Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote 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.
Swissquote vs Plus500: Swissquote was founded in 1996 and Plus500 in 2008. Both are publicly traded, but only Swissquote is a bank. Each earns a 99/99 Trust Score from ForexBrokers.com (which labels 90–99 as highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 not trusted), signaling top-tier confidence in both brands.
On regulation, Plus500 holds 7 Tier-1 licenses and 4 Tier-2 licenses, while Swissquote holds 5 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses. That means both have strong oversight from leading regulators, with Plus500 covering more top-tier jurisdictions, and Swissquote adding the distinction of being a licensed bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 7 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 4 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Swissquote and Plus500 both sit above the cheapest names in the market, but they do so in different ways. Swissquote is known for the appeal of banking with a Swiss financial group, yet that convenience comes with higher trading costs. Its pricing depends on which branch you use, with the U.K. entity generally offering the lowest costs, while Swiss and Luxembourg accounts tend to require larger deposits and can carry wider spreads. Swissquote’s commissions and fees rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars, and it ranks #35 out of 36 brokers in this category.
Swissquote’s U.K. accounts include options such as Standard, Prime, Professional, and Elite, with the Elite account aimed at active traders who can deposit at least $10,000 and pay a $5 round-turn trade commission in exchange for lower spreads. In Luxembourg, pricing is similar overall, with spreads starting around 0.8 pips on the Prime account and rising to about 1.5 pips on Standard. In Switzerland, forex pricing starts higher, with spreads from 1.7 pips on the Standard account, 1.4 pips on Premium, and 1.1 pips on Prime, making Swissquote a more premium-priced choice than bargain brokers.
Plus500 is simpler on the pricing side, but it is still not a low-cost leader. Its commissions and fees are slightly above the industry average, and it does not offer retail discounts, though Professional clients may qualify for cash rebates. In April 2024, Plus500’s average EUR/USD spread was 1.5 pips, which is higher than average. Even so, it scores better than Swissquote in this category, earning 4.0 out of 5 stars and ranking #24 out of 36 brokers.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | €50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 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.
When it comes to the range of investments, Swissquote and Plus500 both give traders access to forex, exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, and cryptocurrency CFDs. Swissquote also stands out for offering copy trading and the option to buy actual cryptocurrency, not just CFDs. In addition, Swissquote provides 472 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, while Plus500 offers a much larger overall selection with 5,500 tradeable symbols but a smaller 65 forex pairs.
Overall, Swissquote appears stronger for investors who want more ways to trade across asset types, especially if they want copy trading or real crypto ownership. That edge is reflected in its 5-star Range of Investments rating and #2 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with Plus500’s 4.5-star rating and #16 ranking. Plus500 still offers a wide market selection, but Swissquote has the broader mix for those looking for more variety in where and how they invest.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 5500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 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.
Swissquote and Plus500 both give traders access to a free demo account, a web-based platform, and their own in-house trading platform. Both brokers also earn the same 4.5 out of 5 stars for trading platforms and tools, which shows that each offers a strong overall trading experience. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, Swissquote places slightly higher at #12, while Plus500 comes in at #14.
Where Swissquote stands out is in platform choice and trading extras. It offers a Windows desktop download, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, copy trading, and the ability to trade directly from charts. Plus500, by comparison, keeps things simpler: it does not offer a desktop download, MT4, MT5, copy trading, or chart trading. For traders who want more platform options and tools, Swissquote has the edge, while Plus500 may appeal to those who prefer a more straightforward setup.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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) | 86 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Swissquote and Plus500 both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each lets users set stock or forex price alerts. Both apps also support trendline drawing on charts and hold the same 4.5 out of 5 star rating for mobile trading. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, Swissquote ranks slightly higher at #12 out of 36 brokers, compared with Plus500 at #14.
The main differences come down to charting and watchlists. Plus500 offers watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made in the app and online account stay aligned, while Swissquote does not. Plus500 also gives traders more charting tools, with 115 technical studies versus Swissquote’s 30. On the other hand, Swissquote’s mobile app can auto-save chart drawings, which Plus500 does not.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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.
Swissquote and Plus500 both give traders daily market commentary, an economic calendar, and the same 4.5-star Research rating, so each offers a solid starting point for staying on top of market moves. Swissquote stands out for its forex news from top names like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental ideas. It is also ranked slightly higher for research by ForexBrokers.com, coming in at #15 out of 36 brokers, while Plus500 is #16.
Plus500 has a different edge, offering Trading Central tools and a sentiment feature that shows the balance of long and short positions across markets. Swissquote does not include those tools, and neither broker offers TipRanks or Acuity Trading research. In short, Swissquote may suit traders who value premium news flow and Autochartist, while Plus500 may appeal more to those who want Trading Central signals and sentiment data.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Swissquote and Plus500 both give beginners plenty to work with when it comes to learning about forex and CFDs. Each broker offers at least 10 education pieces focused on these markets, runs online client webinars at least once a month, and provides 10 or more beginner videos as well as 10 or more advanced videos. In other words, both platforms supply a wide range of learning content for new traders and more experienced users alike.
Where they differ is in third-party ranking. Swissquote and Plus500 both earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education, but Swissquote places higher in ForexBrokers.com’s Education category, coming in at #19 out of 36 brokers compared with Plus500 at #26. For beginners, that makes Swissquote the slightly stronger pick on paper, even though both brokers offer a very similar set of educational tools.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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 Swissquote is better than Plus500. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14.
Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
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In the Swissquote vs Plus500 comparison, Swissquote lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, while Plus500 offers only cryptocurrency CFDs (not the actual coins).
In the Swissquote vs Plus500 comparison for deposits and withdrawals, Swissquote supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires, while Plus500 supports PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA.
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 | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 7 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 4 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 5500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 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 | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 1.3 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.3 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | €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 | Swissquote | 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 | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 115 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | 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 | Swissquote | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Plus500 Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Plus500 Review |
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