Top copy trading platforms compared

About Top copy trading platforms compared

Copy trading puts other people's trades into your account, so the platform has to hold your money carefully and let you follow a strategy without surprises on cost. This ranking covers 37 brokers that offer copy trading, and it weighs what a retail investor actually pays: account and trade fees, minimum deposits, the protection scheme behind the balance, and what an idle account costs. The main trade-off is cost against trust, because a cheap broker can still carry lighter compensation cover or a higher entry deposit. Across the group the minimum deposit median is €43.85, and a mobile app is close to standard at 83.8%. Every brand here names copy trading in its features, and the median published retail loss percentage is 76%.

How we picked

Scores come from three weighted inputs. Trust carries 40%, cost carries 35% and the offer carries 25%. Trust covers the regulators named for the brand, the protection scheme attached to the account, the legal entity behind the name and the retail loss percentage the brand publishes. Cost covers the account fee, the stock trade fee, the minimum deposit, any inactivity charge and what deposits and withdrawals cost. The offer covers the markets, the platforms, the demo account and the copy trading itself. Because every brand here names copy trading, that feature separates nobody, and the quality of everything around it decides the order. Figures come from the brands' own pages, from regulator and compensation scheme registers including the ESMA register and the SIPC member list, and from published reviews. Partner brands are listed first, then the rest in score order.

Our top picks

1. 2. eToro: best for top pick

   It sits at the top of this ranking because copy trading runs through the whole offer rather than sitting on the side, and the pricing is the simplest here: a commission free model, an account fee of $0 and a stock trade fee of $0. The account types include an ISA, and the markets stretch from stocks and ETFs through forex, CFDs, crypto and futures. The account is held by eToro (Europe) Ltd in Cyprus, with regulators listed as Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and SIPC and protection of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000. Vantage, ranked next, also adds nothing to hold the account but runs on MetaTrader only, where eToro adds fractional shares and the ISA. The weak spot is support, which runs on help centre only.

   • Stock trade fee: $0
   • Account fee: $0
   • Markets: Stocks, ETFs, Forex, and 3 more

   Pros

   • No commission on share dealing: stock trade fees are $0
   • No account fee on the standard dealing account: $0
   • Regulated in Cyprus by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, and a SIPC member in the US
   • One account spans stocks, etfs and forex
   • Fractional shares and a demo account let you start small and practise before committing money

   Cons

   • A separate management fee of 0% applies to the managed portfolio service, so headline dealing costs are not the whole bill
   • Support runs on help centre only, so there is no stated phone or live chat route for account problems
   • The same commission-free model at XTB comes with a stated stock trade fee of €0, so commission alone does not separate the two

2. 3. EBC Financial Group

   EBC Financial Group lands eighth in this ranking on regulation and reach rather than price. The account is held by EBC Financial Group (UK) Ltd, headquartered in the UK, with regulators listed as Financial Conduct Authority and protection of FSCS up to GBP 85,000. Copy trading, a demo account and a mobile app are in the feature list, markets run stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto, and the platforms are MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and the house mobile app. The minimum deposit is $50 and retail leverage is 1:500, the lowest cap among the leveraged brands in this ranking. The firm has traded under the same name since 1994. Errante, ranked next, lists more regulators and adds metals, but leans harder on crypto and offers a thinner platform set.

   • Minimum deposit: $50
   • Markets: Stocks, ETFs, Forex, and 2 more
   • Regulators: Financial Conduct Authority

   Pros

   • Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under licence 927552
   • One account covers stocks, etfs and forex without needing a second firm
   • Platforms in MT4, MT5 and EBC mobile app cover both MetaTrader terminals plus the EBC mobile app
   • The group has been trading since 1994, so the name is established

   Cons

   • Retail leverage runs to 1:500, so a modest balance can be lost quickly
   • The entry amount of $50 is above $0 at CFI and $5 at Vantage
   • Bonds, funds and futures are not among its stocks, etfs and forex

3. 4. Markets.com

   Markets.com is seventh in this ranking because it combines a commission free model with the broadest spread of regulators here and support that reaches beyond a help centre. The account fee is $0 and a stock trade costs $0, though forex is charged at 0.6% and an inactive account costs $10. The minimum deposit is $100, above Vantage and below IC Markets. The account runs under Finalto Financial Services Limited with protection of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 and regulators listed as CySEC, FCA and FSCA. Markets cover stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs, crypto, bonds and spread betting, and the audience spans beginners and experienced traders. EBC Financial Group, ranked next, opens at $50 and reaches less far into markets.

