what are etoro trading fees: Complete Breakdown and Savings

Published On: 2025-11-04

Prepared by Jameson Richman and our team of experts with over a decade of experience in cryptocurrency and digital asset analysis. Learn more about us.

What are eToro trading fees and how will they affect your returns? This comprehensive guide explains every fee type you’ll encounter on eToro — spreads, overnight/rollover fees, withdrawal and inactivity fees, currency conversion, and more — and gives practical examples, comparison tips, and strategies to reduce costs. Where useful, it links to authoritative resources and guides to help you practice, verify platforms, and use tools to manage costs effectively.

Quick overview: Why fees matter

Fees directly reduce net returns. Even small, recurring costs like spreads or monthly inactivity charges compound over time and can turn a profitable strategy into a losing one. Understanding what are eToro trading fees — how they’re calculated, when they apply, and how to avoid or lower them — is essential before you deposit funds or copy traders on the platform.

Where to confirm up-to-date fees

Broker fees change. Always cross-check with eToro’s official fee page for the latest numbers: eToro official fees. For background on the company, see the eToro entry on Wikipedia.

Major fee types on eToro

Spread — the difference between buy (ask) and sell (bid) price. This is the main trading cost on eToro for most instruments.
Overnight / Rollover fees — applied to leveraged/CFD positions held past market close.
Withdrawal fee — fixed fees applied when you withdraw fiat from your eToro account.
Inactivity fee — charged if your account is dormant for a period.
Currency conversion fee — eToro’s base currency is USD, so deposits and withdrawals in other currencies may incur conversion charges.
Other service fees — such as wire transfer costs, fees for copying traders (where applicable), and promotional or subscription fees for non-standard services.

1. Spread: the core trading cost

On eToro, most trading costs are embedded in the spread. Instead of a separate commission per trade, eToro typically widens the buy/sell difference. This means you pay slightly more when opening a position and receive slightly less when closing it.

How spreads work — an example

Suppose an asset’s market price is $100 and eToro shows:

Buy price (ask): $100.20
Sell price (bid): $99.80

The spread is $0.40 (0.4%). If you buy 100 units, the immediate cost is $40 (0.4% × 100 × $100). You need the asset to move more than 0.4% in your favor to be profitable (ignoring other fees).

Different instruments have different typical spreads. Generally:

Major stocks and ETFs: narrower spreads.
Crypto and exotic assets: wider spreads, especially during volatility.
CFDs and leveraged products: spreads plus overnight financing can increase cost significantly.

Because spreads vary with liquidity and market conditions, check the live spread shown in the eToro trading ticket before entering a trade.

2. Overnight / Rollover (financing) fees

If you open leveraged positions or trade Contracts for Difference (CFDs) on eToro, financing (also called overnight or rollover) fees apply when you hold positions past the daily cut-off. These fees compensate the broker for the leveraged capital it provides.

How financing is calculated

Financing = position value × financing rate × days held (pro rata)

Example: If you open a $10,000 CFD position with a financing rate of 3% annually, one night’s fee is approximately:

$10,000 × 3% / 365 ≈ $0.82

CFD financing can be material for large positions or long-term positions. If your strategy is buy-and-hold, consider using the underlying asset (where eToro offers it) instead of CFDs to avoid recurring financing costs.

3. Withdrawal and deposit fees

eToro traditionally charges a fixed withdrawal fee (often noted as around $5 USD in many regions), but deposit fees may depend on the payment method and currency. Always verify current fees on the official page before moving money.

Tip: If you deposit in a currency other than the account base currency (USD on eToro), conversion fees apply — see the next section.

4. Currency conversion fees

eToro’s base currency is the US dollar (USD). If you deposit, trade, or withdraw in another currency, eToro converts the amounts to/from USD and typically applies a conversion fee. That fee can be a percentage or a spread applied to the conversion.

Example: You deposit €1,000 and eToro applies a 0.5% conversion fee and the market EUR/USD rate. You’ll lose at least €5 to conversion alone, plus any spread imposed by your card/bank.

To reduce conversion costs:

Deposit in USD where possible.
Use a bank or card with low FX fees.
Batch deposits to reduce number of conversions.

5. Inactivity fee

Some brokers, including eToro, charge an inactivity fee if there are no logins to the account for a specific period (commonly 12 months). The fee is typically a monthly amount deducted until the balance is zero. If you plan to pause trading for long periods, consider closing small dormant accounts to avoid erosion by inactivity fees.

