Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs eToro, 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, IG 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 - IG would cost £0 per year, while eToro would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while eToro would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while eToro would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while eToro would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while eToro 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.
For UK investors seeking online trading platforms, both IG and eToro offer a variety of investment options, each catering to different preferences. IG provides access to share trading, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), contracts for difference (CFDs), and investment trusts. However, IG does not support crypto trading, spread betting, or trading in funds and bonds. In contrast, eToro matches IG with share trading, ETF access, and CFD offerings but shines by including cryptocurrency trading, albeit without investment trusts or bond trading options. Both platforms steer clear of spread betting and direct fund trading, maintaining advisor-free services.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, IG and eToro both achieve a commendable 4.5-star rating for investment choices. However, IG holds a slightly higher position, ranking 11th among 21 brokers, while eToro follows at 15th. This comparison highlights IG’s advantage in investment trust offerings against eToro's unique provision of cryptocurrency trading, enabling different strategies for UK traders depending on their investment focus.
| Feature |
IG
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK traders considering online brokers, both IG and eToro come with unique strengths in their trading tools. IG stands out by offering the ability to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, a feature that eToro currently does not provide. While IG includes 19 drawing tools for charting, eToro significantly increases charting versatility with 56 options. Additionally, for technical analysts, eToro offers an impressive 106 technical indicators compared to IG's 33.
When it comes to customization, both platforms allow users to add notes to charts. However, eToro provides the extra capability to overlay indices and stocks onto charts, a feature IG lacks. Both brokers ensure seamless access via browser-based trading platforms and deliver the convenience of real-time market data. Moreover, investors can set up stock price alerts on both platforms, keeping them informed on critical price movements. Each platform has its distinct features, suiting different preferences and trading styles.
| Feature |
IG
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 106 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 56 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
For UK investors seeking suitable online brokers with retirement account options, both IG and eToro offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), which allow for tax-efficient savings. However, for those interested in Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), only IG provides this option, offering clients more flexibility in managing their pension funds. eToro does not currently offer SIPP accounts, potentially narrowing retirement planning choices for users. Overall, IG presents a broader range of retirement investments compared to eToro, catering to diverse needs with both ISA and SIPP accounts available.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors seeking reliable mobile trading platforms, both IG and eToro provide excellent options with dedicated apps for iPhone and Android users. UK.StockBrokers.com rates both IG and eToro mobile apps with an impressive 5 stars, reflecting their quality and user satisfaction. However, when it comes to ranking among 21 brokers for mobile app effectiveness, IG takes the spotlight, securing the 2nd position, while eToro holds a respectable 5th place. This makes IG a slightly more appealing choice for traders prioritizing mobile app performance.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the educational resources for beginner investors, IG and eToro stand out in different ways. IG shines by offering educational client webinars that can be accessed live and later on demand, covering share trading and retirement topics. In contrast, eToro does not provide webinars but does offer share trading education, though it lacks content on retirement. Both platforms do not cover education for funds. When considering ratings, IG leads with a 5-star rating and a #1 ranking out of 21 brokers on UK.StockBrokers.com, while eToro trails closely with a 4.5-star rating and an 11th place ranking. Overall, IG appears to offer more comprehensive educational resources for beginners in the UK.
| Feature |
IG
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing IG and eToro for market research capabilities, UK investors will find some distinct differences between the two online brokers. IG stands out with its provision of research reports for funds, an area where eToro does not offer support. On the other hand, eToro enables users to view their portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available with IG. Both platforms provide research for shares, ETFs, and CFDs, but neither offers research for bonds or funds. This trade-off between advanced research reports from IG and the detailed portfolio insights from eToro is crucial for investors when deciding which platform aligns with their investing needs.
| Feature |
IG
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, IG or eToro? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found IG to be a better trading platform overall.
IG is an investment platform aimed at experienced investors looking to make frequent trades on the stock market, with thousands of shares, trusts and ETFs to trade. It offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use trading platform that is used by both private and professional investors.
| Feature |
IG
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eToro
|
|---|---|---|
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While IG does not offer crypto trading, eToro provides an accessible platform for users to engage in cryptocurrency trading.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | eToro | |
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| Review | IG Review | eToro Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Funds | No | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | $50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | £0 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 / £96 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 - £8 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 - £8 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | eToro | |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 106 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 56 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | No | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
| Education | IG | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | IG | eToro | |
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| Review | IG Review | eToro Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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