Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of OANDA 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.
Comparing online brokers OANDA and Plus500: OANDA was founded in 1996 and is not publicly traded, while Plus500 launched in 2008 and is publicly listed. Neither broker is a bank.
On regulation and safety, OANDA holds seven Tier-1 licenses and zero Tier-2 licenses, and has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 92. Plus500 holds six Tier-1 licenses and four Tier-2 licenses, with a Trust Score of 99. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s scale, 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 should not be trusted; both OANDA and Plus500 fall in the highly trusted range.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 6 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 4 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
OANDA and Plus500 both earn 4/5 stars for commissions and fees. By ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, OANDA is #30 of 63 while Plus500 is #24 of 63. In practice, both sit above the lowest-cost brokers: Plus500’s EUR/USD spread averaged 1.5 pips in April 2024, and OANDA’s standard (non-core) pricing averaged 1.61 pips on EUR/USD in July 2024. If you qualify for OANDA’s Core pricing, the all-in cost on EUR/USD can drop to about 1.4 pips (0.4-pip spread plus ~1.0 pip in commission-equivalent), which edges under its default pricing.
OANDA isn’t a discount broker and its effective spreads can be high, but it offers automated execution across accounts and spreads that are comparable to FOREX.com and FxPro. Core pricing adds a per-side commission of $5 per $100,000 traded (about $10 per round turn) and requires a $10,000 minimum deposit. OANDA also stands out for very small trade sizes (down to 1 unit, or 0.001 micro lot) and an Elite Trader program in select regions with volume-based rebates of $5–$17 per million, plus potential TradingView subscription reimbursements. For transparency, OANDA publishes trailing average spreads, though it doesn’t provide a fixed-period average, which can make exact comparisons harder.
Plus500’s pricing is slightly above the industry average and lags the best brokers for active trader pricing. It doesn’t offer retail discounts, though cash rebates may be available if you qualify as a Professional client. Bottom line: Plus500’s typical spread on EUR/USD (1.5 pips) is close to OANDA’s standard 1.61 pips, while OANDA’s Core pricing can be cheaper if you meet the deposit requirement. Ratings: OANDA 4/5 stars (ranked #30/63); Plus500 4/5 stars (ranked #24/63).
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.68 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 1.3 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
OANDA vs Plus500: both brokers support forex trading (CFD or spot) and carry wide lineups of markets. Plus500 offers 5,500 tradeable symbols, while OANDA lists 4,172. For forex pairs, OANDA has a slight edge with 69 versus 65 at Plus500. Each broker also lets you buy exchange-traded stocks directly on U.S. markets like NASDAQ as well as on international exchanges. Crypto access differs: OANDA lets you buy both actual cryptocurrency and crypto CFDs, whereas Plus500 offers crypto only as CFDs. OANDA also supports copy trading; Plus500 does not.
Both earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments from ForexBrokers.com. In the category rankings out of 63 brokers, Plus500 is placed #17 and OANDA is ranked #20.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 5500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
OANDA and Plus500 both provide free demo accounts and their own in-house trading platforms, along with easy-to-use web platforms. A key difference is access: OANDA also offers a Windows desktop app and supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while Plus500 does not provide a desktop download or MetaTrader support.
For tools, OANDA lets you place trades directly from charts and supports copy trading; Plus500 does not offer these features. According to ForexBrokers.com, OANDA earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #16 for Trading Platforms and Tools, while Plus500 scores 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #14.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both OANDA and Plus500 offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each supports price alerts to help you track markets on the go. A key difference is watchlist syncing: Plus500 syncs your watchlist between the mobile app and your online account, while OANDA does not.
For charting, Plus500 includes 115 technical studies compared with 30 on OANDA. Both apps let you draw trendlines, but only OANDA auto-saves your drawings. In independent ratings from ForexBrokers.com, OANDA’s mobile app earns 5 stars and ranks 7th out of 63 brokers, while Plus500’s app scores 4.5 stars and ranks 14th.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 115 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
OANDA vs Plus500: both brokers deliver daily market commentary, a sentiment tool showing long/short positioning, and an economic calendar. The key differences are in news and third‑party tools. OANDA streams forex news from top‑tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while Plus500 does not. OANDA also includes Autochartist for pattern recognition and trade ideas, whereas Plus500 skips Autochartist but adds Trading Central. Neither broker offers TipRanks or Acuity Trading research.
Independent ratings favor OANDA for research: it earns 5/5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 scores 4.5/5 stars and ranks #17. Choose OANDA if premium news and Autochartist matter most; pick Plus500 if you prefer access to Trading Central. For everyday insights like commentary, sentiment, and calendars, both platforms have you covered.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
If you’re new to trading forex or CFDs, both OANDA and Plus500 make learning approachable. Each runs ongoing client webinars (at least one per month) and offers plenty of video lessons for newcomers, including 10+ beginner videos that explain essentials like order types, risk, and platform basics. When you’re ready to go further, both brokers also provide 10+ advanced videos covering strategies and market analysis, helping you grow from beginner to more experienced trader.
In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, OANDA’s education earned 5 stars and ranks 18th out of 63 brokers, while Plus500 earned 4.5 stars and ranks 26th. If education is your priority, OANDA edges ahead, though Plus500 still offers strong learning support through regular webinars and a sizable video library for forex and CFD topics.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that OANDA is better than Plus500. OANDA finished with an overall rank of #13, while Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14.
A trusted global brand, OANDA stands out for its reputation and quality market research. Its regulatory track record is strong, and its support for third-party features bolsters its overall offering.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 92 | 99 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
In the OANDA vs Plus500 comparison, OANDA lets you buy real, delivered cryptocurrencies and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, while Plus500 supports only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not offer the ability to purchase actual crypto.
OANDA vs Plus500: OANDA supports ACH/SEPA deposits and withdrawals while Plus500 does not; both brokers offer PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire options, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 92 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 6 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 4 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 5500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.68 | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 1.3 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 115 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 115 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | OANDA Review | Plus500 Review |
| Overall | OANDA | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 92 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | Plus500 Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill