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 comparing eToro and Vanguard UK Investor, the choice comes down to what you want to buy. eToro offers share dealing, ETFs, crypto, CFDs and investment trusts, but it doesn’t provide funds, corporate bonds, gilts or adviser services. Vanguard UK Investor focuses on ETFs and Vanguard funds with adviser support, but it doesn’t offer share dealing, crypto, CFDs, investment trusts or bond trading.
According to UK.StockBrokers.com, eToro earns 4.5/5 stars for investment choices and ranks 15th out of 21 brokers, while Vanguard UK Investor scores 3.5/5 and ranks 18th. Choose eToro if you want to trade shares, ETFs, crypto or CFDs; pick Vanguard if you prefer funds and guidance.
| 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 | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
eToro vs Vanguard UK Investor for trading tools: both lack corporate events on charts and chart notes. eToro offers 9 drawing tools and 106 technical indicators, plus index and stock overlays; Vanguard UK Investor has no drawing tools, no indicators, and no overlays.
Both have a browser-based platform, but eToro also provides price alerts and real-time market data, while Vanguard UK Investor does not. For UK investors who want richer charting and timely alerts, eToro offers far more capability, whereas Vanguard’s charting is very basic.
| Feature |
eToro
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Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 9 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | 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.
For UK beginners comparing eToro and Vanguard UK Investor: neither offers client webinars or on-demand replays. eToro provides education on share trading, while Vanguard focuses on funds and retirement but not share trading. UK.StockBrokers.com rates eToro 5/5 (ranked 11th of 21) and Vanguard 3.5/5 (ranked 17th). Choose eToro for share trading lessons, or Vanguard UK Investor if you want to learn about funds and retirement.
| Feature |
eToro
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| 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 | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| 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 | N/A | £48 - £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £375 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £0 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | N/A | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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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 | 9 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | 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 | No |
| Overall Summary | eToro | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | eToro Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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