Do you have ideas or suggestions for changes? Then we look forward to your feedback! We make every effort to keep all metrics and information as up-to-date as possible. However, if you discover an error or outdated information, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Feel free to write to us:
Transferable to your own wallet
Self-custody of cryptocurrencies plays an important role for many users who want to manage their cryptocurrencies and thus their "private keys" themselves and not leave them in the hands of the exchange. Most exchanges offer the option of sending the purchased cryptocurrencies to their own wallet.
Deposit protection is a safeguard for the assets of users of a stock exchange or broker, which is intended to protect investors in the event of insolvency or a high loss due to a hacker attack. Service providers based in Germany are legally obliged to provide deposit protection of €100,000. In some cases, international exchanges have a special insurance policy that covers a certain portion of the assets instead of a deposit guarantee.
The overall rating is the average of our individual ratings. Our ratings do not constitute investment advice, but merely our personal opinion. You are welcome to use them as rough indicators and additional perspective. In the dynamic and fast-growing crypto sector, parameters can often change from one day to the next, so we cannot guarantee that the rating data is up to date. Therefore, please never use our ratings as an isolated basis for decision-making and not as a substitute for your own research.
This rating describes our personal assessment of the user-friendliness of the product. How easy is the onboarding process? How modern is the user interface and is it easy to use? Are all the important functions quick and easy to find? We ask ourselves all these questions in order to give a personal rating from 1 to 10 points.
This rating describes our assessment of the fee structure of a stock exchange or broker. It is not only the amount of fees that can differ, but also the type of fees. The most common type of fees for crypto exchanges are the "maker/taker" fees or spreads. In some cases, there are also hidden fees that are not recognizable to users at first glance.
For products or services in the crypto space, trust and security should be the biggest factors in the selection process. Since we could not seriously evaluate the technical security of a platform or product, we analyze publicly available factors such as security features, location, regulation, certifications, audits, team/company, general reputation and, of course, track record.
Crypto doesn't have to be cryptic. Especially for beginners, the first contact with the crypto world can be overwhelming. With this rating, we give our assessment of how easy it is for beginners to find their way around: from the onboarding process to using the most important functions.
Customer support is an important factor for many users. A long wait or no response at all in the event of problems can be frustrating, especially when it comes to sensitive topics such as finances. With this rating, we give our assessment of the quality of customer support. In order to provide as balanced an assessment as possible, we also include user opinions from other platforms in our evaluation.
Some exchanges and brokers are regulated by financial supervisory authorities in certain countries/states. This often entails strict financial regulatory requirements and compliance requirements to which the company must adhere. Regulatory clarity can contribute to greater transparency and thus also greater trustworthiness.
eToro vs Trade Republic in comparison
Overview
- Real crypto in most US states through eToro USA LLC, and in New York through eToro NY LLC with a BitLicense
- One app for crypto, commission-free US stocks and ETFs, options and CopyTrader
- $100,000 demo portfolio with live market data
- No custody fee and no cash withdrawal fee for eToro USA customers; eToro says it no longer charges an inactivity fee
- Parent listed on Nasdaq; licenses from CySEC, the FCA and ASIC; US registrations with FinCEN and the SEC
- 1% per crypto buy and sell, against 0.80% taker at the entry tier of Kraken Pro
- Only 114 crypto assets for US clients, 39 in New York
- Moving crypto out costs 2% into the eToro crypto wallet (up to $100), and only 30 assets on the US list can be moved
- No leverage or short selling on crypto in the US; elsewhere both are CFDs, where 51% of retail investor accounts lose money
- No proof-of-reserves report that we could find
- 50 cryptos as real coins that you can send to your own wallet
- A flat €1 fee per trade and free crypto savings plans
- Staking for SOL, ETH, DOT and more at no extra fee
- Crypto, stocks, ETFs, a current account and a card in one app from a German bank
- Orders from 1 euro and no minimum investment amount
- The size of the crypto spread is not published on the website
- The €1 fee weighs heavily on small orders
- A short coin list compared with crypto exchanges
- No proof of reserves that we could find, and no private keys of your own in the app
- Only for residents of 18 European countries
Features Comparison
- Cryptocurrencies
- Stocks
- ETFs
- Commodities
- Foreign exchange
- Indices
- CFD trading
- Cryptocurrencies
- Stocks
- ETFs
- Derivatives
1
%
1.00%
1.00%
Varies
0
%
€1
€1
Varies
150
+
$
50
50
+
$
1
Exchange Rating
Functions
- Social Feed
- Copy-Trading
- Deposit with Paypal
- Free savings plans
- Crypto transfers to and from external wallets
- Crypto staking
- Web Terminal for stocks and derivatives
Company Details
Our Review
eToro is a multi-asset broker that sells real crypto through eToro USA LLC in most US states, and its US fee schedule lists a 1% commission per buy and per sell. In our view it suits investors who want crypto next to stocks and CopyTrader in one app better than it suits active traders. Outside the US, leveraged and short crypto positions are CFDs.
