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.
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.
Assuming a £30,000 portfolio size, here are the total annual costs for share dealing with both brokers, given different monthly activity scenarios.
5 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Barclays would cost £105 per year.
12 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £147 per year.
36 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £291 per year.
120 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £795 per year.
3 fund trades per year - eToro would cost $50 per year, while Barclays would cost £0 per year.
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.
For UK investors comparing the trading options between eToro and Barclays, it's clear that each platform caters to different interests. eToro provides share trading, crypto trading, ETF trading, and CFD trading, making it an appealing choice for those keen on diving into the digital currencies and derivatives markets. Rated at 4.5 stars out of 5 by UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro places 15th out of 21 brokers for investment choices. It's a solid match for those who enjoy exploring diverse online trading platforms but does not support trading in funds, bonds, or investment trusts.
Conversely, Barclays excels in offering traditional financial products like funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Although it does not provide crypto or CFD trading, Barclays supports share trading and ETF trading. Alongside its array of investment choices, Barclays includes advisor services, offering guidance for investors seeking expert insights. Rated 5 stars and ranked 9th out of 21 for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com, Barclays is ideal for those who prefer a more comprehensive range of conventional investment products backed by professional advice.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
When comparing eToro and Barclays for market research features, UK investors have distinct options based on their needs. Barclays excels in providing comprehensive research reports for various investment vehicles including funds and bonds, offering valuable insights for those interested in these areas. eToro, by contrast, does not provide funds and bonds research but shines in areas like CFDs, a market absent from Barclays' offerings. Both platforms enable investors to examine shares and ETFs, as well as view portfolio allocation by asset class, ensuring a thorough analysis of their investments. Ultimately, Barclays offers a traditional approach with extensive fund and bond research, while eToro caters more to those exploring CFDs.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No |
| 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
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| Overall Rating |
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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 | |
| 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 | No | |
| 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) | £0 | £105 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £75 or £147 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £75 or £291 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £75 or £795 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £75 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | £0 - £525 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | £525 - £650 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £650 - £850 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £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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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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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 | Yes | No | |
| 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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