account?

It's free and easy to create an eToro account. Simply apply online by clicking the "Go to site" button at the top of this article and follow these steps:

  • Supply your full name.
  • Enter your email address and phone number.
  • Create a username and password.
  • Supply proof of ID and tax file number.

To satisfy financial service regulations, you'll need to answer a few questions about how much experience you have trading stocks and other products such as CFDs as well as a short quiz that you'll need to pass to qualify for an account.

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ARSN 637 489 466, promoted by eToro AUS Capital Pty Ltd AFSL 491139. Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Frequently asked questions

This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of futures, stocks, ETFs, CFDs, options or any specific provider, service or offering. It should not be relied upon as investment advice or construed as providing recommendations of any kind. Futures, stocks, ETFs and options trading involves substantial risk of loss and therefore are not appropriate for all investors. Trading CFDs and forex on leverage comes with a higher risk of losing money rapidly. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before making any trades. Read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) for the product on the provider's website.

Your reviews

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Kylie Finder

Investments analyst

Hi there, looking for more information? Ask us a question.

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Avatar

Glenn

September 02, 2023

does eToro give traders access to all ASX listed stocks


Avatar

Kylie Purcell Finder

September 04, 2023

Hi Glenn, no eToro does not give direct access to all ASX stocks and it also does not offer ASX-listed ETFs. At current, eToro offers around 120 ASX-listed companies.


Avatar

john

August 02, 2023

1) I want to invest from Australia in one US stock Tesla and hold say for a few years and not trade up and down with the market. What is the best platform to use with good currency exchange fees.

2) Say the stock I purchase goes up in value, and I don’t cash out but keep the stock unsold, do I pay tax on the stock price gain if I don’t sell?


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Avatar

Kylie Purcell Finder

August 23, 2023

Hi John, I can’t give personal financial advice here or recommend a platform, so speaking generally here:

1) Long-term investors that make less than a few trades a year are typically suited to a trading platform that does not charge an inactivity fee. Inactivity fees (sometimes called custody fees, account fees or platform fees) are any type of fee charged by your broker if you don’t make a minimum number of trades or login after a certain period of time. This may be charged monthly, quarterly or annually. You can check out some of our recommended platforms here, as these include both foreign exchange fee and inactivity fee details: https://www.finder.com.au/best-online-share-trading-platforms

2) You only need to pay tax on any profits you make once you’ve sold the shares. More details here: https://www.finder.com.au/share-trading/share-trading-ato


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Jan

February 22, 2023

Hi Kylie,

If I open a trading account with eToro, will I be able to trade us ETFS like UNG?

Cheers Jan


Avatar

Sarah Megginson Finder

April 06, 2023

Hi Jan,


eToro offers both investing in ETFs as the underlying asset, as well as trading them as CFDs. They currently offer access to 300+ ETFs.


Hope this helps!


Avatar

Jaicingh

January 09, 2018

Hi

I am having trouble logging I to my account even tried to reset my password ,

Is the system down.

Please advice.


Avatar

Rench Finder

January 10, 2018

Hi Jaicingh,


Thanks for your inquiry. Please note that we are not affiliated with eToro or any company we feature on our site and so we can only offer you general advice.


Please visit eToro official site and contact them directly to report an issue with your log in details.


Best regards,

Rench


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Bob R

December 14, 2017

I want to buy 1000 ripple and hold them for an indefinite then sell at some future time.

How much do I have to deposit in my account (Australian dollars). They are currently 60cents US.

What will be the purchase fees? Sales fees? Are there any other applicable fees?


Avatar

Ash Munoz

December 21, 2017

Hello Bob,


Thank you for visiting Finder.


If you wish to buy and sell Ripple in Australian Dollars (AUD), you can directly go to Coinspot. According to their website, if you will buy 1000 XRP (Ripple), you will be paying $1257.69 (AUD) which already includes 2-3% of the total transaction. The value of Cryptocurrencies differs/ changes from time to time so it will be better to visit the exchange where you will be making the transaction to check for their current rate.


Other fees and charges can be found on our review page as it explains how you can buy/ sell through Coinspot.


I hope this helps.


Let us know if there is anything else that we may assist you with.


Cheers,

Ash


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