Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Plus500, 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.
Interactive Brokers, founded in 1977, and Plus500, established in 2008, both enjoy top-tier credibility in the online brokerage world. They each have a perfect 99 Trust Score rating on ForexBrokers.com, indicating they are highly reliable. Both firms are publicly traded, offering transparency and investor oversight. Although neither is a bank, they are distinguished by their regulatory approvals: Interactive Brokers holds nine Tier-1 licenses while Plus500 has six, reflecting their strong compliance with top financial regulatory bodies worldwide.
On the Tier-2 license front, Plus500 takes a slight lead with three approvals compared to Interactive Brokers' two. These licenses further underscore the general trustworthiness and security for users trading with these brokers. Whether you choose Interactive Brokers or Plus500, both options provide extensive regulatory backing, granting consumers peace of mind when trading online.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 6 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Interactive Brokers and Plus500 offer distinct approaches to commissions and fees, reflecting their diverse target markets. Interactive Brokers is renowned for its competitive forex pricing, even though it doesn't publicize its average forex spreads. During Q3 2024, the EUR/USD spread was approximately 0.19 pips, translating to an all-in spread of 0.59 pips after commission. Forex commissions with Interactive Brokers start at 0.00002 of the USD trade value, with a minimum charge of $2 per order. Active traders can benefit from significant discounts, dropping fees as trading volumes increase. This competitive fee structure has earned Interactive Brokers a 5-star rating and the #2 rank among 63 brokers for commissions and fees by ForexBrokers.com.
Plus500 offers straightforward pricing without commission fees but tends to have higher spreads compared to industry leaders. For instance, EUR/USD spreads were 1.5 pips on average in April 2024, which is slightly above the industry standard. While Plus500 doesn’t offer direct discounts to retail traders, it does provide cash rebates for those qualifying as Professional clients. Despite this, its fee structure is less accommodating to active traders, contributing to its 4-star rating and #23 rank in the commissions and fees category as reviewed by ForexBrokers.com.
In summary, Interactive Brokers appeals to cost-conscious traders, especially those engaging in high volume trading, with its low commission rates and potential discounts. Plus500, while offering commission-free trading with straightforward pricing, may not be as financially attractive to active traders due to its higher spreads. This comparison highlights the importance of considering trading styles and priorities when choosing a broker, with Interactive Brokers offering more advantages for active forex traders seeking lower costs.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | 1.3 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Plus500 both offer a wide range of investment options, making them appealing for varied financial strategies. Interactive Brokers shines with access to an impressive 8500 tradeable symbols, including a comprehensive selection of 90 forex pairs available either as CFDs or spot contracts. Plus500, while offering fewer tradeable symbols at 5500, also provides forex trading as CFDs with a choice of 65 pairs. Both platforms grant access to U.S. and international exchange-traded securities such as prominent stocks like Apple and Vodafone, but neither supports copy trading. Notably, Interactive Brokers allows clients to purchase real cryptocurrencies, whereas Plus500 only offers cryptocurrency derivatives.
The wider array of investment choices and offerings at Interactive Brokers grants it a top rating of five stars for its range of investments, outperforming Plus500's still commendable 4.5 stars. Ranking evaluations from ForexBrokers.com place Interactive Brokers at the apex of the investment variety category, securing the 1st position among 63 brokers. Plus500 holds the 21st rank, reflecting its strong but lesser market coverage in comparison. Each platform’s ratings highlight their respective strengths in meeting diverse trading needs, with Interactive Brokers positioned as a versatile leader in the market.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 5500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 65 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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. |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Interactive Brokers and Plus500 both provide traders with excellent platforms and tools, but they differ in several key areas. Both brokers offer proprietary, web-based platforms and free virtual demo accounts, making it easy for users to practice and enhance their trading strategies. However, Interactive Brokers stands out with its Windows-based desktop platform, offering a more comprehensive charting experience with 85 drawing tools and the ability to trade directly from stock charts. In contrast, Plus500, while still offering a solid platform, does not support a desktop download or allow trading directly from charts, providing 36 drawing tools for charting use.
