DEGIRO vs eToro — Which Broker Is Right for You?
The DEGIRO vs eToro choice is often the first real investing decision a Dutch beginner makes. Both brokers are regulated, both let you buy ETFs, and both have a Dutch-language interface — but their fee structures, platforms, and target audiences are fundamentally different. This comparison cuts through the noise: what do you actually pay each month, how safe are your assets, and which broker fits your investing style? For a broader overview, see our broker comparison hub or our detailed eToro review for Netherlands investors.
Quick Verdict: DEGIRO vs eToro at a Glance
DEGIRO wins on cost for EUR-denominated ETF investors. eToro wins on ease of use and social features. That is the core of this comparison. Below are the specific numbers that explain exactly why — and when each verdict changes.
| Criteria | DEGIRO | eToro | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETF transaction fee | €1 per order (Kernselectie via Tradegate) | €0 commission | eToro (small amounts) / DEGIRO (higher amounts) |
| FX conversion (EUR/USD) | None (EUR account, Euronext Amsterdam) | 0.5% per conversion | DEGIRO |
| Minimum deposit | €0 | $50 | DEGIRO |
| Withdrawal fee | €0 | $5 per withdrawal | DEGIRO |
| Social / copy trading | Not available | Full platform | eToro |
| Fractional shares | Not available | Available | eToro |
| Demo account | No | Yes ($100,000 virtual) | eToro |
| Regulation (EU) | flatexDEGIRO Bank SE — BaFin, AFM & DNB | eToro (Europe) Ltd — CySEC 109/10, EU passport | Tie |
| Dutch-language interface | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Cryptocurrency | Limited | Extensive (70+ coins) | eToro |
Want to explore investing with a social layer, copy trading, and a free demo account before committing real money? eToro lets you start with $100,000 in virtual funds — no risk required.
51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Investing involves risk. You may lose some or all of your invested capital.
DEGIRO vs eToro: The Real Cost of €200/Month DCA
The following calculations show the exact cost for a Dutch investor doing monthly dollar-cost averaging (DCA) with €200 per month into a globally diversified ETF — specifically the Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF (VWRL), which tracks over 3,700 companies across 49 countries and carries an ongoing TER of 0.19%.
DEGIRO: €1 per month via the Kernselectie
DEGIRO’s Kernselectie is a curated list of over 1,000 ETFs available to trade on Tradegate for a flat €1 handling fee per order. One purchase per month at €200 costs you €12 per year in transaction fees.
Important: VWRL trades on Euronext Amsterdam and is no longer in the Kernselectie (€3/trade). For Kernselectie pricing (€1/trade), consider VWCE (Vanguard FTSE All-World, accumulating) which is available on Tradegate.
DEGIRO accounts are EUR-denominated, so buying EUR-traded ETFs on Euronext Amsterdam involves zero currency conversion.
Important note: The Kernselectie conditions were restructured: the €1 handling fee was introduced in 2023, and since October 2025 the Kernselectie only covers ETFs listed on Tradegate Exchange. Euronext Amsterdam ETFs (including VWRL) are no longer in the Kernselectie — all Kernselectie trades now route through Tradegate and carry a €1 handling fee per order. However, €1 per monthly DCA purchase is still among the cheapest execution costs available in the Netherlands.
eToro: Zero ETF commission, but 0.5% FX on every deposit
eToro charges zero commission on ETF purchases. However, Dutch accounts at eToro are USD-denominated by default, meaning every EUR deposit is converted to USD at a 0.5% spread. On a €200 monthly deposit, that is €1 per month, or €12 per year in FX costs on contributions alone. When you eventually sell and withdraw, you pay the 0.5% conversion again plus a $5 flat withdrawal fee.
| Scenario: €200/month DCA | DEGIRO (Kernselectie) | eToro (USD account) |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction fee per month | €1.00 | €0.00 |
| FX conversion cost per month (0.5%) | €0.00 | €1.00 |
| Annual cost — contributions only (excl. TER) | €12.00 | €12.00 + $5 per withdrawal |
| Verdict at €200/month | Effectively equal on deposit costs — $5 withdrawal tips eToro slightly higher | |
The honest conclusion at €200/month: the annual difference in deposit costs is essentially zero. The $5 withdrawal fee at eToro is the meaningful differentiator. However, the gap grows with higher monthly contributions.
