Written by ForexBrokers.com
Is FXCM better than Plus500? In our analysis of 23 international regulators across 62 of the best forex brokers, FXCM is considered Highly Trusted, with an overall Trust Score of 95 out of 99. Plus500 is considered Highly Trusted, with an overall trust score of 99 out of 99. Learn more about Trust Score.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
| Regulation | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| European Union Authorised (MiFID) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 6 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| European Union Authorised (MiFID) | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 2800 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 41 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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). | 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 | |
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| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.38 | 0.8 (August 2021) | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.38 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | €100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 13 | 9 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 59 | 110 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 10 | 21 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 110 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Forex Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| 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) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| 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 | FXCM Review | Plus500 Review |
| Overall | FXCM | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Plus500 Review |
Comparing forex brokers side by side is no easy task. For our 2023 annual forex broker review, we spent hundreds of hours assessing 62 forex and CFD brokerages to find the best forex broker. Let's compare FXCM vs Plus500.
Comparing the trading costs of forex and CFDs is not easy. Not every broker publishes average spreads data, and pricing structures vary. Based on our thorough annual assessment, Plus500 offers better pricing overall for traders.
At ForexBrokers.com, we track where each forex and CFD broker is regulated across over 23 international regulator databases. Here's our findings. Plus500 holds 6 global Tier-1 licenses, while FXCM holds 4. Plus500 holds 3 global Tier-2 licenses, while FXCM holds 2. In our analysis of 23 international regulators across 50 brokers, Plus500 (99) earned a higher Trust Score than FXCM (95).
To compare the trading platforms of both FXCM and Plus500, we tested each broker's trading tools, research capabilities, and mobile apps. For trading tools, FXCM offers a better experience. With research, FXCM offers superior market research. Finally, we found Plus500 to provide better mobile trading apps.
For forex and CFDs traders, copy trading and MetaTrader are both popular platform options. Neither broker offers Meta Trader.Copy trading is not offered by either broker.
Plus500 provides traders 65 currency pairs (e.g., EUR/USD) compared to FXCM's 41 available pairs. Forex pairs aside, Plus500 offers traders access to 2800 CFDs while FXCM has 440 available CFDs, a difference of 2360.
FXCM's parent company is publicly-traded, does not operate a bank, and is authorised by four Tier-1 regulators (Highly Trusted), two Tier-2 regulators (Trusted), zero Tier-3 regulators (Average Risk), and zero Tier-4 regulators (High Risk). FXCM is authorised by the following Tier-1 regulators: Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), and the European Union via MiFID.
Plus500 is publicly traded and does not operate a bank. Plus500 is authorised by six Tier-1 regulators (Highly Trusted), three Tier-2 regulators (Trusted), zero Tier-3 regulators (Average Risk), and one Tier-4 regulator (High Risk). Plus500 is authorised by the following tier-1 regulators: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC), Japanese Financial Services Authority (JFSA), Financial Markets Authority (FMA), European Union via MiFID, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
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.
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.
Overall winner: FXCM
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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