| Feature | eToro | Pepperstone |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation | FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), CySEC (Cyprus), FINRA (US) | FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), CySEC (Cyprus), DFSA (Dubai), CMA (Kenya), BaFin (Germany) |
| Founded | 2007 | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Tel Aviv, Israel | Melbourne, Australia |
| Minimum Deposit | $200 (varies by region) | $0 (recommended $200) |
| Spreads (Typical) | Fixed spreads starting from 1.0 pips (EUR/USD) | Variable spreads starting from 0.0 pips (EUR/USD) + commission |
| Account Types | Standard Account, Islamic Account | Standard, Razor (ECN), Swap-free (Islamic) |
| Assets Offered | Forex, Stocks, ETFs, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities | Forex, Stocks, ETFs, Commodities, Indices, Cryptocurrencies (via CFDs) |
| Trading Platform | eToro Proprietary Platform (Web & Mobile) | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), cTrader |
| Copy Trading | Yes, Social and Copy Trading (CopyPortfolios and individual trades) | Yes, via Myfxbook, DupliTrade, cTrader Copy |
| Leverage | Up to 1:30 (retail EU/UK), Up to 1:500 (Pro) | Up to 1:30 (retail EU/UK), Up to 1:500 (Pro) |
| Deposit Methods | Bank Transfer, Credit/Debit Cards, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, Sofort | Bank Transfer, Credit/Debit Cards, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, POLi |
| Withdrawal Fees | $5 fee per withdrawal | No withdrawal fee (may apply for some methods) |
| Commission Fees | No commission for stocks, commission on crypto/ETFs (spread-based fees) | $0 for Standard accounts (spread-only), $7 per lot (Razor account) |
| Education Tools | Webinars, Articles, Trading Academy, Social Feed | Webinars, Videos, Market Insights, Trading Guides |
| Market Analysis | Analyst insights, Newsfeed, Social Sentiments | Autochartist (MT4/5 plugin), Economic Calendar, Daily News |
| Customer Support | 24/5 live chat, Email, Phone | 24/5 live chat, Email, Phone |
| Mobile App | eToro Mobile App | MetaTrader Mobile Apps, cTrader App |
| Automated Trading | Yes (via APIs for advanced users) | Yes (via MT4/MT5 Expert Advisors, cTrader bots) |
| Account Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, JPY, SGD, others |
| Regulatory Protection | Investor compensation schemes (region-specific), segregated accounts | Segregated client funds, negative balance protection |
| Social Trading Features | Yes, with community trading stats, portfolios | Limited, focuses more on automated/copy trade integration |
| Additional Features | Fractional shares, crypto staking, thematic portfolios | No fractional shares, but advanced charting and execution tools |
| Stock Ownership | Yes (for EU and some regions) | No (all stock trades are CFDs) |
| Demo Account | Yes (with $100,000 virtual funds) | Yes (unlimited virtual funds) |
| Order Types | Market, Limit, Stop Loss, Take Profit | Market, Limit, Stop, Trailing Stop, Take Profit |
| Charting Tools | Basic indicators, drawing tools, timeframes | Advanced charts with 50+ indicators (MT4/5, cTrader) |
| Risk Management Tools | Stop Loss, Take Profit, Negative Balance Protection | Stop Loss, Take Profit, Trailing Stops, Guaranteed Stops (some regions) |
| Regulated Leverage Caps | Retail: 1:30 (EU/UK), 1:50 (US) | Retail: 1:30 (EU/UK), Higher in non-regulated regions |
| Proprietary Features | CopyTrader, Smart Portfolios, eToro Club (tier benefits) | Active Trader Program (rebates for high-volume traders) |
| Execution Speed | Typically 1 second | Sub 1 second (ultra-fast execution with Razor and cTrader) |
| Slippage Control | No custom slippage settings | Yes (manual slippage settings available) |
| Spread Type | Fixed (for some pairs), Variable for most assets | Variable (Razor spreads near 0.0 pips) |
| Cryptocurrency Features | Spot crypto trading (own actual assets in some cases) | CFD crypto trading only (shorting allowed) |
| Scalping Allowed | No | Yes (especially on Razor and cTrader) |
| Hedging Allowed | No (not supported on eToro platform) | Yes (fully supported on all accounts) |
| Swap-Free Accounts | Yes (Islamic accounts available) | Yes (for Standard and Razor accounts) |
| Research Reports | Limited (via social analysis and in-app posts) | In-depth reports (via Autochartist and MT5 plugins) |
