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, it's worth checking whether a single platform covers all of them, or whether you'd need separate accounts (and separate fee structures) elsewhere.
Regulation and where your money sits
Before opening an account, it's worth confirming which regulator licenses the platform in your country (for example, the FCA in the UK, CySEC in Cyprus, or ASIC in Australia), and whether client funds are held in segregated accounts separate from the company's own operating funds. This doesn't guarantee your investments won't lose value — markets do that on their own — but it does affect what protections apply if the platform itself ran into financial trouble.
Where a platform like eToro fits in
eToro is a multi-asset investing platform that combines stocks, ETFs, and crypto under one account, and is also known for its social/copy-trading feature, which lets users view (and optionally mirror) the public trading activity of other investors. For someone who wants a single platform covering multiple asset classes rather than juggling several accounts, that combination is the main draw — worth weighing against the platform's specific fee structure for your intended asset mix.
See eToro's current fee structure
Review eToro's asset range and published fees directly before opening an account.
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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.