Firstrade vs eToro: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Firstrade and eToro This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on September 1, 2025

Firstrade

eToro

⚠️ We look for what’s best for you.

₿ Getting into crypto? With eToro you can start in minutes: buy/sell top coins, set recurring buys, track markets, and use Social/CopyTrader features.

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Available Countries

United States

Yes

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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➕ Buy and sell top cryptocurrencies in minutes

➕ Recurring buys, price alerts, and advanced charts

➕ Social/CopyTrader™ to follow experienced investors

➕ One of the largest and most trusted platforms worldwide

Limited-time promotion — still available.

*Offer subject to terms, eligibility and regional availability. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.

Firstrade is ideal if:

Perfect if you value simplicity and self-led growth — Firstrade shines for investors who want a straightforward platform enhanced by rich educational content and intuitive tools like Options Wizard and FirstradeGPT.
Great for cost-conscious traders focused on the US market — It delivers commission-free trading across stocks, ETFs, options, and mutual funds, ideal if you prioritize low ongoing costs and trade U.S. securities.
Not ideal if you need advanced or global asset access — The platform doesn’t offer futures, forex, crypto, IPOs, or international markets, so it's not suited for highly diversified or exotic investment strategies.

eToro is ideal if:

All-in-one, intuitive platform You can trade multiple asset types and tap into a global trading community, all from a single, streamlined interface.
Social investing with guided learning You can mirror real investors through CopyTrader and learn via interactive education—perfect if you prefer peer-driven discovery.
Begin with confidence using demo tools Access a generous virtual demo account from day one, letting you practice with zero risk before investing real money.

Firstrade isn’t ideal if:

If you seek automated or advisor-led services — Firstrade doesn’t provide AI-driven trading automation, robo-advice, or personalized financial planning options.
If you need access to non-U.S. or exotic markets — It excludes futures, forex, international equities, and advanced asset classes, limiting your global exposure opportunities.
If you prioritize sleek navigation and advanced macroscopic insights — The platform’s layout can feel cluttered, with limited portfolio tracking and broader market analytics visible at a glance.

eToro isn’t ideal if:

Serious day traders might feel constrained platform performance may lag, and its simplicity could limit sophisticated short-term strategies (like scalping).
Advanced traders may find tools lacking there's no support for third-party platforms like MetaTrader or advanced order types ideal for expert users.
U.S. crypto enthusiasts face restrictions regulatory constraints limit available tokens and access compared to many global markets.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Firstrade does not operate on a crypto exchange-style maker/taker fee model since it primarily offers commission-free trading for stocks, ETFs, options, and mutual funds; there are no volume-based discounts tied to a native token.

eToro doesn’t follow the traditional maker/taker pricing model; instead, all spot crypto trades are subject to a flat buy/sell fee, which simplifies the pricing structure without requiring volume-based tiers or native token discounts.

Futures/Derivatives

Firstrade does not support trading in futures, options on crypto, or any leveraged derivative contracts, so there are no maker/taker or funding fees in this category.

eToro offers derivative trading through CFDs, without separate maker/taker charges—instead, costs arise from built-in spreads and overnight funding or weekend rollover fees on leveraged positions.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

As Firstrade does not currently offer direct spot cryptocurrency trading, there are no applicable spreads for BTC/USDT or ETH/USDT pairs within its platform.

While eToro doesn’t list minute-by-minute spread values by pair publicly, it applies market spreads plus its flat fee, leading to competitive but not razor-thin spreads on top crypto pairs.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Deposits and withdrawals are processed via ACH, wire transfers, and check requests; ACH is typically free and fast (1–2 business days), while wires may have a fee and take 1–3 days depending on the bank.

Deposits into eToro are free via common methods (cards, bank transfers, e-wallets) with varying processing times; fiat withdrawals carry a standard flat fee (e.g., USD) and may be instantaneous or take a few business days depending on method and region.

On-chain Withdrawals

Since Firstrade does not facilitate direct on-chain crypto transfers, there are no blockchain network withdrawal fees for BTC, ETH, TRX, or other tokens.

For transferring crypto on-chain, eToro applies a wallet transfer commission—independent of the blockchain network—while the underlying blockchain network fee (e.g., BTC, ETH) is dynamic and paid separately.

Hidden Costs

The main extra cost to be aware of is currency conversion for non-USD accounts; Firstrade does not charge inactivity or expedited account verification fees.

Beyond trading, costs can include currency conversion charges when operating non-base currencies, a monthly inactivity fee for dormant accounts, and any optional accelerated verification services, though those tend to be avoidable with minimal activity.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

This action cannot be performed directly on Firstrade, as it does not provide native crypto purchasing; acquiring BTC would require an external platform, where costs would depend on that provider’s commission, spread, and withdrawal fee structure.

