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Head to head

Alpari vs eToro

Alpari has no licence we could confirm on a regulator's register. eToro is licensed by CySEC in the European Union; FCA in the United Kingdom; ASIC in Australia and FSRA (ADGM) in Abu Dhabi (ADGM), UAE, and also has an offshore registration. The licence that applies to you depends on where you live, so check which company you would contract with before comparing anything else.

Minimum deposits start at $30 at Alpari and $10 at eToro. Only eToro offers negative balance protection and segregated client money.

Facts last checked: Alpari on 20 October 2026, eToro on 20 October 2026.

Alpari profileeToro profile
Broker 1
Broker 2
Broker 3

Monthly cost uses the account chosen in each slot: cost per lot × your lots. Swap and other fees are extra. The lowest monthly cost is highlighted only as a fact about cost, not as a recommendation.

Broker
AlpariRead the profile
eToroStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
Alpari
eToroEuropean Union

Overview

Founded
1998
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Fomboni, Mohéli, Comoros
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • alpari.com
  • etoro.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
No licence listed
eToro (Europe) Ltd
Regulator
No licence listed
CySEC
European Union
Regulation level
No licence listed
Strictly regulated
Licence number
No licence listed
109/10
Check the register
Clients this company serves
No licence listed
Residents of EU and EEA countries
All licences held
None listed
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • FSRA (ADGM) (Abu Dhabi (ADGM), UAE)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
Segregated client money
No
Yes
Negative balance protection
No
Yes
Compensation scheme
None
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus); none we know of for the Abu Dhabi or Seychelles companies

Costs

Your monthly cost
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Spread from
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Typical EUR/USD spread
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Commission per lot (round turn)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Typical GBP/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical USD/JPY spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical XAU/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Swap-free account
Yes
Not yet checked

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
Up to 1:3000 (ECN and Pro ECN); 1:1000 on Standard; 1:500 on Micro
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia)
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Micro account: Up to 1:500
  • Standard account: Up to 1:1000
  • ECN and Pro ECN accounts: Up to 1:3000 (floating)
  • Major currency pairs (UK: 1:30
  • Non-major currency pairs: 1:20
Margin call level
50% on Micro and Standard; 80% on ECN and Pro ECN
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
20% on Micro and Standard; 50% on ECN and Pro ECN
Not yet checked

Account

Minimum deposit (this account)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Base currencies
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Execution
No accounts listed
No accounts listed

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • Alpari trading app
  • eToro web platform
  • eToro mobile app
Markets
Forex, metals, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, stocks, ETF, futures and crosses CFDs
Currency, index and commodity CFDs alongside stocks, ETFs and crypto (this profile covers CFDs only)
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Yes
Expert advisors (automated trading)
Yes
No
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Guaranteed stops
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposit methods
  • Debit or credit card
  • Bank wire
  • E-wallet
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Local payment methods
Not yet checked
Withdrawal fee
Varies by method; the fee is taken from the amount withdrawn
$5 on withdrawals from a USD account; none from GBP, EUR or DKK local-currency accounts
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
None since 28 May 2026, according to eToro's help centre

Support

Customer support
Live chat, chatbot, messengers and phone helpline
Not yet checked

Our notes

Strengths
  • Four account types, from a $30 Micro account to a raw-spread Pro ECN account
  • Commission-free Micro, Standard and ECN accounts
  • MetaTrader 4 and 5, PAMM investing and a demo account
  • Licensed by CySEC, the FCA and ASIC, with retail negative balance protection in those regions
  • Copy trading built into the platform, with the same account used for CFDs, stocks and crypto
  • Low first deposit in some countries ($10 in the UK)
Watch out for
  • Says it holds Mwali International Services Authority (MISA) licence T2023236; we could not confirm it on MISA's register on 2026-10-20, because the register sits behind a bot check
  • No licence from a strict regulator; not available to UK or EU residents
  • We found no statement on its site about segregated client money or negative balance protection
  • Leverage up to 1:3000, and deposit bonuses that come with conditions
  • eToro's website could not be loaded during our check on 2026-10-20; the cost details on this page come from eToro's own fee and help pages read through a search tool, so confirm them on etoro.com before you trade.
  • eToro now prices CFDs as the market spread plus an opening and closing spread fee charged as a percentage (0.005% per trade on EUR/USD), which is harder to compare with pip-based spreads.
  • Deposits and withdrawals that need a currency conversion carry a conversion fee, and USD withdrawals cost $5
  • MetaTrader is not offered; you can only trade on eToro's own platform

Risk warnings

The buttons to a broker’s website above the table are partner links: we may earn a commission if you open an account through them. That never changes the facts shown here. Trading leveraged products such as forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money rapidly, and most retail accounts lose money. Each broker’s own warning:

  • Alpari: Before trading, you should ensure that you've undergone sufficient preparation and fully understand the risks involved in margin trading.

Open this comparison in the full tool to share a link with your own accounts and companies chosen.

Other head-to-head pages

Cost per lot is the typical EUR/USD spread in busy hours × $10, plus any round-turn commission, for one standard lot. “Not yet checked” means we have not confirmed that fact yet. This page compares facts; it does not rank the brokers or recommend either. Confirm costs and licences on each broker’s site and the regulator’s public register before opening an account: see how we review brokers and check a broker yourself.

Nothing on this page is financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.

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