Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Plus500 vs IFC 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.
Plus500 and IFC Markets are noteworthy online brokers, each with unique strengths and regulatory standings. Founded in 2008, Plus500 is publicly traded and holds an impressive six Tier-1 licenses, which reflect the highest level of trust according to ForexBrokers.com. This substantial regulatory backing contributes to its perfect Trust Score of 99. Despite not being a bank, Plus500 is distinguished by its transparency and reliability, making it a prominent choice for many traders.
In contrast, IFC Markets, established in 2006, is not publicly traded and holds no Tier-1 licenses, instead relying on one Tier-2 license deemed "trusted." With a Trust Score of 73, it is considered to have an average risk level. Despite these differences, IFC Markets still competes in the brokerage industry, particularly appealing to those who prioritize other trading features over high regulatory credentials.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing Plus500 and IFC Markets, both brokers offer distinct approaches to commissions and fees that cater to different trading needs. Plus500's pricing is slightly above the industry's average, particularly for active traders. Despite not providing discounts to retail clients, Plus500 offers cash rebates if you qualify as a Professional client. Their EUR/USD spread averaged 1.5 pips in April 2024, which is higher than the industry standard. Plus500 is rated 4.0 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked 25th out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, IFC Markets provides a slightly more competitive edge for active traders through their new ECN account, with effective EUR/USD spreads reduced to 1.1 pips after including the 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade. The average spread for EUR/USD is 1.44, which is still above the industry average of 1.08. However, the lack of inactivity fees and availability of active trader discounts offer additional financial incentives. IFC Markets also received a 4-star rating for commissions and fees, though they are positioned lower, at 39th out of 63 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com rankings.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 1.44 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | 1.1 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the investment offerings of Plus500 and IFC Markets, Plus500 boasts a more extensive selection, with a total of 5,500 tradeable symbols compared to IFC Markets' 630. Both platforms provide forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts; however, Plus500 takes the lead with 65 tradeable forex pairs against IFC Markets' 49. Additionally, Plus500 allows clients to buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, such as Apple and Vodafone shares, whereas IFC Markets only offers exchange-traded options on international exchanges like Vodafone. Neither broker offers the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies, focusing instead on cryptocurrency derivatives.
In terms of unique features, IFC Markets provides copy trading, a service not offered by Plus500, potentially appealing to those looking to mirror the trades of experienced investors. Despite this, Plus500 garners a higher rating of 4.5 stars for its range of investments, surpassing IFC Markets' 3.5-star rating. According to ForexBrokers.com, Plus500 is ranked 24th out of 63 brokers in the Range of Investments category, while IFC Markets comes in at 43rd place, underscoring Plus500's broader appeal for investors seeking a wider array of trading options.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 630 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| 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. |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When comparing Plus500 and IFC Markets, both brokers offer traders the ability to experience simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts. They also each provide a proprietary platform developed in-house. However, there are distinct differences, particularly in platform offerings and functionalities. Plus500 shines with its web-based trading platform, while IFC Markets offers a comprehensive suite of options that includes both MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), as well as a Windows-based desktop platform. For those interested in copy trading, IFC Markets is the go-to choice with dedicated options, unlike Plus500, which does not provide such services.
In terms of charting tools, Plus500 offers 36 drawing tools, providing versatility for technical analysis, which is more than the 15 drawing tools available with IFC Markets. However, IFC Markets excels in offering the ability to trade directly from a stock chart, a feature not available on Plus500. Moreover, Plus500 provides a more feature-rich watchlist with 10 columns, compared to IFC Markets' 7 columns. Ultimately, Plus500 scores higher in the Trading Platforms and Tools category, earning a 4.5-star rating and ranking 14th out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets holds a 4-star rating at the 36th position. This makes Plus500 a strong contender for users prioritizing high-rated platforms, although IFC Markets offers more comprehensive traditional trading tools.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IFC 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 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Plus500 and IFC Markets, both offer a comprehensive experience for iPhone and Android users, complete with stock and forex price alerts and seamless watchlist symbol syncing across devices. Plus500 stands out with its impressive 115 technical studies available for charting, compared to IFC Markets' 30. Both apps allow users to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts, although IFC Markets has the added advantage of auto-saving chart drawings, a feature Plus500 lacks.
In terms of real-time watchlists, both apps deliver, but user ratings and reviews favor Plus500, which receives a 4.5-star rating compared to IFC Markets’ 4-star rating. Plus500 is ranked 14th out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in the Mobile Trading Apps category, significantly higher than IFC Markets' 52nd place. This suggests that while both platforms offer essential tools for mobile traders, Plus500 may provide a slightly more polished and highly regarded experience.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | 30 |
| 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 it comes to market research, both Plus500 and IFC Markets offer essential tools for traders. They provide daily market commentary and an economic calendar that helps keep track of significant global news events. However, neither provides forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg or Reuters, nor do they include research tools from Autochartist or Acuity Trading. Despite these similarities, a key difference is that Plus500 integrates technical analysis tools from Trading Central, while IFC Markets does not. This feature gives Plus500 an edge in providing enhanced technical research capabilities.
For traders interested in sentiment analysis, both brokers offer tools that depict the ratio of long or short positions across various instruments. However, neither broker offers market research from TipRanks. Overall, Plus500 performs slightly better with its market research offerings, earning a 4.0-star rating and ranking #19 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, IFC Markets holds a 3.5-star rating and is ranked #40. These distinctions in research tools and services may sway traders looking for a more informative trading environment.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| 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.
When it comes to educational resources, both Plus500 and IFC Markets offer a solid foundation for beginners interested in forex and CFDs. Plus500 provides an extensive range of educational materials, including a minimum of 10 resources focused on forex and CFDs, alongside monthly live client webinars and a searchable archive of recorded sessions. IFC Markets matches Plus500 with a similar offering of beginner and advanced educational videos but does not host monthly webinars nor provide access to a recorded archive. However, IFC Markets offers an investor dictionary with comprehensive definitions of more than 50 investment terms, something that Plus500 lacks.
In terms of overall educational quality, Plus500 receives a slightly higher rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars, compared to IFC Markets' 3.5 stars. Interestingly, ForexBrokers.com ranks IFC Markets just ahead of Plus500, placing them at #30 and #31, respectively, out of 63 brokers. While both platforms deliver essential resources to kickstart a beginner's trading journey, Plus500 stands out with its live and recorded webinars, offering learners real-time and replayable educational experiences.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| 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 IFC Markets. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45.
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
|
IFC Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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Both Plus500 and IFC Markets do not offer the ability to buy actual, delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
While both Plus500 and IFC Markets allow deposits and withdrawals via Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, Plus500 distinguishes itself by also supporting PayPal and Skrill, options that IFC Markets does not offer, whereas 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 | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Plus500 | IFC Markets | |
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| Regulation | Plus500 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2006 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Plus500 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Plus500 | IFC 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 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 630 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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. |
| Cost | Plus500 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 1.44 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | 1.1 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Plus500 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Plus500 | IFC 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 | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Plus500 | IFC 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 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Plus500 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 115 | 30 | |
| 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 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Plus500 | IFC Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Plus500 | IFC 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 |
| Overall | Plus500 | IFC Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review |
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