Multi-year DCA cost comparison: 1, 3, 5, and 10 years at €200/month
| Time horizon | DEGIRO total cost | eToro total cost | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year (12 trades) | €12 | €12 FX + $5 withdrawal ≈ €17 | eToro ~€5 more |
| 3 years (36 trades) | €36 | €36 FX + $5 withdrawal ≈ €41 | eToro ~€5 more |
| 5 years (60 trades) | €60 | €60 FX + $5 withdrawal ≈ €65 | eToro ~€5 more |
| 10 years (120 trades) | €120 | €120 FX + $5 withdrawal ≈ €125 | eToro ~€5 more |
At €200/month, the platform cost difference over 10 years is around €5 — truly negligible. However, at €500/month, eToro’s FX cost alone rises to €30/year versus DEGIRO’s flat €12. At €1,000/month, eToro costs €60/year in FX versus DEGIRO’s €12.
| Monthly DCA amount | DEGIRO annual cost | eToro annual FX cost | Annual difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| €100/month | €12 | €6 | DEGIRO €6 more expensive |
| €200/month | €12 | €12 | Even |
| €500/month | €12 | €30 | eToro €18 more expensive |
| €1,000/month | €12 | €60 | eToro €48 more expensive |
Platform Comparison: Features and Usability
DEGIRO: functional, no-frills, Dutch-first
DEGIRO is an execution-only platform — built for investors who already know what they want to buy and want to do it at the lowest possible cost. There is no social feed, no copy trading, and no demo account. Experienced investors tend to appreciate the simplicity; complete beginners may find the platform gives them little guidance on where to start.
eToro: modern, social, and beginner-oriented
eToro layers a social network on top of a standard brokerage. You can see what other investors are buying, follow experienced investors, and use copy trading to automatically replicate a selected portfolio from $200. Importantly, eToro offers a demo account with $100,000 in virtual funds — an effective way to understand the platform before committing real capital.
eToro’s demo account lets you practice the full platform with virtual money. A practical first step before investing real capital.
51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Investing involves risk. You may lose some or all of your invested capital.
DEGIRO vs eToro: Safety and Regulation
DEGIRO: BaFin, AFM, and DNB oversight
DEGIRO is part of flatexDEGIRO Bank SE, a licensed German bank regulated by BaFin. In the Netherlands, DEGIRO operates via its Dutch branch, registered with both the AFM and DNB. Client securities are held via a separate legal entity — Stichting DEGIRO — which means your shares and ETFs are legally ring-fenced from DEGIRO’s own balance sheet.
eToro: CySEC-regulated with MiFID II EU passport
eToro (Europe) Ltd is regulated by CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, licence 109/10) and operates in the Netherlands under an EU passport via MiFID II. Retail investors are covered by the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund (ICF) up to €20,000. You can verify any EU-passported broker’s registration on the AFM investment firms register.
Pros and cons: DEGIRO
- No currency conversion for EUR ETFs on Euronext Amsterdam
- Kernselectie: 1,000+ ETFs for €1 per trade on Tradegate
- No minimum deposit required
- Dutch-language platform with years of track record in the Netherlands
- flatexDEGIRO Bank SE: full banking licence under BaFin, registered with AFM & DNB
- Securities held in separate Stichting DEGIRO — ring-fenced from DEGIRO’s balance sheet
- Wide instrument range: stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, futures
- No social trading or copy trading
- No fractional shares
- No demo account
- Kernselectie forces trades via Tradegate — limited exchange choice
- Sparse platform — less guidance for absolute beginners
- No integrated crypto investing
- €1 handling fee per Kernselectie order (introduced 2023; Tradegate-only since October 2025)
Pros and cons: eToro
- Zero commission on ETFs
- Social trading: follow and learn from other investors in real time
- Copy trading: automatically mirror a portfolio from $200
- Demo account with $100,000 virtual funds — no risk
- Fractional shares available (invest small amounts per share)
- Modern, intuitive platform on web and mobile
- 70+ cryptocurrencies alongside stocks and ETFs
- 0.5% FX conversion on every EUR→USD transaction
- $5 withdrawal fee per withdrawal (minimum $30)
- $10/month inactivity fee after 12 months without logging in
- Dutch accounts are USD-denominated by default
- CySEC regulation (Cyprus) — not BaFin or AFM directly
- Limited order types compared to professional platforms
Choose DEGIRO If…
- You invest a fixed monthly amount in EUR-denominated ETFs and want to avoid FX costs entirely.