Social Trading vs Investment App
We think Trade Republic is the simpler option for European readers who primarily wish to buy and hold cryptocurrencies alongside stocks and ETFs. It charges a flat fee of €1 per trade and offers free crypto savings plans. On the other hand, eToro imposes a fee of 1% each time you buy or sell crypto. For those residing outside Trade Republic's 18 European markets, seeking access to more than 150 cryptoassets, or interested in copying other investors, eToro is the more suitable choice. Trade Republic does not accept US persons, so US readers can only choose eToro of the two.
Trading fees
The pricing structure for crypto trades differs between these two. Trade Republic does not take a commission but imposes a trade settlement fee of €1 per order, while its crypto savings plans incur no such fee. eToro charges 1% of the transaction amount whenever you buy or sell crypto, displaying it as a separate line before confirmation. Outside of the US, eToro offers reduced fees to its Platinum, Platinum+, and Diamond club members once their monthly crypto volume increases.
Neither fee is the whole cost, because both add a spread to the price. eToro says its market spread carries no markup of its own. Trade Republic includes the spread in its price and does not publish its size on its website. That is why we rate eToro slightly higher for fees and costs, even though a flat €1 costs less than 1% on all but the smallest orders.
Holding crypto costs nothing extra at either. eToro charges no overnight or custody fees on crypto you own and stopped charging an inactivity fee in May 2026. Trade Republic charges no custody fee for crypto.
Coins and what you own
eToro provides access to more than 150 cryptoassets on its global platform, whereas Trade Republic lists 50. At both, you own the coins purchased outright. eToro uses crypto CFDs only for leveraged and short positions, where applicable, while Trade Republic offers no crypto derivatives. CFDs carry high risk: eToro reports that 51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with the platform.
Transferring coins out is possible at both platforms, though the process differs. Trade Republic allows you to send and receive all 50 of its cryptos to and from external wallets, charging only the network fee. At eToro, a supported coin must first be moved to the eToro crypto wallet, incurring a fee of 2% of the amount for bitcoin (minimum $1, maximum $100), after which only the network fee applies to send it onward. Not all eToro assets are transferable.
Investing beyond crypto
Both platforms primarily function as investment apps. Trade Republic is a German bank offering stocks, ETFs, savings plans, bonds, a Visa debit card, and 2.5% interest on cash in Germany. The card allows crypto payments and provides 2% Crypto Saveback on up to €1,500 of monthly spending if you invest at least €50 monthly through savings plans.
eToro offers stocks and ETFs as well, and adds CopyTrader, which lets you copy up to 100 other investors from $200 per copy, and a $100,000 virtual portfolio to practice with. In our view, eToro is the better app if you want to follow other investors, and Trade Republic is the better one if you want your bank account, card and investments in one place.
Savings plans and staking
Both run crypto savings plans. Trade Republic executes them for free, and eToro lets you set up recurring crypto buys, each one charged its 1% fee.
