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Plus500 vs eToro: Which Is Better for UK Traders in 2026?
A side by side comparison of a CFD only trading platform and a multi asset investing app, covering fees, account types, markets, risk and who each one actually suits.
☆☆☆☆☆ Rated 3.8 out of 5
Plus500
CFDs only | No commission | Free demo account
Capital at risk. 81% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
☆☆☆☆☆ Rated 4.3 out of 5
eToro
Real shares and ETFs | ISA | CopyTrader
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. Sponsored link.
CFDs only | No commission | Free demo account
Real shares and ETFs | ISA | CopyTrader
Quick verdict
eToro is the more versatile choice for most UK readers. It lets you own real shares and ETFs, with commission-free ETF dealing and an ISA through Moneyfarm, alongside CFDs. Plus500 offers UK clients CFDs only, with no ISA or SIPP, and 81% of its retail CFD accounts lose money. Choose Plus500 if you are an experienced trader who wants a simple CFD platform with Guaranteed Stop Orders and a free unlimited demo.
Details from our eToro and Plus500 reviews, checked August and September 2026. Always confirm current terms with the provider.Read our full verdict
Brief overview
Plus500 is a CFD provider founded in 2008 and listed on the London Stock Exchange as part of the FTSE 250. UK clients are served by Plus500UK Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The key point for UK readers is that Plus500 offers contracts for difference only: you speculate on price movements in shares, indices, forex, commodities, options and ETFs without owning the underlying asset. Its separate Plus500 Invest platform, which offers real shares, is not open to UK residents.
There is no dealing commission, because Plus500 is paid through the spread, and there is a free unlimited demo account. There is no ISA or SIPP. CFDs are leveraged and high risk: 81% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Our full Plus500 review covers the platform in more depth.
eToro is a multi asset investing platform founded in 2007 and listed on Nasdaq since May 2025. UK clients are served by eToro (UK) Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Unlike Plus500, eToro lets you buy real shares and ETFs: an unleveraged buy order gives you ownership of the underlying asset. It also offers cryptoassets and CFDs, and UK investors can open a Cash, DIY or Managed ISA provided by Moneyfarm inside the eToro app.
ETF dealing is commission-free and there is no inactivity fee. The main account is priced in US dollars, so currency conversion is the cost to watch, although an optional GBP account removes that step for sterling assets. eToro is best known for CopyTrader, which lets you mirror another investor’s trades. Whether you search Plus500 vs eToro or eToro vs Plus500, the core difference is the same: one is for trading CFDs, the other for investing and trading. Our full eToro review goes through each feature.
Plus500 vs eToro at a glance
| Criteria | Plus500 | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | ||
| Best for | Experienced CFD traders | Newer investors wanting shares, ETFs and copy trading |
| Regulator | FCA (Plus500UK Ltd, FRN 509909) | FCA (eToro (UK) Ltd, FRN 583263) |
| What UK clients can trade | CFDs only | Real shares, ETFs and cryptoassets, plus CFDs |
| Real share ownership | No | Yes, on unleveraged buy orders |
| Dealing commission | None, paid through the spread | None on ETFs; or on stocks in some markets |
| Currency conversion fee | Up to 0.70% | Varies by location, payment method and Club tier |
| Overnight funding | Yes, on CFD positions | Yes, on CFD positions |
| Inactivity fee | a month after 3 months | None |
| Withdrawal fee | None | Free from GBP account; from USD account ( minimum) |
| Minimum deposit | £100 (£500 by bank wire) | Typically |
| Stocks and shares ISA | No | Yes, DIY and Managed, provided by Moneyfarm |
| Cash ISA | No | Yes, provided by Moneyfarm |
| Cryptoassets | No crypto CFDs for UK retail clients | Yes, 1% per position (lower for higher Club tiers) |
| Social and copy trading | +Insights sentiment data | CopyTrader and Smart Portfolios |
| Demo account | Yes, unlimited | Yes, 0,000 in virtual funds |
| Retail CFD accounts losing money | 81% | 51% |
| FSCS protection | Up to £85,000 | Up to £85,000 on investments; cryptoassets not covered |
| Customer support | In platform chat, email, 24/7 WhatsApp | In platform support and Tori AI assistant, with human agents |
| Platform | WebTrader in browser, iOS and Android; no MetaTrader | Web and mobile app; eToro edge desktop for active traders |
Fees and product details checked August and September 2026, taken from our eToro and Plus500 reviews. Always confirm current terms on the provider’s own site.
