Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Plus500 vs FP Markets, 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 stands out as a highly trusted online broker with a top ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99 out of 99. Listed on a stock exchange, Plus500 holds an impressive collection of regulatory approvals with six Tier-1 licenses, reflecting the highest level of trust, as well as three Tier-2 licenses. Despite not being a bank, Plus500's robust regulation and transparency offer an appealing option for investors seeking reliability and security in their trading activities.
FP Markets, established in 2005, offers a trustworthy option with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 89, placing it in the trusted category. Though not publicly traded, FP Markets maintains two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, highlighting its commitment to regulatory standards. This well-established broker caters to traders looking for a reliable platform without the backing of a stock exchange listing. Both brokers are non-banking entities and provide distinct levels of trust and regulatory compliance for traders.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2005 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing Plus500 to FP Markets in terms of commissions and fees, distinct differences emerge. Plus500's pricing tends to be slightly above the industry average, particularly for active trader pricing where it lags behind top-tier brokers like IG and Saxo. The broker does not offer retail discounts, although Professional clients may benefit from cash rebates. With average spreads for EUR/USD at 1.5 pips in April 2024, Plus500 charges higher than typical market rates. Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, Plus500 finds itself ranked #25 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
In contrast, FP Markets stands out with its competitive pricing structure available through MetaTrader and cTrader platforms, particularly for its commission-based ECN accounts. This strong performance earned FP Markets the Best in Class title for Commissions and Fees in the 2024 Annual Awards. Offering competitive spreads with its Raw ECN account—averaging 0.1 pips as of October 2023, or 0.8 pips with commission—FP Markets appeals to traders seeking low costs. By comparison, the Standard account has notably higher spreads, averaging 1.1 pips for EUR/USD, making the Raw ECN account the more cost-effective choice. FP Markets is rated 5 stars for its fees, ranking an impressive #6 out of 63 brokers.
FP Markets also features the Iress platform suite, which is better suited for active traders with high-balance accounts. Though the Iress ViewPoint account offers full market access and depth, its affordability is questionable with high maintenance costs, reserving better deals for Saxo or CMC Markets. On the other hand, the Iress Investor account provides a no-frills, low-cost option but limits users to basic features and lacks streaming data. This tiered approach gives FP Markets flexibility, but perhaps not without compromises for those considering the more affordable options.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $100 AUD |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | 0.7 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| 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 comparing the range of investments offered by Plus500 and FP Markets, both online brokers present strong options for investors, albeit with distinct features. Plus500 provides access to over 5,500 tradeable symbols, including an impressive selection of 65 forex pairs available for trading as CFDs. Unique to Plus500 is the capability to invest directly in exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international stock exchanges, allowing clients to own shares like Apple or Vodafone outright, rather than through CFDs. In contrast, Plus500 does not facilitate copy trading and only offers cryptocurrency in the form of derivatives.
FP Markets, while offering a larger variety of tradeable symbols with a total of 10,000, extends its forex offering slightly further with 71 pairs available through CFDs. Unlike Plus500, FP Markets supports copy trading, an attractive feature for those looking to mirror the strategies of successful traders. However, FP Markets does not offer the option to directly purchase exchange-traded securities on U.S. or international exchanges, limiting it to CFD trading for these assets. On cryptocurrencies, like Plus500, FP Markets restricts trading to derivatives only. Despite these differences, both brokers have earned a commendable 4.5-star rating for their range of investments, with FP Markets slightly outpacing Plus500, ranking 18th compared to 24th among 63 brokers in this category according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 71 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| 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.
When comparing trading platforms and tools, Plus500 and FP Markets offer unique features tailored to different user preferences. Both brokers provide a free virtual demo account, allowing newcomers to familiarize themselves with trading without financial risk. Plus500 impresses with its proprietary web-based platform and a vast array of 36 drawing tools for charting, but it lacks desktop and MetaTrader support. Meanwhile, FP Markets offers a comprehensive trading experience including a proprietary platform, Windows desktop platform, and MetaTrader 4 and 5. Additionally, FP Markets excels in copy trading and enables traders to execute trades directly from stock charts, setting it apart from Plus500.
