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Plus500 Review 2025
Overview, highlights & more!
82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
What will you find in this review:
Start trading with Plus500 now!
82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Overview of Plus500?
Established in 2008, the company emerges as an Israel-based online brokerage, presenting a diverse array of financial instruments to the trading community. The platform offers a comprehensive spectrum and an insight to the dynamic world of CFDs, encompassing forex, indices, commodities, options, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies.
A dual-platform setup characterizes Plus500's offering:
Plus500 Invest:
for those looking to engage in real stock trading.
Plus500 CFD:
centers exclusively on CFD products
Proprietary platform that users can access is WebTrader - a sturdy foundation that ensures a seamless trading journey. This platform extends compatibility across various devices, including a mobile application, accentuating accessibility. Plus, starting is simplified with the option to open an unlimited funds demo account for free, enabling you to experiment without financial risk (applicable to Plus500 CFD).
However, it's worth noting that in real money accounts, withdrawals can be both time-consuming and costly, and spreads may be relatively high for specific instruments.
While some brokers furnish their clients with comprehensive educational resources, such as webinars and courses, the broker adopts a more minimalistic approach in this regard.
The "Trading Academy" emerges as the sole educational resource, encompassing an eBook and instructional videos.
This resource primarily caters to those who are new to trading, guiding them through foundational concepts.
However, it's worth noting that in real money accounts, withdrawals can be both time-consuming and costly, and spreads may be relatively high for specific instruments.
The information provided on this page and throughout the website is for general information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It is important that you conduct your own research and consider your own personal circumstances before making any investment decisions.
Plus500 is suitable for experienced traders only. We advise beginners to start with a demo account and utilize the Trading Academy, webinars, and insights for learning.
Accessible through a persistent chat feature integrated into the trading platform, assistance is at your fingertips. Furthermore, engagement options encompass email communication and an around-the-clock WhatsApp contact.
Priding itself on competitive spreads, the offering extend across sixteen currencies, including prominent options like USD, EUR, and GBP.
However, it's crucial to note that a 0.70% currency conversion fee and a $10 monthly charge after 3 (three) months of inactivity are in place. On the Invest platform, a modest commission per trade (US market: $0.006/share) alongside a reduced currency conversion fee of 0.30% are applicable.
In a bid to facilitate thorough testing environment, the CFD account provides an invaluable resource - an unlimited demo account that enables you to acquaint yourself with the WebTrader using virtual funds. This, however, is a widely offered feature across other CFD providers as well.
Ultimately, Plus500 operates within the realm of dilligent regulation. Oversight from respected financial regulatory bodies, such as the FCA and CySEC, lends a sense of security.
Plus500CY Ltd is authorized & regulated by CySEC (#250/14) and Plus500 UK Ltd. is authorized & regulated by the FCA (509909).
Efficient customer support is another notable feature of the platform.
This is further reinforced by an investor protection scheme aligned with the entity under which you open your account.
For instance, European investors registered under the Plus500 CY Ltd. entity are safeguarded up to €20,000 by the ICF.
Beyond geographical confines, Plus500 extends negative balance protection for CFD trading to all its clients, ensuring a level of safety even beyond the European Union.
In summary, the above encapsulates the essence of this Plus500 review.
What you will find in this review:
Platform Highlights
| 🗺️ Supported Countries | 50+ countries (extensive list below) |
| 📊 Stocks and ETFs fees | Low |
| 💲 Crypto and CFD fees | Up to 0.70% |
| ⏳ Inactivity fee | $10/month after 3 months with no activity |
| 🏧 Withdrawal fee | €/$/£ 0 |
| 💵 Minimum Deposit | €/$/£ 100 |
| 💡 Products offered | CFDs on Stocks, ETFs, Commodities, Forex, Indices, and Cryptocurrencies |
| 🎮 Demo Account | Yes |
| 📜 Regulatory entities | FCA, CySEC, ASIC |
Operating across a spectrum of over 50 countries, Plus500 emerges as a reliable ally, catering to traders in diverse regions like the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, South Africa, and Singapore. Additionally, the company’s inclusion in the London Stock Exchange’s FTSE 250 Index translates to a commitment to financial transparency, backed by robust regulatory oversight such as FCA regulation in the UK.
However, it’s important to highlight that the Invest and CFD services are not accessible to residents of the United States. Consequently, this review is tailored to non-US residents*.
*US-based traders seeking trading solutions can explore the TradeSniper platform, a specialized Futures platform developed by Plus500.
