Updated May 24, 2022

eToro vs Coinbase vs Gemini

By Jeremy Harshman
Ad Disclosure: This article contains references to products from our partners. We may receive compensation if you apply or shop through links in our content. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site. You help support CreditDonkey by using our links. (read more)

eToro, Coinbase, and Gemini are three leading cryptocurrency trading platforms. Which one is right for you? Read on to find out.

eToro, Coinbase, and Gemini are three of the most widely used cryptocurrency exchanges. They each have distinct advantages to offer, but they're not right for every trader.

So which platform is the right fit for your crypto trading needs?

In this head-to-head comparison, review the differences between eToro, Coinbase, and Gemini. From features to fees to coin selection, we've got you covered.

Who are they best for?

  • eToro is best for any traders who want a social component to their investing, thanks to their noted CopyTrader feature.

  • Coinbase is best for beginners looking for a wide range of cryptocurrency options, extra features, and a place to learn.

  • Gemini is best for the security-minded trader. If you're concerned about hacks and breaches, and value peace-of-mind above all else, it's probably the right fit for you.

Here's a quick look at how they compare:

What do they offer?

Before you get into the detailed breakdown, let's look at what you can expect to find on all three platforms.

All three offer:

  • Trading of 20+ of the most popular cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin
  • A platform suitable for both beginners and advanced users
  • Low minimum deposits to get started
  • Trading in countries all over the world
  • Customer service access via email
  • Similar fee structures
  • Two-factor authentication
  • Digital wallets
  • Mobile apps
  • Desktop sites
  • Cold storage

How are They Different?

And here's a look at some of the main differences between the three exchanges:

  • In general, Coinbase is the easiest to use and was designed specifically with inexperienced traders in mind. Neither Gemini nor eToro is too difficult to get the hang of, but Coinbase stands out as the most user-friendly platform.
  • Coinbase and Gemini both have an extensive range of cryptocurrencies beyond the most popular, with Coinbase offering 170 and Gemini over 120 at time of writing. eToro, on the other hand, has a more limited roster of a little more than 20 coins.
  • eToro and Gemini have more to offer expert traders. Between eToro's social trading features and Gemini's advanced trading tools, they have more that will appeal to experienced investors.
  • Meanwhile, Coinbase and eToro have more educational resources. Coinbase has educational tools, and eToro makes it possible to learn from your peers, even those with extensive experience.
  • Unlike the other two, eToro offers stock and ETF trading in addition to crypto.

Why Choose Coinbase?

Coinbase is one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, and for good reason.

Using Coinbase to trade crypto is a bit like using an iPhone. Even if it's your first time, you'll have no trouble figuring it out because the interface is so intuitive.

And Coinbase's status as a top crypto platform means it can invest in improvements. That means frequent new features on top of the impressive range they already offer. Plus, they support a fairly large number of cryptocurrencies.

Coinbase users can earn crypto for taking part in educational activities and store their crypto in a dedicated Coinbase Wallet. Plus, they'll be able to earn rewards for using the Coinbase debit card when it's released.

Their fees can be a little confusing, and may be higher than some competitors, but some investors may find that their simple interface makes up for the cost.

Coinbase Pros and Cons

  • Simple interface for beginners
  • Large selection of coins
  • Earn cryptos by learning
  • Expensive and complicated fee structure

Why Choose eToro?

There are two types of traders who will get the most out of eToro:

  1. Those who are looking to learn and grow their trading skills and knowledge, and
  2. Those who want to sit back and let someone else do the work for them

eToro is a social trading platform, combining a crypto exchange and a social network. Users can chat via public walls and blog posts, discuss strategies or market outlook, and utilize helpful analytical tools.

And eToro is also known for its popular CopyTrader feature, which lets users automatically mimic the trades of experienced or successful traders.

With this feature, new traders can see how the pros react to the market in real time. And that's on top of the ability to ask questions and communicate with other traders.

Passive traders can simply set it and forget it. With the ability to set effective loss limits, the CopyTrader program and eToro's Smart Portfolios enable new traders to have outstanding results with little effort.

eToro is also your best bet if you want to invest in more than just crypto, as they offer stocks and ETFs as well.

eToro Pros and Cons

  • Copy actions of top traders
  • Virtual practice account
  • Slow customer service response time
  • Can't withdraw crypto directly

Why Choose Gemini?

Gemini has a lot in common with Coinbase. It's easy to use, and their fee structures are nearly identical.

However, there are a couple reasons why you might prefer Gemini over Coinbase or eToro.

First, Gemini's main focus is security and regulatory compliance. Compared to their peers, they've likely put the most effort into protecting themselves against the two primary threats to any crypto trading platform: hackers and the government.

