eToro vs Scalable Capital Comparison
In our overall rating eToro leads with 4.3 out of 5 points, ahead of Scalable Capital with 2.9. On disclosed fees eToro is cheaper: € 10.00 instead of € 10.89 per €1,000 purchase. eToro has the better score in all five sub-ratings. eToro has been on the market longer, founded in 2007, while Scalable Capital followed in 2014.
| 1% crypto fee + spread | Fees | €0.99 + 0.99 % |
| € 10.00 | Minimum cost per €1,000 | € 10.89 |
| 110+ | Cryptos | 32 (as ETPs) |
| SEPA Transfer (min. $50), Credit Card, PayPal | Payment Methods | SEPA Direct Debit, SEPA Transfer |
| Crypto custodian Tangany GmbH has a BaFin license. | Regulation | Full bank (CRR credit institution) supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank |
Cost comparison
The basis is a Bitcoin purchase worth €1,000, calculated from the disclosed trading fee. A price markup in the spread is not included, because most providers do not publish it.
| € 10.00 | Minimum cost per €1,000 | € 10.89 |
| 1% crypto fee + spread | Fees | €0.99 + 0.99 % |
| 2 % (with minimum and maximum) + network fee | Wallet transfer | – |
| No | Cost transparency | Yes |
| approx. € 50 | Minimum Amount | € 1 |
| SEPA Transfer (min. $50), Credit Card, PayPal | Payment Methods | SEPA Direct Debit, SEPA Transfer |
On disclosed fees you pay €0.89 less at eToro per €1,000 purchase.
eToro charges a fee per crypto position. The rate depends on your club tier and your monthly crypto volume. The market spread, the gap between buy and sell price, comes on top. The order ticket shows all costs before you confirm.
| Transaction | Cost at eToro |
|---|---|
| Buy or sell crypto, Bronze, Silver, Gold tiers | 1% per position, plus the market spread |
| Crypto, Platinum tier | 0.95% to 0.10% depending on monthly volume |
| Crypto, Diamond tier | 0.85% to 0.10% depending on monthly volume |
| Account opening, management, inactivity | free |
| Withdrawal from the euro account | free |
| Withdrawal from the USD account | $5, minimum withdrawal $30 |
| Transfer of crypto to the eToro Money wallet | 2%, with a minimum and maximum |
| Selling crypto for euros in the eToro Money wallet | 0.6% to 1% depending on club tier |
| Unleveraged crypto CFD, customers in Germany | no overnight fee |
| Stocks | $1 or $2 commission per buy and sell, depending on the exchange |
Example: buying Bitcoin for €1,000 and selling it later costs €10 on the buy and 1% of the sale value on the sell in the Bronze tier, about €20 in total plus spread. How to save: depositing euros into the euro account avoids conversion costs, and larger balances reach a higher club tier with lower crypto fees.
Fees as of 1 November 2026 according to the eToro fee page.
eToro promo code and bonus (November 2026)
Instead of a promo code, eToro runs its Refer a Friend programme. An existing customer shares a personal invitation link. If the new customer registers through it, verifies the account and within 90 days deposits at least $100 and trades at least $100, the referrer receives a reward of $50, $100, $150 or $250 depending on their own balance. The new customer does not receive a reward from this programme, and the reward can only be withdrawn 90 days after it is credited. The terms for eToro (Europe) Ltd cover customers in countries including Germany, Austria, France, Spain and Switzerland (eToro terms, September 2026).
What circulates online as an eToro promo code or coupon is usually another customer's invitation code: the reward goes to the referrer. Discounts on crypto fees come from eToro's club tiers, not from a code.
Promotion until 31 December 2026: if you transfer crypto from an external wallet to eToro and hold it as a position in your portfolio, you receive 5% of your monthly net amount in stocks, worth up to $1,000 per month. Crypto and cash withdrawals in the same month are deducted, and the stocks cannot be withdrawn for one year (eToro promotion terms of 8 October 2026).
Scalable Capital offers cryptocurrencies only through ETPs, i.e. exchange-traded securities. Costs consist of three parts: the order fee, a spread markup that Scalable calls the crypto fee, and the running product costs of each ETP. The FREE plan has no monthly fee, PRIME+ costs €4.99 a month.
| Transaction | FREE | PRIME+ |
|---|---|---|
| Order via the European Investor Exchange | €0.99 | €0 from €250, below that €0.99 |
| Order via Xetra or gettex | €1.99 | €1.99 |
| Savings plan from €1 per instalment | no order fee | no order fee |
| Crypto fee (spread markup on crypto ETPs) | 0.99% | 0.69% |
| Running product costs (TER) per year, examples | CoinShares Physical Bitcoin 0.15%, Bitwise Physical Ethereum 1.49%, 21Shares Solana Staking 2.50% | |
| Custody fee | €0 | €0 |
| Deposit by bank transfer or direct debit | €0 | €0 |
| Instant deposit (every euro above €5,000 per deposit free of charge) | 0.99% | 0.69% |
How to save: A €100 crypto purchase costs €1.98 on the FREE plan (€0.99 order fee plus €0.99 spread markup); for €1,000 it is €10.89. On PRIME+ the same €1,000 purchase costs €6.90, plus the monthly fee. Savings plans avoid the order fee, but the spread markup remains, so for pure crypto savings plans PRIME+ only pays off from around €1,660 a month.
