eToro vs IG Australia
Both eToro and IG Australia offer zero-commission ASX trading, but the real difference comes down to fees and features. IG charges a 0.25% p.a. platform fee on your holdings, while eToro has no ongoing platform fee — though eToro does hit you with a $10 inactivity fee and lacks CHESS sponsorship. IG also gives you access to IPOs and after-hours trading; eToro offers fractional shares and auto-invest.
- ›You want zero ongoing platform fees — eToro charges nothing monthly or annually on holdings.
- ›You want to buy fractional shares on ASX or US stocks, which IG doesn't support.
- ›You want to set up an auto-invest / DCA strategy with multiple levels of automation.
- ›You want a low $50 minimum deposit to get started and the flexibility of depositing via PayPal, Skrill, or credit card.
- ›You want to trade crypto alongside shares in the same platform.
- ›You want to avoid any inactivity or account fees — IG charges $0 for inactivity.
- ›You want IPO access and after-hours / overnight trading, which eToro doesn't offer.
- ›You want a desktop trading platform and phone-based customer support (24/5).
- ›You want joint account capability — eToro doesn't support joint accounts.
- ›You want free research reports, which eToro doesn't provide.
Where they differ
| Fact | eToro | IG Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee on holdings | $0 | 0.25% p.a. |
| Inactivity fee | $10 | $0 |
| Fractional shares | Yes (ASX & US) | No |
| IPO access | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes (multi-level) | No |
Choose eToro for fractional shares and zero platform fees; choose IG for no inactivity fees, IPOs, and a more traditional broker experience.
Common questions
How do eToro and IG Australia compare on platform fee on holdings?
eToro: $0. IG Australia: 0.25% p.a..
How do eToro and IG Australia compare on inactivity fee?
eToro: $10. IG Australia: $0.
How do eToro and IG Australia compare on fractional shares?
eToro: Yes (ASX & US). IG Australia: No.
When is eToro the better choice over IG Australia?
Pick eToro if you want zero ongoing platform fees — eToro charges nothing monthly or annually on holdings; you want to buy fractional shares on ASX or US stocks, which IG doesn't support; you want to set up an auto-invest / DCA strategy with multiple levels of automation; or you want a low $50 minimum deposit to get started and the flexibility of depositing via PayPal, Skrill, or credit card.
When is IG Australia the better choice over eToro?
Pick IG Australia if you want to avoid any inactivity or account fees — IG charges $0 for inactivity; you want IPO access and after-hours / overnight trading, which eToro doesn't offer; you want a desktop trading platform and phone-based customer support (24/5); or you want joint account capability — eToro doesn't support joint accounts.
eToro or IG Australia — what's the verdict?
Choose eToro for fractional shares and zero platform fees; choose IG for no inactivity fees, IPOs, and a more traditional broker experience.
Punch in your trade size and frequency. We'll do the full brokerage + FX + fees maths.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | eToro | IG Australia |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | custodian |
| Individual HIN | No | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | — |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Other markets supported | United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Portugal | United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | Yes | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto trading | Yes | — |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.75% | 0.7% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 0.7% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | No | — |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | eToro passes through cash dividends from non-leveraged real positions (debit/credit to wallet). It does not facilitate participation in rights issues, share purchase plans (SPPs), DRPs or shareholder votes because shares are held in a managed investment scheme by the custodian, not in the user's name. No explicit fee, but corporate action access is materially restricted. | Corporate actions (dividends, splits, rights issues, takeovers) for shares held in custody are processed by IG via Citicorp Nominees; cash dividends are credited net of withholding to client ledger. SPP/rights elections are limited under the custodial model and detailed fees are disclosed in the IG Share Trading Customer Agreement / FSG. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $0 | $0 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0% | 0% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | — | $10,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | Zero commission applies to all non-leveraged (real) ASX share and ETF purchases. Leveraged / short positions are executed as CFDs and incur 0.15% open/close spread plus overnight financing. | $0 commission on all ASX shares and ETFs on the IG Share Trading account (no conditions/minimum trade count). A 0.25% p.a. platform fee on holdings value applies; 0.7% FX fee applies to international trades. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | US$0 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | 0% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $10 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | eToro AUS Capital Limited | IG Australia Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 491,139 | 515,106 |
| AUSTRAC registration | Yes | — |
| Year founded | 2,017 | 2,002 |
| Parent / ownership | eToro Group Ltd (NASDAQ: ETOR) — listed 14 May 2025; originally founded in Israel by Yoni and Ronen Assia. eToro AUS Capital Limited is a wholly-owned Australian subsidiary. | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) |
| Country of incorporation | Australia | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $0 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $50 | — |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer, Debit card, Credit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, POLi, Online banking | bank transfer, BPAY, debit card, credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Settlement period | T+2 ASX, T+1 US (settlement managed by the eToro Service custodian; user funds reflect immediately in eToro wallet) | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days for eToro processing; total 2-10 business days end-to-end depending on payment method (bank transfer longer than card) | 1-3 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | Yes |
| Demo account | Yes | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | No |
| Free research reports | No | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS + authenticator app | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | Live chat (Club members only), Email / web ticket, Help centre | phone, email, live chat, social media |
| Support hours (AU time) | — | 24/5 Monday to Friday (closed weekends) |
| Education content | video + courses | video + courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | No | — |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | multiple | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |