Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Plus500 vs Admirals, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Founded in 2008, Plus500 is a well-established online broker that stands out for its high level of trustworthiness. It holds an impressive Trust Score of 99 out of 99 on ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the "highly trusted" category. Plus500 operates under the oversight of six Tier-1 licenses, which denote a high level of regulatory credibility. The company is also publicly traded, enhancing its transparency and appeal. Additionally, Plus500 possesses three Tier-2 licenses, reflecting further regulatory oversight. Despite not being a bank, its regulatory credentials make it a reliable choice for traders.
Admirals, established in 2001, is another trusted name in the online brokerage industry, earning a solid Trust Score of 93 out of 99 on ForexBrokers.com. It is backed by four Tier-1 licenses, indicating a strong regulatory framework, and like Plus500, it is not a bank. Admirals is not publicly traded, but it maintains trust with its clients through its regulatory adherence, holding three Tier-2 licenses. Both brokers exhibit trusted regulatory standards, yet Plus500 slightly edges ahead in terms of license count and public listing.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of Plus500 and Admirals, there are some notable differences. Plus500's pricing is slightly above the industry average, particularly for active trader pricing. While it does offer cash rebates for professional clients, retail clients do not receive discounts. For the popular EUR/USD currency pair, Plus500 recorded an average spread of 1.5 pips in April 2024, which is higher than industry norms. This resulted in a 4.0-star rating for Plus500 in the commissions and fees category, ranking it 25th out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, Admirals features a more competitive pricing structure. Typical spreads on their Trade account average 0.8 pips, with similar pricing available on the Zero account type. This competitive edge helped Admirals earn a 4.5-star rating and a 17th-place ranking out of 63 brokers in the commissions and fees category by ForexBrokers.com.
Both brokers have their own strengths, but Admirals stands out for those looking for lower spreads and more competitive fees, while Plus500 may appeal more to professional clients who qualify for cash rebates. Ultimately, your choice should depend on your trading style and whether you qualify for any rebate programs.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to online trading, Plus500 and Admirals both offer a wide range of investment options, attracting seasoned and novice traders alike. If you are keen on forex trading, both brokers have you covered with forex offered as a CFD or spot contract. Admirals edges slightly ahead with 82 tradeable forex pairs, compared to Plus500's 65 pairs. In terms of the overall number of tradeable symbols, Admirals also has a larger array, offering 8,702 compared to Plus500's 5,500. Both brokers provide access to exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, allowing clients to buy shares like Apple or Vodafone directly.
For those interested in cryptocurrency, both Plus500 and Admirals allow trading of cryptocurrency derivatives but do not offer the option to buy actual cryptocurrencies. Admirals offers a unique advantage with copy trading, a feature Plus500 lacks, making Admirals appealing to those looking to mirror the trades of successful investors. Despite these minor differences, both platforms are highly rated for their range of investments, achieving a 4.5-star rating each. However, in the rankings by ForexBrokers.com, Admirals secures a higher position at #19, while Plus500 ranks at #24 out of 63 brokers.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 8702 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 82 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Both Plus500 and Admirals provide traders with the essential tools needed for effective trading, each offering a unique set of features. At the core, Plus500 delights users with a free virtual demo account, allowing newcomers to practice without financial risk—an offering mirrored by Admirals. Both brokers have proprietary platforms that provide custom trading experiences, but their offerings differ in other areas. Admirals leads with a Windows-based desktop platform, and access to MetaTrader 4 and 5, making it more appealing for those seeking a desktop-based trading experience. In contrast, Plus500's browser-based platform may attract users who prefer trading directly on the web without the need for downloads.