   • Minimum deposit: $100
   • Stock trade fee: $0
   • Account fee: $0

   Pros

   • Stock trades carry fees of $0 on a commission-free model, so placing a share trade is not chargeable
   • The account fee is $0, which ranks Markets.com at 1 of 138 brands on that measure
   • Deposits and withdrawals carry no deposit or withdrawal fees, so moving money on and off the account stays cheap
   • Markets span stocks, etfs and forex under a single account, from equities to spread betting
   • Regulated by CySEC, FCA and FSCA, so retail clients are covered by a local regulator in each market served

   Cons

   • An inactivity charge of $10 catches dormant balances, placing Markets.com at 35 of 56 brands on that measure
   • The minimum deposit of $100 is heavy, ranking at 148 of 213 brands, so a smaller opening balance rules it out
   • A currency conversion fee of 0.6% sits on top of the commission-free model, so currency trades cost more than the share trades priced at $0
   • Retail accounts that lose money sit at 72.4%, above the site median of 70.15%

4. F6. FXTM

   FXTM sits fourth in this ranking because it pairs copy trading with the widest market list in the group and a compensation scheme many readers will recognise. Markets run stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs, futures, crypto, bonds and metals, on desktop, mobile, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, and retail leverage reaches 1:2000. The account is regulated by FCA and CySEC with protection of FSCS up to GBP 85,000, and the minimum deposit is $10. Costs need watching: the inactivity fee is $5, withdrawal fees vary by method, support runs on help centre only, and the published retail loss percentage is 88%. WH SelfInvest, ranked next, lists options alongside its copy trading but charges $1.90 for a stock trade.

   • Minimum deposit: $10
   • Inactivity fee: $5
   • Markets: Stocks, ETFs, Forex, and 5 more

   Pros

   • One account spans stocks, etfs and forex.
   • The FCA and CySEC both appear under FCA and CySEC, with FSCS up to GBP 85,000 for UK clients.
   • Trading runs on Desktop, Mobile App and MetaTrader 4, and demo account, copy trading and mobile app adds a demo account and copy trading.

   Cons

   • Dormant balances are charged $5, a cost active traders never meet.
   • Support runs on help centre only.
   • Leverage of 1:2000 magnifies losses, and 88% of retail accounts lose money.

5. 7. Vantage

   Vantage takes the second slot in this ranking on entry cost and running costs. A low fees model, an account fee of $0 and an inactivity fee of $0 keep the charges down, the broker adds nothing for deposits or withdrawals, and the minimum deposit is $5. Markets cover forex, CFDs, stocks, ETFs, crypto and metals, delivered on MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, with a demo account, a mobile app and copy trading in the feature list. The figure to weigh is the published retail loss percentage of 74% to 89%, above the median of 76% for this field. LiteFinance, ranked next, uses the same MetaTrader platforms but asks a little more to open and names beginners as its audience.

   • Minimum deposit: $5
   • Account fee: $0
   • Inactivity fee: $0

   Pros

   • No standing charges on the account: an account fee of $0 and an inactivity fee of $0, so a balance left untouched still costs nothing to keep.
   • One account across forex, cfds and stocks, so short-term currency trading and longer stock holding do not need a second broker.
   • A demo account, a mobile app and copy trading, with orders placed on MT4 and MT5 listed in MT4 and MT5.
   • A minimum deposit of $5, which sits below the median of €22.58 across the forex group.

   Cons

   • The minimum deposit of $5 leaves Vantage at 92 of 213 on entry cost, behind CFI at $0 and XTB at €0.
   • Retail accounts that lose money run 74% to 89%, a wider band than the site median of 70.15%.
   • Vantage is listed under low fees, while 69.8% of the brands compared run on a commission-free model, so frequent traders can find cheaper pricing elsewhere.
   • Futures sit outside forex, cfds and stocks but appear in stocks, etfs and forex, so readers who want that class of instrument should weigh eToro instead.

6. 8. WH SelfInvest

   WH SelfInvest takes fifth in this ranking because it is the only brand here whose markets include options, alongside futures and bonds, and it prices trades differently from the four above it. The account fee is €0 and the inactivity fee is €0, but a stock trade costs $1.90, paid per trade rather than through the spread. That is the trade-off this ranking surfaces: a wider instrument list billed per trade. The platforms are its own, with NanoTrader, TradingView, the Trader Workstation and mobile apps, support reaches by email and phone, and the account is based in Luxembourg. The published retail loss percentage is 76%, close to the median for the field. IC Markets, ranked next, keeps platform choice broader and the fees lower.