Fees and charges
1. Commission and dealing costs
Plus500
Plus500 charges no dealing commission on CFD trades. It makes its money from the spread, the gap between the buy and sell price of each instrument. There are no deposit or withdrawal fees. Some instrument level charges are only shown inside the platform, in the Details section next to each instrument, so check them before you place an order.
eToro
ETF trades on eToro are commission-free, whatever the order size. Share trades are commission-free in many markets, but a $1 or $2 commission may apply depending on your country of residence and the exchange. eToro also passes on the 0.5% Stamp Duty Reserve Tax on purchases of UK listed shares, which is a government tax rather than an eToro fee.
2. The main recurring cost
Plus500
For anyone holding positions for more than a day, overnight funding is the cost that adds up. Because CFDs use leverage, you are effectively borrowing, and Plus500 charges a daily interest rate on open positions. A currency conversion fee of up to 0.70% also applies when a trade is in a currency other than your account currency.
eToro
The main eToro investment account is denominated in US dollars. Whenever you fund a trade from a balance in a different currency, or move money between your USD and GBP balances, a conversion charge applies. The rate varies by location, payment method and eToro Club tier. For most UK investors buying US shares, this is the largest ongoing cost. A GBP local currency account avoids the conversion on sterling assets.
3. Other charges to know about
Plus500
An inactivity fee of $10 a month applies if you do not log in for three consecutive months, and it stops once you log in again. Guaranteed Stop Orders, which close a position at your chosen price whatever the market does, are paid for through a slightly wider spread. You can compare running costs across UK platforms with our broker fees calculator.
eToro
Withdrawals are free from a GBP account, but cost a flat $5 with a $30 minimum from the USD account. There is no inactivity fee. CFD positions carry an opening and closing spread plus an overnight financing fee, just as at Plus500. Cryptoassets cost 1% per position for Bronze, Silver and Gold Club members, falling to between 0.95% and 0.10% for Platinum and above.
Account types and minimums
1. Available account types
Plus500
UK residents can open one type of live account: the Plus500 CFD account. There is no stocks and shares ISA, no cash ISA, no SIPP and no Junior ISA, so Plus500 cannot be used to build a tax efficient, long term portfolio. Opening a live account involves identity verification and a questionnaire on your knowledge of financial products, which the support team typically completes within 48 hours.
eToro
eToro offers a main investment account, an optional GBP local currency account provided by eToro Money UK Ltd, and three ISAs provided by Moneyfarm: a DIY Stocks and Shares ISA, a Managed ISA and a Cash ISA. You open and view the ISA inside the eToro app, and ISA holdings count towards your eToro Club tier. The ISA itself sits with MFM Investment Ltd, a separate FCA authorised firm. If an ISA is your priority, our best stocks and shares ISAs guide compares the wider market.
2. Minimum deposit
Plus500
The minimum deposit is £100, or £500 if you pay by bank wire. Card payments reach your account immediately, and e-wallet deposits usually within 48 hours. Accepted methods include bank transfer, debit and credit card, PayPal, Skrill, Trustly and Apple Pay, depending on your country.
eToro
For most UK clients the first deposit is typically $50, although the figure varies by country and payment method, and bank transfers can carry a higher minimum. Funding a USD account from a GBP source triggers a conversion charge, so paying into the GBP local currency account from a UK bank avoids that step.
Platform and app experience
1. Interface and ease of use
Plus500
Plus500 runs on WebTrader, its own platform, in the browser and as apps for iOS and Android. There is no MetaTrader integration and no downloadable desktop client. The interface is deliberately stripped back: charts, watchlists, order entry and alerts are a click or two away, and the layout is the same on desktop, tablet and mobile. Experienced technical traders will find the charting lighter than on a dedicated analysis platform.
eToro
eToro works on web and mobile, with a clean layout that newer investors tend to find approachable. A left hand panel holds the main tabs, the Portfolio page shows profit and loss in cash and percentage terms, and the Discover tab surfaces daily movers and trending assets. In 2026 eToro added eToro edge, a desktop platform for active traders, although availability varies by country.
2. Mobile app
Plus500
The Plus500 app mirrors WebTrader, so positions, alerts and charts work the same way on a phone as in the browser. When we reviewed it, the app was rated 4.2° on the App Store and 4.3° on Google Play.
eToro
eToro rebuilt its mobile app in July 2026 around Tori, an AI assistant that surfaces portfolio and market information without being asked. The same release added sub-accounts, so you can keep separate goals apart inside one login. Not every new feature has reached UK clients yet, so check inside your account rather than assuming one is live.
