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Interactive Brokers vs eToro for US stocks
Both give you real share ownership, so the decision comes down to cost, country eligibility and platform.
Pick Interactive Brokers if real share ownership from almost any country. Pick eToro if beginners.
The default answer for a non-US investor who wants to actually own US shares rather than a derivative of them.
Visit Interactive BrokersWhether a position is a real share or a derivative is decided by your region and leverage setting — check before assuming ownership.
Visit eToroSide by side
| Interactive Brokers | eToro | |
|---|---|---|
| What you hold | The share | The share |
| US stock access | Full US listed market (NYSE, Nasdaq, AMEX) plus 150+ global markets | 3,000+ stocks across US and global exchanges |
| Minimum deposit | None | $50 |
| Fractional shares | Yes | Yes |
| Published pricing | IBKR Lite offers $0 commission on US listed stocks and ETFs for eligible clients; IBKR Pro is tiered/fixed per-share pricing. | $0 commission on real stock investing in most regions; currency conversion and withdrawal fees apply. |
| Platforms | Trader Workstation, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, API | eToro web, eToro mobile |
| Extended hours | Pre-market and after-hours routing available | Not offered on real-stock orders |
| Regulation | SEC SIPC member, FCA 208159, CBI C423427 | FCA 583263, CySEC 109/10, ASIC 491139 |
| Founded | 1978 | 2007 |
Where each one wins
Interactive Brokers
- Real share ownership from almost any country
- Multi-currency accounts
- Options, futures and international listings in one account
- The desktop platform is dense and unforgiving for first-timers
- Data subscriptions are billed separately
eToro
- Beginners
- Copy trading
- Mixing real shares and CFDs in one app
- Whether you get a real share or a CFD depends on your region and whether leverage is applied
- FX conversion costs on non-USD deposits
Frequently asked questions
Interactive Brokers or eToro — which is better for US stocks?
Both give you real share ownership, so the decision comes down to cost, country eligibility and platform. Interactive Brokers: real share ownership from almost any country. eToro: beginners.
Which is cheaper?
Interactive Brokers: IBKR Lite offers $0 commission on US listed stocks and ETFs for eligible clients; IBKR Pro is tiered/fixed per-share pricing. eToro: $0 commission on real stock investing in most regions; currency conversion and withdrawal fees apply. Both figures are restated from each broker's own pricing page; for small non-USD accounts, currency conversion usually costs more than commission does.
Which is better regulated?
Interactive Brokers is authorised by SEC, FCA, CBI; eToro by FCA, CySEC, ASIC. What matters is which entity holds your account, since that determines your compensation scheme and leverage limits.
Reviewed August 2026. Figures restated from each broker's published pages.