Plus500 vs IC Markets 2025

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

Plus500, established in 2008, and IC Markets, founded a year earlier in 2007, are both reputable online brokers, but they have notable differences in terms of trust and regulation. Plus500 stands out with a top-tier Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its strong reputation. It also holds six Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, making it a highly trusted option. As a publicly traded company, Plus500 enhances its transparency to investors and traders alike.

In comparison, IC Markets carries a solid Trust Score of 84, which places it in the trusted category according to ForexBrokers.com. It is backed by two Tier-1 licenses, ensuring a reliable level of regulatory compliance. However, IC Markets is not listed publicly on a stock exchange, which may factor into considerations for some investors. Neither Plus500 nor IC Markets operates as a bank, focusing solely on brokerage services. Both brokers offer dependable services, but Plus500's stronger regulatory credentials and higher trust rating might appeal more to traders prioritizing regulatory assurance.

Feature	Plus500	IC Markets
Year Founded info	2008	2007
Publicly Traded (Listed) info	Yes	No
Bank info	No	No
Tier-1 Licenses info	6	2
Tier-2 Licenses info	3	0
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	2	3

Fees

Comparing commissions and fees, IC Markets generally comes out cheaper than Plus500. IC Markets is rated 5/5 stars and ranks #5 of 63 brokers for Commissions & Fees (Best in Class, 2024), while Plus500 holds 4.0/5 stars and ranks #24 of 63.

Plus500’s pricing sits slightly above the industry average. In April 2024, its EUR/USD spread averaged 1.5 pips, which is higher than many peers. Plus500 does not offer retail discounts; cash rebates are available only if you qualify as a Professional client.

IC Markets offers multiple account types and platforms that influence pricing. The commission-free Standard account lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.62 pips. For lower raw spreads with commissions, the cTrader Raw Spread account charges $3.00 per side ($6 round turn) per 100,000 units, and the MT4/MT5 Raw Spread account charges $3.50 per side ($7 round turn). IC Markets lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.02 pips (August 2022); with commissions added, the all-in cost is about 0.62 pips on cTrader (or 0.72 on MetaTrader). Pricing can vary by platform, account type, and the chosen IC Markets entity (EU, Australia, or Seychelles). Active traders who exceed 100 standard lots per month can receive discounts, and the commission-based accounts have a low minimum deposit.

Feature	Plus500	IC Markets
Minimum Deposit info	€50 info	$200
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info	1.3 info	0.62 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	1.3 info	0.62 info
Non-wire bank transfer info	No	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.

Range of investments

Plus500 vs IC Markets: Both brokers support forex trading and let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs (neither offers actual, delivered crypto). Plus500 lists about 5,500 tradeable symbols versus 3,583 at IC Markets, and offers slightly more forex pairs (65 vs 61). If copy trading is important, IC Markets includes it, while Plus500 does not.

Stock access is a key differentiator. Plus500 lets you buy exchange-traded shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, whereas IC Markets offers exchange-traded shares on international markets only. Both earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments; in the ForexBrokers.com rankings, Plus500 is #22 of 63 and IC Markets is #26. Choose Plus500 if you want the widest symbol list and U.S. share dealing, or IC Markets if you value copy trading alongside a broad set of markets.

Feature	Plus500	IC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes info	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	5500 info	3583
Forex Pairs (Total) info	65	61
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	No	No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info	Yes info	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.

Trading platforms and tools

Comparing online brokers Plus500 and IC Markets for trading platforms and tools: Plus500 offers a proprietary, web-based trading platform and a free virtual demo account. It does not provide a Windows desktop download, MetaTrader 4 (MT4) or MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and it doesn’t support copy trading. IC Markets doesn’t have an in-house platform, but it does offer a Windows desktop platform along with MT4 and MT5, a web-based option, a free demo account, and popular copy trading choices.

For tools and charting, IC Markets lets you place trades directly from charts, while Plus500 does not. Both provide web platforms with helpful charting features, but IC Markets appeals to traders who want the MetaTrader ecosystem and copy-trade access. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools ratings, Plus500 scores 4.5 stars (ranked #14 of 63), while IC Markets earns 4 stars (ranked #16). That makes Plus500 the slightly higher-rated platform overall, with IC Markets standing out if you need MT4/MT5, desktop access, and copy trading.

Feature	Plus500	IC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info	Yes	No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info	No	Yes
Web Platform info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info	No	Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	115	30
Charting - Trade From Chart info	No	Yes

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

Forex trading apps

Plus500 and IC Markets both deliver iPhone and Android apps with price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Where they differ is in workflow and charting depth: Plus500 syncs your watchlists between mobile and web, while IC Markets does not. For technical studies, Plus500 packs in 115 indicators compared to IC Markets’ 30. On the flip side, IC Markets auto-saves your chart drawings, whereas Plus500 does not.

In third-party reviews, Plus500 earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 14th out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, while IC Markets scores 4 stars and ranks 22nd. Choose Plus500 if you want more indicators and seamless watchlist sync; pick IC Markets if automatic saving of chart annotations matters most.

Feature	Plus500	IC Markets
Android App info	Yes	Yes
Apple iOS App info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info	Yes	No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info	115	30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	No	Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

When it comes to market research offerings, both Plus500 and IC Markets provide solid options for traders, each with its unique strengths. Plus500 and IC Markets offer daily market commentary, helping traders stay informed with the latest market trends. However, only IC Markets provides forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, giving it an edge in this area. Moreover, IC Markets stands out by offering tools from Autochartist for technical analysis, which Plus500 does not provide. Conversely, both platforms feature tools from Trading Central for advanced insights and market analysis.

Traders looking for sentiment-based trading tools will find both Plus500 and IC Markets accommodating, as each provides insights into the ratio of long or short positions. Economic calendars showcasing global news events are also available on both platforms. However, neither Plus500 nor IC Markets offers market research tools from TipRanks or Acuity Trading. When rated for research, Plus500 scores 4.0 stars, marginally outpacing IC Markets, which holds 4 stars. In terms of rankings among 63 brokers reviewed by ForexBrokers.com, Plus500 is ranked 19th, four spots ahead of IC Markets at 23rd place, highlighting its competitive edge in the research category.

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

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

Plus500 vs IC Markets for beginner education: both brokers provide forex and CFD learning that meets the bar of at least 10 educational pieces. Each hosts client webinars at least once a month and offers 10+ beginner videos, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. This mix of educational pieces and live sessions can help new traders understand core concepts, basic strategies, platform features, and risk management.

Looking at third‑party evaluations, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Education, but IC Markets ranks higher overall (#16 of 63) than Plus500 (#31 of 63). If education quality and standing are your priorities, IC Markets has the edge; if you want similar beginner features—monthly webinars and large video libraries—Plus500 is also a dependable choice.

Feature	Plus500	IC Markets
Webinars info	Yes info	Yes
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 Plus500 is better than IC Markets. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #20.

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	IC Markets
Overall Rating info
Trust Score info	99	84
Range of Investments
Commissions & Fees
Platforms & Tools
Research
Mobile Trading
Education

FAQs

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Overall Rating	Plus500	IC Markets
Overall Rating info
Commissions & Fees
Range of Investments
Platforms & Tools
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	84
Winner	check_circle
Review	Plus500 Review	IC Markets Review

Broker Screenshots	Plus500	IC Markets
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info

Regulation	Plus500	IC Markets
Trust Score info	99	84
Year Founded info	2008	2007
Publicly Traded (Listed) info	Yes	No
Bank info	No	No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info	Yes info	Yes info
Tier-1 Licenses info	6	2
Tier-2 Licenses info	3	0
Tier-3 Licenses info	0	0
Tier-4 Licenses info	2	3

Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted)	Plus500	IC Markets
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info	Yes	Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info	No	No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info	No	No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info	Yes	No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info	Yes	No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info	Yes	No
USA (CFTC Authorized) info	No	No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info	Yes	No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info	Yes info	Yes info

Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted)	Plus500	IC Markets
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info	Yes	No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info	Yes	No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info	Yes info	No
India (SEBI Authorised) info	No	No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info

Investments	Plus500	IC Markets
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info	Yes info	Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info	5500 info	3583
Forex Pairs (Total) info	65	61
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info	Yes	No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info	No	No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info	Yes info	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	IC Markets
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info	1.3 info	0.62 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info	1.3 info	0.62 info
Inactivity Fee info	Yes	No
Order execution: Agency info	No	Yes
Order execution: Market Maker info	Yes	Yes

Funding	Plus500	IC Markets
Minimum Deposit info	€50 info	$200
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info	Yes	Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info	No	No

Trading Platforms	Plus500	IC Markets
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info	Yes	No
Desktop Platform (Windows) info	No	Yes
Web Platform info	Yes	Yes
Copy Trading info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info	No	Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info	No	Yes
cTrader info	No	Yes

Trading Tools	Plus500	IC Markets
Virtual Trading (Demo) info	Yes	Yes
Price Alerts info	Yes	Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info	115	30
Charting - Trade From Chart info	No	Yes
Charts can be saved info	Yes	Yes

Mobile Trading	Plus500	IC Markets
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	No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info	115	30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info	Yes	Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info	No	Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Research	Plus500	IC Markets
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info	Yes	Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info	No	Yes
Autochartist info	No	Yes
Trading Central info	Yes	Yes
TipRanks info	No	No
Client sentiment data info	Yes	Yes
Economic Calendar info	Yes	Yes

Education	Plus500	IC Markets
Webinars info	Yes info	Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info	Yes	Yes

Major Forex Pairs	Plus500	IC Markets
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info	Yes info	Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review	Plus500 Review	IC Markets Review

Overall	Plus500	IC Markets
Overall Rating info
Commissions & Fees
Range of Investments
Platforms & Tools
Mobile Trading
Research
Education
Trust Score info	99	84
Winner	check_circle
Review	Plus500 Review	IC Markets Review