3. Tools and automation
Plus500
The +Insights feature shows what other Plus500 traders are doing, such as the most bought, most sold and most profitable instruments, alongside news and crowd sentiment for each instrument. Guaranteed Stop Orders are the other notable tool, and are unusual among CFD providers. The platform is built for placing and managing trades rather than for regular, automated investing.
eToro
CopyTrader lets you mirror another investor’s positions automatically, with an amount you choose, and stop at any time. Smart Portfolios bundle assets around a theme or strategy, are rebalanced periodically and carry no management fee. Recurring investments are supported too. Our guide to eToro copy trading explains how CopyTrader works in practice.
Investment choice
1. Real shares or CFDs
Plus500
CFDs only. UK clients cannot own shares, ETFs or any other asset outright through Plus500. Every position is a contract on the price movement, with leverage of up to 30:1 for retail clients depending on the instrument. If you want to own shares or build a long term portfolio, you will need a different provider.
eToro
Both. An unleveraged buy order on a share or ETF gives you the real underlying asset, held in eToro’s custody. If you use leverage or go short, the trade is executed as a CFD and you do not own the asset. Some unleveraged buy positions are also executed as CFDs because of product restrictions, and any CFD trade is labelled CFD in the trade window.
2. Markets and instruments
Plus500
More than 2,800 CFD instruments across indices, forex, commodities, shares, options and ETFs, which suits traders who want many markets in one place. Cryptocurrency CFDs are not available to UK retail clients, following the FCA ban that took effect in January 2021.
eToro
Shares and ETFs you can own outright, cryptoassets, and CFDs on shares, ETFs, commodities, forex, indices and cryptoassets. The choice of real ETFs is narrower than at platforms built around index investing. Inside the DIY Stocks and Shares ISA you can pick from over 1,000 shares, ETFs, bonds and mutual funds.
3. What else is available
Plus500
Little beyond the CFD account itself. There is no ISA, no pension and no crypto for UK retail clients. The unlimited demo account is the main extra, and it is a genuinely useful way to learn the platform before risking money.
eToro
CopyTrader, Smart Portfolios, a Cash ISA paying tax free interest through a qualifying money market fund, stock lending, and the eToro Club, which lowers fees and adds benefits for larger balances. Cryptoasset services sit outside FSCS protection and the Financial Ombudsman Service, so treat that part of the account differently from your shares.
Safety and regulation
1. Regulation
Plus500
Plus500UK Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 509909. The wider group is also regulated by CySEC in Cyprus and ASIC in Australia, and the parent company is listed on the London Stock Exchange as part of the FTSE 250.
eToro
eToro (UK) Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 583263. The GBP account is provided by eToro Money UK Ltd, FCA firm reference 900203, and the ISA by MFM Investment Ltd (Moneyfarm), FCA number 629539. eToro Group has been listed on Nasdaq under the ticker ETOR since May 2025 and reports results quarterly.
2. How your money is protected
Plus500
UK clients are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £85,000 if Plus500UK Ltd fails. Retail clients also get negative balance protection, so you cannot lose more than the money in your account. Neither protects you from trading losses, and with CFDs those losses can be rapid.
eToro
Money and assets held with eToro (UK) Ltd are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £85,000 per person, and client money and assets are held in segregated accounts. The Moneyfarm ISA carries its own FSCS cover up to £85,000. Cryptoasset services are not covered by the FSCS. As with Plus500, the scheme protects you if the firm fails, not if your investments fall in value.
Customer support
1. How to get in touch
Plus500
Support is available through a chat feature built into the trading platform, by email, and around the clock on WhatsApp. Our review found the support team efficient.
eToro
Support is reached from a quick access button inside the platform. Tori, the built in AI assistant, answers platform and account questions instantly, with a human support agent available when you need one.
2. What to expect
Plus500
Because Plus500 serves traders who may need help while positions are open, the 24/7 WhatsApp line is the most practical feature here. Verification for a live account is typically completed within 48 hours.
eToro
Treat Tori as a starting point rather than an authority. eToro states that Tori does not provide investment advice and that its answers may be inaccurate or incomplete. For anything involving your money or your ISA, ask for a human agent. Withdrawals usually take one to three working days.
Learning resources
1. Guides and articles
Plus500
Plus500’s learning material is minimal. The Trading Academy, with an eBook and instructional videos, is the main educational resource and is aimed at people new to trading. Research and analysis are notably thin compared with other brokers.
eToro
Education is a genuine strength. eToro Academy, News and Analysis, and the Digest and Invest series cover written guides, video and podcasts, and are free to account holders.
