Plus500 vs IC Markets

Plus500 or IC Markets – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare Plus500 and IC Markets in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

Plus500 vs IC Markets Comparison Table 2025
Plus500 IC Markets
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4.1
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4.8
Plus500 is ranked #16 among CFD brokers. IC Markets is ranked #4 among CFD brokers.
Review
Review
Founded in 2008 and based in Israel, Plus500 is a leading brokerage with over 25 million registered traders across more than 50 countries. It focuses on CFD trading, offering a user-friendly proprietary platform and mobile app. The company provides competitive spreads and does not impose commissions or charges for deposits or withdrawals. Plus500 stands out as a highly trusted broker, licensed by respected authorities such as the FCA, ASIC, and CySEC. IC Markets is an internationally acclaimed forex and CFD broker, admired for its competitive pricing, diverse trading instruments, and superior technology. Established in 2007 and based in Australia, the firm is under the regulation of ASIC, CySEC, and FSA. It has successfully drawn over 180,000 clients from more than 200 nations.
82% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Pros
  • Plus500 offers a dedicated WebTrader platform tailored specifically for CFD trading. It features a user-friendly and streamlined interface.
  • In 2025, Plus500 expanded its range of share CFDs to include emerging sectors such as quantum computing and AI. This update opened up trading opportunities in stocks like IonQ, Rigetti, Duolingo, and Carvana.
  • The broker provides commission-free trading across a variety of markets, reducing extra charges and attracting experienced traders.
  • Plus500 has expanded its range of short-term trading instruments by adding VIX options, which feature increased volatility. Additionally, it has extended trading hours for seven stock CFDs.
  • Leverage can be used in trading both long and short positions, providing enhanced strategic opportunities.
  • The customer support team consistently delivers reliable support around the clock through email, live chat, and WhatsApp.
  • IC Markets provides some of the industry's narrowest spreads, offering 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs. This makes it an extremely cost-effective choice for traders.
  • As a well-regulated and reputable broker, IC Markets focuses on client safety and transparency to provide a dependable global trading experience.
  • In 2025, IC Markets earned DayTrading.com's accolade for 'Best MT4/MT5 Broker' due to its top-tier MetaTrader integration. This achievement highlights the broker's continuous refinement over the years to enhance the platform experience.
  • IC Markets provides reliable 24/5 support, especially for account and funding queries, drawing from direct experience.
  • Access over 2,250 CFDs across diverse markets like forex, commodities, indices, shares, bonds, and cryptocurrencies. This variety enables traders to employ diversified strategies.
Cons
  • Plus500's omission of MetaTrader and cTrader charting tools may deter seasoned traders seeking familiar platforms.
  • Educational resources are not as extensive as leading brokers such as eToro, which affects beginners' ability to learn quickly.
  • The lack of social trading features prevents users from copying trades made by seasoned traders.
  • Compared to competitors like IG, Plus500 offers limited research and analysis tools.
  • Algorithmic trading and scalping are not available, potentially deterring certain traders.
  • IC Markets provides metals and cryptocurrencies for trading through CFDs, though the selection is narrower compared to brokers such as eToro. This limits opportunities for traders focused on these asset classes.
  • The tutorials, webinars, and educational resources require enhancement, lagging behind competitors such as CMC Markets, which diminishes their appeal to novice traders.
  • Certain withdrawal methods incur fees, including a $20 charge for wire transfers. These costs can reduce profits, particularly with frequent withdrawals.
  • Although there are four top-tier third-party platforms available, the absence of in-house software or a trading app tailored for novice traders is notable.
  • Interest is not paid on idle cash, a feature gaining popularity with alternatives such as Interactive Brokers.
