eToro versus TradeStation
eToro continues to grow its 25M+ social trading base, offering its proprietary CopyTrader and CopyPortfolios. The in-house managed thematic investment portfolios cater to passive investors, while beginners benefit from the eToro Academy, eToro plus, and The Bull Club. Its latest cryptocurrency venture, an NFT fund, expands the eToro presence in this sector, meeting client demand.
TradeStation features its cutting-edge trading platform, which supports algorithmic trading, and API trading is also available. It also maintains a dedicated crypto trading app and an IPO trading platform. Retirement accounts, margin trading, and fully paid stock lending are also available. Beginner traders get a quality educational platform and market research.
We have conducted an in-depth review of eToro and TradeStation to determine which one presents the better overall choice and which traders will benefit the most at either broker.
- Features and Platforms
- Available Markets
- Typical Spreads and Fees
- Security and Trust
- eToro vs. TradeStation - Verdict
Features and Platforms
| Features & Platforms | eToro (visit site) | TradeStation (visit site) |
 |  | |
| Headquarter: | Israel | US |
Established : | 2007 | 1982 |
Retail Loss Rate: | Undisclosed | Undisclosed |
Regulation: | ||
Minimum Deposit: | $10 - $10,000 | $0 |
Demo Account: | ||
Managed Account: | ||
Islamic Account: | ||
Inactivity Fee | $10 monthly after 12 months | No |
Deposit Fee: | Third-Party | No |
Withdrawal Fee | Yes + Third-Party | Third-Party |
Funding Methods: | 10 | 3 |
MT4: | ||
MT5: | ||
cTrader: | ||
Proprietary Platform: | ||
Automated Trading: | ||
Social / Copy Trading: | ||
MT4/MT5 Add-ons: | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss: | ||
Negative Balance Protection: | ||
Bonuses and Promotions: | ||
Unique Feature One: | Large trading community | High-quality trade execution |
Unique Feature Two: | Copy-trading platform | Massive historical database |
Broker Offers: | *74% of retail CFD accounts lose money |
Noteworthy:
eToro offers commission-free direct share dealing, quality cryptocurrency trading tools, and plans an IPO. TradeStation pays up to 6% annual interest on eligible cryptocurrency assets.
Available Markets
| Available Markets | eToro | TradeStation |
| Currency Pairs: | ||
Cryptocurrency Pairs: | ||
Commodities and Metals: | ||
Indices: | ||
Equities: | ||
Bonds: | ||
ETFs: | ||
Options, Futures, and Synthetics: | ||
Maximum Retail Leverage: | 1:30 | 1:50 |
Maximum Pro Leverage: | Undisclosed | 1:50 |
eToro presents traders with more balance, but TradeStation has more quantity in its sector coverage. Forex trading is unavailable at TradeStation, but it offers mutual funds and more ETFs, ideal for retirement accounts. Most traders will find eToro a superior choice, as it caters better to the requirements of its core client base.
Typical Spreads and Fees
| Typical Spreads & Fees | eToro | TradeStation |
Minimum Raw Spreads: | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Minimum Standard Spreads: | 1.0 pips | Not applicable |
Minimum Commission for Forex: | N/A | Not applicable |
Commission for Equity CFDs: | 0.09% | $5 - $14.95/trade |
Cash Rebates: | ||
Execution Type: | Market Maker | Market Maker |
While eToro has relatively high Forex trading costs, equity traders have lower costs than at TradeStation, where commission-free trading only applies to select US assets under the TradeStation TS Select account. Equity traders in the TS Go account pay an additional $10 fee per trade, while other assets range between $0.60 and $14.95.
Security and Trust
eToro
| Country of the Regulator | Name of the Regulator | License Number |
US | N/A | N/A |
Cyprus | Cyprus Securities Exchange Commission | 109/10 |
UK | Financial Conduct Authority | 583263 |
Australia | Australian Securities and Investments Commission | 491139 |
Seychelles | Financial Services Authority | SD076 |
TradeStation
| Country of the Regulator | Name of the Regulator | License Number |
US | US Securities and Exchange Commission | Undisclosed |
Both brokers segregate client deposits from corporate funds, and eToro also has a $1,000,000 third-party insurance program underwritten by Lloyd's of London. The US unit of eToro and TradeStation are members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the self-regulatory organization with SEC oversight. The Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) protects clients up to $500,000 per net equity or $250,000 for cash claims.
eToro vs TradeStation – Verdict
eToro
| Pros | Cons |
| Copy-trading with a community numbering almost 25 million traders | Higher minimum deposit requirement but within a reasonable range |
| User-friendly web-based trading platform and mobile app | Absence of MT4 and no algorithmic trading |
| Quality educational offering for beginner traders via videos | |
| Balanced asset selection with a focus on equity CFDs and ETFs |
TradeStation
| Pros | Cons |
| Competitive proprietary trading platform and Trading App Store | Limited deposit and withdrawal options |
| Quality market research and education for beginner traders | Higher overall trading costs |
| A secure and trustworthy trading environment | |
| 6% annual interest on eligible cryptocurrency assets |
TradeStation offers a competitive trading infrastructure for short-term algorithmic traders using its cutting-edge desktop trading platform, cryptocurrency traders, and passive investors who benefit from 2,000+ commission-free ETFs. eToro presents a better overall choice, especially for beginners, mobile, and social traders, due to its high-quality custom trading services and active trading community.
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