As of 1 November 2026 according to Scalable Capital's cost overview and crypto page.
Pros & Cons
- MiCA licence from CySEC, valid across the EU
- Custody for customers in Germany at Tangany GmbH, authorised by BaFin
- More than 100 crypto assets plus stocks, ETFs, indices and commodities in one account
- CopyTrader and a demo account with virtual funds
- No account or inactivity fee, free withdrawals from the euro account
- Recurring investments without a currency conversion fee on the deposit
- Crypto costs 1% per buy and sell in the Bronze to Gold club tiers, plus the market spread
- Moving crypto to your own wallet costs 2%
- Some crypto buys can run as CFDs, marked “CFD” in the order ticket; according to eToro, 55% of retail investor accounts lose money on CFDs
- Reduced crypto fees only from the Platinum club tier
- Full bank based in Munich: Scalable Capital Bank GmbH has held an ECB licence for deposit and lending business since September 2025 and is supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank
- Savings plans for crypto and ETFs possible from just €1
- Staking via individual crypto ETPs, with staking rewards of 3 to 5% a year according to the provider
- Device-bound 2FA is considered a solid security solution
- Broad range of stocks and ETFs in addition to crypto
- No custody fee; with PRIME+ at €4.99 a month, orders from €250 carry no order fee
- No actual coins: you trade ETPs, which are bonds issued by the ETP providers; transfers to your own wallet are not possible
- Crypto selection with 32 coins is room for improvement compared with specialized providers
- On top of the order fee comes a 0.99% spread markup (PRIME+ 0.69%) plus the ETPs' running costs: a €100 crypto purchase costs €1.98 on the FREE plan
- Trading only during exchange hours, not around the clock as on crypto exchanges
- Deposits only by bank transfer, direct debit or the paid Instant deposit (0.99%, 0.69% with PRIME+)
Score Comparison
User Experiences
AI AnalysisAccording to 658 analyzed user reviews, eToro is generally often described as easy to understand and practical for everyday use. Users especially appreciate the intuitive app and the clear layout, while fees and support are more often viewed critically in the user data.
According to reviews, Scalable Capital presents a mixed user picture: some users appreciate the clear and intuitive app as well as everyday use that is perceived as reliable. At the same time, users report login and 2FA issues, as well as occasional delays with withdrawals and support.
Provider details (fees, licences, pros and cons) editorially reviewed: November 2026. This analysis is based on 1156 user reviews analyzed by AI from the Apple App Store, Trustpilot, and Google Play Store. The total number of reviews on the respective platforms may be higher, the platform ratings (star ratings) shown refer to all reviews available there. The reviews presented reflect users' experiences and do not represent the website operator's own assessment. All information is provided without guarantee. As of: March 2026. This comparison does not constitute investment advice.
Features
| available | Savings plan | available |
| available | Staking | not specified |
| available | Wallet transfer | not available |
| not available | Credit card | not available |
| available | Futures trading | not specified |
| available | Copy trading | not specified |
| not available | NFT marketplace | not specified |
| available | Tax export | not specified |
| available | Demo mode | not specified |
| not specified | Staking (via ETPs) | available |
| not specified | BaFin regulation | available |
| not specified | Web platform | available |
| not specified | Mobile app (iOS/Android) | available |
| not specified | Stocks & ETFs | available |
| not specified | SEPA direct debit | available |
- CopyTrader to mirror other investors' positions
- Crypto, stocks, ETFs and commodities in one account
- MiCA licence from CySEC, custody through Tangany
- Neobroker with stocks, ETFs, and crypto in one place
- BaFin-regulated with headquarters in Germany
- Crypto savings plans from €1 for regular investing
- Staking available via crypto ETPs
The five areas head to head
AI AnalysisFees & Costs
According to user reviews, the fees at eToro are comparatively often viewed critically. Users report high fees and high spreads. Overall, the fee area in the user data is described as having room for improvement.
There is only limited concrete feedback in the user data regarding fees and costs. According to reviews, users mainly comment on usability, login, and features in comparison, while pricing questions are mentioned less often.
Usability & User Experience
Users especially appreciate eToro's intuitive app as well as the clear and very simple operation. According to reviews, getting started is usually quick even for less experienced users, because many processes are described as easy to follow. However, some users occasionally report login issues or that the app does not always start as expected, which means usability is perceived as limited in certain situations.
According to reviews, users particularly appreciate Scalable Capital for its clear and partly intuitive app, which some also describe as easy to learn. At the same time, users also report a confusing interface and login problems. From the user perspective, usability is therefore perceived differently.
Features & Offering
Users particularly praise the Copy Trading feature and the many pieces of information available within the platform. According to reviews, the offering is generally seen as helpful for getting started and for finding one's way in the market. At the same time, some users would like to see more coins, additional reminder functions for SL/TP, as well as individual enhancements such as a smartwatch app or more settings for font size.