Staking is available on both platforms as well. Trade Republic provides weekly staking rewards on SOL, ETH, DOT, and other coins without additional fees, although staked coins cannot be sold while staking. eToro shares a portion of the rewards based on club tier, ranging from 45% without a club tier to 90% for Diamond members. In Germany, eToro holds crypto with custody partner Tangany, and coins stored there do not participate in staking.
Where you can use them
Trade Republic is available in 18 European countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands, and it does not accept US persons. eToro operates in the EEA through eToro (Europe) Ltd in Cyprus, in the UK through eToro (UK) Ltd, and in the US via eToro USA LLC, although crypto trading is unavailable in Hawaii, Nevada, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. Residents of Canada cannot access eToro.
US customers of eToro can buy crypto without leverage or short sales and trade US stocks and ETFs commission-free, plus options.
Regulation and safety
Trade Republic Bank GmbH is a German bank supervised by BaFin and the Deutsche Bundesbank, and BaFin has authorized it under MiCA for its crypto services. It keeps most customer crypto in cold storage with its custody partner BitGo Europe. Cash in its trust accounts at partner banks is protected by their deposit protection schemes up to €100,000 per customer; crypto is not covered.
eToro (Europe) Ltd is licensed by CySEC in Cyprus and received its MiCA license in January 2025, and eToro (UK) Ltd is authorized by the FCA. The parent, eToro Group, is listed on Nasdaq. eToro holds client crypto in segregated omnibus wallets, and in the US your crypto with eToro is not FDIC or SIPC insured. In 2024 eToro USA LLC agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle SEC charges that it operated an unregistered broker and clearing agency.
Our evaluation rates eToro significantly higher in terms of security and trust.
Ease of use and support
We rate Trade Republic higher for operation and beginner friendliness: one app holds your account, card, stocks and crypto, and you can start with €1. Support is close in our rating, with Trade Republic slightly ahead; it answers by phone and live chat in the app at any hour, every day of the week.
Our verdict by criterion
Overall we rate eToro higher, mainly for security and trust and for its wider range of coins and features.
- Fees and costs: we rate eToro slightly higher
- Range of functions: we rate eToro slightly higher
- Operation: we rate Trade Republic slightly higher
- Beginner friendliness: we rate Trade Republic higher
- Security and trust: we rate eToro much higher
- Support: we rate Trade Republic slightly higher
Which one fits you
- Buy-and-hold investors in Trade Republic's markets: choose Trade Republic for the flat €1 fee and free savings plans.
- Those seeking many coins or copy trading: eToro is the choice.
- Residents in the US: select eToro, as Trade Republic does not accept US persons.
- Active traders: neither is optimal for order-book trading. Kraken Pro starts at 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker. Refer to Kraken vs eToro.
For the full picture, read our eToro review and our Trade Republic review. Our lists of brokers for direct crypto purchases and exchanges for beginners have more options.
Questions about eToro and Trade Republic
Is Trade Republic or eToro better?
For buying and holding crypto with stocks and ETFs in Europe, we think Trade Republic is simpler, and its €1 fee costs less on most orders. eToro is better for more coins, copy trading and use outside Trade Republic's markets, and we rate it higher overall.
Which is cheaper for crypto, eToro or Trade Republic?
Trade Republic applies a €1 charge per trade, while eToro charges 1% of the trade size. Both add a spread, yet Trade Republic does not reveal its crypto spread size, so compare the final price in the app before confirming.
Can you move your crypto to your own wallet?
Yes, both allow it. Trade Republic transfers its 50 cryptos to external wallets for just the network fee. eToro transfers supported coins via the eToro crypto wallet, after a 2% transfer fee for bitcoin.
About the author
At Exchange Flow, Ethan is recognized as the resident crypto expert. With 10+years of experience navigating the waters of global crypto exchanges, Ethan is a trusted voice in the ever-evolving world of digital currencies. He tests and scrutinizes exchanges so you don’t have to, offering reviews and articles that newbies and seasoned traders alike find invaluable. When he’s not coding, Ethan likes to travel and play retro games. He uses his crypto earnings to fund his trip around the globe.
