Gemini vs. eToro

Want to jump straight to the answer? Gemini is better for extra features, and eToro is better for beginners.

eToro and Gemini are 2 of the largest crypto exchanges. They both offer a variety of tokens and services to their users. Gemini is known to support all levels of traders. A smooth interface is suitable for beginners while the ActiveTrader feature can be beneficial for advanced users. eToro offers unique features, CopyTrader and risk-free trading practice, which are great for learning.

***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

***Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk

Important Crypto Exchange Features

Every crypto exchange is slightly different. It is important to understand these differences in features when deciding which exchange to use. 

Features on Gemini

• Hot wallets: Gemini offers a unique hot wallet feature that allows users to store crypto with an internet connection. These wallets are insured in the event of a hack. A majority of the holdings in these wallets are also stored in cold storage to further the safety of the wallets and help prevent hacks.
• ActiveTrader: Gemini’s ActiveTrader is a powerful tool that can be beneficial for advanced users. The feature offers in-depth charts and analysis of cryptocurrencies as well as multiple order types. These tools can allow crypto traders to make more informed trades. 
• Gemini Earn: Gemini allows users to earn interest on crypto positions. It offers interest rates as high as 8.05% APY, which is one of the highest rates available. Gemini offers interest on coins such as Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin (BTC) as well as stablecoins such as Gemini Dollar (GUSD). 

Best For

• New Investors

get startedsecurely through Gemini Crypto's website

Features on eToro

• CopyTrader: eToro is known to provide a social aspect to crypto, and CopyTrader certainly accomplishes this. The feature allows traders to follow more advanced traders and directly copy their trades. Traders who give out trading advice earn commission from eToro. This service is great for those looking to learn more about crypto trading.
• Trading Practice: eToro offers risk-free trading practice. It offers a free paper trading account so beginning traders can learn about crypto without risking their own money. This feature is a powerful learning tool, and eToro is 1 of the only exchanges that currently offers it.

Best For

• Social Investing

get startedsecurely through eToro's website

Gemini Fees vs. eToro Fees

Gemini’s fees vary depending on the amount of crypto purchased or sold. Transactions less than $10 have a fee of $0.99, transactions between $10 and $25 have a fee of $1.49, transactions between $25 and $50 have a fee of $1.99, transactions of $50 to $200 have a fee of $2.99 and everything over $200 has a fee of 1.49% of the total purchase. A convenience fee of 0.5% is added to the market price on top of all transactions.

eToro’s fees are much less rigid and vary depending on each token’s supply and demand. For example, crypto currently has a fee of 1% as it is very liquid and has a high volume. Smaller coins like Maker (MKR) have fees of 4.9% to reflect their lower liquidity and volume. 

Security Features on Gemini vs. eToro

eToro offers 2-factor authentication to access accounts, though it is not automatically enabled. Users must turn the option on manually. It also uses a standard SSL encryption to protect data. To protect funds, eToro stores money in Tier 1 banks.

Gemini uses cold storage for its hot wallet feature. Funds are stored away from the exchange but can still be accessed when needed. Gemini also undergoes regular audits to ensure the safety of its clients’ funds. 

Altcoins Supported on Gemini vs. eToro

Altcoins can be a major selling point for exchanges. It can allow investors to diversify their portfolios, as well as allow them to engage in more speculative trades. As of right now, eToro and Gemini share the following altcoins: Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), Ethereum Classic (ETC), Decentraland (MANA), Aave (AAVE), Basic Attention Token (BAT), Chainlink (LINK), Compound (COMP), Enjin (ENJ), Polygon (MATIC), MakerDAO (MKR), Uniswap (UNI) and Yearn.Finance (YFI).

Altcoins on Gemini

• Zcash (ZEC)
• Orchid (OXT)
• Dai (DAI)
• Amp (AMP)
• PAX Gold (PAXG)
• 0x (ZRX)
• Balancer (BAL)
• Curve DAO Token (CRV)
• Kyber Network (KNC)
• Ren (REN)
• Storj Labs (STORJ)
• Synthetix (SNX)
• Universal Market Access (UMA)
• Filecoin (FIL)
• Skale (SKL)
• The Graph (GRT)
• Bancor (BNT)
• 1inch (1INCH)
• Loopring (LRC)
• The Sandbox (SAND)
• Somnium Space (CUBE)
• BarnBridge (BOND)
• Injective Protocol (INJ)
• Livepeer (LPT)
• SushiSwap (SUSHI)

Altcoins on eToro

• Algorand
• Stella Lumens (XLM)
• Dash (DASH)
• EOS (EOS)
• IOTA (MIOTA)
• NEO (NEO)
• Tezos (XTZ)
• Tron (TRX)

So, Gemini or eToro?

Gemini and eToro are both great crypto trading platforms. eToro can be better suited for beginner investors as it has fewer tokens and features such as CopyTrader and paper trading. Gemini can be beneficial for advanced traders as it offers more tokens and features such as hot wallets and ActiveTrader. For experienced and beginner investors, both exchanges are great ways to invest in crypto.