Fees aren't just "commission-free" or not
Many platforms now advertise commission-free trading on stocks, which has shifted where fees actually hide. Common places they show up instead:
- Currency conversion fees — charged when you trade an asset priced in a currency different from your account's base currency, often 0.5–2% per trade.
- Spreads — the gap between the buy and sell price, especially common on CFDs and crypto, functions as a built-in fee even when there's no separate commission line.
- Withdrawal or inactivity fees — flat fees charged for withdrawing funds or for leaving an account dormant for an extended period.
"Zero commission" is only part of the picture — the real cost of a platform is the sum of all of these, applied to how you actually plan to trade.
Asset range: what can you actually buy?
Platforms vary widely in what they list — some focus narrowly on stocks and ETFs, others add options, CFDs, or crypto under the same account. If you plan to hold a mix of asset types, check whether one platform actually covers all of them, or whether you'd end up juggling separate accounts (and separate fee structures) elsewhere.
Regulation and where your money sits
Before opening an account, check which regulator actually licenses the platform in your country — the FCA in the UK, CySEC in Cyprus, ASIC in Australia — and whether client funds sit in segregated accounts, separate from the company's own operating money. None of this stops your investments from losing value; markets do that on their own regardless of regulation. What it does affect is what protection you have if the platform itself runs into trouble.
How eToro stacks up
eToro combines stocks, ETFs, and crypto under one account, and it's also known for social/copy-trading — a feature that lets users view, and optionally mirror, the public trading activity of other investors. That combination is the main draw for anyone who'd rather use one platform across asset classes than juggle several accounts. Whether it's the right call still comes down to eToro's specific fee structure for whatever mix you're actually planning to trade.
Frequently asked questions
Is a platform with more assets automatically better?
Not for everyone. If you only ever plan to buy a handful of ETFs, a broader platform's extra features (CFDs, copy-trading, crypto) may add complexity without adding value. Match the platform to how you actually intend to invest, not to the longest feature list.
What's the difference between owning a stock and trading a CFD on it?
Owning the stock means you hold the underlying asset and are entitled to dividends and voting rights where applicable. A CFD (contract for difference) is a derivative that tracks the price without giving you ownership — often used for shorter-term trading, and it typically carries higher risk due to leverage.
Should I diversify across multiple investing platforms?
Some investors do, either to access assets not available on a single platform or to avoid concentrating all holdings with one provider. It adds administrative overhead, so it's a trade-off rather than a universal rule.