Vanguard vs eToro 2024
In this head to head comparison of Vanguard vs eToro, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of Vanguard vs eToro, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In the realm of online brokerage, Vanguard emerges as a more comprehensive option for traditional investment strategies, scoring 4.5 stars and ranking #9 out of 18 brokers for investment options according to StockBrokers.com. It offers a diverse array of traditional investment products such as stocks, mutual funds, options, and even margin trading, catering well to seasoned investors aiming for both long-term growth and stable returns. In contrast, eToro, rated 2.5 stars and ranked #17, feels more like a niche choice, particularly appealing to those interested in crypto trading with access to 26 different digital coins and the flexibility of fractional shares but lacks the traditional offerings such as mutual funds and advisory services available with Vanguard.
Vanguard stands out by offering a well-rounded suite of investment possibilities, including stock and options trading, mutual funds, OTC stocks, and the ability to trade on margin. Additionally, it provides valuable retirement planning tools with traditional and Roth IRA accounts, as well as advisor services to guide investors through their financial journey. These attributes make it a solid choice for those seeking a broad spectrum of traditional investments, with a notable emphasis on long-term financial planning and stability. However, its lack of engagement in cryptocurrency or fractional shares could be a drawback for investors wanting exposure to these newer asset classes.
Conversely, eToro caters to a different market, emphasizing accessibility and modernity with its support for cryptocurrency trading and fractional shares. This platform is ideal for beginners or those interested in new-age investments like crypto, despite not offering the breadth of traditional options that Vanguard does. Without options for mutual funds, OTC stocks, or any IRA accounts, eToro remains more focused on innovative trading experiences rather than comprehensive financial planning. Therefore, investors need to weigh the importance of traditional versus modern investment options when choosing between these two brokers.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
eToro
|
---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Margin Trading | Yes | No |
Fractional Shares | No | Yes |
OTC Stocks | Yes | No |
Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | No | No |
Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 26 |
Investment Options |
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2024, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2024
When comparing online brokers Vanguard and eToro for their trading platforms and tools, eToro generally offers a more robust experience. eToro is rated 3.5 stars, ranking 12th out of 18 brokers on StockBrokers.com, reflecting its extensive features, whereas Vanguard, with a 2.5-star rating, ranks at the bottom. This distinction highlights eToro's broader array of charting tools and functionalities, making it a more attractive option for traders seeking comprehensive trading solutions.
Both Vanguard and eToro do not offer a Windows or Mac desktop downloadable trading platform, but they do provide browser-based platforms. For those who value practice and experimentation, eToro has the edge by offering paper trading while Vanguard does not. Watch lists on Vanguard provide more detail with nine columns compared to eToro's seven. However, eToro compensates by providing a greater number of charting technical indicators, with 46 compared to Vanguard's nine and offering a substantial 48 drawing tools, while Vanguard offers none. Additionally, eToro supports adding notes to charts and saving multiple chart profiles, features unavailable on Vanguard's platform.
Both platforms allow adding index overlays to charts; however, Vanguard additionally displays corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends, which eToro cannot. Neither broker supports setting custom date ranges, displaying historical trades on charts, or employing automated technical analysis. When it comes to editing an SMA study, eToro provides five customization fields compared to Vanguard's single option. Neither platform offers the creation of custom studies. These comparisons indicate that while Vanguard provides some useful features, eToro's platform is more feature-rich and may better suit traders who prioritize comprehensive charting and analytical capabilities.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
eToro
|
---|---|---|
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
Paper Trading | No | Yes |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 9 | 7 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 9 | 46 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 48 |
Platforms & Tools |
Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2024, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2024
Vanguard and eToro both offer a foundation for beginner investors seeking educational resources, yet they cater to different aspects of the learning experience. Vanguard provides stock education and a selection of educational videos, positioning it as a moderately robust option for investors wanting to enhance their stock knowledge. However, it lacks educational offerings in ETFs, options, mutual funds, bonds, and does not support interactive features like webinars or educational quizzes. Its absence of paper trading tools and learning progress tracking contribute to its 3.5-star rating for education, placing it 13th out of 18 brokers according to StockBrokers.com rankings.
