In this eToro vs Robinhood comparison guide, we compare two popular crypto brokerage apps. These are famed for their user-friendliness, competitive fees, and accessibility. They also appeal to most retail investors because of their range of supported financial instruments. But which of the two is the best trading brokerage?
We answer this by comparing and contrasting their core features. By the end of this guide, you will have identified the best place to buy cryptos for you.
eToro vs. Robinhood at a Glance
After a thorough analysis of the two crypto brokerages, we concluded that eToro is better than Robinhood. It is a cut above Robinhood in a number of ways, including:
First, eToro lets you interact and invest in a wider range of financial instruments. For example, Robinhood supports less than 20 cryptocurrencies. eToro, on the other hand, avails 59 of the hottest cryptos to US residents.
Secondly, eToro gives its platform users access to more advanced tools. These range from analysis to trading and even risk management. They include charting tools, economic calendars, and news.
Additionally, eToro provides its users with a free mobile wallet app for iOS and Android – eToro Money Wallet.
Further, eToro lets its platform users earn passively through staking. Lastly, eToro supports social and copy trading. Copy trading is good for beginner crypto investors as it lets them earn while learning how to trade.
Both brokerages are commission-free. They do not charge a transaction fee when you trade stocks and ETFs. Robinhood extends the commission-free trading service to crypto trading. eToro, on the other hand, maintains a fixed 1% trading fee and a variable spread for crypto trades. And it still comes off as the better crypto exchange because of the staking and crypto wallet service.
| Metric | eToro | Robinhood |
| Licensing | SEC, ASIC, FCA, CySEC, FSRA | SEC, FINRA, 27 States |
| Number of cryptos | 80+ | 18 |
| Pricing structure | Commission-free, 1% fixed fee + market spread | Commission-free |
| Fee for buying Bitcoin | 1% transaction fee + market spread | None |
| Trading tools and features | Advanced trading tools, social trading, copy trading | Trending stocks, news feed |
| Mobile app rating | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Payment methods | Ban transfer, credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, | Bank transfer |
| Deposit minimums | $10 | None |
| Demo account | Yes ($100,000 virtual funds) | No |
What are eToro and Robinhood?
eToro and Robinhood are both multi-asset brokerage platforms for retail investors. They present the said group of investors with an affordable way of investing in stocks, ETFs, and cryptos.
eToro Brief History
eToro was founded in Israel in 2007 as a forex trading platform. Over time, it expanded its product offer to include stocks, CFDs, indexes, ETFs, commodities, and the best cryptos to buy. It also expanded its users to 25+ million investors in 140+ countries.
It even set up multiple regional offices in all the continents. Note, however, that forex, CFDs, and commodities aren’t available to US platform users.
Today, eToro is arguably the most popular crypto brokerage in the world. And it can credit this fete to a number of factors. These include the fact that it integrates a wide range of financial instruments into this platform.
It could also be its multi-regulated status that increases its credibility. Further, we could attribute its solid reputation for reliability and trustworthiness. It could also be attributed to its copy and social trading features.
Robinhood Brief History
Robinhood is a US-based mobile-only brokerage. When it launched last year, it was the first mobile-only brokerage platform offering commission-free investing services. This made it immensely popular with retail investors.
These had previously felt locked out of the investment industry. A decade later, Robinhood is still the go-to investment platform of choice for more than 20 million retail investors in the US.
Today, Robinhood platform users interact with and invest in ETFs, stocks, options, and the best future cryptos. Unlike eToro, Robinhood is themed around affordability and simplicity. This explains why it doesn’t charge a commission for any of the services offered on the platform.
It also explains its minimalistic appeal. The brokerage app only features basic resources like a news feed and trending stocks tabs.
Tradeable Assets on eToro and Robinhood
One of the factors to consider when choosing the best crypto exchange in the US is the supported assets. In this section, we will discuss the investment products offered by eToro and Robinhood. Compare the two to decide on which brokerage to build a portfolio.
Cryptocurrencies
eToro has made several strides that make it one of the best crypto exchanges in the US. For instance, it gives its platform users access to a wider range of cryptos. Here, you can buy the beginner-friendly cryptos like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
You may also buy the best meme coins like Shiba Inu and Dogecoin. You even get to interact with the best DeFi coins, like Maker and Aave. In total, you can buy and sell 25+ cryptos on eToro.US.
The brokerage also markets itself as one of the safest crypto exchanges. To achieve this, it presents its platform users with two types of highly secure digital wallets. First is the exchange-based wallet that holds 90%+ of client keys offline. Second is the non-custodial and free wallet app for iPhone and Android – eToro Money Wallet. Neither of the two has ever been hacked.