| Regulatory Investor Protection | Up to €20,000 (CySEC), £85,000 (FCA) | Varies by region, up to £85,000 (FCA protection) |
| Supported Languages | 20+ languages | 10+ languages |
| Account Tiers | Basic, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond (via eToro Club) | No standard tiers (volume-based rebates for high-value traders) |
| API Access | Yes (for custom strategies, by request) | Yes (for MT4, MT5, and cTrader integration) |
| News Integration | Built-in newsfeed and social insights | Economic calendar, integrated financial news plugins |
| Partnerships & Affiliates | Yes (affiliate and partner programs) | Yes (IB and affiliate partnerships) |
| Micro Lot Trading | Yes (0.01 lots) | Yes (0.01 lots on all accounts) |
| Trading Signals | Yes (via CopyTrader portfolios and trades) | Yes (via Myfxbook, Trading Central, and DupliTrade) |
| Fractional Trading | Yes (for stocks and ETFs) | No (full lots only for CFDs) |
| ETF Access | Yes (direct ownership in some regions) | No (only ETF CFDs) |
| Algorithmic Trading | Limited (via API access) | Fully supported (via MT4/MT5 Expert Advisors and cTrader) |
| Trading Signals Source | eToro Social Sentiment (user-generated trades) | Myfxbook, DupliTrade, Autochartist signals |
| Advanced Order Types | No conditional orders | Yes (Stop Limit, Trailing Stop, One Cancels Other) |
| Bonus/Promotions | No (regulated regions prohibit bonuses) | No (regulated regions prohibit bonuses) |
| Weekend Trading | Yes (crypto only) | Yes (crypto only) |
| Security Features | Two-factor authentication (2FA), Account recovery | Two-factor authentication (2FA), Encryption |
| Currency Conversion Fee | 0.5% conversion fee for non-USD deposits/withdrawals | No conversion fee for base account currencies (applies on withdrawals outside base currency) |
| Platform Customization | Limited customization (default layouts and indicators) | High customization (custom scripts, layouts, and indicators via MT4/5, cTrader) |
| Latency and VPS Hosting | No built-in VPS, external API setups possible | VPS available for free (for high-volume traders) |
| Paper Trading Limitations | Paper account resets at user’s request only | Unlimited use and reset of demo accounts |
| Daily Trading Limits | None (but configurable risk levels for copy trading) | None (manual limits based on margin) |
| Corporate/Institutional Accounts | No dedicated service for institutions | Yes (institutional-level liquidity available) |
| Social Interaction Tools | Feeds, Comments, User Profiles, Follow Feature | No built-in interaction (but can follow signals via external platforms) |
| Regulation in Asia | Licensed in Hong Kong, Singapore | Licensed in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia |
| Financial Statement Reports | No direct statement exports (basic reports) | Full statement and detailed P&L exports available |
| High-frequency Trading (HFT) | Not supported (due to platform limitations) | Supported (low latency execution with cTrader and Razor accounts) |
| Trading Bot Integration | Limited to external API bots | Fully supported via MT4/MT5 and cTrader bots |
| Partnership Integration | None directly supported on platform | Full integration with Autochartist, Myfxbook, Trading Central |
| Sentiment Analysis | Yes (via social trading insights) | No built-in sentiment tools, but can be added via plugins |
| Chart Timeframes | 6 timeframes (1m to 1W) | 21+ timeframes (1 minute to monthly) |
| Trade Execution Type | Market Maker (acts as a counterparty) | ECN/STP (Direct Market Access) |
| Execution Transparency | Low transparency (market-making model) | High transparency (ECN order book visibility via cTrader) |
| Spreads for Exotic Pairs | Higher than industry average | Competitive for exotic pairs |
| Mobile Charting Tools | Simplified (few drawing tools) | Full-featured charting (same as desktop for MT4/5 and cTrader) |
| Browser-based Access | Web-based proprietary platform | Web-based versions of MT4/MT5 and cTrader |
| Community Insights | Yes (via user trades and stats) | No (no social feature, relies on analytics) |
eToro excels in social and copy trading, offering direct stock and crypto ownership, while Pepperstone provides superior execution speed, advanced trading platforms, and ECN/STP accounts for lower spreads.