Vanguard vs Plus500

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

Vanguard vs Plus500 Comparison Table 2024
Vanguard Plus500
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2.8
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4.1
Vanguard is ranked #118 among UK brokers. Plus500 is ranked #23 among CFD brokers.
Vanguard is a US-headquartered brokerage with 50 million clients globally and $8+ billion in assets under management. The brands offers investing in stocks, mutual funds, bonds, ETFs and options with low fees. The trusted broker is regulated by the SEC, FINRA and FCA. 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.
80% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Pros
  • Trusted since 1975 with strong regulatory oversight in the US and UK
  • Retirement and ISA accounts available alongside traditional investing solutions
  • Fully managed accounts providing a hands-off approach to investing
  • Excellent education and user guides compared to alternatives
  • Competitive fee structure with a 0.15% account fee
  • Commission-free stock and ETF trading
  • Well-designed mobile app
  • ESG funds available
  • 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
  • Limited payment methods - credit cards, cheques and e-wallet are not supported
  • High minimum investment amounts, including $3000 for the majority of mutual funds
  • No demo account available to practise trading risk-free
  • Focused on US clients
  • 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 Overall Broker 2021 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2020 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2019 - DayTrading.com
FCA Regulated
No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Yes
Instruments
Stocks, ETFs CFDs on Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto
Demo Account
No Yes
Minimum Deposit
$1 $100
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
$1 0.01 Lots
Regulator
SEC, FINRA FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, MAS, FSA, FSCA, FMA, EFSA
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS, Android & Windows
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.

iOS App Rating
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4.1
Android App Rating
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4.3
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4
No No
MetaTrader 5
No 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
Yes No
Robo Advisor
Yes No
Negative Balance Protection
No Yes
Market Maker
No Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes No
Auto Trading
Yes No
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
Yes No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No Yes
Inactivity Fee
$10
Islamic Account
No Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • AUD
  • ZAR
  • CZK
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Cotton
  • Coffee
  • Livestock
  • Sugar
  • Gasoline
  • Cocoa
  • Platinum
  • Soybeans
  • Oil
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Corn
  • Aluminium
  • Palladium
  • Wheat
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.
Leverage
1:30
FTSE Spread
1.2
GBPUSD Spread<
1.1
Oil Spread
0.04
Stocks Spread
0.08
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.
Assets
60+
GBPUSD Spread
1.1
EURUSD Spread
0.6
EURGBP Spread
1.4
Vanguard Plus500
80% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
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