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.
Your capital is at risk.
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.
For UK investors choosing between Interactive Investor and eToro, a closer look at their investment options reveals diverse offerings tailored to different needs. Interactive Investor stands out with a comprehensive selection, including share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds, and investment trusts. eToro, on the other hand, makes its mark with a focus on modern investment vehicles, offering share and ETF trading, along with crypto and CFD trading. However, those seeking access to traditional investment paths like funds and bonds might find Interactive Investor more appealing.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor earns an impressive 5-star rating for its investment choices, ranking third among 21 brokers for its range. eToro closely follows with a 4.5-star rating, ranking 15th, suggesting that while it provides excellent options, especially in newer markets like crypto, it might not cater as extensively to those interested in traditional bonds and funds. Both platforms offer strong trading opportunities, serving distinct investor profiles depending on one’s specific financial goals.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | ||
| Crypto Trading | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | ||
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Interactive Investor and eToro both cater to traders with a comprehensive suite of charting tools on their browser-based platforms, offering essential features like the display of corporate events and real-time market data. They allow users to add notes, index, and stock overlays directly on their charts, enhancing analysis and decision-making capabilities. Also, both platforms support price update alerts, keeping traders informed of the latest market movements.
While eToro excels in creativity with 56 drawing tools for charting compared to Interactive Investor's 18, Interactive Investor impresses with 104 technical indicators, only slightly fewer than eToro's 106. This makes both platforms versatile for traders seeking detailed technical analysis with varying preferences on charting tools. Whether you prioritize a greater variety of drawing tools or a broad set of indicators, both platforms offer reliable solutions for sophisticated trading.
| 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 | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
When comparing online brokers Interactive Investor and eToro for retirement account options, UK investors will find different offerings. Interactive Investor provides both ISA and SIPP accounts, catering to a wider range of retirement planning needs. On the other hand, eToro offers ISA accounts but does not provide SIPP accounts, which might limit options for those specifically seeking self-invested personal pensions. This difference is crucial for UK investors deciding on a platform that meets their comprehensive retirement investment goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Interactive Investor and eToro both offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, making it convenient for UK investors to manage their investments on the go. On UK.StockBrokers.com, Interactive Investor's app is rated at 4.5 stars and holds the 7th spot in a ranking of 21 brokers for mobile performance. Meanwhile, eToro's app is rated slightly higher at 5 stars, securing the 5th position in the same ranking. Hence, while both brokers provide accessible mobile platforms, eToro edges out slightly in user ratings for its app experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When exploring beginner investor educational resources, Interactive Investor and eToro offer differing experiences. Interactive Investor excels with educational webinars that can be accessed live or on demand, covering topics like share trading, funds, and retirement. In contrast, eToro does not provide webinars or cover fund and retirement education, although it does offer resources for share trading. Interactive Investor's commitment to comprehensive education is reflected in its rating, receiving 5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com and ranking 2nd out of 21 brokers. Meanwhile, eToro is rated 4.5 stars and sits at the 11th spot, pointing to a slightly less in-depth educational offering for beginners.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing Interactive Investor and eToro for their market research features, both platforms provide valuable resources that cater to different investor needs. Interactive Investor stands out by offering comprehensive research reports for funds, shares, ETFs, and bonds, providing investors with a thorough understanding of these assets. It also allows users to easily view portfolio allocation by asset class. On the other hand, eToro excels in providing CFDs research and likewise allows investors to view their portfolio allocation by asset class. While both platforms offer research for shares and ETFs, Interactive Investor has a clear advantage for fund and bond research, making it well-suited for those seeking detailed insights in these areas. eToro’s strengths lie in its CFD research, offering specialized information for those interested in this type of trading.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | |
| 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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| Charges & Fees |
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Comparing online brokers, Interactive Investor does not offer crypto trading, while eToro provides the ability to trade 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 | ||
| Share Trading | Yes | 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 |
| 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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| 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 | ||
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Investor | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | ||
| Research - Funds | Yes | ||
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | ||
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | ||
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Investor | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | ||
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars | Yes | ||
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Investor | eToro | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | eToro Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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