Buying €500 worth of BTC would typically involve the flat crypto buy/sell fee folded into the transaction price plus any spread effect, and if you later withdrew funds in crypto, you’d face the wallet transfer charge plus the dynamic network fee—altogether representing a single, compounded cost experience.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Firstrade offers trading in approximately 38–41 cryptocurrencies, focusing on spot pairs only—there’s no full order book with crypto-to-crypto pairings, just single-asset buys priced in USD on their platform.

eToro offers over 120 cryptocurrencies across its global platform, and although a ranked top-20 list isn’t publicly detailed, it typically includes the most liquid names like BTC, ETH, SOL, ADA, DOT, and a handful of high-volume altcoins.

Product Range

Firstrade supports only spot cryptocurrency trading; it does not support margin, perpetuals, futures, options, ETFs on crypto, staking, lending, copy trading, grid bot tools, or automated DCA programs.

eToro supports spot crypto trading, CopyTrader social investing, and Smart Portfolios, along with crypto staking; it offers ETFs, stocks, options, and CFDs in regions where enabled, but does not provide margin, futures, perpetuals, loans, grid bots, or automated DCA tools.

Liquidity

Firstrade does not disclose actual 24-hour volume or order book depth data for crypto; trading occurs via their internal system with instant settlement but without traditional exchange-level liquidity metrics.

Specific liquidity metrics aren’t displayed publicly, but eToro’s scale and regulated status suggest solid 24-hour crypto volumes and sufficient order-book depth in major pairs like BTC and ETH, offering dependable execution for most retail traders.

Tools

Their crypto offering includes basic order types, real-time quotes, charts, and research features, but lacks advanced tools such as stop/OCO orders, advanced charting, native TradingView integration, alerts, or API/WS access for crypto.

The platform features standard order types such as market and limit, plus alerts and built-in charting with indicators; while it lacks native TradingView integration and public API access, it offers intuitive chart tools suitable for mainstream users.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Crypto trading is available only to users in the United States; there are no crypto markets or services offered outside U.S. jurisdictions.

Offering varies significantly by user location—derivatives like CFDs and options may be unavailable or limited depending on local regulations, while staking and certain crypto products may also be restricted in regions like the UK or UAE.

Innovation

Firstrade has not rolled out innovation tools like launchpad/launchpool, nor any flexible vs blocked crypto-earned programs—its crypto offerings remain simple and limited to direct spot purchases.

Although eToro does not currently support launchpad or launchpool-style token offerings, it provides flexible, opt-in staking rewards on assets like ETH, ADA, SOL, DOT, and others, allowing users to participate or withdraw at their discretion.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

The crypto service is delivered through Firstrade Crypto LLC, a U.S.-based subsidiary operating under parent company Firstrade Securities Inc., founded in 1985 and headquartered in Flushing, New York.

eToro Group Ltd was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel. Its European arm, eToro (Europe) Ltd, is based in Limassol, Cyprus, operating under CySEC, and it also maintains legal entities across the UK, UAE, Australia, Malta, and Seychelles, reflecting a broad and multi-jurisdictional operational structure.

Licenses/Registration

Firstrade Securities operates as a registered broker-dealer under FINRA and the SEC; crypto trading itself is facilitated by Apex Crypto LLC, acting under regulatory standards but without explicit VASP or MiCA licensing.

eToro (Europe) Ltd holds a CySEC license and is registered as a Digital Asset Service Provider in France (AMF), in Spain via Bank of Spain as a VASP, and operates under the EU-wide MiCA framework, enabling compliant crypto services across the European Union.

Custody

Cryptocurrency custody is handled by Apex Crypto LLC as a third-party provider—not held on Firstrade’s own infrastructure. There’s no publicly shared proof of reserves, audit reports, or stated cold-storage percentages.

Customer crypto assets are held in omnibus digital wallets in custody by eToro (Europe) Ltd, with private keys retained by the platform—not the user—and segregated from corporate reserves; although eToro doesn’t publicly publish proof-of-reserves or cold-storage percentages, this structure aims to reduce client-side risks.

Insurance & Protection Funds

While traditional account assets benefit from SIPC and possibly FDIC protections, crypto holdings are not covered under these programs and have no dedicated insurance or extra custodian protection.

For higher-tier members like Platinum and above, eToro offers private insurance via Lloyd’s of London covering cash, CFDs, and securities in case of insolvency; additionally, clients may access compensation from relevant investor compensation schemes governed by their regulatory body.

Incident History

Firstrade hasn’t suffered publicized hacks or major suspensions tied to its crypto platform; however, it recently received FINRA censure and a fine for misleading communications about crypto offerings via an affiliate.

eToro has no major recent hacks, but it faced a €1.3 million fine in Italy for misleading promotion practices and settled with the U.S. SEC in 2024 for operating as an unregistered broker; it also has a history of regulatory actions including fines and blacklisting in Quebec and Canada.

Risk Controls

Firstrade enforces strong security measures including multi-factor authentication, SSL encryption, firewalls, fraud detection systems, phishing education, and a secure security center, but doesn’t highlight features like API permissions or sub-accounts for crypto.

eToro provides standard security measures such as 2FA and anti-phishing mechanisms; however, it doesn’t offer features like sub-accounts, granular API permissions, or whitelisting yet—keeping risk controls accessible but basic. (No citation available.)