   • Stock trade fee: $1.90
   • Account fee: €0
   • Inactivity fee: €0

   Pros

   • The account fee is €0 and the inactivity fee is €0, so an account left open or left idle is not billed, and the standing cost sits level with Vantage at $0.
   • A single account covers stocks, etfs and forex, so shares, forex, CFDs, options, futures and bonds can be held and traded together.
   • The platform choice runs from NanoTrader, TradingView and Trader Workstation, so the same account can be worked from a desktop terminal or from mobile apps.
   • demo account, fractional shares and copy trading includes a demo account, fractional shares, copy trading and a mobile app, which gives room to rehearse an idea before committing money.

   Cons

   • Stock dealing costs $1.90 a trade, where eToro charges $0 for its stock dealing.
   • That dealing charge ranks 123 of 161 on our data, while the account fee sits at 1 of 138 and inactivity at 1 of 56, so the standing costs lead the table while dealing sits near the back of it.
   • Support runs on email and phone, so a live chat window and a help centre are not part of the contact options.
   • The share of retail accounts that lose money here, 76%, runs above the typical figure of 70.15% across our data, and the CFD, options and futures side of stocks, etfs and forex is where that risk sits.

7. 10. Errante

   Errante is ninth in this ranking and stands out on one figure: the published retail loss percentage is 40.3%, the lowest of any brand here and well under the field median of 76%. Copy trading and a mobile app are in the feature list, with markets running stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs, crypto and metals on MetaTrader 5 and TradingView. Retail leverage is 1:1000 and the minimum deposit is $50. The account is regulated by CySEC and FSA (Seychelles) with protection of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000. What holds it back in this ranking is a thinner platform and demo offering than the brands above, since its features cover copy trading and mobile app. PU Prime, ranked next, adds a demo account and names beginners as its audience, on an even shorter market list.

   • Minimum deposit: $50
   • Markets: Stocks, ETFs, Forex, and 3 more
   • Regulators: CySEC, FSA (Seychelles)

   Pros

   • One account covers stocks, etfs and forex, so there is no need to hold positions across separate brokers.
   • Protection is listed as EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 for clients of the CySEC entity, which is the EU regulated side.
   • Copy trading and a mobile app both sit in copy trading and mobile app, so the phone works as a full route to the account.
   • Leverage of 1:1000 gives room to size down hard on positions and still reach a meaningful result.
   • eToro's list runs to stocks, etfs and forex, and Errante adds metals to its own, which is useful for traders hedging in metals.

   Cons

   • The opening balance of $50 sits well above $0 at CFI and $5 at Vantage, so small accounts start in the wrong place.
   • Leverage of 1:1000 is high for a retail account and it cuts both ways on a losing position.
   • Retail accounts here lose money at a rate of 40.3%, below the 70.15% across the field but a real part of the account base.

What to look for

Entry size

The minimum deposit decides how cheaply you can test a copied strategy. The median minimum deposit in this ranking is €43.85, and the smallest asked for is €0.

What a stock trade costs

Equity trades sit at the cheap end of this field, with a median stock trade fee of €0 and a top of the range at €1.67. Where a per-trade charge does exist, it shows up in the copy rather than the spread.

The cost of an idle account

The median inactivity charge in this ranking is €2.19 and the highest is €43.85. A copied strategy can sit flat for long stretches, so this line is worth reading before you fund an account you rarely check.

Published retail losses

The median retail loss percentage here is 76%, with the low end at 40.3% and the high end at 88%. A low figure does not make copying safer, but it tells you what the brand itself discloses.

What you can copy

Copy trading appears in every brand in this ranking at 100%, and mobile apps follow at 83.8%. Forex sits at 94.4% and crypto at 83.3%, while options are at 5.6% and futures at 16.7%.

Frequently asked questions

Top copy trading platforms compared by country

• France
• Germany
• Ireland
• Italy

Brokers compared head to head

• Alchemy Markets vs Windsor Brokers
• Alchemy Markets vs IC Markets
• Alchemy Markets vs LiteFinance
• Windsor Brokers vs IC Markets
• Windsor Brokers vs LiteFinance
• IC Markets vs LiteFinance

The data behind this ranking

All data and the CSV