According to reviews, Scalable Capital is used by users primarily for long-term investing, and some also highlight the cash account positively. At the same time, users express several wishes, including a trailing stop-loss, an overall profit and loss overview, more ELTIFs, and more savings plans. Users also want changes to the dark design and the YTD view, as well as a group watchlist and less analysis in the free area.
Stability & Security
Regarding stability and reliability, users occasionally report problems when starting the app and login difficulties. In the analyzed user reviews, it is also mentioned that the app does not function as expected in individual cases. However, a reliable overall assessment is only possible to a limited extent based on the user data available.
According to reviews, users describe Scalable Capital as reliable in part. At the same time, users report technical issues such as a black screen, OTP codes not being sent, as well as app problems and crashes. Stability is therefore perceived differently by users.
Customer Support
The user data presents a rather critical picture of support. Users report slow support, poor experiences with customer service, or that they do not perceive sufficient support. Accordingly, customer service is more often described in reviews as having room for improvement.
According to reviews, users occasionally report rather negative experiences with support, especially in connection with login or 2FA topics. Some feedback describes customer service as slow or not very helpful.
Details
| eToro Europe Ltd. | Company | Scalable Capital GmbH |
| 2007 | Founded | 2014 |
| Crypto custodian Tangany GmbH has a BaFin license. | Regulation | Full bank (CRR credit institution) supervised by BaFin and the Bundesbank |
| approx. € 50 | Minimum Amount | € 1 |
| Video-ID | KYC | eID, Video-ID, PostIdent |
Verdict
In our overall rating eToro leads with 4.3 against 2.9 for Scalable Capital.
On disclosed fees you pay €0.89 less at eToro per €1,000 purchase.
For most investors eToro is therefore the better choice.
In short: eToro is one of the best-known multi-asset platforms: crypto, stocks, ETFs, indices and commodities in one account, plus CopyTrader, which automatically mirrors other investors' positions, and a demo account for practice. Crypto costs 1% per buy and sell in the Bronze to Gold club tiers. If you only want to buy crypto cheaply, an order-book exchange costs less; if you want to manage crypto and stocks together and learn from others, eToro is a good fit.
Is eToro safe and regulated in the EU?
Yes, eToro may serve customers across the EU. For EU customers the contracting party is eToro (Europe) Ltd in Limassol, authorised by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) under licence number 109/10. Since January 2025 it has held a MiCA licence from CySEC for crypto assets, which applies across the EU through the passport, including Germany, France and Spain (ESMA register, file of 30 October 2026). For customers in Germany, crypto assets are held by Tangany GmbH in Munich, which has its own MiCA authorisation from BaFin for custody and transfers since August 2025. For investment services of eToro (Europe) Ltd, eToro cites the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund with up to €20,000 per client (eToro regulation page). The parent company eToro Group has been listed on Nasdaq since May 2025 and reports its figures quarterly.
Real coins or CFDs? When you buy Bitcoin without leverage, you usually acquire the crypto asset itself. Leveraged positions and short sales run as CFDs, and according to eToro some unleveraged buy positions can also be executed as CFDs for regulatory reasons; the trade window marks them with “CFD”. Customers in Germany pay no overnight fee on such unleveraged crypto CFDs. CFDs remain risky: according to eToro, 55% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with eToro.
What you can do yourself: turn on two-factor authentication, check before confirming whether the order ticket shows “CFD”, and move crypto you plan to hold for a long time to your own wallet. eToro charges 2% for that transfer, see the fees section.
Who is eToro for?
eToro suits beginners and investors who want to manage crypto alongside stocks and ETFs in one app, follow other investors' strategies or practise in a demo account first. Since July 2026 the new eToro app has been built around the AI assistant Tori, which surfaces portfolio insights and explains price moves; eToro states that this is not investment advice. If you only buy crypto and watch costs closely, compare with Bitpanda or Trade Republic; all brokers are listed in our crypto broker comparison.
Scalable Capital has made a name for itself in the DACH region primarily as a robo-advisor and ETF broker and has also offered crypto since December 2021. Since September 2025 the company has been a full bank: Scalable Capital Bank GmbH in Munich received the ECB licence for deposit and lending business and is supervised by BaFin and the Deutsche Bundesbank. Since March 2026 it has also been listed in ESMA's MiCA register with a notification for advice on crypto-assets. According to its September 2026 fact sheet, Scalable serves more than one million customers with over €60 billion in assets.
The crypto offering covers 32 cryptocurrencies, which are not traded as coins but through crypto ETPs on regulated exchanges. No wallet or private keys are needed; in return, holdings cannot be moved to your own wallet, and trading is limited to exchange hours. Savings plans from €1 make for a particularly low-threshold entry, and some ETPs add staking rewards. Besides the €0.99 order fee there is a 0.99% spread markup, or 0.69% with the PRIME+ subscription at €4.99 a month. Since September 2026, orders via Xetra and gettex have cost a flat €1.99.
For investors who mainly put money into stocks and ETFs and want to hold crypto as an addition in the same securities account, Scalable Capital is a practical solution. Anyone who wants to hold actual coins, move them to their own wallet or trade around the clock is better served by a crypto exchange.