E*TRADE vs eToro 2025
In this head to head comparison of E*TRADE vs eToro, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of E*TRADE vs eToro, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
When comparing E*TRADE and eToro for their investment offerings, E*TRADE emerges as a standout option with a rating of 4.5 stars for the range of investments, significantly higher than eToro’s 2.5 stars. E*TRADE's extensive options secure it the #4 spot among 14 brokers ranked by StockBrokers.com, while eToro lands at #14. This reflects E*TRADE’s broader appeal and diverse range of investment opportunities, catering to various investor needs compared to eToro’s more limited selection.
E*TRADE offers a comprehensive suite of investment options, including stock trading, margin trading, OTC stocks, mutual funds, options trading, and futures trading. On top of that, E*TRADE supports traditional and Roth IRA accounts, appealing to those looking for tax-advantaged retirement planning. Although not offering direct crypto trading and fractional shares, E*TRADE provides various other avenues for seasoned investors, such as advisor services to assist with portfolio management.
eToro, while providing stock and options trading alongside cryptocurrency access, stands out with its atypical feature of fractional shares trading, which appeals to new investors seeking accessibility to higher-priced stocks without purchasing full shares. eToro distinguishes itself in the cryptocurrency space, offering 26 different coins for trading, although it lacks OTC stocks, mutual funds, and an array of retirement account options. These distinctions make eToro more suitable for users focused on simplified stock investments and crypto trading.
Feature |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | No |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | Yes |
OTC Stocks | Yes | No |
Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | Yes | No |
Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 26 |
Range of Investments |
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Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market
When comparing E*TRADE and eToro, E*TRADE clearly outshines its counterpart in terms of trading platforms and tools, earning a 4-star rating and ranking fifth among 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com. eToro, on the other hand, receives a 2.5-star rating and ranks twelfth. Though both platforms offer browser-based trading and paper trading, E*TRADE provides a more comprehensive and flexible trading experience, featuring downloadable platforms for both Windows and Mac users, a wider range of technical indicators, and enhanced charting customizations.
E*TRADE’s trading platform offers 121 technical indicators and 37 drawing tools, providing traders with detailed analytical capabilities. The platform also allows users to adjust open orders directly on stock charts, add notes and show historical trades, as well as display corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends. Moreover, E*TRADE supports custom date ranges and automated technical analysis on charts, along with the ability to save multiple chart profiles. eToro, while offering a commendable 48 drawing tools, falls short in several areas such as the ability to show historical trades and provide custom date ranges on charts, limiting its overall functionality.
In terms of watch lists, E*TRADE allows users 43 columns to work with, significantly more than eToro’s seven. While neither platform offers a trading journal or the ability to create custom studies for charts, E*TRADE's overall offering is more robust, meeting a wider array of trader needs. Ultimately, for those seeking a feature-rich, customizable trading experience, E*TRADE stands out as the superior choice.
Feature |
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Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 43 | 7 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 121 | 46 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 37 | 48 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
When it comes to investing education for beginners, E*TRADE and eToro offer differing experiences. E*TRADE excels in providing a broad spectrum of educational resources, including stock, ETF, options, mutual funds, and bonds education. This extensive offering is complemented by practical tools like paper trading, educational videos, and webinars, supporting new investors in building their foundational knowledge. In contrast, eToro focuses more narrowly, offering stock education but lacking resources in areas like ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds. While eToro does provide paper trading and educational videos, the absence of webinars limits further engagement opportunities for new learners.
Rated 5 stars for education, E*TRADE holds a strong position at #4 among 14 brokers according to StockBrokers.com, showcasing its commitment to comprehensive investor education. Meanwhile, eToro receives a 2.5-star rating for its educational offerings and sits at #14 in the same ranking, reflecting the limited scope of its educational resources. While neither platform provides learning progress tracking or educational quizzes, E*TRADE's more inclusive approach helps beginners explore a wider array of investment topics compared to eToro's narrower educational focus.
Feature |
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | No |
Education (Options) | Yes | No |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No |
Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | No |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes |
Videos | Yes | Yes |
Webinars | Yes | No |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
When it comes to selecting a stock trading app, E*TRADE and eToro offer competitive choices, but E*TRADE tends to hold the upper hand for technology-driven traders. With a 5-star rating and a ranking of 4th out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com, E*TRADE excels in providing extensive features and a seamless trading experience. Its comprehensive platform includes offerings like a mobile app for both iPhone and Android, plus exclusive features not present in eToro, such as an Apple Watch app, streaming live TV, and more customizable watchlist options. In contrast, eToro, rated at 4.5 stars and ranked 11th, still delivers solid performance with its intuitive interface and video on demand but lacks some of E*TRADE's depth in features.