eToro, on the other hand, also offers stock education, supported by educational videos, yet shares similar limitations with Vanguard regarding ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds. Unlike Vanguard, eToro uniquely includes paper trading capabilities, providing beginners a hands-on learning environment despite having no offerings in webinars or quizzes. This lack of diversity in educational resources results in a lower 2.5-star rating for education and a rank of 16th out of 18 brokers, according to StockBrokers.com. Overall, both platforms offer distinct experiences tailored to specific learning needs, with Vanguard leaning slightly more towards stock education and eToro providing an interactive trading simulation environment.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
eToro
|
---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | No | No |
Education (Options) | No | No |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No |
Education (Bonds) | No | No |
Paper Trading | No | Yes |
Videos | Yes | Yes |
Webinars | No | No |
Education |
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2024
When comparing the stock trading app capabilities of Vanguard and eToro, eToro emerges as a more robust option. With a rating of 4.5 stars for its stock trading app, eToro significantly outperforms Vanguard's 3-star rating. Ranked #11 out of 18 brokers by StockBrokers.com, eToro offers a more comprehensive suite of features, making it a favorable choice for investors seeking advanced functionalities. Meanwhile, Vanguard ranks #18, indicative of its more limited mobile app capabilities.
Both eToro and Vanguard provide apps for iPhone and Android users, but eToro extends a broader range of features that set it apart. eToro supports mobile options trading, streaming quotes, stock alerts, and videos on demand, whereas Vanguard lacks these offerings. Additionally, eToro allows users to create custom watch lists and perform after-hours charting, tools unavailable through Vanguard's app.
In terms of charting capabilities, eToro stands out with 103 technical studies available on its mobile app, along with the ability to display stock comparisons on charts. Both brokers provide the option to view multiple time frames for charting, but only eToro equips traders with extensive technical analysis tools. While neither app supports viewing charts in landscape mode or on the Apple Watch, eToro's overall functionality and robust feature set make it a superior choice for active traders and investors.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
eToro
|
---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | No | No |
Stock Alerts | No | Yes |
Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes |
Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 103 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2024
Choosing between Vanguard and eToro largely depends on your specific needs and investment strategy. Vanguard stands out for investors who prioritize no minimum deposit fees and no charges for regular stock trades, making it a cost-effective choice for those starting their investment journey. However, it does apply a $25 annual fee for IRAs unless specific conditions are met. In contrast, eToro requires a $50 minimum deposit but mirrors Vanguard with no charge for regular stock trades. One of eToro's strengths is its zero-fee structure on options contracts, which may appeal to investors focused on options trading.
When examining other fees, Vanguard implements a higher margin interest rate, which varies depending on the balance. This offering is not available at eToro, which may benefit those seeking a straightforward platform without margin account complexities. Vanguard also presents a stark contrast in account transfer fees, charging nothing for partial transfers but a $100 full transfer fee, whereas eToro maintains a consistent $75 charge for both partial and full transfers. This could be a significant consideration for investors planning to move their portfolios.
Moreover, both Vanguard and eToro provide a zero-cost experience for options exercise and assignment fees, which is favorable for options traders. However, Vanguard's charge per options contract at $1 may influence frequent options traders to consider eToro, which offers these trades at no cost. Ultimately, the choice between Vanguard and eToro hinges on understanding each platform's cost structure and choosing the one that aligns with your financial and investment goals.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
eToro
|
---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $50.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $1.00 | $0.00 |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $25.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | |
Commissions & Fees |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2024
When considering Vanguard and eToro for day trading, it's clear that both platforms have limitations tailored more for long-term investors rather than active traders. Vanguard does not provide streaming time and sales for stocks, streaming live TV, direct market routing, ladder trading, trading hotkeys for keyboard trade entry, level 2 quotes, or strategy backtesting, whether basic or advanced. Consequently, Vanguard fundamentally lacks the essential tools that day traders rely on for high-frequency trading and detailed market analysis.
