Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor 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, Interactive Investor 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 - Interactive Investor would cost £79.83 per year, while eToro would cost £0 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £107.76 per year, while eToro would cost £0 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £203.52 per year, while eToro would cost £0 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £538.68 per year, while eToro would cost £0 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Interactive Investor 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.
Interactive Investor and eToro each offer a variety of investment choices, catering to different types of investors in the UK. Interactive Investor excels in traditional investment options, providing share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts. It is highly regarded by UK.StockBrokers.com, receiving a 5-star rating and ranking third out of eighteen brokers for its extensive investment options. However, it does not support more modern investment formats such as cryptocurrency and CFD trading.
On the other hand, eToro is known for its modern and diverse investment portfolio, supporting share, ETF, crypto, and CFD trading. Though its offerings do not include funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, or investment trusts, eToro still achieves a commendable 4.5-star rating and holds the 15th position on UK.StockBrokers.com. While both platforms lack advisor services and spread betting, they offer distinct paths: Interactive Investor is well-suited for those focused on traditional investments, while eToro attracts investors interested in integrating traditional and contemporary formats like cryptocurrencies into their portfolios.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
For UK traders looking to compare online trading platforms, Interactive Investor and eToro both offer comprehensive features with notable differences. Interactive Investor excels by allowing corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends to be shown on charts, a feature currently not supported by eToro. However, when it comes to charting, eToro provides a wider variety of drawing tools, boasting 56 options compared to Interactive Investor’s 18. Both platforms are equally matched in terms of adding notes, as well as stock and index overlays to charts, and each delivers real-time market data through easy-to-use browser-based trading interfaces.
While Interactive Investor provides 104 technical indicators for chart enthusiasts, eToro slightly surpasses this with 106. Both brokers give users the capability to create alerts for stock price updates, ensuring that traders remain informed about market movements. Whether your focus is on the ability to visualise corporate events or access a broad range of charting tools, both Interactive Investor and eToro present reliable choices for traders in the UK.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 106 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 56 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
For UK investors seeking to manage their retirement funds, both Interactive Investor and eToro offer ISA accounts, providing tax-efficient ways to save for the future. However, Interactive Investor takes the lead in retirement planning by also offering SIPP accounts, allowing for greater flexibility and control over pension investments. In contrast, eToro does not currently provide SIPP accounts, making Interactive Investor a more comprehensive option for those looking to manage both ISAs and SIPPs under one platform.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing UK online brokers Interactive Investor and eToro in terms of their mobile app offerings, both platforms provide apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro's mobile app garners a top rating of 5 stars, positioning it as the 5th best out of 18 brokers. Meanwhile, Interactive Investor's app receives a commendable 4.5 stars, securing the 7th position in the same ranking. This indicates that while both brokers offer accessible and user-friendly mobile experiences, eToro's app slightly edges out Interactive Investor's in overall appeal and user satisfaction.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners seeking educational resources from online brokers, Interactive Investor and eToro present contrasting offerings. Interactive Investor excels in providing educational client webinars, which are also available on demand, covering a range of topics such as share trading, funds, and retirement. In contrast, eToro does not offer webinars but does provide share trading education, while lacking in fund and retirement insights. Rated 5 stars for beginner education by UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor stands out as the second-ranked broker among 18 reviewed, whereas eToro, with a 4.5-star rating, ranks eleventh. This comparison highlights Interactive Investor's commitment to comprehensive educational support for novice investors in the UK.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing Interactive Investor and eToro for market research features, UK investors will find notable differences. Interactive Investor provides a rich resource, offering research reports for funds alongside comprehensive insights into shares, ETFs, and bonds. Additionally, investors can view portfolio allocation by asset class, which is also available on eToro. However, eToro does not support fund research, focusing instead on shares, ETFs, and CFDs. While Interactive Investor caters to those interested in traditional asset classes like bonds and funds, eToro appeals to traders interested in CFDs. Both platforms offer valuable resources, but the choice will depend on the specific research needs of the investor.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Investor or eToro? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Investor to be a better trading platform overall.
The standout feature at Interactive Investor (ii) is its low flat-rate fees. Other investment platforms typically favour percentage fees for fund investing, although more brokers are now opting for flat fees. Our view is that Interactive Investor is a great platform for any investor, offering a wide range of investments for cheap prices on the whole.
| Feature |
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eToro
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While Interactive Investor does not provide options for cryptocurrency trading, eToro offers a comprehensive platform for trading a variety of cryptocurrencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | eToro | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | eToro Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | $50 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | £0 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.83 | £0 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £107.76 | £0 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £203.52 | £0 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £538.68 | £0 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £71.85 | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £59.88 - £143.88 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £143.88 | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £3.99 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | eToro | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Investor | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 106 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 56 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Investor | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Investor | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Investor | eToro | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | eToro Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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