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 comparing eToro and Halifax for investment options, eToro stands out with its integration of share trading, crypto trading, ETF trading, and CFD trading, making it suitable for those looking for a wide range of modern and diverse investment opportunities. In contrast, Halifax provides share trading, ETF trading, as well as more traditional investment choices such as funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Halifax also offers advisor services, catering to investors who prefer professional guidance in their investment decisions.
eToro receives a commendable rating of 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com for its investment choices while ranking 15th out of 21 brokers. Halifax, on the other hand, achieves a perfect 5-star rating and is ranked 7th in the same list, reflecting its strong standing in providing comprehensive investment services. Whether you lean towards modern trading options or prefer traditional investment vehicles, both brokers offer distinct benefits suited to varying investor needs in the UK.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing eToro and Halifax for trading tools, eToro shines with a clear advantage. eToro offers features like displaying corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, allowing for a more comprehensive market analysis. Halifax, however, does not provide this capability. Chart enthusiasts will appreciate eToro’s 56 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators, providing a rich environment for detailed analysis. In contrast, Halifax does not offer any drawing tools or technical indicators, which may limit a trader's ability to analyze trends effectively.
eToro allows traders to add notes, and both index and stock overlays to their charts, enhancing the depth of analysis possible on their browser-based platform. While Halifax also offers a browser-based trading platform, it lacks these features. Both platforms provide the ability to create alerts for stock price updates, ensuring traders stay informed of market shifts. Real-time market data is available on eToro, offering immediate insights into market conditions, but it's unclear whether Halifax provides the same. This makes eToro a more powerful choice for traders seeking a dynamic and data-rich trading experience.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 56 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
When comparing online brokers like eToro and Halifax for UK retirement accounts, there are crucial differences to consider. Both eToro and Halifax offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), catering to those seeking tax-efficient savings options. However, only Halifax provides Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) accounts, making it a more suitable choice for individuals looking to diversify their retirement savings. eToro, while a strong contender for ISAs, does not currently offer a pension scheme equivalent to a SIPP, which might be a deciding factor based on your retirement planning needs.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both eToro and Halifax offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring you can manage your investments on the go. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro shines with a 5-star rating for its mobile app, placing it impressively at #5 out of 21 brokers evaluated. In contrast, Halifax's app receives a 3.5-star rating and ranks #18, suggesting room for improvement compared to eToro's higher user satisfaction and functionality.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK investors just starting out, eToro and Halifax offer different educational resources tailored for beginners. eToro stands out for its high-quality educational materials, securing a 4.5-star rating and ranking 11th out of 21 brokers by UK.StockBrokers.com in this category. While eToro provides comprehensive share trading education, it does not supply materials on funds or retirement. However, Halifax's offering is less detailed, lacking educational webinars and share trading resources, resulting in a 3.5-star rating and an 18th place ranking. Investors will find eToro's educational content more beneficial for beginning their investment journey.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | ||
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | ||
| Education (Retirement) | ||
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of online broker eToro to Halifax, it’s clear that each has its strengths. Both eToro and Halifax provide valuable research on shares and ETFs, ensuring investors can make informed decisions. However, when it comes to funds, Halifax stands out with its research capabilities, which eToro does not offer. Conversely, eToro offers detailed insights into portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature Halifax does not specify. For CFD enthusiasts, eToro is a go-to with dedicated research available, while Halifax focuses more on providing comprehensive research on bonds. Overall, each platform brings unique tools to the table, catering to different investor needs.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Halifax
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
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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| 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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While eToro provides a platform for crypto trading, Halifax does not offer this feature, making eToro a more comprehensive choice for those interested in cryptocurrency investments.
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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 | Yes | ||
| Share Trading | Yes | ||
| CFD Trading | Yes | ||
| Funds | Yes | ||
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | ||
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | ||
| Investment Trusts | Yes | ||
| Spread Betting | |||
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | 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 | ||
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | |||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | ||
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes |
| Research | eToro | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | |||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes |
| Education | eToro | Halifax | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | ||
| Education (Funds) | |||
| Education (Retirement) | |||
| Client Webinars | |||
| Client Webinars (Archived) |
| Overall Summary | eToro | Halifax | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Halifax Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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