Further, eToro has oversimplified the way you interact with new cryptos bought at the exchange. For long-term crypto investors, it has introduced passive income generation through staking. And if you wish to move funds elsewhere, eToro has a straightforward transfer process via the wallet app.
Robinhood, on the other hand, will only let you buy Bitcoin and 17 altcoins. These include Bitcoin SV, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ethereum Classic, and Polygon. It even features some of the next cryptos to explode, especially Solana and Optimism.
The only key benefit of buying crypto on Robinhood and not eToro is that the latter doesn’t charge a transaction fee.
Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product.
Stocks
There are many similarities to buying stocks on eToro and Robinhood. Both, for example, present you with a wide range of stocks listed on the NYSE and NASDAQ exchanges. eToro lists as many as 3,000 stocks, while Robinhood lists more than 5,000.
Both expose their US clients to international stock markets through ADRs. These allow US traders to invest in the most lucrative international companies. You should also note that they both do not charge a commission for stock trading on the platform.
Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.
ETFs
Both eToro and Robinhood also give their platform users access to hundreds of ETFs – exchange-traded funds. They expose you to all the popular ETFs listed on the US stock markets – NYSE and NASDAQ. eToro, for example, exposes you to 264 ETFs. Robinhood is home to slightly over 100 ETFs.
Popular ETFs supported on either brokerage include SPDR and Vanguard. The rest are iShares, Invesco, ARK, Proshares, and Roundshares.
On either platform, ETF trading is commission-free. They also offer fractional ETF trading. This implies that you may start investing in ETFs with as little as $1.
Options
An option is a contract that gives a buyer or seller the right to buy or sell an underlying asset before a certain date.
Both eToro.US and Robinhood offer options trading services. eToro has even launched a standalone app dedicated to options trading. It lets you access 1000+ options contracts. The broker doesn’t charge a commission or any other fees for these trades. And the options are largely for stocks and ETFs.
Robinhood also provides its platform users with commission-free options trading services. Here, users interact with 6000+ options contracts. These are for all the popular stocks and ETFs. However, note that, unlike eToro, Robinhood does not have tools for analyzing options markets.
Forex
Forex trading involves the purchase and sale of currencies with the aim of benefiting from short-term price differences. It is a type of CFD trading which is legal in Europe and Australia and illegal in the US. eToro offers forex trading to non-US residents and doesn’t charge a commission. The platform users can trade forex pairs with leverages of up to 30:1.
Robinhood does not offer forex trading services.
Bonds
eToro will also let you invest in government bonds and treasuries commission-free. It lists both short-term and long-term US Treasures. It also lists government bonds floated in the UK and Europe. Corporate bonds can only be purchased in the form of ETFs.
Robinhood users can only trade bonds in the form of ETFs and not individual bond trading.
Commodities
Commodities refer to raw inputs used in the production or manufacturing of goods. Examples of commodities traded in the stock markets include energies like oil and natural gas.
It also extends to precious metals like Gold and Silver. It may also be agricultural products like wheat, corn, and barley. Like forex, these are sold in the form of CFDs and are, therefore, not available to retail investors in the US.
These aren’t available on either eToro or Robinhood.
Account types
eToro maintains one standard account for all its platform users. It doesn’t offer tax-advantaged retirement accounts or subscription accounts. The only subscription service available here is to the eToro Club. This is a loyalty program for premium investors.
Robinhood, on the other hand, maintains three account types. These are the Robinhood cash, Robinhood margin, and Robinhood gold account. The cash account is the most common and free.
The margin account requires a $2,000 balance and lets you margin trade different instruments. The gold account is a subscription service that lets you access research and stock market reports. These are sourced from the likes of Morningstar, and it costs $5 monthly.
eToro Fees vs Robinhood Fees
When comparing the fees charged by top crypto brokerages, you need to look at trading and non-trading fees.
Trading fees
Trading fees are the charges incurred when you execute a transaction. We start by noting that both eToro and Robinhood have highly competitive fees. They are both commission-free brokerages, but eToro maintains a market spread on some financial instruments.
