Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs Halifax, 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 Halifax 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 Halifax would cost £83.50 per year.
12 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Halifax would cost £150 per year.
36 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Halifax would cost £378 per year.
120 trades per year - eToro would cost £0 per year, while Halifax would cost £1,176 per year.
3 fund trades per year - eToro would cost $50 per year, while Halifax 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.
When evaluating online brokers in the UK, eToro and Halifax present distinct investment options tailored to varying needs. eToro excels in providing opportunities for share and cryptocurrency trading, making it appealing to investors keen on accessing these modern and dynamic markets. Additionally, eToro supports trading of ETFs and CFDs, offering some flexibility in investment strategies without delving into more conventional options like funds or bonds. Backed by a rating of 4.5 stars for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro remains a strong contender, particularly for those seeking out innovative trading avenues.
In contrast, Halifax focuses on more traditional investment opportunities. While it does not cater to share or crypto trading, Halifax offers a broad array of choices, including funds, corporate and government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. It surpasses eToro with a 5-star rating for investment choices from UK.StockBrokers.com, reflecting its comprehensive offerings to more conservative or diversified investors. Furthermore, Halifax provides advisor services, distinguishing itself for those needing expert guidance in managing their portfolios. Ranked 7th out of 18 brokers for investment choices, Halifax is well-regarded among investors seeking stability and traditional financial products.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| 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.
For UK traders looking to enhance their online trading experience, eToro and Halifax present distinct features in their tool offerings. eToro shines with a rich collection of 56 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators, providing traders with extensive charting capabilities. Although both platforms lack the option to display corporate events on charts, eToro allows users to personalize their charts by adding notes, index overlays, and stock overlays, giving traders a more comprehensive analysis toolkit.
Both eToro and Halifax offer browser-based trading platforms and provide the ability to set up alerts for stock price updates. However, real-time market data is exclusive to eToro, offering traders the advantage of timely information. While Halifax offers a more basic platform without any drawing tools or technical indicators, eToro stands out for traders seeking deeper charting functionality and data features.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
For UK investors considering retirement accounts, both eToro and Halifax provide options suited to different needs. eToro offers Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing users to invest tax-efficiently in the stock market. However, eToro does not provide Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), which may limit those focusing on long-term retirement planning. On the other hand, Halifax offers both ISAs and SIPPs, giving investors more flexibility to manage their retirement savings and benefit from tax advantages across different account types. Choosing between the two platforms depends on your investment goals, whether they are focused on tax efficiency through an ISA or long-term growth with a SIPP.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors comparing online brokers, both eToro and Halifax offer iPhone and Android apps, but there are significant differences in their performance and user experience. eToro's mobile app stands out with a stellar 5-star rating on UK.StockBrokers.com, placing it at an impressive 5th out of 18 brokers for mobile app excellence. In contrast, Halifax's app receives a more modest 3.5-star rating, ranking it at 18th. This suggests that while both platforms provide mobile accessibility, eToro's app might offer a more satisfying trading experience for users seeking a top-tier mobile investing platform.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors exploring education resources from online brokers in the UK, eToro and Halifax present distinct offerings. Though neither platform hosts live or archived educational webinars, eToro shines with its share trading education, an area where Halifax lacks resources. Both brokers fall short in providing educational content on funds and retirement planning. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro receives an impressive 4.5-star rating for beginner education, ranking 11th out of 18 brokers, while Halifax trails with a 3.5-star rating and ranks last. Consequently, eToro emerges as the more favorable option for new investors seeking guidance in share trading.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | No | No |
| Education (Retirement) | No | No |
| Education |
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|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing eToro and Halifax for market research features, there are noteworthy distinctions that traders in the UK might consider. While both eToro and Halifax provide research for shares and ETFs, eToro stands out by offering insights into CFDs, a feature absent from Halifax. However, Halifax brings an advantage with its funds and bonds research, areas where eToro falls short. eToro users benefit from seeing their portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available with Halifax. Both platforms lack research reports for funds, making other features a crucial factor in choosing between these brokers for your investment needs.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, eToro or Halifax? 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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Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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eToro offers crypto trading, providing a comprehensive platform for trading digital currencies, whereas Halifax does not support crypto trading, focusing instead on traditional investment options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | eToro | Halifax | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | eToro | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £9.50 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £83.50 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £150 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £378 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £1,176 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | £64.50 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £36 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 | £36 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | £9.5 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | £9.5 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | Halifax | |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | eToro | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | eToro | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | No | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | eToro | Halifax | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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