Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Plus500 vs IUX, 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.
Founded in 2008, Plus500 stands out in the online brokerage industry with a stellar Trust Score of 99 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, indicating a high level of trust. It is publicly traded, enhancing its transparency and credibility. Plus500 operates under 6 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses, showcasing a strong regulatory framework that provides added security for its users. Although not a bank, its extensive regulatory coverage contributes to its position as a highly trusted broker.
In comparison, IUX, established in 2016, holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 78, reflecting an average risk level. It is not publicly traded, which might affect transparency for potential clients. IUX operates under 1 Tier-1 license and 1 Tier-2 license, suggesting a less extensive regulatory reach compared to Plus500. While neither Plus500 nor IUX are banks, the variation in their regulatory standings provides prospective investors with options depending on their preference for trust and security levels.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2016 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of Plus500 and IUX, each broker has its own unique offerings and drawbacks. Plus500 is positioned slightly above the industry average in terms of pricing. This broker does not offer retail client discounts, but Professional clients may benefit from cash rebates similar to an active trader program. However, with the average spread for the EUR/USD pair at 1.5 pips in April 2024, Plus500's pricing is considered higher than the industry average. Evaluated on commissions and fees, Plus500 earns a 4.0-star rating and ranks 25th out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
IUX offers more tailored options with a range of account types catering to different trading needs, from spread-only accounts to commission-based accounts for active traders. The Standard and Standard+ accounts are accessible with a $10 minimum deposit, with the latter offering deposit bonus promotions at the cost of wider spreads. For those engaging in frequent trades, IUX’s Raw and Pro accounts require a $500 minimum deposit, offering tighter spreads and, in the case of the Raw account, a commission of $6 per 100,000 units traded. Depending on the account, average spreads for the EUR/USD pair range from 0.6 to 0.9 pips. Despite being a smaller broker, IUX holds a competitive position though it remains behind industry frontrunners. IUX is rated 4 stars and holds the 48th position out of 63 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category as per ForexBrokers.com.
Both brokers present different pricing structures, with Plus500 offering a straightforward approach and IUX providing more varied account options. Traders must weigh Plus500's higher spreads against IUX’s potential trade-offs between commissions and promotional benefits, selecting the option that best aligns with their trading strategy and financial goals.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €50 | 10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | 0.6 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the online brokers Plus500 and IUX, both offer similar features in terms of CFD forex trading. However, Plus500 stands out with a much wider range of investment options. Plus500 offers a vast selection of 5,500 tradeable symbols and 65 forex pairs, giving investors a more extensive array of choices compared to IUX, which provides only 152 tradeable symbols and 34 forex pairs. While both brokers allow trading in cryptocurrency derivatives, neither offers the ability to purchase actual cryptocurrencies or engage in copy trading.
One significant advantage of Plus500 is its offering of exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, which means investors can directly buy shares like Apple on the NASDAQ or Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange. In contrast, IUX allows trading on international exchanges but lacks access to U.S. traded securities. This broader range of investment options contributes to Plus500's higher rating of 4.5 stars for its Range of Investments and a #20 ranking by ForexBrokers.com, while IUX holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks #60 in the same category.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 152 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 34 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, both Plus500 and IUX offer unique experiences tailored to various traders' needs. Plus500 provides a free virtual demo account for simulated trading, allowing beginners to practice without financial risk. Their proprietary, web-based trading platform offers ease of use but lacks Windows-based desktop integration. Although it boasts over 30 drawing tools, Plus500 doesn't support direct trading from stock charts, MetaTrader options, or additional platforms like DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. For those tracking multiple trades, its watchlist provides 10 columns for customization, contributing to a solid 4.5-star rating and a ranking of 14th out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
IUX matches Plus500 in offering a virtual demo account and a proprietary platform, but with the added benefit of a Windows-based desktop option. The inclusion of MetaTrader 5 gives users flexibility, though, like Plus500, it doesn't support DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. Traders might find IUX more appealing for technical analysis, thanks to 89 drawing tools and the ability to trade directly from stock charts. The extensive watchlist customization with 46 columns is another plus. However, despite these features, IUX earns a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars and is ranked 59th in the same broker comparison by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 106 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 89 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 46 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to trading on-the-go, both Plus500 and IUX provide mobile apps for iPhone and Android users. However, Plus500 stands out by offering features like stock and forex price alerts and watchlist symbol syncing, both absent from IUX's offerings. For charting aficionados, Plus500 delivers 115 technical studies compared to IUX's 106, and includes features like drawing trendlines on charts, unlike IUX. Both platforms allow viewing multiple time frames of stock or forex charts, yet IUX has the edge with auto-saving drawing capabilities not found in Plus500's app.