E*TRADE impresses with its capability for mobile after-hours stock and options trading, streaming quotes, and a wealth of technical studies, with a total of 107 compared to eToro's 103. Furthermore, E*TRADE caters to detail-oriented traders by offering customizable watchlist columns, the ability to view charts in landscape mode, and accommodate multiple time frames, features not available in eToro's mobile app. eToro matches E*TRADE in providing crucial elements like mobile option trading, creating custom watch lists, and stock comparisons on charts. However, it falls short in customization and viewing options.
Overall, while both platforms offer a wide range of capabilities for mobile trading, E*TRADE stands out as the more comprehensive choice for traders seeking an extensive feature set and additional customization flexibility. Meanwhile, eToro remains a reliable option for traders who prioritize user-friendly navigation and content-rich experiences, such as the inclusion of video on demand. Although each platform has its strengths, E*TRADE slightly edges out eToro in terms of breadth and customization options.
Feature |
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iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | Yes | No |
Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes |
Charting - Technical Studies | 107 | 103 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
When comparing E*TRADE and eToro, it becomes clear that both platforms offer unique strengths and cater to different types of investors. E*TRADE stands out with its no minimum deposit requirement, making it highly accessible for new investors, while eToro requires a $50 minimum deposit that might be a barrier for beginners. However, both platforms do offer commission-free regular stock trades, which is appealing to cost-conscious traders. In terms of account transfer fees, E*TRADE charges nothing for partial transfers but applies a $75 fee for full transfers, matching eToro's charge for full transfers and exceeding its $75 fee for partial transfers.
When looking into options trading, E*TRADE has a fee of $0.65 per options contract, which could add up for active options traders. In contrast, eToro shines by offering options trading with zero per-contract charges, making it an attractive option for those who frequently engage in this market. Regarding options exercises and assignments, both platforms offer free services, ensuring that investors can manage their options without incurring additional costs.
Margin trading is an area where E*TRADE provides more flexibility, albeit at a cost. E*TRADE charges interest rates ranging from 12.2% to 12.95% based on the balance, whereas eToro does not offer margin trading. Additionally, E*TRADE charges no fees for IRA annual maintenance or closure, while eToro does not provide details on these charges. Ultimately, the choice between E*TRADE and eToro boils down to the investor's priorities: E*TRADE caters to those looking for versatility in trading options and IRAs, while eToro presents a more attractive option for fee-conscious traders, especially in options trading without the burdensome per-contract fees.
Feature |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $50.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.00 |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When evaluating day trading capabilities, E*TRADE offers several features that may appeal to active traders. It provides streaming time and sales information for stocks, streaming live TV, and direct market routing, all of which can aid in making informed trading decisions. E*TRADE also supports trading hotkeys for quick trade entries and offers level 2 quotes, which can give traders deeper market insights. However, it lacks ladder trading, strategy backtesting, a short locator tool, and order liquidity rebates, which are features some advanced traders might look for.
eToro, on the other hand, also delivers streaming time and sales for stocks, but it falls short in several areas compared to E*TRADE’s offerings. It does not offer streaming live TV, direct market routing, trading hotkeys, or level 2 quotes. Like E*TRADE, it does not provide ladder trading, any form of strategy backtesting, a short locator tool, or order liquidity rebates. Therefore, while eToro can serve day traders with basic needs, E*TRADE appears to hold an advantage in terms of features that can enhance the day trading experience.
Feature |
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Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | Yes |
Streaming TV | Yes | No |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
Short Locator | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
When it comes to market research capabilities, E*TRADE significantly outshines eToro, providing a more comprehensive suite of tools and resources for investors. Ranked as the second-best broker by StockBrokers.com for market research, E*TRADE receives a glowing five-star rating, whereas eToro sits at the bottom of the list with just 1.5 stars. This substantial difference reflects E*TRADE’s wider array of research functionalities and support for various asset types, making it a preferred choice for those seeking in-depth market analysis.
E*TRADE stands out with its extensive research offerings, including access to stock, ETF, mutual fund, Pink Sheets/OTCBB, and bond research. Investors can benefit from downloadable PDF reports for stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds, along with specific screeners for each asset class. Notably, E*TRADE integrates social media sentiment data into its stock research, allowing users to gauge market trends through this modern lens. Additionally, investors can view portfolio allocations by asset class, helping them make informed decisions about their investments.