- You want a predictable, low-cost structure: €1 per trade with no hidden FX spread.
- You have no interest in social or copy trading and prefer to buy and hold independently.
- You value a banking licence and direct AFM/DNB oversight alongside BaFin regulation.
- You plan to invest more than €200/month, where DEGIRO’s flat fee beats eToro’s percentage-based FX cost.
DEGIRO is the benchmark for low-cost EUR ETF investing in the Netherlands — especially for investors putting €200/month or more into Kernselectie ETFs.
Investing involves risk. You may lose some or all of your invested capital.
Choose eToro If…
- You are new to investing and want to learn from other investors via the social feed.
- You want to use copy trading — automatically mirroring the portfolio of an experienced investor from $200.
- You want to try the platform first using a demo account with $100,000 in virtual funds.
- You invest smaller amounts (below €200/month) where eToro’s zero ETF commission and fractional shares offset the FX cost disadvantage.
- You want access to cryptocurrency alongside stocks and ETFs within a single account.
- You prefer a modern, app-first experience.
For a head-to-head look at how eToro compares against a different type of broker, see our eToro vs Plus500 comparison. For a full assessment of all major brokers, visit our broker comparison page.
Our Verdict: DEGIRO vs eToro for Dutch Beginners
There is no universal winner in the DEGIRO vs eToro comparison. The right choice depends on what you prioritise.
If your goal is long-term passive investing — buying a world ETF monthly and holding it — DEGIRO is the more cost-efficient choice. The €1 Kernselectie fee is transparent, the EUR denomination eliminates FX friction, and the BaFin banking licence adds a layer of regulatory robustness.
If you are new to investing and unsure where to start, eToro offers meaningful advantages DEGIRO does not: a demo account, a social feed, and a copy trading feature. The 0.5% FX cost is real — but at €200/month the annual impact is €12, which is less than most people spend on a single restaurant meal.
New to investing altogether? Read our investing basics guide before opening an account at either broker.
Ready to start? eToro lets you open a demo account and explore the full platform — including copy trading and social features — before investing any real money.
51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Investing involves risk. You may lose some or all of your invested capital.
Frequently Asked Questions: DEGIRO vs eToro
Which is cheaper: DEGIRO or eToro?
For Dutch investors buying EUR-denominated ETFs, DEGIRO is cheaper at monthly contributions above €200. At exactly €200/month, annual deposit costs are equal at €12. At €500/month, eToro’s FX cost rises to €30/year versus DEGIRO’s flat €12. eToro also charges $5 per withdrawal, which DEGIRO does not.
Is DEGIRO safer than eToro?
Both brokers are regulated within the EU and both are legally active in the Netherlands. DEGIRO (flatexDEGIRO Bank SE) holds a banking licence and is regulated by BaFin (Germany), AFM, and DNB. eToro (Europe) Ltd is regulated by CySEC (Cyprus, licence 109/10) and operates in the Netherlands under an MiFID II EU passport. CySEC’s Investor Compensation Fund covers up to €20,000; DEGIRO’s banking licence provides deposit protection up to €100,000 for cash balances.
Can I buy ETFs like VWRL on eToro?
Yes, eToro offers the Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF (VWRL). The standard eToro account for Dutch investors is USD-denominated, so a 0.5% currency conversion applies to each EUR deposit and each withdrawal. At DEGIRO, VWRL trades on Euronext Amsterdam in EUR — no currency conversion required.
Does DEGIRO offer social trading or copy trading?
No. DEGIRO is an execution-only broker: you place your own orders with no social feed, no copy trading, and no automated portfolio mirroring. If social or copy trading is important to you, eToro is the leading option in the Netherlands for that feature set.
What changed with DEGIRO’s Kernselectie?
The Kernselectie has been restructured twice. In 2023, DEGIRO introduced a €1 handling fee per order (previously free). In October 2025, the Kernselectie was restricted to ETFs listed on Tradegate Exchange only — all Kernselectie trades now route through Tradegate and carry a €1 handling fee per order. For a monthly DCA investor buying one ETF per month, this means €12 per year in transaction costs.
How do I pay tax on investments at DEGIRO or eToro in the Netherlands?
In the Netherlands, investments typically fall under Box 3 of the income tax system (vermogensrendementsheffing). The Dutch Tax Authority taxes a notional return on net assets above the tax-free threshold as of 1 January each year. Consult the Belastingdienst website or a tax adviser for your personal situation.