Plus500 vs Interactive Brokers
Plus500 or Interactive Brokers – which is better for UK traders 2024? Compare Plus500 and Interactive Brokers in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.
| Plus500 | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| Plus500 is ranked #22 among CFD brokers. | Interactive Brokers is ranked #8 among CFD brokers. |
| 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. | Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a premier brokerage for experienced traders, providing access to 150 markets in 33 countries, along with a suite of comprehensive investment services. With over 40 years of experience, this Nasdaq-listed firm adheres to stringent regulations by the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC, amongst others, and is one of the most trusted brokers for trading around the globe. |
| 81% of retail CFD accounts lose money. | |
| Pros | |
|
|
| Cons | |
|
|
| Awards | |
|
|
| FCA Regulated | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Instruments | |
| CFDs on Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto | Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies |
| Demo Account | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Minimum Deposit | |
| $100 | $0 |
| Payment Methods | |
| Minimum Trade | |
| 0.01 Lots | $100 |
| Regulator | |
| FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, MAS, FSA, FSCA, FMA, EFSA | FCA, SEC, FINRA, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB |
| Mobile Apps | |
| iOS, Android & Windows | iOS & Android |
| Trading App | |
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. |
The IBKR Mobile app, available on both iOS and Android devices, makes your phone a powerful gateway to your IBKR accounts, offering you the freedom to keep an eye on portfolios, initiate trades, and dive into real-time quotes and charts, all while managing your account activities on the fly. This app stands out for its intuitive design, making it especially welcoming for those just starting their trading journey, providing a smoother and more accessible experience than the more complex TWS platform. |
| iOS App Rating | |
|
|
|
| Android App Rating | |
|
|
|
| Margin Trading | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Margin Rate | |
| 1.55 - 2.59% | |
| MetaTrader 4 | |
| No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 | |
| No | No |
| cTrader | |
| No | No |
| AlgoTrader | |
| No | Yes |
| OmniTrader | |
| No | Yes |
| TradingView | |
| No | No |
| Autochartist | |
| No | No |
| eSignal | |
| No | Yes |
| Trading Central | |
| No | Yes |
| STP Account | |
| No | Yes |
| ECN Account | |
| No | No |
| DMA Account | |
| No | Yes |
| MAM Account | |
| No | Yes |
| PAMM Account | |
| No | No |
| LAMM Account | |
| No | No |
| Demat Account | |
| No | No |
| AI / Machine Learning | |
| No | Yes |
| Robo Advisor | |
| No | Yes |
| Negative Balance Protection | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Market Maker | |
| Yes | No |
| P2P Trading | |
| No | No |
| Spot Trading | |
| No | Yes |
| Auto Trading | |
| No | Capitalise.ai & TWS API |
| Copy Trading | |
| No | No |
| Social Trading | |
| No | No |
| VPS Hosting | |
| No | No |
| Tournaments | |
| No | No |
| Demo Competitions | |
| No | No |
| Ethical Investing | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Custodial Account | |
| No | No |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | |
| Yes | No |
| Inactivity Fee | |
| $10 | $0 |
| Islamic Account | |
| Yes | No |
| Account Currencies | |
|
|
| Commodities | |
|
|
| CFD | |
| 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. | Over 8,000 CFDs are offered on a vast array of instruments, encompassing stocks, indices, forex, and commodities. Moreover, the TWS platform lends itself to seasoned traders, offering a comprehensive selection of over 100 order types and algorithms, alongside premium market data sourced from reputable sources such as Reuters and Dow Jones. |
| Leverage | |
| 1:30 | 1:50 |
| FTSE Spread | |
| 1.2 | 0.005% (£1 Min) |
| GBPUSD Spread< | |
| 1.1 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value |
| Oil Spread | |
| 0.04 | 0.25-0.85 |
| Stocks Spread | |
| 0.08 | 0.003 |
| Forex | |
| 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. | IBKR presents an extensive range of over 100 major, minor, and exotic forex pairs, surpassing the offerings of nearly all leading alternatives, though not CMC Markets. Forex trading occurs over multiple platforms and boasts institutional-grade spreads starting from 0.1 pips and 20 complex order types, including brackets, scale, and one-cancels-all (OCA) orders. |
| Assets | |
| 60+ | 100+ |
| GBPUSD Spread | |
| 1.1 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value |
| EURUSD Spread | |
| 0.6 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value |
| EURGBP Spread | |
| 1.4 | 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value |
| Cryptocurrency | |
| Investors can trade on rising and falling prices with CFDs on popular cryptos like Bitcoin. Plus500 also stands out for its crypto indices, which offer diversification opportunities by tracking a basket of leading digital currencies. Availability subject to regulation. | IBKR lets you purchase and hold Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin at competitive commission rates and without needing a crypto wallet. Additionally, there is a range of other diverse assets to explore, such as crypto indices like the NYSE Bitcoin Index, as well as futures contracts like the BAKKT Bitcoin Futures. |
| Spread | |
| Variable | 0.12%-0.18% |
| Coins | |
|
|
| Crypto Lending | |
| No | No |
| Crypto Mining | |
| No | No |
| Crypto Staking | |
| No | No |
| Auto Market Maker | |
| No | No |
| Plus500 | Interactive Brokers |
| 81% of retail CFD accounts lose money. | |
| More Comparisons | |
|
Plus500 vs |
Interactive Brokers vs |