Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Plus500 vs Alpari, 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.
Both Plus500 and Alpari are prominent online brokers, but they differ significantly in terms of trust and regulatory standing. Plus500, established in 2008, stands out as a highly trusted broker with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99. This rating is supported by its regulation under six Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, attesting to its credibility in the financial market. Plus500 is also publicly traded, which adds another layer of transparency and trust. Alpari, on the other hand, has been in operation since 1998 but holds a Trust Score of 68, illustrating a higher risk profile according to ForexBrokers.com. It lacks any Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses and is not a publicly traded company.
While neither Plus500 nor Alpari operate as banks, Plus500's regulatory credentials and public status provide a strong assurance of safety for traders. In contrast, Alpari's absence of Tier-1 and Tier-2 licenses may imply less regulatory oversight. Therefore, for those prioritizing regulation and trustworthiness, Plus500 appears to offer stronger security and transparency compared to Alpari. However, individual preferences and trading needs should ultimately guide your choice of broker.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2008 | 1998 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
Plus500’s commissions and fees sit slightly above the industry average and trail leaders for active-trader pricing (think IG or Saxo). The broker doesn’t offer retail discounts, but qualified Professional clients can receive cash rebates. Its published EUR/USD spread averaged 1.5 pips in April 2024, which is higher than the industry norm. For the Commissions and Fees category, Plus500 is rated 4.0/5 stars and ranks #24 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
Alpari does not provide average spread data, making direct cost comparisons harder. In the same Commissions and Fees category, Alpari is rated 4/5 stars and ranks #42 out of 63. If you value disclosed, up-to-date spread figures and potential rebates for Professional status, Plus500 has the clearer pricing picture and higher ranking; if you’re comfortable with less published spread data, Alpari may still be worth a look.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €50 | $20 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing Plus500 and Alpari on range of investments, Plus500 clearly offers more choice. It lists about 5,500 tradeable instruments versus Alpari’s 105, and 65 forex pairs compared with Alpari’s 46. Both brokers support forex trading and allow cryptocurrency trading via CFDs (neither lets you buy actual crypto). Alpari includes copy trading, while Plus500 does not.
For share dealing, Plus500 lets you buy exchange-traded stocks on both U.S. and international markets, whereas Alpari offers only international shares and no U.S.-listed stocks. Reflecting this breadth, Plus500 earns 4.5 stars and ranks 22nd for Range of Investments according to ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari holds 3 stars and ranks 64th. Choose Plus500 if you want a wider selection and access to real shares; pick Alpari if copy trading is a must and you’re comfortable with a smaller lineup.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 105 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 46 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
Comparing trading platforms and tools, both Plus500 and Alpari provide free demo accounts and their own proprietary platforms. Plus500 focuses on a streamlined web-based platform and does not offer a Windows desktop download, while Alpari covers both web and Windows desktop. If you prefer trading in a browser, both deliver that option out of the box.
Feature-wise, Plus500 does not support copy trading or MetaTrader (MT4/MT5), and you can’t place trades directly from charts. Alpari supports copy trading, MT4 and MT5, and lets you trade from charts. For Trading Platforms and Tools, Plus500 is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #14 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Alpari holds 4 stars and ranks #56. In short, Plus500 suits traders who want a clean web platform and a demo account, whereas Alpari appeals to those who want MetaTrader, desktop software, copy trading, and chart-based order placement.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Plus500 and Alpari both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. The key difference is syncing: Plus500 syncs your watchlists across devices and web, while Alpari does not. For charting depth, Plus500 includes 115 technical studies compared with Alpari’s 30. Neither app auto-saves chart drawings, so you’ll need to reapply them if you close a chart.
For overall quality, ForexBrokers.com rates Plus500’s mobile app at 4.5 stars and ranks it #14 out of 63 brokers, while Alpari’s app holds 4 stars and ranks #57. If you value more indicators and watchlist syncing, Plus500 is the stronger pick; if you only need core features like alerts and trendline drawing, both apps cover the basics.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing Plus500 and Alpari for market research, Plus500 delivers daily market commentary and earns a 4.0-star research rating (ranked #19 of 63 by ForexBrokers.com), while Alpari does not provide daily commentary and holds a 3-star rating (ranked #58). For news, Alpari stands out with forex headlines from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, whereas Plus500 does not. Both brokers include an economic calendar.
Toolsets differ: Plus500 offers Trading Central analytics and a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions, but it lacks Autochartist, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading. Alpari includes Autochartist and top-tier news, but not Trading Central or a sentiment tool; access to TipRanks or Acuity Trading isn’t specified. If you value daily in-house commentary and sentiment data, Plus500 may fit best; if you prefer integrated third-party news and Autochartist screenings, Alpari could be the pick.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Acuity Trading | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both Plus500 and Alpari offer forex and CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces, so beginners will find core materials at either broker. Plus500 stands out for hosting client webinars at least once a month, giving newcomers a chance to ask questions live, while Alpari does not run monthly educational webinars. Each broker provides a sizable set of beginner videos (10+), but Plus500 also adds 10+ advanced videos for traders who want to keep learning, whereas Alpari lacks that deeper video library.
For education quality, Plus500 is rated 4.0 out of 5 stars and ranks #31 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Alpari is rated 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #48 out of 63. In short, beginners seeking live webinars and a path from starter lessons to advanced topics may prefer Plus500, while Alpari still covers the basics with its beginner-focused videos.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Alpari
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
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 Alpari. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while Alpari finished with an overall rank of #58.
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
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Alpari
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 68 |
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Plus500 vs Alpari: both online brokers do not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but each offers cryptocurrency CFD trading instead.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal methods, online brokers Plus500 and Alpari both support Skrill and bank wire transfers and do not offer ACH or SEPA, but Plus500 also supports PayPal while Alpari does not.
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 | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Plus500 | Alpari | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Plus500 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 68 | |
| Year Founded | 2008 | 1998 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Plus500 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Plus500 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Plus500 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 105 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Plus500 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €50 | $20 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Plus500 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Plus500 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Plus500 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Plus500 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Plus500 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Plus500 | Alpari | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Plus500 Review |
| Overall | Plus500 | Alpari | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 68 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review |
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