eToro vs. Admiral Markets: Competing For The Top Spot

It’s never easy getting to the top, and it’s even harder to stay there. That being said, eToro and Admiral Markets are two of the top online brokers globally, each commanding a huge customer base. Choosing just one to work with can be a challenge, but we shall make it easier for you by comparing what matters most to every trader. 

Regulation

Everyone has heard of the scams run on the retail online market. The only protection you have is that you get from a financial regulator. eToro’s parent company, eToro Group Limited operates in many countries and has received the necessary licenses. In the UK, eToro (UK) is licensed by the FCA under the license FRN 583263. Another one of its subsidiaries, eToro AUS Capital, is regulated by ASIC under the License 491139. The third subsidiary, eToro Europe is regulated by CySEC under the license number 109/10. These licenses allow Alpari to operate in most countries around the world with the exception of the US. 

Admiral Markets operates in much the same way with subsidiaries in Cyprus, Australia and the UK. Its UK subsidiary, Admiral Markets UK, has registration number 595450 from the FCA. Meanwhile, Admiral Markets Cyprus Ltd is registered in Cyprus and regulated by CySEC with license number 201/13. Finally Admiral Markets Pty is licensed in Australia with AFSL no. 410681.

?Because both companies have similar licenses, we have a perfect tie in the first round. 

This ad promotes virtual cryptocurrency investing within the EU (by eToro Europe Ltd. and eToro UK Ltd.) & USA (by eToro USA LLC); which is highly volatile, unregulated in most EU countries, no EU protections & not supervised by the EU regulatory framework. Investments are subject to market risk, including the loss of principal.

Deposit and withdrawal

You won’t be able to trade before you fund your account, and a broker needs to make various options available. 

eToro

This content is not intended for US users. eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs, only real Crypto assets available.

All deposits are in USD, so conversion rates will apply when using other currencies. 

• Bank transfer
• Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, Maestro),
• PayPal 
• Neteller
• Skrill

Minimum deposit for the first time is $200, but US and Australia residents can start with $50 and Israel residents must come up with $10,000. Deposits by wire transfer have a minimum of $500 and the minimum withdrawal is $30. EToro charges a fixed withdrawal fee of $5 USD, Additionally, a conversion fee may be applied as withdrawals and deposits are conducted in USD. Any other currency will have to be converted

Admiral Markets

Base currency varies based on the deposit method, so you would have to visit this link to find out if there will be any conversion fees. 

• Bank transfer
• Credit/debit card (Visa/MasterCard)
• PayPal
• Skrill
• Neteller
• SafetyPay
• Klarna
• iDEAL
• iBank and BankLink
• Przelewy

Most of the above methods have a USD 50 minimum deposit requirement, or equivalent in another currency, except for bank transfers where there is no minimum requirement. 

? Admiral Markets allows for more deposit options, and therefore takes the second round. 

Trading platforms

All trading on eToro is either done through the online platform on desktop or mobile app. Unlike most brokers with multiple trading platforms, eToro chose to focus on its online platform and include as many tools as possible. The platform is indeed very effective and includes everything a trader would ever need. 

As for Admiral Markets, traders have a choice between MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader Supreme and MetaTrader Webtrader. Each of these platforms also has a corresponding mobile version that can be downloaded on an Android or iOS device. 

? In the third round, it’s another win for Admiral Markets. 

Ease of use

A challenge every broker faces is to make the trading experience comfortable for all traders without compromising on quality. To achieve this feat, eToro simplified the process by focusing on the online platform. eToro integrated social trading into every aspect of trading so that it is easy for all traders to make a profit.

Admiral Markets used MetaTrader platforms, knowing that they are popular among most traders. That makes it easy for traders to get started and not waste time learning their way around a new platform. Besides, MetaTrader has got a lot of technical indicators and algorithms to allow for automated trading. 

? Overall, eToro reports that 75% of its clients lose money while Admiral Markets has 79% of its clients losing money for some instruments. The difference is testament to the fact that social trading makes everything easier for traders, and thus eToro wins the final round.