Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com vs Plus500, 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 1999, FOREX.com is a well-reputed online broker that is publicly traded but not a bank. It excels in regulatory strength with an impressive total of seven highly trusted Tier-1 licenses and one trusted Tier-2 license. This strong regulatory backing is reflected in its perfect Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, indicating a high level of trust and security for its users.
Plus500, established in 2008, is also a publicly traded online broker, like FOREX.com, and is not a bank. While holding slightly fewer Tier-1 licenses with six, Plus500 compensates with three Tier-2 licenses, showcasing a balanced regulatory presence. Matching FOREX.com's impeccable Trust Score, Plus500 also holds a 99 rating, affirming its reliability and secure trading environment. Both brokers stand out in the industry for their strong trust scores and regulatory standards.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 6 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When you compare commissions and fees, both FOREX.com and Plus500 price a bit above the industry average, but they go about it differently. Plus500 is spread-only with no standard retail discounts; its EUR/USD spread averaged 1.5 pips in April 2024. FOREX.com offers multiple pricing paths: a Standard account (spread-only) where the EUR/USD averaged 1.4 pips in the U.S. in July 2023, and a commission-based RAW account. Outside the U.S., FOREX.com’s time-weighted EUR/USD spread averaged 0.74 pips in July 2023.
FOREX.com’s RAW account (available in the U.S., Canada, and the EU) posted a typical 0.13-pip EUR/USD spread in February 2024, plus a $7 commission per standard lot round-turn (about 0.7 pips), putting the all-in cost near 0.83 pips before any rebates. Volume rebates range from $2 to $9 per million, and very high-volume traders who exceed $2 billion per month can reach highly competitive effective spreads. That said, unless you trade more than $50 million per month, U.S. all-in costs on FOREX.com’s commission pricing are similar to its Standard account. Plus500, by contrast, doesn’t discount for retail clients; only Professional clients may qualify for cash rebates, and its spreads remain slightly above average.
Bottom line: For casual or lower-volume traders, both brokers lean pricier than the cheapest options, with FOREX.com offering more ways to optimize costs if you can leverage the RAW account and volume tiers. Ratings and rankings for Commissions & Fees: FOREX.com is 4.5/5 stars and ranked #15 of 63; Plus500 is 4.0/5 stars and ranked #24 of 63.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | €50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | 1.3 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FOREX.com vs Plus500: Both support forex trading as CFDs or spot and each lists about 5,500 tradeable symbols. FOREX.com offers 80 currency pairs, while Plus500 lists 65. Each broker lets clients buy and sell exchange-traded securities (not CFDs) on U.S. exchanges and on international markets. For crypto, neither broker offers actual coins, but both provide cryptocurrency CFDs. Copy trading isn’t available at either broker.
For range of investments, ForexBrokers.com rates FOREX.com at 5 stars and ranks it 6th out of 63 brokers, while Plus500 earns 4.5 stars and ranks 17th. If you want more forex pairs alongside a similarly large overall lineup, FOREX.com edges Plus500; both are comparable for total instruments, stock market access, and crypto CFD choices.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 5500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| 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). | 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. |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Comparing trading platforms and tools, both FOREX.com and Plus500 offer free demo (paper) trading and provide their own proprietary platforms. Each has a web-based platform, but only FOREX.com also offers a downloadable Windows desktop platform. Neither broker supports copy trading. Platform compatibility differs too: FOREX.com supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Plus500 does not.
For charting and order placement, FOREX.com lets you trade directly from charts, which Plus500 does not. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s 2025 review of 63 brokers, FOREX.com earns 5 stars and ranks #5 for Trading Platforms and Tools, compared with Plus500’s 4.5 stars and #14 ranking. In short, choose FOREX.com if you want MT4/MT5, desktop software, and chart trading; choose Plus500 if you prefer a streamlined web platform with a free demo account.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 90 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing the mobile trading apps from FOREX.com and Plus500, both brokers cover the essentials: iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, watchlist syncing with your online account, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Plus500 offers more technical indicators (115 vs. FOREX.com's 90), which may appeal if you rely on a wide range of studies. However, FOREX.com auto-saves your chart drawings, while Plus500 does not—useful if you frequently annotate charts and switch devices.
Independent ratings back up the experience: FOREX.com earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 earns 4.5 stars and ranks #14. Both are strong choices, but if saved annotations and top-tier rankings matter more to you, FOREX.com has the edge; if you want more built-in indicators, Plus500 is worth a look.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 90 | 115 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing FOREX.com vs Plus500 for market research: both brokers offer daily market commentary, an economic calendar, Trading Central tools, and a sentiment indicator showing the ratio of long vs short positions. FOREX.com stands out by adding forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, which Plus500 does not provide. Neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
Thanks to its integrated premium news, FOREX.com earns a higher research score (4.5/5) and ranks #7 of 63 at ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 scores 4.0/5 and ranks #17. If comprehensive news is important, FOREX.com has the edge; if you mainly want Trading Central analysis, sentiment data, and an economic calendar, both platforms cover those needs.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| 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.
Both FOREX.com and Plus500 offer forex and CFD education that easily clears the “10 pieces” bar, with libraries that include articles, videos, and archived webinars. Each broker runs client webinars at least monthly and provides 10+ beginner videos to explain core topics like how trading works, platform basics, order types, and risk control—plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. For newcomers, either broker can serve as a one-stop learning hub with step-by-step videos and regular live sessions.
Where they differ is in overall quality and depth as rated by third parties. FOREX.com earns 4.5/5 stars for Education and ranks 4th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 scores 4.0/5 stars and ranks 26th. These results point to a stronger education experience at FOREX.com, though Plus500 still covers the essentials for beginners who want clear, accessible learning resources.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FOREX.com is better than Plus500. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #4, while Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
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Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
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When comparing online brokers FOREX.com and Plus500, neither supports purchasing actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal options, FOREX.com supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires, while Plus500 does not offer ACH/SEPA but does support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires; Visa/Mastercard availability for both brokers 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 | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 6 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 5500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| 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). | 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. |
| Cost | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.13 | 1.3 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | €50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 90 | 115 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 90 | 115 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | Plus500 Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | Plus500 Review |
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