AvaTrade vs eToro: which suits Australian traders in 2026?
AvaTrade and eToro both pitch beginners with education and copy trading, but for CFD and forex trading from Australia, AvaTrade is the better-built and cheaper choice. AvaTrade (ASIC AFSL 406684, plus eight more regulators) runs AUD-native accounts with no currency-conversion fee, offers MT4 and MT5, the deepest education library in the ASIC set (AvaAcademy), the AvaProtect downside-protection tool, and spread-only forex pricing around 0.9 pip. eToro (eToro AUS Capital Limited, ASIC AFSL 491139) holds accounts in USD, so AUD deposits convert at 0.5 to 1.5 percent, charges a USD 5 withdrawal fee, and quotes wider spreads around 1 pip. Both offer copy trading, AvaTrade through AvaSocial and eToro through its larger CopyTrader network, but only eToro offers commission-free real share and crypto ownership. For CFD and forex trading with education and downside protection, choose AvaTrade. For the largest copy-trading network or owning real shares, choose eToro.
Two education-led brokers, split on trading versus social investing
AvaTrade and eToro look similar on the surface. Both are ASIC-regulated, both pitch beginners, both offer education and copy trading, and both cover a wide range of markets. The difference is where each puts its weight. AvaTrade is a CFD broker that happens to teach well: MetaTrader, AUD accounts, a downside-protection tool, and the deepest education library in the ASIC set. eToro is a social-investing platform that happens to offer CFDs: its centre of gravity is copying other traders and owning real shares and crypto. For trading CFDs cost-effectively, those priorities favour AvaTrade.
Choose AvaTrade if:
- You want cost-effective CFD and forex trading in AUD
- You want MetaTrader 4 or 5, which eToro does not offer
- You want AvaProtect to cap downside on a position
- You want the deepest education library (AvaAcademy)
Choose eToro if:
- The large CopyTrader social-trading network is your priority
- You want to own real shares and crypto commission-free
- You want social and community features around investing
- You are comfortable with a USD-denominated account
At-a-glance comparison
| Feature | AvaTrade | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| ASIC licence | AFSL 406684 (+8 more globally) | AFSL 491139 |
| Account currency | AUD | USD |
| AUD deposit conversion fee | None | 0.5% bank, 1.5% card |
| EUR/USD spread | ~0.9 pip | ~1 pip |
| Withdrawal fee | None | USD 5 (min USD 30) |
| Platforms | MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGO, WebTrader | Proprietary only |
| Education | AvaAcademy (deepest in ASIC set) | Academy + social |
| Downside protection | AvaProtect | None |
| Copy trading | AvaSocial | CopyTrader (larger network) |
| Real shares and crypto | No (CFDs only) | Yes (commission-free) |
| Best for | CFD trading + education | Copy trading + real investing |
CFD trading: where AvaTrade wins
For trading CFDs and forex, AvaTrade is the better-built and cheaper option for an Australian. Accounts are held in AUD, so there is no conversion on deposits and no withdrawal fee, and the EUR/USD spread of around 0.9 pip is a touch tighter than eToro's roughly 1 pip. AvaTrade also offers MT4 and MT5, so MetaTrader traders and anyone using expert advisors are covered, where eToro has no MetaTrader at all. On top of that sit two things eToro does not match for a trader: AvaProtect, the paid tool that caps the loss on a position, and the deepest education library in the ASIC set.
eToro's structure works against the active CFD trader. The USD account means AUD deposits convert at 0.5 to 1.5 percent, there is a USD 5 withdrawal fee, the spread is wider, and there is no MetaTrader. eToro's one cost edge is a gentler inactivity fee, starting after 12 months against AvaTrade's three, but that only matters if you stop trading. For someone actively trading CFDs, AvaTrade is the cheaper and more capable platform.
Copy trading and real shares: where eToro leads
eToro earns its following on two things, and it is worth being clear about both. The first is copy trading. Both brokers offer it, AvaTrade through its AvaSocial product and eToro through CopyTrader, but eToro's is the larger and more established social network, with a bigger pool of investors to copy and the social features built around it. If copying other traders is the main reason you are choosing a broker, eToro has the stronger offering.