Awards
  • Best Overall Broker 2021 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2020 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2019 - DayTrading.com
  • Best MT4/MT5 Broker 2025 - DayTrading.com
  • Best MT4/MT5 Broker 2023 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Forex Broker 2022 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2020 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Trading App 2020 - DayTrading.com
FCA Regulated
Yes No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Instruments
CFDs on Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Options CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Futures, Crypto
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$100 $200
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
Variable 0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, MAS, FSA, FSCA, FMA, EFSA ASIC, CySEC, FSA, CMA
Mobile Apps
iOS, Android & Windows iOS & Android
Trading App
Plus500 have tailored their mobile apps to align with the WebTrader online platform. The app is secure, dependable, and ranks highly. Stop loss, limits, free alerts, and a comprehensive range of markets and instruments are provided. Access the download page here. IC Markets provide mobile apps for their cTrader, MT4, MT5, and TradingView platforms. Developed separately for Android and iOS, these apps leverage each system's unique capabilities. Featuring raw pricing and spreads from 0.0, they offer superb tools for every trader level. What truly distinguishes them is maintaining IC Markets’ renowned rapid execution speed within the apps. This ensures a professional and highly responsive trading experience.
iOS App Rating
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4.1
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3.1
Android App Rating
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4.3
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4.2
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4
No Yes
MetaTrader 5
No Yes
cTrader
No Yes
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No Yes
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No Yes
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
No Yes
DMA Account
No Yes
MAM Account
No Yes
PAMM Account
No Yes
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 No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No Yes
Auto Trading
No Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader, Myfxbook AutoTrade
Copy Trading
No Yes
Copy Trading Platform
Introduced in February 2023, the IC Social app provides an easy platform for learning, sharing, and replicating the trades of other traders with minimal effort. The app also includes risk management features and supports specialised trading groups. Alternatively, IC Markets offers access to Signal Start and popular third-party copy trading platforms like ZuluTrade and cTrader Copy.
Social Trading
No Yes
Trade Signals
Signal Start
VPS Hosting
No Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
Yes No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Yes No
Inactivity Fee
$10 $0
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • AUD
  • ZAR
  • CZK
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • JPY
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Cotton
  • Coffee
  • Livestock
  • Sugar
  • Gasoline
  • Cocoa
  • Platinum
  • Soybeans
  • Oil
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Corn
  • Aluminium
  • Palladium
  • Wheat
  • Cattle
  • Lean Hogs
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Orange Juice
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Corn
  • Soybeans
  • Sugar
  • Wheat
  • Natural Gas
CFD
Plus500 offers commission-free CFDs across various markets, including currencies, stocks, indices, and commodities. Traders can take long or short positions on popular assets, enjoying flexible leverage with no hidden charges. Trade over 2,250 CFDs anytime from Monday to Friday across key markets, including forex, commodities, indices, stocks, and bonds. IC Markets leverages deep liquidity and cutting-edge bridge technology to offer ideal trading conditions for scalpers, hedgers, and algorithmic traders.
Leverage
1:30 1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global)
FTSE Spread
Dynamic 1.0
GBPUSD Spread<
Dynamic 0.23
Oil Spread
Dynamic 0.03
Stocks Spread
Dynamic 0.02
Forex
Plus500 offers CFD trading in forex, with tight spreads across over 60 currency pairs. Testing showed spreads as low as 0.6 pips on the EUR/USD, lower than many competitors. IC Markets remains dedicated to offering tight 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs like EUR/USD, ensuring outstanding execution with an average speed of 35 milliseconds. Ideal for traders seeking high performance, those dealing in large volumes can also enjoy rebates of up to $2.50 per forex lot.
Assets
60+ 75
GBPUSD Spread
Dynamic 0.23
EURUSD Spread
Dynamic 0.02
EURGBP Spread
Dynamic 0.27
Cryptocurrency
IC Markets provides a range of over 20 cryptocurrencies for trading through CFDs, featuring less common tokens like Avalanche, Kusama, and Uniswap. Traders can enjoy commission-free transactions and experienced individuals can utilise high leverage up to 1:200 via the MetaTrader platforms.
Spread
Variable BTC 42.036
Coins
  • BCH
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • XRP
  • IOTA
  • NEO
  • EOS
  • XMR
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • DOT
  • DSH
  • EMC
  • EOS
  • ETH
  • LNK
  • LTC
  • NMC
  • PPC
  • XLM
  • XRP
  • ADA
  • BNB
  • DOG
  • UNI
  • XTZ
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
Plus500 IC Markets
Review
Review
82% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
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