Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs Barclays, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Your capital is at risk.
Alongside the cost per trade, most UK online brokers also charge a monthly, quarterly, or annual management fee, which varies based on the account type and balance. Based on our thorough review, Barclays offers better pricing than eToro for share dealing.
What type of trader are you?
New to the world of investing? See our picks for the Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners. More experienced traders should read our guide to the Best UK Trading Platforms for Active Traders.
eToro and Barclays both offer UK investors various pathways to grow their portfolios, yet their offerings differ significantly. eToro is a dynamic choice, granting access to share, crypto, ETF, and CFD trading, attracting those keen on diverse and modern trading options. In contrast, Barclays provides a more traditional approach, offering share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds, and investment trusts, making it a strong option for those looking for a wide range of classic investment products. However, Barclays does not provide crypto trading or CFDs, areas where eToro excels.
When considering the overall investment choices, Barclays edges ahead with a perfect 5-star rating, ranked 9th among 21 brokers by UK.StockBrokers.com. eToro isn't far behind with a commendable 4.5 stars despite a lower ranking of 15th in the same list. Moreover, Barclays offers advisor services which may appeal to investors seeking guidance, whereas eToro users benefit from a more self-directed trading environment. Choosing between these brokers depends on whether one prefers eToro's modern, tech-driven platform or Barclays' traditional, comprehensive suite of investment products.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When it comes to online trading tools, eToro significantly outshines Barclays. While both platforms provide a browser-based trading experience and the capability to set alerts for stock price updates, eToro goes several steps further. It offers a wide range of charting features, including 56 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators, alongside the ability to add notes, index overlays, and stock overlays to charts. In contrast, Barclays lacks these advanced charting functions, providing no drawing tools or technical indicators and not supporting notes or overlay additions.
Moreover, eToro provides real-time market data, which is crucial for timely decision-making, whereas Barclays does not offer this service. Neither platform currently supports displaying corporate events such as earnings reports or dividends on charts. For UK investors seeking comprehensive charting capabilities and real-time data, eToro presents a far more feature-rich choice compared to Barclays.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 56 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing online broker eToro to Barclays in terms of available retirement accounts for UK users, there are some key differences. Both eToro and Barclays offer ISA accounts, which provide a tax-efficient way to save and invest. However, if you're looking to contribute to a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), Barclays has you covered with their offering, while eToro does not provide SIPP accounts. This makes Barclays a more versatile choice for those seeking comprehensive retirement planning options alongside tax-efficient savings through ISAs. Consider your retirement planning needs when choosing between these two financial service providers.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors evaluating online trading platforms, the mobile app offerings from eToro and Barclays present notable differences. Both eToro and Barclays provide apps available for iPhone and Android users. However, when it comes to user satisfaction and functionality, eToro significantly outshines Barclays. Rated 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com for its mobile app, eToro boasts the 5th best app among 21 brokers. In contrast, Barclays' app received a 2.5-star rating and is positioned at the bottom of the ranking, at 21st. This comparison highlights eToro as a more user-friendly option for mobile trading enthusiasts.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing beginner investor educational resources at eToro and Barclays, both have their strengths for UK investors. Neither eToro nor Barclays hosts live educational webinars or offers archived sessions for on-demand learning. In terms of content, both platforms provide education on share trading, but Barclays goes further by offering guidance on funds and retirement, which eToro does not cover. Despite these differences, both brokers receive an equal rating of 4.5 stars for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com. In terms of ranking, Barclays edges out slightly, holding the 10th position compared to eToro's 11th out of 21 brokers. These rankings reflect their quality and accessibility for individuals starting in the investment world.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
For UK investors comparing market research features, eToro and Barclays cater to different needs. eToro provides insights into portfolio allocation by asset class and offers research on shares and ETFs, but it lacks reports on funds and bonds. In contrast, Barclays not only offers the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class but also provides comprehensive research across a wider range of assets, including shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds. This makes Barclays a more detailed option for those seeking in-depth information on various asset classes, while eToro offers straightforward insights ideal for those focused on shares and ETFs.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, eToro or Barclays? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found eToro to be a better trading platform overall.
eToro offers a wide range of assets and instruments and is well-known for its ‘social trading’ approach. It has among the lowest fees and best mobile app experiences of brokers we tested in the U.K., and offers a great starting point for those new to stock trading. Our analysis finds it better suited to short-term traders than long-term investors.
| Feature |
eToro
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Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Investment Choices |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Education |
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eToro stands out for crypto enthusiasts by offering cryptocurrency trading, whereas Barclays does not provide this option, making eToro a compelling choice for investors interested in digital assets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | eToro | Barclays | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | eToro | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | eToro | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £6 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | £0 | £0 - £525 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £525 - £650 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £650 - £850 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £850 and up | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £6 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £6 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £6 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £6 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | Barclays | |
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| Platforms & Tools | eToro | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 56 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | eToro | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | eToro | Barclays | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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