Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro vs Vanguard UK Investor, 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, eToro offers better pricing than Vanguard UK Investor for share dealing.
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 exploring online brokerage options, eToro and Vanguard UK Investor offer distinct investment choices catering to different needs. eToro provides a diverse array of trading options, including share and crypto trading, along with ETFs and CFDs. This versatility is reflected in eToro's rating of 4.5 stars for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com, where it ranks 15th out of 21 brokers. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor focuses more on ETFs and offers funds trading, while it does not provide share or crypto trading options. This narrower focus earns Vanguard a 3.5-star rating and an 18th place ranking for investment choices.
Each platform has its unique advantages depending on the investor's preferences in trading assets. Investors keen on traditional funds and ETFs might lean towards Vanguard, while those interested in a wider variety of trading options, including the burgeoning crypto market, may find eToro more appealing. Neither eToro nor Vanguard UK Investor offers spread betting, corporate or government bond trading, investment trusts, or advisor services, highlighting a shared focus on core investments with different strategic emphases.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No |
| Investment Trusts | No | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| 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 investors seeking advanced trading tools, eToro clearly surpasses Vanguard UK Investor in several aspects. While neither platform displays corporate events like earnings, splits, or dividends on charts, eToro provides a rich set of 56 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators for in-depth chart analysis, a stark contrast to Vanguard's lack of any chart drawing tools or technical indicators. Additionally, eToro allows users to enhance their charting experience with options to add notes, and overlay indices and stocks, which are features Vanguard UK Investor does not support.
When it comes to trading platforms, both eToro and Vanguard UK Investor deliver a browser-based experience, but eToro offers more dynamic functionalities. eToro provides the ability to create timely alerts for stock price updates, ensuring investors can act promptly, a feature absent in Vanguard UK Investor. Furthermore, eToro supplies real-time market data, offering up-to-the-minute financial information, while Vanguard leaves investors without this crucial live data feed.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| 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 |
When considering online brokers for retirement accounts in the UK, both eToro and Vanguard UK Investor offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing you to invest up to a certain limit each year with tax advantages. However, if you're looking for a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), Vanguard UK Investor has an edge as it offers SIPP accounts, which are designed to give you more control over your pension investments and can help build a retirement fund with tax benefits. In contrast, eToro does not provide SIPP accounts, potentially limiting those looking to diversify their retirement investment options. This distinction could be crucial for UK investors aiming to balance immediate tax relief with long-term retirement growth.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors seeking a mobile trading platform, both eToro and Vanguard UK Investor provide iPhone and Android apps, ensuring accessibility on the go. However, eToro's mobile app shines with a top-tier rating of 5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com and is ranked 5th out of 21 brokers, making it a preferred choice for seamless trading. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor's mobile app holds a 3.5-star rating and is positioned 19th, suggesting that while functional, it may not offer the same level of user satisfaction and features as eToro’s app.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing the beginner investor educational resources of eToro and Vanguard UK Investor, there are a few key differences to consider. eToro shines with a focus on share trading education, boasting a high rating of 4.5 stars and ranking 11th out of 21 brokers by UK.StockBrokers.com. However, eToro does not offer webinars or educational content on funds and retirement. Conversely, Vanguard UK Investor provides valuable educational content on funds and retirement, including archived webinars for on-demand viewing, but lacks material on share trading. It receives a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars and is ranked 17th in the same category. Ultimately, the choice between the two depends on your specific learning needs as a beginner investor in the UK.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of eToro and Vanguard UK Investor, there are noticeable differences to consider. eToro excels in providing research capabilities for shares and ETFs, offering users insights into these investment types. However, it falls short by not providing research reports for funds or bonds. Conversely, Vanguard UK Investor offers strong support for funds research, making it a great choice for those interested in understanding more about mutual funds. While both platforms allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class and provide ETF research, Vanguard UK does not offer research capabilities for shares or bonds. UK investors looking for a platform with comprehensive fund research might prefer Vanguard, while those interested in shares or a mix of ETFs may find eToro more suitable.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | No |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, eToro or Vanguard UK Investor? 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.
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eToro
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Vanguard UK Investor
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When comparing online brokers, eToro provides the advantage of offering cryptocurrency trading, unlike Vanguard UK Investor, which does not support crypto trading options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | eToro | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | eToro | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | No | |
| Investment Trusts | No | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | eToro | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | £500 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | N/A | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | £0 | Under £32,000: £48 / Over £32,000: 0.15% | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £375 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | 0.02% to 0.14% | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | eToro | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | eToro | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | eToro Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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