Here is a table comparing the trading fees eToro and Robinhood trading fees:
| eToro | Robinhood | |
| Stock and ETF trading fees | None | None |
| Crypto trading fees | 1% transaction fee + market spread | None |
| Costs to buy $100 Bitcoin | $1 + market spread | $0 |
Non-Trading fees
Non-trading fees, on the other hand, refer to any other fee charged by a crypto brokerage. In the table below, we look at the non-trading fees maintained by eToro and Robinhood.
| eToro | Robinhood | |
| Account fees/inactivity fees | None/$10 monthly after 1 year of inactivity | $5 monthly for Robinhood Gold/ None |
| Deposit/withdrawal fees | $5 withdrawal fee (minimum draw amount is $30) | $0 |
| Crypto transfer fee | 0.5% (capped at $50) | $0 |
eToro vs Robinhood User Experience
Both eToro and Robinhood trading platforms are centered on simplicity and ease of use. The two brokerages have come up with some of the most beginner-friendly trading interfaces. Both their web and app trading platforms are easily navigable and beginner-friendly. The app and web have fast load speeds and all broker features are available on either trading platform.
The web and app displays for the two crypto brokerages, however, differ significantly. The Robinhood dashboard for both web and mobile is clean and has few features. It only has the performance tracker and a search button.
The eToro web and app dashboards, though equally navigable, are more feature-rich. The web interface, for instance, has trading, copy trading, education, and company features.
All these are content-rich and give you access to superior eToro tools – from technical indicators to the demo trader. The education tab will even teach you how to invest in cryptos and how to keep your investment safe.
eToro vs Robinhood Mobile Apps
Both eToro and Robinhood operate standalone mobile trading apps. They are user-friendly and mirror all the features of their web trading platforms. Both their apps can be downloaded on the App Store and Play Store.
You will, however, observe that the eToro app is more feature-rich. The Robinhood app, for example, only offers a basic performance tracker in the form of candlestick patterns. The eToro app, on the other hand, exposes you to all advanced resources. These include several technical charting features, a demo account, and a comprehensive educational resource.
Trading Tools and Features on eToro vs Robinhood
We have already mentioned that eToro is the more feature-rich crypto brokerage. It integrates more trading tools and features than Robinhood. These include advanced technical charting, research and analysis tools, and even social/copy trading. Robinhood, on the other hand, operates a rather basic commission-free brokerage app with limited advanced tools.
This is how their approach to trading tools and resources compares:
Technical charting
Robinhood offers two basic types of charts – line and candlestick bars. These aren’t customizable and you cannot load any technical studies to these charts. Price intervals are also broad, extending from 24 hours to 5 years.
The eToro platform, on the other hand, hosts a diverse range of advanced technical charts. Here, you get to add and interact with multiple chart types – from line to bar and candlestick. The price intervals for these charts extend from 1 minute to 7 days.
The chart then allows you to compare the prices of two instruments simultaneously. Not forgetting that you can add all the popular technical studies to your charts. Some of the most popular include MACD, moving averages, RSI, and Bollinger bands.
Research
Robinhood doesn’t provide market research to the standard account holder. To access market research and analysis reports, you will need to subscribe to the Robinhood Gold account at $5 per month.
eToro, on the other hand, presents its platform users with comprehensive and in-depth market research. For most of the assets traded on this platform, you can clearly view the current and historical prices. You can also view its market cap and such analytical metrics as revenues and earnings.
In the case of cryptocurrencies, for example, eToro displays a hold, buy, or sell rating for each asset. This is arrived at after an analysis of eight technical indicators. For stocks, eToro displays a buy, sell, or hold rating. This is arrived at after a thorough analysis of 12-month price targets from Wall Street analysts.
Trader sentiment
Trader sentiment is an analysis tool that shows investor attitudes toward different financial instruments. It indicates whether the market is bullish or bearish towards a particular asset. eToro has a trader sentiment score for all the assets listed on its platform. This comes in handy in helping you identify top trending cryptocurrencies worth buying right now.
Robinhood doesn’t feature a trader sentiment score. In its stead, the brokerage has a list of the 100 most popular stocks at any given time. These help you identify trending stocks at any given time. It informs you which stocks to add to your portfolio to ride the momentum.
Social and copy trading
One of eToro’s most admirable traits are the social and copy trading tools. The in-app social trading network lets you follow other investors, read their opinions, and comment on their trades. You may also contribute your views, opinions, and analysis of virtually any asset on the main discussion board.
Copy trading is, on the other hand, a passive investing tool. It makes it possible for both newbie and expert investors to earn passively. Novice traders make money when they copy the trade settings of highly experienced popular investors.
The popular investor, in turn, receives a commission from eToro for allowing platform users to copy their trades. And you don’t just copy the trade settings of individual stocks, cryptos, and ETFs. eToro has come with the Copy Portfolio tool. This lets you copy smart portfolios that align with your investing goals.
Demo accounts
A demo account is also known as a practice trading or paper trading account. It lets you place trades without depositing real money. Here, you trade using virtual funds – up to $100,000 – provided by eToro. It is important because it helps you practice trading and learn or create new investing strategies. The tool can be used to trade virtually any financial instrument and even test out copy trading.