Transparency

There’s no public monthly reporting or wallet audit data available for crypto holdings. Users rely on Firstrade’s Online Protection Guarantee for unauthorized trades, yet there’s no SLA or public wallet addresses disclosed.

While eToro does not disclose public wallet addresses or monthly reserves reports, it supports transparency through Key Information Documents (KIDs) and SEC filings, but it doesn’t offer service-level agreements or public audit trails tied specifically to crypto custody.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

Firstrade supports fiat deposits via ACH, wire transfer, check, and transfers from other brokerages; ACH from U.S. bank accounts is fee-free and takes a couple of business days, wires are faster but involve sending-bank fees, and check deposits vary by type and processing, with some available immediately.

eToro accepts a variety of funding methods, including bank transfers, debit/credit cards, and e-wallets like PayPal or Skrill, with minimum first deposits ranging from about $50 to several thousand depending on your country and method, daily or transaction limits often apply, and deposit times vary from immediate (cards and e-wallets) to a few business days (bank transfers).

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

There’s no formal tiered KYC structure; account opening requires ID verification, and once verified, users can access full services—there are no intermediate “basic” or “advanced” levels with differing limits.

On opening, unverified accounts are subject to lower deposit limits (e.g., around $2,000); full identity verification lifts those constraints—though eToro doesn’t generally publish tier names like “basic” or “advanced,” completing KYC empowers higher funding and withdrawal options.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are available via ACH, check, or wire—ACH (up to $50,000 per day) is free and takes 1–2 business days, checks may take up to two weeks depending on delivery, and wires cost a fee and take several days; crypto token withdrawals (e.g. ERC20/TRC20) are not supported.

Limits, Times, Networks

Customer Support

Support is offered via email and U.S. phone during business hours, complemented by a Help Center with FAQs—there’s no 24/7 live chat, and response times and knowledge base depth are moderate and office-hour dependent.

eToro offers help via email and a comprehensive online help center with articles, though live chat availability can vary by region; response times generally range from a few hours to a couple of business days depending on complexity and support volume.

Languages & Localization

The platform and mobile app support English, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese; the interface displays USD values only, with no localized support for Spanish or Euro-based users—reflecting its U.S.-centric design.

eToro supports multiple language interfaces including Spanish, displays fees and balances in your preferred fiat (like EUR), and aligns its offerings with local regulatory requirements to ensure regional compliance.

App Quality & Stability

The Firstrade app (iOS/Android) is well-rated, noted for intuitive navigation and sync across devices, though some users report occasional crashes; regular updates enhance features and UX, but no official crash-rate metrics are disclosed.

The mobile app is frequently updated, offering a stable experience on iOS and Android; while official crash-rate statistics aren’t shared, user feedback suggests solid performance and consistent feature enhancements over time.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

Firstrade delivers a clean, beginner-friendly interface that helps new users get started quickly, though it doesn’t offer distinct “Lite” or “Pro” modes; advanced traders may find the layout functional but not deeply customizable.

eToro’s interface is clean and intuitive, designed so that beginners can feel comfortable right away; while there isn’t a formal “Lite” vs “Pro” mode, advanced users can dive deeper via more detailed chart tools and layout options that gradually reveal themselves as you get more experienced.

Performance

Firstrade offers solid performance under normal conditions, but during high-volatility events, users sometimes note slight delays in order execution; account verification remains swift even during surges, with KYC queues rarely causing major hold-ups.

Order execution is generally smooth, but during extreme price swings or system maintenance you might notice slight latency; the platform reliability is strong overall, though KYC reviews can occasionally take longer during periods of high account openings—especially in bull market surges.

Education

The platform provides a rich library of written and video educational resources for investing concepts, though it lacks a dedicated simulator or demo trading environment and does not yet offer educational content in Spanish.

eToro provides a comprehensive Academy with video lessons, podcasts, and articles, and a $100,000 virtual portfolio simulator to practice trading; while most content is in English, platform navigation and key resources are also available in Spanish to support Spanish-speaking users.

Community

Firstrade does not operate official community channels like Discord or Telegram. It did run a referral program in the past, but that has been discontinued, and users must rely on formal help centers rather than peer-driven forums.

There’s a built-in social network where you can comment on trades, follow investors, and invite friends via referral links—though it doesn’t rely on external forums or Telegram for community features, everything is kept within the platform to foster interaction.

Integrations

Firstrade recently integrated advanced research tools from Trading Central, but doesn’t support direct TradingView charting, bot trading, or built-in tax/accounting integrations—users rely on manual methods or third-party tools.

eToro doesn’t support direct TradingView embedding, external bot automation, or built-in tax/accounting tools, so you’ll need to rely on third-party services to analyze charts or manage your portfolio’s tax reporting externally.

Who Each One Is Best For

Firstrade shines with investors who value a reliable, easy-to-use platform with educational support and occasional advanced tools—ideal for self-directed U.S. investors prioritizing simplicity over complex trading setups.

eToro is ideal for traders who value simplicity, social features, and all-in-one access to assets—even if that means fewer professional-grade tools; active day traders or institutional users might find it less fitting due to lack of algorithmic support or deep integration capabilities.