2. Practice and demo accounts
Plus500
An unlimited demo account with virtual funds is available free, so you can learn how CFDs and WebTrader behave before risking real money. Plus500 itself advises beginners to start there.
eToro
eToro offers a demo account with $100,000 in virtual funds. It is a sensible way to try CopyTrader or practise placing orders, including leveraged ones, before committing real money.
3. Who it suits
Plus500
Best for someone who already understands leverage and wants to practise execution on a demo. If you are still learning what a CFD is, you will get more from reading elsewhere first, including our guide to investing as a beginner.
eToro
Best for someone who wants to learn investing broadly, from how ETFs work to how other investors build portfolios. The social feed and CopyTrader make it easy to see what others hold, which is useful context but not a substitute for your own research.
Which platform suits which investor
1. Best for
Plus500
Experienced traders who want a simple, fast CFD platform for short term positions on indices, forex, commodities and shares, and who value Guaranteed Stop Orders and a free demo account. Plus500’s own guidance is that the platform is suitable for experienced traders only.
eToro
Newer investors who want to own real shares and ETFs, anyone interested in copy trading, and investors who want a stocks and shares ISA and a trading account in one app. It also suits people who want crypto exposure alongside their shares, provided they accept that crypto sits outside FSCS cover.
2. Less suited to
Plus500
Anyone investing for the long term. Without real shares, an ISA or a pension, Plus500 cannot hold a buy and hold portfolio, and overnight funding makes holding leveraged positions for months expensive. Beginners without trading experience are also poorly served.
eToro
Investors who only want a low cost index ISA and nothing else, since a plain index platform will be simpler to run. Frequent buyers of US shares should also count the currency conversion charge carefully.
3. A note on costs
Plus500
No commission does not mean no cost. Spreads, overnight funding, a currency conversion fee of up to 0.70% and the inactivity fee can all apply, and some charges are only shown inside the platform. Check the Details section for each instrument before you trade.
eToro
eToro’s issue is cost complexity rather than cost level. Commission-free ETFs are real, but conversion charges, the USD withdrawal fee, stamp duty on UK shares and CFD financing can all apply. Our compound interest calculator shows how ongoing costs affect long term growth.
Pros and cons
Plus500
Cons
Pros
eToro
Cons
Pros
Verdict
1. The short answer
Plus500
Plus500 is a focused CFD platform, and for UK clients that is all it is. If you are an experienced trader who only wants leveraged, short term exposure to indices, forex, commodities or shares, it offers no commission, a clean platform, Guaranteed Stop Orders and a free demo. It cannot help you invest for the long term.
eToro
For most UK readers eToro is the more versatile choice. You can own real shares and ETFs, deal in ETFs without commission, open an ISA through Moneyfarm, and still trade CFDs if you want to. The trade off is cost complexity, mainly currency conversion on the US dollar account.
2. Who should choose it
Plus500
You have traded CFDs before, you understand that 81% of retail accounts lose money with this provider, and you want a simple platform for short term positions with the option of guaranteed stops. The detail is in our Plus500 review, and our XTB review is a useful point of comparison. You can also browse all our broker comparisons.
eToro
You want to own shares and ETFs, you are curious about copy trading, or you want an ISA and a trading account under one login. Our eToro review covers each feature, and our eToro vs XTB comparison looks at the ISA side in more depth. If neither quite fits, our broker matching tool can narrow the field.
Risk disclaimer
This article is for general information and education. It is not personal financial advice and does not take account of your circumstances. When you invest, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than you put in. Past performance is not a guide to future returns.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Plus500 discloses that 81% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider; eToro discloses 51%. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Cryptoassets are high risk and are not covered by the FSCS or the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and ISA rules may change. If you are unsure whether a product is right for you, seek advice from an FCA authorised adviser.
Fees and product details are taken from our eToro review (checked August 2026) and Plus500 review (checked September 2026) and may have changed since. Figures marked ° are from third party sources. Always confirm current terms on the provider's own website.
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☆☆☆☆☆ Rated 3.8 out of 5
Plus500
No commission | CFDs only
Capital at risk. 81% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
☆☆☆☆☆ Rated 4.3 out of 5
eToro
Commission-free ETFs | ISA via Moneyfarm
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. Sponsored link.
FAQ
Not sure either one fits?
Compare the best UK brokers side by side.
