The short answer
eToro vs Plus500, side by side
| Feature |  eToro |  Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Broker type | Multi-asset: real stocks/crypto + CFDs + copy/social trading | Pure CFD broker — everything traded as a leveraged CFD |
| Standout feature | CopyTrader and a large social community | One of the widest CFD ranges in the business |
| Real asset ownership | Yes — real stocks and crypto in some regions | No — CFDs only, you never own the underlying |
| Platform | Proprietary web + mobile (social feed built in) | Proprietary WebTrader + mobile (deliberately simple) |
| MetaTrader (MT4/MT5) | No — proprietary only | No — proprietary only |
| Pricing model | Spreads vary by product; withdrawal & FX-conversion costs | Commission-free, cost in the spread; overnight/inactivity fees |
| Regulation (by entity/region) | Multiple entities incl. FCA & ASIC | Multiple entities incl. FCA & ASIC |
| US retail availability | CFDs not available; US offering is a separate crypto-focused product | Not available to US retail clients for CFD trading |
Which one is right for you?
eToro
You want social and copy trading, real stocks and crypto you can actually own, and a multi-asset platform that does long-term investing and CFD trading in one app.
Join eToroPlus500
You want a focused, easy CFD-only platform with one of the widest market ranges available, commission-free pricing built into the spread, and no need for real-asset ownership or social features.
Join Plus500Two different products
eToro is built around being multi-asset and social. Depending on your region it offers real stock and crypto ownership alongside CFDs on forex, indices and commodities, plus ETFs — and its defining feature, CopyTrader, lets you automatically mirror other users. The community layer (feeds, sentiment, trader profiles) is more central here than on any mainstream broker, which makes it a natural on-ramp for beginners.
Plus500 is the opposite philosophy: a pure CFD broker with a deliberately clean proprietary platform and one of the widest CFD ranges in the business. There are no social features and no real-asset ownership — everything is a CFD — but the platform is fast to learn and covers thousands of instruments from a single account. If eToro is a multi-tool, Plus500 is a sharp single blade.
Fees, platforms and what you actually trade
Neither broker supports MetaTrader (MT4/MT5) — both run their own proprietary platforms — so neither suits EA or algorithmic traders. On cost, Plus500 is commission-free with the cost built into the spread, plus overnight/swap financing and possible inactivity fees. eToro’s fees vary by product and region and can include spreads, withdrawal fees and currency-conversion costs on non-USD deposits. As of our last test both used variable pricing, so check the current spread and fee schedule for your region rather than relying on a headline number.
The biggest practical difference is ownership versus CFD. On eToro a real stock or crypto position means you actually hold the asset; a CFD on either broker is a leveraged derivative where you only speculate on price and can lose rapidly. Confirm whether each instrument you trade is real or a CFD — on eToro this depends on your region and entity.
Risk, regulation and the US situation
Both brokers operate through multiple regulated entities; depending on region these are associated with authorities such as the FCA in the UK and ASIC in Australia, among others. Regulation and the protections that come with it are entity- and region-dependent, so confirm the exact entity and regulator on your own account before depositing.
The core risk is the same on both: CFDs are complex instruments with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage, and most retail CFD accounts lose money. eToro’s copy trading does not remove that risk — past performance of a copied trader does not guarantee results. And CFDs are not available to US retail clients on either broker; eToro’s US offering is a separate, crypto-focused product that differs from the global platform. Only trade with capital you can afford to lose.