Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs Bestinvest, 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, eToro offers better pricing than Bestinvest 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 Bestinvest would cost £144.75 per year.
12 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £119.40 - £179.40 per year.
36 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £238.20 - £357.60 per year.
120 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £654 - £714 per year.
3 fund trades per year - eToro would cost $50 per year, while Bestinvest would cost £50 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.
eToro and Bestinvest both offer a robust array of investment options for online traders, but they cater to different preferences. eToro is appealing to those interested in dynamic and modern asset classes, allowing trading in shares, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, and CFDs. Meanwhile, Bestinvest is tailored towards traditional investors, offering trading in shares, ETFs, funds, and investment trusts, alongside advisor services for those seeking professional guidance.
For UK investors evaluating these platforms based on their investment choices, both eToro and Bestinvest receive an impressive 4.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com. However, eToro is notably ranked as the #9 broker out of 18 brokers reviewed, whereas Bestinvest's ranking is not specified. With this combination of offerings and ratings, investors can confidently choose the platform that best meets their investment style and goals.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When it comes to the digital tools that support online trading, eToro and Bestinvest both offer features that cater to different trader needs. Both platforms support the addition of notes and stock overlays to charts and provide browser-based trading platforms with the capability to create price alerts. However, eToro stands out with its more robust suite of charting tools, offering 56 drawing tools compared to Bestinvest's 9, and 106 technical indicators against Bestinvest's 36. Additionally, eToro includes the feature to add index overlays and provides real-time market data, whereas Bestinvest does not.
Despite the capability to add notes to charts on both platforms, neither eToro nor Bestinvest currently offer the feature to display corporate events such as earnings or dividends directly on charts. Traders prioritizing advanced charting tools and real-time data may find eToro more suited to their needs, while Bestinvest still provides a solid platform for those requiring essential charting capabilities with fundamental features. As each broker caters to various levels and styles of trading, understanding these differences can help users make informed decisions tailored to their specific trading strategies.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 36 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 56 | 9 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing online brokers eToro and Bestinvest for retirement accounts, it's clear each has its strengths. Both eToro and Bestinvest provide ISA accounts, offering tax-efficient investment solutions for saving towards retirement or other financial goals. However, if you're specifically interested in a SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) to boost your retirement savings, Bestinvest has the edge by offering this account type, while eToro does not. This makes Bestinvest a more comprehensive choice for those seeking both ISAs and SIPPs under one roof.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing their mobile offerings, both eToro and Bestinvest provide apps for iPhone and Android devices, ensuring accessibility for users on these popular platforms. However, eToro's mobile app clearly stands out with a stellar 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, making it one of the top contenders as it ranks 5th out of 18 brokers for mobile app excellence. On the other hand, Bestinvest's app holds a more modest 3.5-star rating, with no specific ranking provided by UK.StockBrokers.com, indicating room for improvement. Whether you're a casual user or a seasoned trader, eToro's highly-rated mobile app may offer a more polished and user-friendly experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner investors, eToro and Bestinvest offer distinct advantages. Bestinvest excels in providing educational client webinars and archives them for on-demand viewing, whereas eToro lacks this offering. Both platforms cover the topic of share trading; however, Bestinvest goes further by also addressing education on funds and retirement, which eToro does not. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro is rated 4.5 stars and ranks tenth among 18 brokers for beginner education, while Bestinvest boasts a perfect 5-star rating. Though Bestinvest's ranking among brokers isn't specified, its comprehensive educational offerings make it a strong contender for novice investors seeking a broad learning experience.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of online broker eToro with Bestinvest, there are several differences and similarities worth noting. While Bestinvest provides comprehensive research reports for funds, eToro does not offer this feature. Both platforms allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, which provides insight into investment distribution. In terms of research offerings, both eToro and Bestinvest provide resources for shares and ETFs. However, only Bestinvest includes research for funds, whereas eToro specializes in CFDs research and excludes bonds research, a trait shared with Bestinvest as well. This comparison gives investors a clear view of each platform’s strengths in market research capabilities.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, eToro or Bestinvest? 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
|
Bestinvest
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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While eToro offers cryptocurrency trading options, Bestinvest does not provide this feature, making eToro a more suitable choice for investors seeking access to digital currencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | eToro | Bestinvest | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | eToro | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | No | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | eToro | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | £50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 - £4.95 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £144.75 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £119.40 - £179.40 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £238.20 - £357.60 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £654 - £714 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £60 or £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | Up to £500 or £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | £500 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £100 - £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £4.95 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £4.95 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £4.95 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £4.95 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £30 |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | eToro | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 36 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 56 | 9 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | eToro | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | eToro | Bestinvest | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | eToro Review | Bestinvest Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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