Gemini employs a range of state-of-the-art security features to keep your crypto safe, including air-gapped cold storage for a larger portion of their holdings.

While other platforms have had to remove features or limit their activities while under regulatory scrutiny or during legal proceedings, this is less likely to happen with Gemini. They've gone out of their way to follow the rules to the letter.

Beyond that, Gemini has a wide range of features targeted toward expert traders that the other two platforms don't have (or offer to a lesser extent).

They offer an Active Trader platform for advanced users, Gemini Custody to keep crypto safe, Gemini Pay for spending your crypto, and Gemini Clearing, which lets two parties settle trades outside the order book.

Gemini Pros and Cons

  • Beginner-friendly
  • Security-focused
  • Features for advanced traders
  • No margin trading
  • Higher fees

How Pricing Compares

Truth be told, none of these three platforms is the cheapest on the market. If pricing is your biggest concern, you may want to choose another exchange, like Binance.

But if you like eToro, Coinbase, or Gemini for other reasons, it will be helpful to know how their fees compare. Let's take a look.

As you can see, the Coinbase and Gemini fees are nearly identical, though Gemini does come out a little cheaper in a few areas.

With eToro, pricing is more variable. Their 1% fee for buying or selling cryptos is added to the market price (bid-ask spread) which can vary widely by coin - anywhere from 0.75% - 5%.[1]

Read more: Coinbase vs Gemini

Customer Service

If you need to get in touch with customer service, all three platforms offer comparable services.

  • eToro customer service can be accessed through their Customer Service page, where you can open a ticket as a new or existing user or access live chat. They recommend checking their Help Center for answers to your questions, as responses to support tickets can take up to 14 days.

  • Coinbase offers live phone support and you can also contact them through their website at help.coinbase.com, or through the "Contact Us" button at the bottom of the page.

  • Gemini customer service can be found at support.Gemini.com. You can find the same support access through the app, under the Account drop-down.

Bottom Line

Whether you choose eToro, Coinbase, or Gemini, each platform has plenty that's good to offer to users. Beginners will probably get the most out of Coinbase, with its educational features and easy interface, or eToro, with its CopyTrader feature and social trading tools.

Advanced traders will probably prefer Gemini, thanks to their Active Trader platform and other features.

And those looking for a low-cost alternative would probably be best off choosing an exchange outside these three, such as Binance or Binance.US.

References

  1. ^ "Fees": eToro, 2022.

Jeremy Harshman is a creative assistant at CreditDonkey, a crypto comparison and reviews website. Write to Jeremy Harshman at jeremy.harshman@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.

Note: This website is made possible through financial relationships with some of the products and services mentioned on this site. We may receive compensation if you shop through links in our content. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do.

eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs.

Please note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

This communication is intended for information and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or investment recommendation. Past performance is not an indication of future results.

Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more

eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared by our partner utilizing publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.

Read Next:

eToro
eToro USA LLC and eToro USA Securities Inc.

Buy $100 in Crypto and Get $10 Bonus from eToro USA LLC

For a limited time, you can get $10 when you invest in $100 worth of crypto on eToro. Here's how:

  1. Sign up for an eToro account
  2. Deposit funds
  3. Invest in $100 worth of crypto

You'll automatically receive $10 directly to your account balance. Offer only applies to US customers. Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk.

Buy $100 in Crypto and Get $10 Bonus
Invest money and build wealth. Sign up to get our free email newsletter.
IRA Rollover Bonus

IRA Rollover Offers

Get more from your 401(k) transfer. Take advantage of these IRA rollover bonuses and give your retirement savings an extra boost.
More Articles in Crypto

Home > Investing > Crypto > eToro vs Coinbase vs Gemini

Next Page:

About CreditDonkey
CreditDonkey is a crypto comparison website. We publish data-driven analysis to help you save money & make savvy decisions.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.

†Advertiser Disclosure: Many of the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which CreditDonkey receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CreditDonkey does not include all companies or all offers that may be available in the marketplace.

*See the card issuer's online application for details about terms and conditions. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. However, all information is presented without warranty. When you click on the "Apply Now" button you can review the terms and conditions on the card issuer's website.

CreditDonkey does not know your individual circumstances and provides information for general educational purposes only. CreditDonkey is not a substitute for, and should not be used as, professional legal, credit or financial advice. You should consult your own professional advisors for such advice.

About Us | Reviews | Deals | Tips | Privacy | Do Not Sell My Info | Terms | Contact Us
(888) 483-4925 | 680 East Colorado Blvd, 2nd Floor | Pasadena, CA 91101
© 2025 CreditDonkey Inc. All Rights Reserved.