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
eToro vs Robinhood Payments & Minimum Deposit
eToro also supports more payment options than Robinhood. eToro lets you fund your account using credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, and eWallets like Skrill, PayPal, and Neteller. Robinhood, on the other hand, only supports bank deposits.
The table below compares the payment methods, minimum deposit, and payment processing speed on eToro vs Robinhood.
| eToro | Robinhood | |
| Payment methods | Bank transfer, cards (debit and credit), eWallets (PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller) | Ban transfer |
| Minimum deposit | $10 ($500 for bank transfer) | None |
| Processing time | Instant (2-3 business days for banks) | 2-3 business days (instant if less than $1,000) |
Customer Service
Both eToro and Robinhood operate highly responsive customer support departments.
At eToro, you can access help in three primary ways. First, the brokerage maintains a comprehensive FAQ section. This addresses all the basic questions asked by investors and provides troubleshooting guides.
If your query isn’t captured in the FAQs section, contact the support team via email. Simply open a support ticket on the eToro website or mobile app. You will receive feedback within 24 hours. To access callback and live chat support services, you first need to subscribe to the eToro Club loyalty program.
Robinhood, on the other hand, presents you with two primary ways of accessing support. First, you can simply call the Robinhood customer support team 24/7. Alternatively, ask for a callback from this team via the app. Secondly, consult the extensive FAQs section on their web and mobile trading platforms.
eToro vs Robinhood Regulation & Security
Both eToro and Robinhood are highly regulated. They also have a solid reputation for reliability, security, and trustworthiness.
eToro is one of the most regulated crypto trading platforms. It is regulated by the likes of the SEC in the US and ASIC in Australia. In the UK, it is regulated by the FCA and CySEC in Europe. In the US, eToro is also a member of FINRA. The client’s cash deposits are also insured by the FDIC up to $250,000.
The brokerage holds more than 90% of client cryptos in an ultra-secure offline vault. It then provides clients with equally secure eToro Money wallet apps. Both have never been hacked. They are heavily encrypted and both the trading and wallet app are secured with two-factor authentication. Further, eToro doesn’t share sensitive client data with third parties. All these make it one of the safest altcoin exchanges in the world.
Robinhood is regulated by the SEC in the US and is a member of FINRA. It, too, insures client deposits of up to $250,000 with the FDIC. Further, it claims that it doesn’t share sensitive client information with third parties. It has a crypto trading license in 27 states. Plus, its web and mobile app trading platforms are secured using two-factor authentication.
Bottom Line: eToro vs Robinhood Comparison
This eToro vs Robinhood comparison guide has highlighted all the core features of the two brokerages. We have compared their user-friendliness, fees, and supported payment options. We then interrogated the integrated tools and their mobile trading experience. We even looked at the number of supported financial instruments on either platform.
As you too may have concluded from these facts, eToro is better than Robinhood. You will notice that though they share multiple features, eToro features are more content-rich.
eToro Exchange
- Free Copy Trading of Professional Traders
- Best Crypto Exchange
- Minimum Deposit only $10
- Open to US & Worldwide
Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product.
FAQs on the eToro vs Robinhood Comparative Guide
Which is the better crypto brokerage between eToro and Robinhood?
eToro is the better crypto exchange for a number of reasons. For starters, it supports a higher number of trading instruments, integrates more trading tools, and is comparatively safer.
What is the best Robinhood alternative?
eToro is the best alternative crypto brokerage for Robinhood in the US. It lists more crypto assets, integrates more trading and analysis features, and has a free wallet. It is also safe and regulated by the SEC.
Which is more affordable between Robinhood and eToro?
Robinhood may be said to be more affordable because it doesn’t have trading or non-trading fees. It, however, may not be the best place to buy most of these assets as it only provides basic add-on features. For instance, eToro exposes you to advanced analysis tools and market research. Robinhood charges a $5 monthly charge to access market research.
What is the difference between eToro and Robinhood?
There are several key fundamental differences between Robinhood and eToro. For starters, eToro is feature-rich, lists more cryptos, and provides users with a free mobile wallet app. Robinhood, on the other hand, doesn’t charge any trading or non-trading fees.
Which is the more beginner-friendly brokerage between eToro and Robinhood?
eToro is a more beginner-friendly crypto brokerage. Even though Robinhood charges no trading fees, eToro supports more crypto assets. It also provides traders with two free and ultra-secure crypto wallets. But even more importantly, it lets them earn passively through copy trading.