Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Plus500 vs AvaTrade, 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.
Plus500 and AvaTrade are both well-known online brokers, but their regulatory profiles differ in a few key ways. Plus500 was founded in 2008, is publicly traded, and is not a bank. It holds 7 Tier-1 licenses and 4 Tier-2 licenses, and its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score is 99 out of 99, placing it in the highest trust category.
AvaTrade was founded in 2006, is not publicly traded, and is also not a bank. It holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 4 Tier-2 licenses, with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 96 out of 99. Both brokers score very highly for trust, but Plus500 has the edge on public listing, Tier-1 licensing, and overall Trust Score.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 4 | 4 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, AvaTrade comes out ahead of Plus500 for most retail traders. Plus500’s pricing is slightly above the industry average, and its EUR/USD spread averaged 1.5 pips in April 2024, which is higher than many competitors. It does not offer retail discounts, though qualifying professional clients may receive cash rebates. Plus500 earns a 4.0-star rating for commissions and fees and ranks #24 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
AvaTrade’s fees are generally closer to the industry average, with EUR/USD spreads at 0.9 pips as of June 2024. That is still a bit higher than some low-cost entry accounts at brokers like CMC Markets and Tickmill, but it is more competitive overall than Plus500. Traders who qualify as professional clients can access even tighter spreads on AvaTrade’s Professional account, which averages 0.6 pips and compares well with FP Markets.
Overall, AvaTrade offers better value in this category, especially for traders focused on spreads. It has a 4.5-star rating for commissions and fees and ranks #14 out of 36 brokers, while Plus500 trails behind with a 4.0-star rating and a #24 ranking. For cost-conscious traders, AvaTrade is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €50 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 0.93 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | 0.61 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, Plus500 offers more choice than AvaTrade. Plus500 lists 5,500 tradeable symbols and 65 forex pairs, compared with AvaTrade’s 1,260 symbols and 53 forex pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as a CFD or spot contract, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual cryptocurrency.
Plus500 also stands out for access to exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, so you can buy real shares such as Apple or Vodafone directly. AvaTrade does not offer those exchange traded securities, but it does include copy trading, which Plus500 does not. Overall, Plus500 is rated 4.5 out of 5 for range of investments and ranks #16 out of 36 brokers, while AvaTrade is rated 4 out of 5 and ranks #26.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1260 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 53 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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.
Plus500 and AvaTrade both give traders a free demo account, a web-based platform, and their own in-house trading platform, so each broker makes it easy to practice and trade from a browser. Both are also rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, with Plus500 ranked #14 out of 36 brokers and AvaTrade ranked slightly higher at #13. In simple terms, both brokers offer a solid experience for everyday trading, but AvaTrade has a small edge in overall platform tools.
The biggest differences come down to extra platform options. AvaTrade supports a Windows desktop platform, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, copy trading, and trading directly from charts, while Plus500 does not offer those features. That makes AvaTrade a better fit for traders who want more platform choice and more built-in tools, while Plus500 may appeal more to those who prefer a straightforward, browser-based setup.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 80 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Plus500 and AvaTrade both give mobile traders a lot of the same core tools. Each broker offers iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, watchlist syncing between the app and online account, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Neither app auto-saves chart drawings, and both are rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, so either choice should feel familiar for everyday trading on the go.
The main difference is in charting depth. Plus500 offers 115 technical studies in its mobile app, while AvaTrade offers 73, which may matter more to traders who rely heavily on chart analysis. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, AvaTrade places slightly higher at #13 out of 36 brokers, compared with Plus500 at #14. Overall, Plus500 edges ahead for chart tools, while AvaTrade has a small ranking advantage.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | 73 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, Plus500 and AvaTrade both give traders useful tools, but each has its own strengths. Plus500 offers daily market commentary, Trading Central insights, a sentiment tool that shows long and short position ratios, and an economic calendar. AvaTrade also provides Trading Central, sentiment data, and an economic calendar, but it goes further by adding forex news from top sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, which Plus500 does not offer. Neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
Overall, Plus500 has the edge in this area with a 4.5-star Research rating and a #16 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with AvaTrade’s 4-star rating and #28 ranking. For traders who want daily market commentary, Plus500 may be the better fit, while those who prefer access to major forex news outlets may lean toward AvaTrade.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to beginner-friendly education, both Plus500 and AvaTrade give new traders plenty of material to learn from. Each broker offers forex or CFDs education with at least 10 learning pieces, monthly educational webinars, and 10 or more beginner videos, plus advanced videos for more experienced traders. That means beginners can find a solid range of articles, videos, and live sessions at either platform.
The main difference is in overall education quality and ranking. Plus500 earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education, but it ranks #26 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. AvaTrade scores 4 out of 5 stars, yet it places much higher at #2 out of 36. For beginners comparing online brokers, AvaTrade stands out as the stronger all-around choice for education, while Plus500 still offers a helpful learning library.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | 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 AvaTrade. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15.
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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AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 |
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In the Plus500 vs AvaTrade comparison for crypto, neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
Plus500 vs AvaTrade: both online brokers support deposits and withdrawals via PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers, do not offer ACH or SEPA, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | AvaTrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
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| Regulation | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 4 | 4 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1260 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 0.93 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | 0.61 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €50 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 80 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | 73 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade Review |
| Overall | Plus500 | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | AvaTrade Review |
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