The second is real investing. eToro lets Australians buy real shares and real crypto commission-free, so you own the asset outright. AvaTrade offers share CFDs and a wider multi-asset CFD range including bond and ETF CFDs, but those are leveraged contracts, not ownership. If your goal is to build a long-term portfolio of real shares, eToro does that and AvaTrade does not. So eToro is the better pick for social copying and real-asset ownership, even though AvaTrade is the better CFD-trading platform.
Regulation: both ASIC-licensed
Both brokers are licensed by ASIC and apply the standard Australian retail protections, including segregated client funds and the CFD leverage caps. AvaTrade operates as Ava Capital Markets Australia Pty Ltd under AFSL 406684, with eight more licences across the group, while eToro operates as eToro AUS Capital Limited under AFSL 491139. Neither has a regulatory issue that should concern a retail trader; the meaningful differences are in cost, platforms and whether you want CFD trading or social investing.
Who wins on specific use cases
- CFD and forex trading: AvaTrade. AUD accounts, MetaTrader, tighter pricing, AvaProtect.
- Largest copy-trading network: eToro. CopyTrader is bigger than AvaSocial.
- Owning real shares or crypto: eToro. AvaTrade is CFDs only.
- MetaTrader and automation: AvaTrade. eToro has no MetaTrader.
- Downside protection: AvaTrade. AvaProtect has no eToro equivalent.
- Lowest CFD cost for an Australian: AvaTrade, once eToro's USD-account conversion and withdrawal fees are counted.
Final recommendation
If you are here to trade CFDs and forex, AvaTrade is the better choice for an Australian: AUD accounts without conversion fees, MetaTrader, AvaProtect, the deepest education library, and tighter pricing than eToro. That is why AvaTrade features on the best forex brokers in Australia list while eToro does not.
eToro is not a worse platform, it is a different one. If your priority is the large CopyTrader network or owning real shares and crypto commission-free, eToro does those jobs better, so use it for that. But for cost-effective CFD and forex trading with education and downside protection, AvaTrade wins.
Read the full AvaTrade review, or compare it with the other ASIC brokers in Pepperstone vs AvaTrade and across the field on the best forex brokers in Australia ranking.
Frequently asked questions
For CFD and forex trading, AvaTrade is better: it runs AUD accounts with no conversion fees, offers MetaTrader, the deepest education library, the AvaProtect downside-protection tool, and tighter forex pricing. eToro is better if your priority is its large CopyTrader social-trading network or owning real shares and crypto commission-free. Both are ASIC-regulated and both pitch beginners, but for trading CFDs cost-effectively, AvaTrade wins.
For CFD and forex trading, generally yes. AvaTrade holds accounts in AUD, so there is no conversion on AUD deposits, and its EUR/USD spread is around 0.9 pip. eToro holds accounts in USD, so AUD deposits convert at 0.5 to 1.5 percent, it charges a USD 5 withdrawal fee, and its spread is wider at around 1 pip. eToro's one cost advantage is a gentler inactivity fee that starts after 12 months versus AvaTrade's three, but for active trading AvaTrade is cheaper for an Australian.
Yes, but eToro's is the larger and more established. AvaTrade offers copy trading through AvaSocial, a separate product, while eToro's CopyTrader is its signature feature with a bigger network of investors to copy. If copy trading is the main reason you are choosing a broker, eToro has the stronger offering. If you want copy trading as one option alongside cheaper CFD trading, education and AvaProtect, AvaTrade covers more ground.
Yes. AvaTrade operates in Australia as Ava Capital Markets Australia Pty Ltd under ASIC AFSL 406684, with eight more licences across the group. eToro operates as eToro AUS Capital Limited under ASIC AFSL 491139. Both segregate client funds and apply the standard ASIC retail protections. On regulation they are comparable; the differences are in cost, platforms and product focus.
Only eToro. eToro lets Australians buy real shares and crypto commission-free, so you own the asset. AvaTrade offers share CFDs, which track a share price with leverage but do not transfer ownership, alongside its wider multi-asset CFD range including bond and ETF CFDs. For owning real shares, eToro or a dedicated ASX broker is the right choice. For trading a broad range of CFDs, AvaTrade is built for that.
Both target beginners, differently. AvaTrade leans on structured learning and risk control: the AvaAcademy education library, the AvaProtect tool to cap downside, MetaTrader, and AUD accounts. eToro leans on social features: copying experienced investors through CopyTrader and owning real assets. A beginner who wants to learn to trade CFDs with support leans AvaTrade; one who wants to copy others or build a real portfolio leans eToro.
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