6. Crypto trading fees on eToro

Crypto on eToro is generally offered in two forms: buying the asset directly (where available) or trading crypto CFDs (with leverage). Fees include:

Spreads for entering/exiting crypto positions (typically wider than for stocks).
Possible overnight financing if using CFDs with leverage.
Withdrawal fees for moving crypto off the platform (if eToro allows withdrawals for that token) and network fees may apply.

Crypto spreads can widen dramatically during volatile markets. If you are exploring automated crypto trading or bots, this guide is helpful: how crypto trading bots work.

Real-world examples: calculating total trading cost

Scenario A — short-term stock trade:

Buy 100 shares at $50 market price
eToro spread: 0.1% (hypothetical)
Conversion and withdrawal fees: none (USD account)

Spread cost on entry ≈ $50 × 100 × 0.001 = $5. On exit at $51, spread again applies — the combined spread cost is small. If you hold no overnight leveraged position, financing is zero.

Scenario B — leveraged CFD crypto trade held 7 days:

Position size: $2,000
Spread on entry: 1% → $20
Overnight financing: 5% annually → daily ≈ 0.0137% → 7 days ≈ 0.096% of position ≈ $1.92
Total approximate cost ≈ $21.92 (plus any withdrawal/conversion fees)

These examples show why spreads and financing can dominate costs on leveraged crypto/CDF positions compared to straightforward stock trades.

How eToro’s fee structure compares to typical competitors

eToro’s model — spreads instead of explicit commissions for many assets — is similar to CFD brokers and many retail social trading platforms. Pros and cons:

Pros: No per-trade commission on many asset classes simplifies small trades, and social trading/copy portfolios integrate costs into one view.
Cons: Spreads can be opaque and widen in volatility; financing for leveraged positions can be costly; currency conversion can add hidden costs for non-USD users.

Compare with other popular exchanges/brokers (for research and alternatives):

Spot exchanges (e.g., Binance) often charge maker/taker fees per trade volume — see Binance registration for more: Binance sign-up.
Derivatives exchanges (Bybit, Bitget) use maker/taker or funding models for perpetuals — consider platforms like Bybit and Bitget.
Centralized exchanges with spot markets (MEXC and others) have different fee schedules: MEXC.

Each model suits different users. If you trade frequently and want low per-trade costs, maker/taker fee schedules on major exchanges may be cheaper than wide spreads on retail brokers. If you prioritize a user-friendly social trading experience, eToro’s integrated platform and copy trading features may justify the cost.

How to reduce your eToro trading costs (actionable tips)

Choose the right instrument format: If you plan to hold long-term and eToro offers the underlying asset (not CFD), buy the underlying asset to avoid overnight financing.
Minimize currency conversions: Deposit in USD where possible or use a multi-currency bank/card with low FX fees.
Avoid frequent small withdrawals: Batch withdrawals to reduce fixed withdrawal fees’ impact.
Be careful with leverage: Only use leverage when necessary and account for financing fees in your risk model.
Use limit orders where available: A limit order can avoid paying wide market spreads during volatility. (Confirm whether the asset/ticket supports limits.)
Practice with a demo account: Use a demo to test strategies and understand cost impact before risking real capital. See this practical guide: Mastering a demo share trading app: practice and risk-free learning.
Monitor market hours: Spreads often widen when markets are illiquid (overnight or holidays). Trade during active market hours for tighter spreads.
Compare costs with other platforms: If you’re a high-frequency trader, compare eToro’s all-in costs with alternatives that use maker/taker fee structures.

CopyTrader and Popular Investor fees

eToro’s CopyTrader and Popular Investor programs let users copy other traders. Fees can apply in indirect ways:

Copiers pay the spreads and any financing for copied positions.
Popular Investors may earn performance fees, but copier costs are not additional platform commissions — they still pay spreads and other normal charges.

Before copying, look at a trader’s typical holding periods and instrument mix; a trader who frequently uses leverage or trades volatile assets can lead to higher combined fees for copiers.

Regulation, taxes, and reporting

Fees are one part of cost. Taxes and regulatory reporting affect net returns. Crypto taxation varies by jurisdiction — for example, the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) publishes guidance on virtual currencies: IRS virtual currency guidance. Consult a tax professional for your jurisdiction to factor taxes into your cost analysis.

Tools and workflow to monitor costs

Using alerts and automation helps monitor spreads, price slippage, and financing changes. If you rely on technical alerts and find tools acting up, quick fixes and troubleshooting tips can save you from missing trades: check this troubleshooting article on alerts: TradingView alerts not working — quick fixes.

