eToro vs Plus500
The biggest difference between eToro and Plus500 is that eToro lets you buy real ASX and US shares, ETFs and crypto, while Plus500 is a pure CFD provider — you never actually own the underlying asset. If you want to build a real portfolio of ASX or US stocks, eToro is your only option here. Plus500 is designed for leveraged speculation on price movements, not long-term investing.
- ›You want to buy real ASX shares and ETFs commission-free with zero brokerage minimums
- ›You want to invest in US stocks and ETFs with zero commission and access fractional shares
- ›You want a low $50 minimum deposit and the ability to auto-invest or dollar-cost average into positions
- ›You want a multi-asset platform that also offers crypto and CFDs alongside real share ownership
- ›You want a CGT report and Australian tax statement to help with your annual tax return
- ›You only want to trade CFDs on margin with leverage and have no interest in owning the underlying asset
- ›You want 24/7 customer support via live chat, email and WhatsApp
- ›You want access to options trading alongside CFDs
- ›You want after-hours / overnight trading capability
- ›You prefer depositing via BPAY, Apple Pay or Google Pay
Where they differ
| Fact | eToro | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Real share ownership | Yes — real ASX and US shares, ETFs and crypto | No — CFDs only, no real shares or ETFs offered |
| ASX brokerage | 0% commission on real ASX shares | Not applicable — no real ASX shares offered |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.0075% | 0.7% |
| Options trading | Not supported | Supported |
| Minimum deposit | $50 AUD | $100 AUD |
Choose eToro to own real shares and ETFs; choose Plus500 only if you want pure CFD and options speculation.
Common questions
How do eToro and Plus500 compare on real share ownership?
eToro: Yes — real ASX and US shares, ETFs and crypto. Plus500: No — CFDs only, no real shares or ETFs offered. eToro lets you own the asset; Plus500 is purely synthetic.
How do eToro and Plus500 compare on asx brokerage?
eToro: 0% commission on real ASX shares. Plus500: Not applicable — no real ASX shares offered. eToro is genuinely free for ASX investing; Plus500 doesn't offer ASX shares at all.
How do eToro and Plus500 compare on fx spread (aud/usd)?
eToro: 0.0075%. Plus500: 0.7%. eToro's FX spread is dramatically tighter when converting to USD.
When is eToro the better choice over Plus500?
Pick eToro if you want to buy real ASX shares and ETFs commission-free with zero brokerage minimums; you want to invest in US stocks and ETFs with zero commission and access fractional shares; you want a low $50 minimum deposit and the ability to auto-invest or dollar-cost average into positions; or you want a multi-asset platform that also offers crypto and CFDs alongside real share ownership.
When is Plus500 the better choice over eToro?
Pick Plus500 if you only want to trade CFDs on margin with leverage and have no interest in owning the underlying asset; you want 24/7 customer support via live chat, email and WhatsApp; you want access to options trading alongside CFDs; or you want after-hours / overnight trading capability.
eToro or Plus500 — what's the verdict?
Choose eToro to own real shares and ETFs; choose Plus500 only if you want pure CFD and options speculation.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | eToro | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | — |
| Individual HIN | No | — |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | No |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | No |
| SMSF account | Yes | No |
| Kids / minor account | No | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | No |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| US shares supported | Yes | No |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| Other markets supported | United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Portugal | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | Yes | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto trading | Yes | — |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.75% | 70% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| 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. | Not applicable — Plus500 only offers CFDs, so users do not participate in real corporate actions (rights issues, SPPs, takeovers). Dividend adjustments on share CFDs are credited/debited to positions automatically. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $0 | — |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0% | — |
| 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. | — |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | — |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | — |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $10 | $10 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | eToro AUS Capital Limited | Plus500AU Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 491,139 | 417,727 |
| AUSTRAC registration | Yes | — |
| Year founded | 2,017 | 2,008 |
| 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. | Plus500 Ltd (UK/Israel, LSE-listed parent) |
| Country of incorporation | Australia | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $100 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $50 | — |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer, Debit card, Credit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, POLi, Online banking | BPAY, Bank transfer, Credit/debit 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) | — |
| 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) | Typically 1-3 business days; same payment method as deposit (card, bank, e-wallet). |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | Yes | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | No | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS + authenticator app | SMS only |
| Customer support channels | Live chat (Club members only), Email / web ticket, Help centre | Live chat, Email, WhatsApp, Contact form |
| Support hours (AU time) | — | 24/7 live chat, email and WhatsApp support |
| Education content | video + courses | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | — | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | No | 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 |