In terms of tools, Admirals edges out with more drawing tools, boasting 106 compared to Plus500's 36. This makes Admirals a stronger choice for technical analysts. Admirals also offers the ability to trade directly from stock charts and supports copy trading, features lacking in Plus500. However, Plus500 compensates with a greater number of columns for watch lists, providing traders with more detailed market information at a glance. Despite the differences, Plus500 manages to secure a slightly higher rating for Trading Platforms and Tools, earning 4.5 stars, and a #14 rank from ForexBrokers.com, compared to Admirals' 4 stars and #19 rank. This suggests Plus500 users are largely satisfied with its streamlined platform and toolset despite some limitations.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Plus500 and Admirals offer comprehensive mobile trading solutions, available on both iPhone and Android devices. Users can receive stock and forex price alerts on both platforms, ensuring you stay updated on market movements. However, there are some distinctions between the two apps. Plus500 supports watchlist symbol syncing, which means your watchlists automatically update across devices, a feature Admirals lacks. When it comes to charting capabilities, Plus500 offers a substantial 115 technical studies, greatly surpassing Admirals' offering of 30. Both brokers allow users to draw trendlines and access various time frames on charts, although Admirals has the edge with auto-saving drawings, a convenience not available with Plus500.
Real-time watchlists are a feature on both platforms, allowing traders to track market updates instantly. In terms of user ratings, Plus500 receives a higher score with a 4.5-star rating compared to Admirals' 4-star rating for their mobile trading apps. Moreover, when ranked among 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, Plus500 ranks #14, quite ahead of Admirals, which sits at #23. These differences highlight some of the strengths and limitations of each app, helping potential users choose the platform that best fits their trading needs and preferences.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
In the world of online trading, both Plus500 and Admirals provide daily market commentary, which helps traders stay informed about market conditions. However, Admirals has the upper hand in offering forex news from esteemed sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a feature Plus500 lacks. Both platforms provide technical analysis tools from Trading Central and sentiment-based trading tools, giving users vital information on market trends and trading positions. However, Admirals distinguishes itself with additional resources like market research from TipRanks and research tools from Acuity Trading, offering a broader spectrum of trading insights.
Both platforms feature an economic calendar, keeping traders updated on global economic events. In terms of research ratings, Plus500 and Admirals are neck-and-neck, each receiving four stars for their market research offerings. However, ForexBrokers.com ranks Admirals slightly higher at #15, compared to Plus500, which stands at #19 among 63 brokers assessed. Overall, while Plus500 offers valuable tools, Admirals provides a more comprehensive research experience for traders seeking diverse insights and news sources.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both Plus500 and Admirals provide an engaging learning environment for those new to the world of forex and CFDs. Both platforms offer a wealth of over ten educational pieces including articles, videos, and archived webinars focusing on forex or CFDs. They also actively host online educational webinars at least once a month, which are particularly beneficial for beginners looking to gain insights directly from experts. Both brokers maintain a searchable archive of these recorded sessions, adding convenience for users who wish to learn at their own pace. Moreover, they cater to various skill levels by offering beginner and advanced educational videos on a wide range of trading topics.
However, there are some distinctions between the two in terms of additional resources. Plus500 does not provide an investor dictionary with definitions of investing terms, whereas Admirals has a comprehensive dictionary featuring over 50 terms, which can be a handy tool for new traders. In terms of educational ratings, Plus500 and Admirals both score a commendable 4 stars out of 5. Yet, Admirals boasts a higher rank in ForexBrokers.com's Education category, coming in at #12 out of 63 brokers, compared to Plus500's position at #31. This suggests that while both platforms are strong contenders in educating their users, Admirals might offer a slight edge in terms of resource variety and depth.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Plus500 is better than Admirals. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18.
Plus500 is a trusted global brand that offers an easy-to-use trading platform for online traders, alongside access to a thorough selection of CFDs. Share trading is available, but only via its Plus500 Invest product offering.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 |
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Both Plus500 and Admirals do not allow customers to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to buy cryptocurrency derivatives.
While both Plus500 and Admirals facilitate transactions via PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, only Admirals provides the additional convenience of ACH and SEPA transfers, distinguishing itself as a more versatile option for managing account funds.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Plus500 | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | Admirals Review |
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| Regulation | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | Yes |
| Investments | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 8702 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 82 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 0.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 106 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Plus500 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Plus500 Review | Admirals Review |
| Overall | Plus500 | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | Admirals Review |
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