For automated strategies, consider whether trading bots or algorithmic solutions make sense; they can optimize timing to reduce spread impact but introduce their own costs and risks. A primer on modern trading bots and why traders use them is available here: how does a crypto trading bot work.

Common misconceptions about eToro fees

“No commissions = cheap” — eToro often embeds costs in spreads. Low or zero commissions can hide wide spreads that increase costs, especially for volatile assets.
“All eToro instruments are the same” — instrument type matters. Buying the underlying asset vs. trading a CFD has very different costs and tax implications.
“Overnight fees are negligible” — for large leveraged positions or long-term trades kept open, financing can exceed the spread over time.

Safety checks and verifying platforms

Before depositing, confirm platform legitimacy and verification processes. If you’re exploring new apps or brokers, read independent reviews and verification guides like this honest review and verification article: Binomo trading app — real or fake (review & verification). Although this guide is about a different app, the verification principles (KYC, regulatory checks, withdrawal tests) apply to any trading platform.

When eToro makes sense — use cases

eToro can be a strong fit if:

You value social trading and want to copy experienced traders.
You’re a casual investor prioritizing a simple UI and integrated portfolio tools.
You’re buying and holding underlying assets (not CFDs) and can avoid financing fees.

It may be less suitable if:

You trade high-frequency strategies or large volumes where maker/taker fees are cheaper.
You need the absolute lowest spreads for scalping, especially in crypto.

Alternatives and how to decide

If you want to explore other platforms for lower fees or different product sets, consider major exchanges and brokers. Here are a few to research — each link points to sign-up pages with referral codes (review fee schedules before opening an account):

Each exchange uses different fee models (maker/taker, funding, withdrawal). Match the platform to your strategy: spot traders may prefer low taker/maker fees; futures traders need to weigh funding rates; long-term investors prefer low custody and withdrawal costs.

Checklist: Questions to ask before opening an eToro account

What is the spread for my primary assets (stocks, crypto, forex)? Check markets during your typical trading hours.
Do I plan to use leverage or hold CFDs? If so, estimate financing costs for expected holding periods.
What currency will I deposit in, and what conversion fees will apply?
How often will I withdraw funds, and does withdrawal fee structure make sense for my plan?
Do I need to copy other traders? Check the copied traders’ typical instruments and leverage usage to estimate copier costs.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Q: Are there commissions on stock trades on eToro?

A: For many stocks and ETFs, eToro uses spreads rather than traditional per-trade commissions. Always verify the instrument ticket for exact cost details.

Q: Does eToro charge for deposits?

A: Deposit fees depend on payment method and currency; some methods are free while others can have charges. Currency conversion may apply.

Q: How much is eToro’s withdrawal fee?

A: eToro has historically charged a fixed withdrawal fee. Fee amounts and policies can change, so confirm on eToro’s official fees page before withdrawing funds.

Q: Do I pay trading fees when copying a trader?

A: Copiers pay the underlying spreads and any financing for copied positions. There isn’t typically a separate “copy fee” charged to copiers beyond normal trading costs, though Popular Investors may receive incentives or rewards consistent with the program.

Q: Are eToro’s fees transparent?

A: eToro discloses its fees, but because costs are embedded in spreads and conversions, they can feel less explicit than per-trade commission schedules. Use the fee page and live trading ticket to see exact charges before executing trades.

Final checklist before trading

Read the eToro fees page and instrument ticket for live spreads (eToro fees).
Simulate trades in a demo account to see realized costs and slippage — see our demo app guide for practice: demo share trading app guide.
Compare alternatives if you trade large volumes or require specific instruments.
Factor taxes and regulatory requirements into your net-return calculations.

Conclusion

Understanding what are eToro trading fees means looking beyond headline “commission-free” claims and examining spreads, financing on leveraged positions, conversion and withdrawal fees, and inactivity penalties. For casual investors who buy-and-hold underlying assets, eToro can be convenient and cost-effective when managed carefully. For frequent traders or leveraged crypto traders, the spread-plus-financing model can be more expensive than maker/taker fee models on centralized exchanges.

Always verify current fees on eToro’s official pages and simulate trades in a demo account to see the real effect of costs. Use the links and guides provided here to practice, troubleshoot tools, and research alternatives before committing capital.

Helpful resources referenced in this article:

Want alternatives with different fee models? Explore these exchanges and compare their fee schedules to pick the best fit for your strategy: Binance, MEXC, Bitget, Bybit.