Similarly, eToro doesn't offer features like direct market routing, ladder trading, trading hotkeys, level 2 quotes, or order liquidity rebates, which are crucial for day traders. While eToro offers streaming time and sales for stocks, it falls short in other areas vital for day trading. Both Vanguard and eToro lack short locator tools and strategy backtesting capabilities, underscoring their focus on different trading strategies that do not necessitate sophisticated day trading functionalities.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
eToro
|
---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | Yes |
Streaming TV | No | No |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | No | No |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
Short Locator | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2024
When comparing the market research capabilities of Vanguard and eToro, Vanguard emerges as the more comprehensive option for traditional investment research, while eToro excels in modern, socially-driven analytics. Vanguard offers a broad spectrum of research tools, including stock, ETF, mutual fund, pink sheets/OTCBB, and bond research, along with a full suite of screeners for trade ideas. On the other hand, eToro distinguishes itself by leveraging social media sentiment data and ESG research, appealing to investors who prioritize these insights. While Vanguard provides more traditional analytical resources and consistently ranks higher in market research evaluations, eToro offers unique tools that cater to a different kind of investor.
Vanguard is a strong contender for investors interested in a robust selection of research tools. It covers a wide range of investments, including stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, with the added benefit of downloadable PDF reports for stock research. However, these are limited to two reports. Vanguard also provides a detailed look at portfolio allocation by asset class, which eToro lacks. Although Vanguard does not incorporate social media sentiment or ESG research into its offerings, the broad coverage and reliable screeners position Vanguard as a solid choice for traditional market research needs.
eToro, in contrast, provides a contemporary spin on market research with its integration of social media sentiment data and a focus on ESG considerations, which can offer valuable insights for investors who are increasingly interested in these areas. Despite lacking comprehensive support for traditional instruments like mutual funds, pink sheets/OTCBB, and bonds and having no stock or ETF screeners, eToro caters to a modern, socially-conscious investor base. Both platforms offer excellent stock and ETF research capabilities, but their approach and depth of coverage vary significantly, allowing investors to choose based on their research preferences and investment style.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
eToro
|
---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
Screener - Bonds | Yes | No |
Research |
When evaluating the banking capabilities of online brokers Vanguard and eToro, both platforms show limited traditional banking features. Neither Vanguard nor eToro offers checking or savings accounts, and neither provides debit or credit card services. Mortgage loans are also absent from their offerings. However, Vanguard differentiates itself by providing Certificates of Deposit (CDs), a service that eToro does not offer. This distinction may be a crucial factor for those seeking CD investment options alongside their brokerage services.
Feature |
Vanguard
|
eToro
|
---|---|---|
Checking Accounts | No | No |
Savings Accounts | No | No |
Debit Cards | No | No |
Credit Cards | No | No |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
CDs | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2024
After opening live accounts and testing 18 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Vanguard is better than eToro. Vanguard finished with an overall score of 80.3%, while eToro finished with a score of 76.7%.
Vanguard is aimed squarely at buy-and-hold investors, and its platform reflects that focus. Vanguard is known for its low-cost funds, and the investment platform is really built for those looking to invest solely in mutual funds and ETFs.
