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Interactive Brokers vs Plus500 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

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.

Interactive Brokers
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 8500
Plus500
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: โ‚ฌ50 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

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 logoInteractive Brokers
Plus500 logoPlus500
Year Founded info 1977 2008
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes Yes
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 9 6
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 2

Fees

Interactive Brokers earns 5/5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers, while Plus500 scores 4.0/5 stars and ranks #24 out of 63. The difference shows up most clearly in forex trading costs: Interactive Brokers typically delivers lower all-in pricing on major pairs, whereas Plus500โ€™s costs tend to be higher for everyday and active traders.

Interactive Brokers does not publish average forex spreads, but Q3 2024 data shows its EUR/USD spread averaged 0.19 pips, or about 0.59 pips all-in after commission. Its commission starts at 0.00002 of the U.S. dollar trade value per side (minimum $2 per order), which works out to roughly 0.40 pips in commission on a $100,000 EUR/USD round trip, plus the prevailing spread. Smaller trade sizes feel the minimum more, while very high-volume traders can reduce the minimum to $1.50 per order above $1 billion in monthly volume and to $1 at $5 billion. IBKR charges a commission instead of marking up spreads and aggregates quotes from multiple interbank dealers.

Plus500 generally prices above the industry average and does not discount for retail clients. In April 2024, its average EUR/USD spread was 1.5 pips, which is higher than Interactive Brokersโ€™ effective all-in cost on the same pair. Plus500 offers cash rebates only to Professional clients, so most traders wonโ€™t see lower fees as their volume grows. In short: Interactive Brokers (5/5 stars, #2/63) is the stronger pick on pure trading costs, while Plus500 (4.0/5 stars, #24/63) is simpler but typically pricier on spreads.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Plus500 logoPlus500
Minimum Deposit info $0 โ‚ฌ50 info
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.59 info 1.3 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 1.3 info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

Interactive Brokers offers a wider range of markets than Plus500. Both support forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts, but Interactive Brokers lists about 8,500 tradeable symbols and around 90 forex pairs, compared with Plus500โ€™s roughly 5,500 symbols and 65 pairs. Neither platform offers copy trading.

For shares, both brokers let you buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges. Crypto access differs: Interactive Brokers lets you buy actual cryptocurrencies as well as crypto derivatives, while Plus500 offers only crypto derivatives, not the coins themselves. Reflecting this breadth, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 stars and ranked #1 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments by ForexBrokers.com; Plus500 earns 4.5 stars and ranks #22.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
Plus500 logoPlus500
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes info
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 8500 5500 info
Forex Pairs (Total) info 90 65
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes Yes
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No No
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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

Interactive Brokers vs Plus500: both brokers offer a free paper trading (demo) account, in-house platforms, and web-based trading. If you prefer a downloadable Windows desktop platform, Interactive Brokers provides one, while Plus500 does not. Neither broker supports copy trading, MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), or ZuluTrade. You can place trades directly from charts with Interactive Brokers, but not with Plus500.

For platform tools, Interactive Brokers delivers far more watchlist fields (659 vs 10 for Plus500), making it easier to sort and filter your ideas. In ForexBrokers.comโ€™s Trading Platforms and Tools category, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars and ranks 3rd out of 63 brokers, while Plus500 earns 4.5 stars and ranks 14th. If you want advanced controls and deep data, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice; if you prefer a simple, browser-only setup, Plus500 is a straightforward pick.

Feature Interactive Brokers logoInteractive Brokers
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
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No No
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No No
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No No
DupliTrade [DELETED] info
ZuluTrade info No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 155 115
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] info
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes No
Watchlists - Total Fields info 659 10

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

Forex trading apps

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 logoInteractive Brokers
Plus500 logoPlus500
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 97 115
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info No No
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

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 logoInteractive Brokers
Plus500 logoPlus500
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info Yes No
Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) info Yes No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

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 logoInteractive Brokers
Plus500 logoPlus500
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes Yes info
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes info
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

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 logoInteractive Brokers
Plus500 logoPlus500
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 99
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Interactive Brokers or Plus500?

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.

What funding options does each broker offer?

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.




announcementPlease note:

We review each brokerโ€™s overall global offering โ€“ a โ€œYesโ€ 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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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating Interactive Brokers Plus500
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 99
Winner check_circle
Review Interactive Brokers Review Plus500 Review
Broker Screenshots Interactive Brokers Plus500
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
Regulation Interactive Brokers Plus500
Trust Score info 99 99
Year Founded info 1977 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 9 6
Tier-2 Licenses info 2 3
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 2
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) Interactive Brokers Plus500
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info Yes Yes
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info Yes No
Japan (SFC Authorised) info Yes Yes
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes Yes
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info Yes
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info Yes 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) Interactive Brokers Plus500
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No Yes
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No Yes
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info Yes Yes info
India (SEBI Authorised) info Yes No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info
Investments Interactive Brokers Plus500
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes info
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 8500 5500 info
Forex Pairs (Total) info 90 65
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes Yes
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No No
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info Yes No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) 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 Interactive Brokers Plus500
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.59 info 1.3 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.65 info 1.3 info
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info Yes No
Inactivity Fee info No Yes
Execution: Agency Broker info Yes No
Execution: Market Maker info No Yes
Funding Interactive Brokers Plus500
Minimum Deposit info $0 โ‚ฌ50 info
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
ACH or SEPA Transfers info Yes No
Trading Platforms Interactive Brokers Plus500
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes No
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Social Trading / Copy Trading info No No
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No No
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No No
cTrader info No No
DupliTrade [DELETED] info
ZuluTrade info No No
Trading Tools Interactive Brokers Plus500
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Watchlists - Total Fields info 659 10
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 155 115
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] info
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes No
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading Interactive Brokers Plus500
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes Yes
Watchlist Syncing info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 97 115
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave info No No
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research Interactive Brokers Plus500
Daily Market Commentary info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes No
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central (Recognia) info Yes Yes
TipRanks info Yes No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education Interactive Brokers Plus500
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Client Webinars info Yes Yes info
Client Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes info
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info Yes No
Major Forex Pairs Interactive Brokers Plus500
GBP/USD info Yes Yes info
USD/JPY info Yes Yes info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes info
USD/CHF info Yes Yes info
USD/CAD info Yes Yes info
NZD/USD info Yes Yes info
AUD/USD info Yes Yes info
Review Interactive Brokers Review Plus500 Review
Overall Interactive Brokers Plus500
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4.0/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 99
Winner check_circle
Review Interactive Brokers Review Plus500 Review
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