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FXCM vs Plus500 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of FXCM vs Plus500, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

FXCM
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: Starts from $50
  • Trust Score: 95
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 440
Plus500
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: €50 info
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 5500 info

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.

Regulation

Comparing online brokers FXCM and Plus500: FXCM was founded in 1999, while Plus500 started in 2008. Both companies are publicly traded and are not banks, which means client money is held with third‑party institutions rather than on a bank’s balance sheet.

On regulation, Plus500 holds 6 Tier‑1 licenses and 3 Tier‑2 licenses, while FXCM holds 4 Tier‑1 and 2 Tier‑2 licenses. According to ForexBrokers.com, both brokers are “highly trusted”: FXCM has a Trust Score of 95/99 and Plus500 scores 99/99. The scale rates 90–99 as highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 not trusted.

Feature FXCM logoFXCM
Plus500 logoPlus500
Year Founded info 1999 2008
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes Yes
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 4 6
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 2

Fees

Comparing commissions and fees, FXCM earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #17 of 63, while Plus500 also earns 4.0 out of 5 stars but ranks lower at #24 of 63. Using May 2024 data, FXCM’s standard EUR/USD spread averaged 0.78 pips for its EU, U.K., and Australia entities (and 1.38 pips via St. Vincent and the Grenadines). FXCM’s commission-based accounts averaged a 0.28‑pip core spread; after adding the commission (about 0.50 pips round‑turn), the effective spread is roughly 0.74 pips. By comparison, Plus500’s EUR/USD spread averaged 1.5 pips in April 2024.

FXCM offers volume-based savings through its Active Trader discounts and rebate tiers (rebates range from $5 to $25 per million traded, with at least $10 million in monthly volume; the specific rebate program is not available in the U.K. or EU). In the U.K., high‑volume accounts can see the commission drop to $2.50 per side ($5 round‑turn), bringing the effective spread on EUR/USD to about 0.78 pips off a 0.28‑pip core price. Plus500 does not provide discounts for retail clients; cash rebates are available only if you qualify as a Professional client, which leaves its active‑trader pricing behind leaders in this category.

As with many forex brokers, expect spreads at either broker to widen during rollover or during unusual market conditions. Bottom line: FXCM’s commission‑based pricing and potential high‑volume discounts can deliver tighter effective spreads than Plus500’s typical spread, while Plus500 keeps pricing straightforward but generally higher versus the industry average.

Feature FXCM logoFXCM
Plus500 logoPlus500
Minimum Deposit info Starts from $50 €50 info
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 0.9 info 1.3 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.8 info 1.3 info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

FXCM vs Plus500: When it comes to the range of investments, Plus500 offers a much larger catalog with about 5,500 tradeable symbols, compared with roughly 440 at FXCM. Plus500 also lists 65 forex pairs versus 46 at FXCM. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts and both support cryptocurrency trading via CFDs (neither lets you buy actual coins). A key difference: FXCM supports copy trading, while Plus500 does not.

If you want exchange-traded stocks, Plus500 provides access to U.S. and international exchanges, whereas FXCM does not offer exchange-traded shares. Reflecting these differences, ForexBrokers.com rates Plus500 4.5/5 stars for Range of Investments (ranked #17 of 63) and FXCM 3.5/5 stars (ranked #21 of 63). In short, Plus500 stands out for sheer variety, while FXCM may appeal if copy trading is a priority.

Feature FXCM logoFXCM
Plus500 logoPlus500
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes info
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 440 5500 info
Forex Pairs (Total) info 46 info 65
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No Yes
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No Yes
Copy Trading info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info Yes Yes info
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.

Trading platforms and tools

FXCM vs Plus500: both brokers offer a free demo (paper) account and an in‑house platform you can use in a web browser. FXCM also provides a Windows desktop download, while Plus500 does not. If you prefer third‑party software, FXCM supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4); neither broker supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5).

When it comes to tools, FXCM enables trading directly from charts and offers copy trading—features not available at Plus500. Both platforms include chart indicators and watchlist customization, though exact counts weren’t listed. According to ForexBrokers.com, FXCM earns 5 stars and ranks 4th out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms & Tools, while Plus500 earns 4.5 stars and ranks 14th.

Feature FXCM logoFXCM
Plus500 logoPlus500
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes No
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes No
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes No
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 115 115
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

FXCM and Plus500 both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts for stocks and forex, syncs watchlists with your online account, and lets you draw trendlines on charts. A key difference: FXCM automatically saves your chart drawings, while Plus500 does not. Both apps hold a 4.5 out of 5 star rating.