In terms of usability, Plus500 stands out with 10 customizable columns for watch lists, compared to FP Markets’ 7 columns. Both platforms are equipped with web-based trading options, but FP Markets scores a point by supporting the popular MetaTrader platforms and offering copy trading features, useful for traders interested in these functionalities. While Plus500 earns a slightly higher rating of 4.5 stars for its trading platforms and tools, compared to FP Markets’ 4 stars, it is ranked 14th by ForexBrokers.com, ahead of FP Markets which sits at the 23rd position. This highlights Plus500's user-friendly approach and flexibility, while FP Markets appeals to those seeking advanced trading options.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 17 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Plus500 and FP Markets offer convenient trading solutions for iPhone and Android users, making their mobile apps accessible for a range of devices. They both allow users to receive stock or forex price alerts to keep track of market changes. However, Plus500 sets itself apart with watchlist symbol syncing, which ensures that any modifications made to watchlists are updated across both the mobile app and the online account. While FP Markets keeps things straightforward with MetaTrader's default technical studies, Plus500 users can explore a more extensive selection with 115 technical studies available for charting. Both platforms enable users to draw trendlines and view various time frames on charts, but FP Markets offers the added benefit of auto-saving chart drawings, a feature Plus500 does not currently provide.
When it comes to creating watchlists with real-time quotes, both brokers excel, but Plus500 has a slight edge in overall user satisfaction. It holds a 4.5-star rating compared to FP Markets' 4-star rating. According to ForexBrokers.com, Plus500 is ranked 14th out of 63 brokers for mobile trading apps, while FP Markets is positioned at 18th. Overall, both apps offer reliable experiences, yet Plus500 provides a few extra features that could be important for traders looking for versatility and syncing capabilities across multiple platforms.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | MetaTrader (Default) |
| 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.
When comparing the market research offerings of Plus500 and FP Markets, both platforms provide daily market commentary, helping traders stay informed with timely insights. However, FP Markets has the upper hand with forex news sourced from top-tier agencies such as Bloomberg and Reuters, which Plus500 does not offer. On the technical analysis front, both brokers provide tools from Trading Central, but FP Markets extends its advantage by including resources from Autochartist, giving traders a broader range of analytical tools. Additionally, both brokers feature sentiment-based trading tools and comprehensive economic calendars to aid trading decisions.
Despite these similarities and differences, both Plus500 and FP Markets receive a solid rating of 4.0 stars for research from ForexBrokers.com. Nonetheless, Plus500 edges ahead in rankings, standing at 19th place while FP Markets is ranked 25th out of 63 brokers. Although neither broker includes research tools from Acuity Trading or market research from TipRanks, their strong offerings in other areas make them competitive choices for traders seeking market insights.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both Plus500 and FP Markets are excellent choices for beginners who are looking to dive into the world of online trading. Each broker provides a minimum of 10 educational pieces focusing on forex and CFDs, which include articles, videos, and archived webinars. For those interested in real-time learning, both platforms hold online educational webinars each month, and also maintain accessible archives of these sessions for later viewing. When it comes to video content, both Plus500 and FP Markets offer a wide range of tutorials, with more than 10 videos catering specifically to beginner traders. Advanced traders aren't left out either, as each broker also offers over 10 videos tailored for more experienced investors.
Where these two brokers start to differ is in the additional educational materials they offer. FP Markets provides an investor dictionary containing over 50 investing terms, appealing to those who prefer to familiarize themselves with industry jargon. However, despite this added resource, both platforms earn a similar rating of 4 stars for their educational offerings. In terms of overall rankings by ForexBrokers.com, FP Markets edges out Plus500, being ranked at #23 compared to Plus500's #31 out of 63 brokers. Whether you're new to trading or looking to deepen your understanding, both Plus500 and FP Markets deliver substantial educational content to support your trading journey.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FP Markets. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19.
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
|
FP Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 89 |
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Both Plus500 and FP Markets do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, focusing instead on providing options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both Plus500 and FP Markets provide versatile deposit and withdrawal options, supporting PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, although neither broker supports ACH or SEPA transfers.
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 | FP Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 89 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | FP Markets Review |
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| Regulation | Plus500 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 89 | |
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2005 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Plus500 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | No |
| Investments | Plus500 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 71 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | 0.7 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Plus500 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $100 AUD | |
| 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 | No |
| Trading Platforms | Plus500 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Plus500 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 17 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Plus500 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | MetaTrader (Default) | |
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Plus500 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FP Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | FP Markets Review |
| Overall | Plus500 | FP Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 89 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | FP Markets Review |
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