When comparing online brokers, Vanguard does not provide cryptocurrency trading, offering 0 coins for investment, whereas eToro caters to crypto enthusiasts with access to 26 coins for trading.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2024
Vanguard offers both traditional and Roth IRA accounts with a $25 annual fee but no closure fee, while eToro does not offer IRA accounts at all.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2024
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0 of 5Overall Rating | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Overall | |||
Commissions & Fees | |||
Investment Options | |||
Platforms & Tools | |||
Mobile Trading Apps | |||
Research | |||
Customer Service | N/A | ||
Education | |||
Ease Of Use | |||
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Vanguard Review | eToro Review |
Broker Screenshots | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Trading Platform & Tools Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Education Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $50.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.00 | N/A | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | Varies | N/A | |
Options (Per Contract) | $1.00 | $0.00 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | (Not offered) | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $25 | $0 |
Margin Rates | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 13.75% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 13.25% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 12.75% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 12.25% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 11.75% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 10.5% | Not offered | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | Varies | Not offered |
Account Fees | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
IRA Annual Fee | $25.00 | ||
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | ||
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $75.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $100.00 | $75.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Investment Options | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Margin Trading | Yes | No | |
Fractional Shares | No | Yes | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | No | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 0 | |
Futures Trading | No | No | |
Forex Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading | No | Yes | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 26 | |
Mutual Funds (No Load) | N/A | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (Total) | N/A | 0 | |
Bonds (US Treasury) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Corporate) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Municipal) | Yes | No | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | No | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | No | |
Advisor Services | Yes | No | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
Order Types | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Limit | Yes | No | |
Order Type - After Hours | Yes | No | |
Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Trailing Stop | No | Yes | |
Order Type - OCO | No | No | |
Order Type - OTO | No | No | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
Beginners | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | No | No | |
Education (Options) | No | No | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No | |
Education (Bonds) | No | No | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
Retirement Calculator | Yes | No | |
Investor Dictionary | No | No | |
Paper Trading | No | Yes | |
Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars | No | No | |
Webinars (Archived) | No | No | |
Progress Tracking | No | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
Stock Trading Apps | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple Watch App | No | No | |
Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - After-Hours | No | No | |
Trading - Simple Options | No | Yes | |
Trading - Complex Options | No | No | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | No | Yes |
Stock App Features | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | No | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | No | No | |
Videos on Demand | No | Yes | |
Stock Alerts | No | Yes | |
Option Chains Viewable | No | Yes | |
Watch List (Real-time) | No | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | No | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | No | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | No | No |
Stock App Charting | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 103 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | No | Yes | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | No | Yes |
Trading Platforms | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | N/A | N/A | |
Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | No | Yes | |
Trade Journal | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 9 | 7 |
Stock Chart Features | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | No | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 9 | 46 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 48 | |
Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Historical Trades | No | No | |
Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | No | No | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | No | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | No | No | |
Charting - Save Profiles | No | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | No | Yes | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 1 | 5 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
Day Trading | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | Yes | |
Streaming TV | No | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | No | No | |
Ladder Trading | No | No | |
Trade Hotkeys | No | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
Short Locator | No | No | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
Research Overview | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | No | |
Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Screener - Bonds | Yes | No | |
Misc - Portfolio Allocation | Yes | No |
Stock Research | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 2 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Insiders | No | Yes | |
Stock Research - Social | No | Yes | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - ESG | No | Yes | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | No | Yes |
ETF Research | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Strategy Overview | No | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | No | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | No | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets | No | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | No | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | No | No | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | No | No | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | No | No | |
ETFs - Ratings | No | Yes | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | No | No | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | No | No |
Mutual Fund Research | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | Yes | No |
Options Trading | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Option Chains - Basic View | Yes | Yes | |
Option Chains - Strategy View | No | No | |
Option Chains - Streaming | No | No | |
Option Chains - Total Columns | 9 | 0 | |
Option Chains - Greeks | 0 | 4 | |
Option Chains - Quick Analysis | No | Yes | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | No | No | |
Option Probability Analysis | No | No | |
Option Probability Analysis Adv | No | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks | No | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming | No | No | |
Option Positions - Adv Analysis | No | No | |
Option Positions - Rolling | No | No | |
Option Positions - Grouping | No | No |
Banking | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
Checking Accounts | No | No | |
Savings Accounts | No | No | |
Credit Cards | No | No | |
Debit Cards | No | No | |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
Customer Service | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | Yes | No | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | No | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | No | Yes | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | No | Yes | |
24/7 Support | No | No |
Overall | Vanguard | eToro | |
---|---|---|---|
Overall | |||
Commissions & Fees | |||
Investment Options | |||
Platforms & Tools | |||
Mobile Trading Apps | |||
Research | |||
Education | |||
Ease Of Use | |||
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Vanguard Review | eToro Review |