For charting tools, Plus500 includes 115 technical studies compared with 59 on FXCM. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, Plus500 ranks #14 out of 63 brokers, and FXCM ranks #16. If you want the widest range of built-in indicators, Plus500 has the edge. If keeping your chart annotations saved is more important, FXCM is the better fit.

Feature FXCM logoFXCM
Plus500 logoPlus500
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 59 115
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

Comparing FXCM vs Plus500 for market research: both brokers deliver daily market commentary, Trading Central tools for technical analysis, a sentiment gauge showing long vs. short positioning, and an economic calendar. Neither broker offers Autochartist or research from Acuity Trading.

FXCM stands out by streaming forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and by adding TipRanks research—features Plus500 does not include. Reflecting these differences, ForexBrokers.com rates FXCM 4.5/5 stars for Research (ranked #11 of 63), while Plus500 earns 4.0/5 stars (ranked #17 of 63). If you want broader news coverage and extra third‑party insights, FXCM has the edge; if you just need core tools and commentary, Plus500 covers the basics.

Feature FXCM logoFXCM
Plus500 logoPlus500
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info Yes Yes
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info Yes No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

FXCM and Plus500 both make it easy for beginner traders to learn the basics. Each offers a sizable library of forex and CFD education (10+ pieces), plus ongoing online webinars at least once a month. New traders will find at least 10 beginner-focused videos from both brokers, along with additional materials like articles, videos, and archived webinars to reinforce key concepts.

When comparing quality, FXCM earns a higher Education rating at 4.5 stars and ranks 13th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 scores 4.0 stars and ranks 26th. For beginners who want room to grow with more in-depth content over time, FXCM has the edge, though Plus500 still provides a solid learning path with frequent webinars and plenty of starter videos.

Feature FXCM logoFXCM
Plus500 logoPlus500
Webinars info Yes Yes info
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that FXCM is better than Plus500. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #10, while Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14.

For traders who appreciate advanced trading tools and quality market research, FXCM is a winner, especially for algorithmic trading. Its range of tradeable markets is fairly narrow, however, and the pricing at FXCM is just average.

Feature FXCM logoFXCM
Plus500 logoPlus500
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 95 99
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with FXCM or Plus500?

FXCM and Plus500 do not offer buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both online brokers provide access to cryptocurrency CFDs.

What funding options does each broker offer?

FXCM vs Plus500: For deposits and withdrawals, FXCM supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires, while Plus500 does not support ACH/SEPA but does support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires; card options (Visa/Mastercard) were not specified.

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Overall Rating FXCM Plus500
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Trust Score info 95 99
Winner check_circle
Review FXCM Review Plus500 Review
Broker Screenshots FXCM Plus500
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
FXCM mobile app watchlist. FXCM web platform. FXCM research web articles market analysis. FXCM education articles
Plus500 mobile app charts. Plus500 trading platform EURUSD Plus500 web platform market news analysis articles. Plus500 webinars with Corellian Academy YouTube video playlist
Regulation FXCM Plus500
Trust Score info 95 99
Year Founded info 1999 2008
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes Yes
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info 4 6
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 2
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) FXCM Plus500
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No Yes
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info No Yes
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info No No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No Yes
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info Yes info Yes info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) FXCM Plus500
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info Yes Yes
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info No Yes info
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments FXCM Plus500
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes info
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 440 5500 info
Forex Pairs (Total) info 46 info 65
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info No Yes
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info No Yes
Copy Trading info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info Yes Yes info
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 FXCM Plus500
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 0.9 info 1.3 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.8 info 1.3 info
Inactivity Fee info Yes Yes
Order execution: Agency info Yes No
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding FXCM Plus500
Minimum Deposit info Starts from $50 €50 info
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms FXCM Plus500
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes No
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes No
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes No
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No No
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools FXCM Plus500
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 115 115
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes No
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading FXCM Plus500
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 59 115
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes No
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research FXCM Plus500
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info Yes Yes
TipRanks info Yes No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education FXCM Plus500
Webinars info Yes Yes info
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs FXCM Plus500
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes info
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review FXCM Review Plus500 Review
Overall FXCM Plus500
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Trust Score info 95 99
Winner check_circle
Review FXCM Review Plus500 Review
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