Markets.com vs Plus500

Markets.com or Plus500 – which is better for UK traders 2024? Compare Markets.com and Plus500 in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

Markets.com vs Plus500 Comparison Table 2024
Markets.com Plus500
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4.4
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4.1
Markets.com is ranked #29 among CFD brokers. Plus500 is ranked #22 among CFD brokers.
Markets.com is a respected broker, offering multi-asset trading opportunities through CFDs or spread betting (UK only). Established in 2008, the brand has an impressive 4.3 million registered customers and is overseen by trusted regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CySEC. 79.1% of retail accounts lose money. Established in 2008 and headquartered in Israel, Plus500 is a prominent brokerage that boasts over 25 million registered traders in over 50 countries. Specializing in CFD trading, the company offers an intuitive, proprietary platform and mobile app. It maintains competitive spreads and does not charge commissions or deposit or withdrawal fees. Plus500 also continues to shine as one of the most trusted brokers with licenses from reputable regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CySEC.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 79.1% 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. Note: trading Cryptocurrency CFDs and Spread Bets is restricted in the UK for all retail clients. 81% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Pros
  • Markets.com continues to offer a strong proprietary platform with a TradingView-powered charting interface, pro-level technical analysis and custom alerts
  • Traders can access the MT4 and MT5 software, which offer dozens of technical tools and a huge online community for scripts, bots and custom tools
  • CFD and spread-betting opportunities are available on multiple asset classes including forex, stocks, ETFs, bonds and indices
  • Comprehensive educational content is on offer, especially for beginners, including podcasts, webinars and financial market videos
  • The $10 inactivity fee is only charged after 12 months of no trading activity (many competitors start charging after only 3 months)
  • Markets.com is a trusted broker with oversight from tier-one regulators including the FCA, CySEC and ASIC
  • There are no deposit/withdrawal charges, account registration or order admin costs
  • There's good customer support with responses in <1 minute during testing
  • The low minimum deposit of $100 should appeal to beginners
  • Plus500 provides a specialized WebTrader platform designed explicitly for CFD trading, offering a clean and uncluttered interface
  • The broker offers commission-free trading on a diverse range of markets, minimizing additional fees while appealing to established traders
  • Plus500 has recently bolstered its suite of short-term trading products, including introducing VIX options with enhanced volatility
  • You can utilize leverage while engaging in long or short positions, allowing for more strategic trading opportunities
  • The customer support team continue to provide reliable 24/7 support via email, live chat and WhatsApp
Cons
  • The single retail account option doesn't offer traders any choice of trading conditions, or any additional perks for active trading
  • There are no auto or copy trading terminals outside of the MetaTrader platforms, such as DupliTrade
  • Unlike some top competitors like XM, customer support is not available on the weekend
  • Plus500’s lack of support for MetaTrader or cTrader charting tools might be a deal breaker for advanced traders looking for familiarity
  • Educational resources are limited compared to best-in-class brokers like eToro, impacting the learning curve for beginners
  • The absence of social trading means users can’t follow and replicate the trades of experienced traders
  • Compared to some competitors, especially IG, Plus500’s research and analysis tools are limited
  • Algo trading and scalping are not supported, which may deter some traders
Awards
  • Best Trading Platform 2020 - FXScouts
  • Runner Up - Best FX Broker 2019 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Forex Provider 2017 - UK Forex Awards
  • Best FX Platform 2017 - UK Forex Awards
  • Best Overall Broker 2021 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2020 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2019 - DayTrading.com
FCA Regulated
Yes Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Commodities, Indices, Crypto, ETFs, Bonds, Spread Betting (UK Only) CFDs on Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$100 $100
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, CySEC, ASIC, FSCA, FSC FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, MAS, FSA, FSCA, FMA, EFSA
Mobile Apps
iOS, Android iOS, Android & Windows
Trading App

Markets.com operate MarketsX – the bespoke platform, both on WebTrader and mobile applications. The app, available on android and iOS has been downloaded over a million times.

Plus500 have developed their mobile apps to match the WebTrader online platform . Secure and reliable, the app is among the best out there. Stop loss and limits are available, free alerts and a full range of markets and instruments are available. Visit the download page here.

iOS App Rating
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3.2
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4.1
Android App Rating
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4.5
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4.3
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes No
MetaTrader 5
Yes No
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No No
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No No
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No No
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
Yes Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes No
Auto Trading
No
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No No
Trade Signals
Trading Insights
VPS Hosting
No No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No Yes
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Yes Yes
Inactivity Fee
$10 $10
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • ZAR
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • DKK
  • PLN
  • CZK
  • AED
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • AUD
  • ZAR
  • CZK
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Natural Gas
  • Copper
  • Corn
  • Soybeans
  • Cotton
  • Palladium
  • Wheat
  • Copper
  • Cotton
  • Coffee
  • Livestock
  • Sugar
  • Gasoline
  • Cocoa
  • Platinum
  • Soybeans
  • Oil
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Corn
  • Aluminium
  • Palladium
  • Wheat
CFD
Markets.com offers a strong variety of CFD products, not only covering popular asset classes but also more interesting markets such as IPOs and Bonds. The low fees and educational resources will appeal to beginners, whilst seasoned CFD traders will appreciate the feature-rich charting platforms. Plus500 presents commission-free CFDs encompassing a vast array of markets, spanning currencies, stocks, indices, and commodities. You can engage in long or short positions on popular assets, benefiting from adaptable leverage without encountering any concealed fees.
Leverage
1:30 1:30
FTSE Spread
2 pips 1.2
GBPUSD Spread<
1.3 pips (var) 1.1
Oil Spread
0.05 0.04
Stocks Spread
4 pips 0.08
Forex
Markets.com offers 43 major, minor and exotic currency pairs. The range is around the industry average, though spreads are fairly competitive, starting from 0.6 pips for EUR/USD. There’s also an excellent range of tools and education, including forex calculators and trading videos. Plus500 provides forex trading through CFDs, featuring narrow spreads across an impressive selection of over 60 currency pairs. During testing, spreads came in as tight as 0.6 pips on the EUR/USD, which is notably lower than many alternatives.
Assets
67 60+
GBPUSD Spread
1.3 pips (var) 1.1
EURUSD Spread
0.70 pips (var) 0.6
EURGBP Spread
1.0 pip (var) 1.4
Markets.com Plus500
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 79.1% 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. Note: trading Cryptocurrency CFDs and Spread Bets is restricted in the UK for all retail clients. 81% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
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Markets.com
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