With these introductory insights set, let’s embark on a comprehensive review of the broker’s services, uncovering their strengths and offerings.
Advantages
Navigational Ease
User-friendly and swift-responsive platform, ensuring seamless interaction.
Spread Advantage
The broker stands out with its competitive low spreads, aligning with cost-effective trading.
Commission-Free Dealing
With no dealing commissions, Plus500 furthers the appeal of cost-efficient trading.
Demo Account
The provision of a CFD demo account offers a risk-free avenue for training and exploration.
Regulatory Vigilance
Backed by top-tier regulators, Plus500's regulatory framework elevates its credibility.
Ready to start trading and investing with Plus500 already?
82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Disadvantages
ETF Absence
While the platform lacks ETF offerings, it does provide CFDs on ETFs.
Inactivity Impact
A $10 per month inactivity fee is levied following a lack of login activity for three months.
Overnight Funding Aspect
Notably, the broker entails higher overnight funding fees, a consideration for overnight traders.
Limited Research and Learning Resources
Plus500's provision of research and educational resources is notably scant.
While we find a range of commendable features, these drawbacks underscore the importance of evaluating the platform's lack of ETFs, the presence of an inactivity fee, and available financial information. These factors are pivotal in making an informed decision tailored to individual preferences and requirements, especially for long-term investors.
Account Setup Process
Initiating an account with Plus500 is a straightforward process, taking a few moments to complete. Simply enter your email and select a password, and you’re all set – immediate access to their trading platform for a functional trial (Demo account) awaits you.
When transitioning to live trading, verification of your identity and a questionnaire assessment of your financial product knowledge. This process is typically concluded within 48 hours by the support team.
Diverse deposit methods are available to clients, including Bank Wire Transfer, Credit/Debit Card, Paypal, Skrill, Trustly, Apple Pay, and region-specific payment methods as per the countries. Bank card payments reflect immediately in your account, and E-wallet deposits usually process within 48 hours.
While the minimum deposit required is €/£100, wire transfers entail a higher threshold of €/£500
Platform & Tools
In both Plus500 Invest and CFD account types, your operational hub will be WebTrader, a exclusively available proprietary platform.
Fear not missing out on vital functionalities – an intuitive and customizable dashboard, watchlists, alerts, and a suite of technical analysis tools await you.
However, the broker doesn’t offer the widely popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) platform, a potential drawback primarily for highly seasoned traders.
Located in the upper left corner, a swift switch button between CFD and Invest accounts is easily accessible:
Within the Webtrader platform is the +Insights feature, a trend exploration tool designed to enable users to delve into predefined metrics such as “most bought”, “most sold (shorted)”, “most profitable positions”, “most loss-making positions” and more.
This provides a compilation of the “Top 10” instruments based on these measurements, offering a glimpse into the collective market sentiment.
A more recent addition, the Instrument +Insights Tab, offers an instrument-centric experience, allowing users to plunge into detailed data about each specific instrument.
This section is divided into two segments:
- The first part revolves around ‘Plus500’ trading data, showcasing the number of views an instrument garnered in the past 24 hours and its trading popularity.
- The second part provides users with an analysis of news, crowd sentiment, the objectivity of this sentiment compared to real-world data, and the volume and sources of these news items.
Products & Markets
`In the Invest account, you only find +2,800 stocks in exchange in the US and Europe, including small regions like Portugal or Austria.
In the CFD account, the product offering widens to CFDs on Indices, Forex, Commodities, Crypto, Shares, Options and ETFs.
When placing an order, this is all the information you will get (Oil given as an example):
Note: Retail account holders have access to leverage up to 30:1, depending on the instrument traded.
Fee Structure at a Glance
Plus500 Invest
Deposit and withdrawal fees are non-existent in the Invest account, and there are no custodial fees to worry about.
However, let’s delve into what charges you can anticipate: trading commission (0.006$ per stock for USA stocks, 0.045% for every order over €2 in the EU and UK, with Spain being an exception – 0.06% fee of every order over €2.
When trading US stocks, you’ll be subject to a $0.006 per share commission, without any minimum fixed commission. For European stocks, a trading commission of 0.045% of the trading value applies, with a minimum per order of €2. Spain is an exception where 0.06% of the trading value will be charged as commission for stocks traded on the Madrid Stock Exchange.
Furthermore, an additional currency conversion fee of 0.30% will be levied on every trade executed and transaction charged in a currency different from your account currency.
Plus500 CFD
Within the realm of CFDs, the broker doesn’t impose dealing commissions, as their primary revenue source originates from spreads.