In terms of user ratings and overall performance, Plus500 shines brightly with a mobile app rating of 4.5 stars, significantly outpacing IUX's 3.5 stars. Furthermore, ForexBrokers.com ranks Plus500 at an impressive #14 out of 63 brokers for their mobile trading apps, while IUX trails behind at #60. Both apps allow traders to create watchlists with real-time quotes, but Plus500's array of features and higher rankings make it a more attractive choice for mobile users seeking a versatile trading experience.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | 106 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing market research offerings, Plus500 stands out with daily market commentary, setting it apart from IUX, which does not offer this feature. Both platforms do not provide forex news from top-tier sources, nor do they include tools from Autochartist or research from TipRanks and Acuity Trading. However, Plus500 offers users enhanced tools by providing technical analysis from Trading Central and a sentiment-based trading tool, which allows investors to view the ratio of long or short positions across different financial instruments. In contrast, IUX lacks these tools, potentially limiting the depth of analysis available to traders.
Both Plus500 and IUX offer an economic calendar for tracking global news events, though Plus500 boasts a higher research rating of 4.0 stars out of 5, compared to IUX’s 3 stars. This higher rating is reflected in Plus500's stronger position, ranked #19 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, whereas IUX is positioned at #59. For those seeking more comprehensive research tools and insights, Plus500 appears to deliver a more enriched trading experience for its users.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When looking at the educational resources available for beginners, Plus500 clearly stands out compared to IUX. Plus500 offers a wealth of educational content, including over ten pieces focusing on forex and CFDs, along with monthly webinars for clients. Users can also access a searchable archive of past webinars, which adds significant value for those who prefer learning at their own pace. Beginners will find a robust library of more than ten educational videos specifically tailored for them, as well as resources for advanced traders. In contrast, while IUX does provide beginner videos, it falls short in offering comprehensive resources like forex and CFD articles or advanced educational content. Additionally, IUX does not conduct regular webinars or maintain an archive of past ones.
Both platforms do not provide an investor dictionary with a broad range of investing terms. However, Plus500 continues to have an edge by receiving a higher educational rating of 4.0 stars compared to IUX's 3 stars. In rankings, this is reflected by Plus500's #31 position out of 63 brokers in the education category, significantly ahead of IUX, which sits at #59. This comparison indicates that new traders looking for an in-depth and accessible educational experience might find Plus500 better suited to meet their needs.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | No |
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 IUX. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while IUX finished with an overall rank of #55.
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
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 78 |
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While both Plus500 and IUX do not provide options to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency, they each offer the capability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, making them suitable choices for investors interested in speculative trading without owning the digital assets directly.
While both Plus500 and IUX do not support ACH or SEPA transfers, Plus500 distinguishes itself by offering PayPal as a deposit and withdrawal option, unlike IUX, but both brokers accept Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires for convenient account funding transactions.
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 | IUX | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 78 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Plus500 | IUX | |
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| Regulation | Plus500 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 78 | |
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2016 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Plus500 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 152 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 34 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. |
| Cost | Plus500 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.3 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | 0.6 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Plus500 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €50 | 10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Plus500 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Plus500 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 46 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 106 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 36 | 89 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | Plus500 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | 106 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | Plus500 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Plus500 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Plus500 | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | IUX | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 78 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review |
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