When it comes to customization, Interactive Brokers excels with an impressive 659 columns available for watch lists compared to Plus500's 10. Although neither broker supports copy trading or popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and 5, they both maintain a competitive edge in their own right. Interactive Brokers has received a perfect five-star rating for Trading Platforms and Tools, securing the #3 spot among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Plus500, with its 4.5-star rating and ranking of #14, still offers a commendable platform, but falls slightly behind in versatility and features compared to Interactive Brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 115 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 36 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 10 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Plus500 both offer comprehensive mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, catering to both stock and forex traders. With features like price alerts and watchlist syncing, both apps ensure that updates made on mobile devices are reflected in the user's online account. They also allow users to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on stock and forex charts. However, neither app saves chart drawings automatically, so users must manually save their work before closing the app.
When it comes to charting tools, Plus500 edges ahead by offering 115 technical studies compared to Interactive Brokers' 97. Yet, Interactive Brokers shines in mobile trading app ratings, receiving a perfect 5-star score and ranking 4th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Plus500 follows closely with a 4.5-star rating and a 14th place ranking. Both apps allow the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, making them excellent picks for traders seeking mobile flexibility.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 115 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing market research offerings, Interactive Brokers and Plus500 both provide daily market commentary to keep investors informed. However, Interactive Brokers has a distinct advantage by delivering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, which Plus500 does not. Both brokers offer technical analysis tools from Trading Central and sentiment-based trading tools that display the ratio of long to short positions, providing valuable insights for traders. While Interactive Brokers also provides additional market research from companies like TipRanks and Acuity Trading's Signal Centre, Plus500 does not include these features in its offerings.
In terms of research tools, both brokers feature an economic calendar to help traders stay ahead of global news events. However, the quality and depth of market research place Interactive Brokers ahead of Plus500, as reflected in their ratings. With a research score of 5 out of 5 stars and a remarkable #3 ranking out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers excels in delivering comprehensive research services. In contrast, Plus500 holds a 4-star rating and is ranked #19, indicating a solid but less extensive offering compared to Interactive Brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources offered by Interactive Brokers and Plus500 for beginners, both online brokers provide substantial content on forex and CFDs. Each platform offers over ten educational pieces that cater to those interested in currency trading topics. Whether you are learning through articles, videos, or archived webinars, both brokers provide the resources needed to enhance your understanding. They also hold regular online webinars, offering at least one session per month and maintain a searchable archive of past webinars to facilitate continuous learning. This ensures that both beginners and experienced traders have access to valuable educational content at their convenience.
Interactive Brokers stands out with its comprehensive educational offerings, providing over ten beginner-friendly videos and an equal number of advanced videos for more experienced traders. Additionally, Interactive Brokers offers an investor dictionary featuring definitions of over 50 investing terms, a resource not present with Plus500. As a testament to its superior educational resources, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranked #3 among 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Plus500, though highly competent, is rated 4.0 stars and ranked #31, which reflects a slightly less comprehensive offering for those seeking to deepen their financial knowledge.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than Plus500. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14.
Interactive Brokers is a highly trusted multi-asset broker with an extensive offering of tradeable global markets. It delivers competitive fees and high-quality research and education, as well as a modern, institutional-grade trading platform suite.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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Plus500
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
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Interactive Brokers and Plus500 differ in their cryptocurrency offerings, with Interactive Brokers allowing users to purchase both actual cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas Plus500 only provides access to cryptocurrency derivatives.
Interactive Brokers supports ACH, SEPA, and bank wire transfers for depositing or withdrawing funds but does not offer PayPal, Skrill, or card payments, whereas Plus500 provides flexible options including PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, yet lacks ACH and SEPA transfer support.
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 | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 9 | 6 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 5500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 90 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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 | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.59 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.59 | 1.3 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 10 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 115 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 85 | 36 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 97 | 115 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Interactive Brokers Review | Plus500 Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Plus500 Review |
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