I’ve been doing some research on both brokers and I’m trying to figure out which one actually costs less when you account for spreads, fees, and everything else.
I know AvaTrade and eToro both have different spread structures, and I’ve seen some posts about how rebates can change the math completely. But I’m not sure how to actually calculate my real trading costs on either platform.
I’m mainly trading EUR/USD and GBP/USD, so I’m wondering if one of these brokers has a clear advantage for those pairs specifically. Also, I’m curious whether the cost difference actually matters during normal market conditions versus when volatility picks up.
Has anyone actually tracked their per-trade costs on both brokers and compared them side by side? I’d rather hear what people actually found trading on them rather than just reading their websites.
eToro spreads wider but cheaper fees overall.
AvaTrade tighter spreads fewer rejections honestly.
AvaTrade generally offers tighter spreads on major pairs, around 0.8-1.2 pips for EUR/USD. eToro’s spreads are wider, closer to 1.5-2 pips, but their commission structure is different.
Calculate it this way: spread + commission - rebate per lot. For example, if AvaTrade charges 1 pip spread with a 0.3 pip rebate, your real cost is 0.7 pip per lot. If eToro is 2 pips with no rebate, AvaTrade wins.
But execution quality matters. Slippage on eToro can add another 0.5-1 pip on entry, which erases the spread advantage. Test both with small trades first.
During volatile news events, spreads widen on both platforms. AvaTrade tends to stay tighter overall. Your rebate from GlobeGain helps offset the cost difference, but it’s usually only 20-40% of your spread cost.
Focus on which broker gives you consistent execution quality. A broker that slips you 1 pip on entry is more expensive than any spread difference, even with rebates factored in.
I’ve used both and honestly the cost difference on EUR/USD wasn’t huge in my case.
AvaTrade felt slightly cheaper day to day, but eToro had better platform stability on my end. The rebates helped but weren’t game changers.
I’d say test both with small positions and track a few weeks of real trades. That’ll tell you more than any comparison sheet.
GBP/USD might be different from EUR/USD on these platforms. Some brokers tighten spreads on the major pairs but widen them on others.
Definitely compare their actual spread quotes before you open an account. Most brokers show you live quotes on their demo accounts, so you can see what you’re actually paying.
AvaTrade spreads are tighter but eToro execution is usually stable.
AvaTrade is cheaper overall but I prefer eToro’s platform.
I switched from eToro to AvaTrade two years ago specifically because of the spread difference. AvaTrade’s spreads on EUR/USD average around 0.9 pips versus eToro’s 1.8 pips.
That said, eToro’s platform interface was more intuitive for me as a beginner. But once I got comfortable with AvaTrade’s MT4 setup, the cost savings became obvious.
Over the course of a year, trading 50-100 lots per week, the difference amounted to about 1500-2000 in spread costs. Rebates covered maybe 25% of that.
For GBP/USD specifically, AvaTrade’s advantage was even bigger. Worth testing both if you’re serious about this.
One thing people overlook is withdrawal fees and account inactivity charges. I had an eToro account that sat dormant for two months and they hit me with inactivity fees I didn’t expect.
AvaTrade doesn’t do that, which is another small advantage on the cost side. Not huge, but it adds up if you’re checking every expense.
Calculate total cost, not just spreads.