To grasp the concept of a spread, consider this example: trading the classic Forex pair EUR/USD.
If the ask price (the buying price) stands at 1.21000, and the bid price (the selling price) is 1.21004, the difference between them, a market spread of 0.4 pips, contributes to Plus500’s earnings.
Additional fees encompass:
Overnight funding
This pertains to the daily interest rate. Since CFD trading employs leverage, you essentially receive borrowed funds alongside your initial deposit, which incurs a cost.
Currency conversion
Similar to the Invest account, if you possess EUR and intend to invest in USD-denominated securities, a currency conversion would have to occur. However, this comes with a cost of up to 0.7% each time you make a conversion when buying or selling shares that you hold.
Inactivity fee
In the event of no account login for three consecutive months, a recurring $10 monthly fee ensues. It ceases once you log in again.
Additionally, a specific optional fee type, the Guaranteed Stop Order, can be advantageous during volatile markets. It’s a valuable tool to safeguard against extreme market upheavals (more details in the Regulatory Safeguards section below). The associated fee is incorporated via a slightly wider spread.
Compared to others in the brokerage industry, Plus500’s fees stand competitively. The company’s website is dedicated to transparency regarding all associated costs, facilitating swift comparisons and calculations.
However, some fees are only viewable within the platform under the “Details” section next to the instrument’s name, rather than on their website.
Before placing orders, a thorough double-check is advisable.
Regulatory Safeguards
Plus500, under the banner of Plus500 Ltd, operates through a network of subsidiaries, effectively securing multiple regulatory approvals. Notably, Plus500UK Ltd stands under the vigilant oversight of the FCA (#509909), a stringent global regulator recognized for its demanding standards.
However, it’s essential to bear in mind that the coverage of the Investor Protection Scheme isn’t universally uniform for all Plus500 clients. For instance, while a UK investor is safeguarded by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £85,000, a German counterpart falls under the jurisdiction of Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) regulations and the Investors Compensation Fund (ICF).
As highlighted within the “Fees Snapshot” section, the broker introduces an additional layer of security through the Guaranteed Stop Order feature, a rarity within the financial industry. While this feature comes with specific conditions, its fundamental principle is crystal clear: it ensures the position closes at your predetermined rate, regardless of market fluctuations that might surpass it. This translates into a really low market gap risk.
To illustrate, consider owning a CFD of Apple purchased at 100 USD, with a stop loss set at 95 USD. Even if Apple’s value plunges by 10% the next day, down to 90 USD, your position would still be sold at 95 USD, rather than the current market price of 90 USD.
Moreover, in response to the CFD trading constraints introduced by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) in August 2018, Plus500 steps up with negative balance protection for CFD trading on a per-account basis, encompassing all retail clients.
E.g. – depositing 1000€ into your account and initiating a position with a 5:1 leverage, amplifying your exposure to 5000€. In a scenario where the market dips by 25%, resulting in a loss of 1250€ (25% of 5000€), the deficit exceeds your initial deposit of 1000€, creating a debt of 250€ to your broker.
Thanks to ESMA regulations, your account balance is automatically reset to 0€, limiting your loss solely to your initial deposit (more details available here).
Global Reach
The operational scope primarily centers on Europe, yet its presence already spans across more than 50 countries.
These countries include
Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Panama, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.
Be sure to maintain regular checks on the broker’s website as your country’s eligibility may change over time.
Client Testimonials
Presenting client perspectives on the trading platform, here are the ratings:
App Store
A commendable 4.2 rating
Google Store
Garnering a noteworthy 4.3 rating
TrustPilot
Conveys a solid rating of 4.1 (with over 11,000 reviews)
Frequently Asked Questions
Closing Thoughts
A prominent contender in the CFD market, Plus500 enjoys recognition. Its appeal lies in its tight spreads, an uncomplicated yet efficient platform, and an extensive array of trading options suitable for experienced traders only. The broker advises beginners to start with a demo account and utilize the Trading Academy, webinars and insights for learning.
The addition of the Invest account caters to those with a long-term investment approach. However, the absence of ETFs might still deter potential customers, despite the availability of CFDs on ETFs. Additionally, the competitiveness of trading commissions falls short of expectations.
Ultimately, its established track record and stringent regulatory oversight implies confidence that you can maximise the platform’s benefits.
Still, careful consideration is crucial – CFDs are intricate instruments that carry a high risk of losing money quickly due to leverage.
It’s essential to note that 82% of retail investor accounts suffer losses when trading CFDs with this provider.