In contrast, eToro’s market research capabilities are more limited. While it does offer stock and ETF research and incorporates social media sentiment data, it lacks downloadable PDF reports and screeners for asset classes, apart from an absence of mutual fund and bond research. Despite its strength in providing ESG research insights, eToro's tools are relatively basic compared to the breadth E*TRADE offers. For investors who prioritize detailed analysis and a wide range of research tools, E*TRADE clearly emerges as the more advantageous platform.
Feature |
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Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
Research |
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When comparing the banking capabilities of online brokers E*TRADE and eToro, E*TRADE clearly stands out with its comprehensive range of services. E*TRADE offers checking and savings accounts, alongside the availability of debit and credit cards, which allow customers to manage their finances with ease. Additionally, E*TRADE provides mortgage loans and Certificates of Deposit (CDs), offering diverse options for investment and financial planning. On the other hand, eToro does not offer any of these banking services, limiting its functions to trading and investment activities without the added banking tools available through E*TRADE. This makes E*TRADE a more versatile choice for those seeking a full-service online broker with extensive banking features.
Feature |
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Checking Accounts | Yes | |
Savings Accounts | Yes | |
Debit Cards | Yes | |
Credit Cards | Yes | |
Mortgage Loans | Yes | |
Brokerage CDs | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2025
After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that E*TRADE is better than eToro. E*TRADE finished with an overall score of 95.4%, while eToro finished with a score of 66.1%.
E*TRADE is a top-performing broker whose highlights include $0 trades, two excellent mobile apps and the Power E*TRADE platform. Crypto, however, is not available.
While E*TRADE does not offer cryptocurrency trading, eToro provides access to 26 different coins, making it a preferred choice for investors interested in digital assets.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
When comparing online brokers E*TRADE and eToro, E*TRADE offers both traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual or closure fees, while eToro does not provide traditional or Roth IRA account options.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5Overall Rating | E*TRADE | eToro | |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Customer Service |
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Education |
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Ease of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | E*TRADE Review | eToro Review |
Broker Screenshots | E*TRADE | eToro | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | E*TRADE | eToro | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $50.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $6.95 | N/A | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $0.00 | N/A | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.00 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | $1.50 | (Not offered) | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $25 | $0 |
Margin Rates | E*TRADE | eToro | |
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Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 12.95% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 12.7% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 12.2% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 11.7% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 11.2% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | Varies | Not offered | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | Varies | Not offered |
Account Fees | E*TRADE | eToro | |
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IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | ||
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | ||
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $75.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $75.00 | $75.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Investment Options | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | No | |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | Yes | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | No | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 0 | |
Futures Trading | Yes | No | |
Forex Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading | No | Yes | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 26 | |
Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | No | |
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | Yes | No | |
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | Yes | No | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | No | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | No | |
Advisor Services | Yes | No | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
Order Types | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Limit | Yes | No | |
Order Type - After Hours | Yes | No | |
Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Trailing Stop | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - OCO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - OTO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
Beginners | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | No | |
Education (Options) | Yes | No | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No | |
Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | No | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
Retirement Calculator | Yes | No | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | No | |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars | Yes | No | |
Progress Tracking | No | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
Stock Trading Apps | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple Watch App | Yes | No | |
Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Complex Options | Yes | No | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | Yes | Yes |
Stock App Features | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | Yes | No | |
Videos on Demand | No | Yes | |
Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | No |
Stock App Charting | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 107 | 103 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | Yes |
Trading Platforms | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | Power E*TRADE | N/A | |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Journal | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 43 | 7 |
Stock Chart Features | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 121 | 46 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 37 | 48 | |
Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | No | |
Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | No | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | No | |
Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 8 | 5 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
Day Trading | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | Yes | |
Streaming TV | Yes | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No | |
Ladder Trading | No | No | |
Trade Hot Keys | Yes | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
Short Locator | No | No | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | No |
Research Overview | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | No | |
Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
Portfolio Asset Allocation | Yes | No |
Stock Research | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 8 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Social | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - ESG | No | Yes | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | Yes |
ETF Research | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Investment Objective | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Ratings | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | Yes | No | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | Yes | No |
Mutual Fund Research | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | Yes | No |
Options Trading | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 4 | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | No |
Banking | E*TRADE | eToro | |
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Bank (Member FDIC) | Yes | ||
Checking Accounts | Yes | ||
Savings Accounts | Yes | ||
Credit Cards | Yes | ||
Debit Cards | Yes | ||
Mortgage Loans | Yes |
Customer Service | E*TRADE | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | Yes | No | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | No | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | No | Yes | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | Yes | No |
Overall | E*TRADE | eToro | |
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Overall |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Education |
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Ease of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | E*TRADE Review | eToro Review |