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 and Plus500 are both highly regarded online brokers, each boasting a top-tier Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, indicating they are considered highly trusted options. Founded in 1996, Swissquote operates as a bank and is publicly traded, providing a solid foundation of stability and financial security. It holds five Tier-1 licenses, which are seen as highly trusted, and two Tier-2 licenses, recognized as trusted, which further reinforces its reputable regulatory standing.
On the other hand, Plus500, established in 2008, also garners a high level of trust. Plus500 is similarly publicly traded and holds six Tier-1 licenses, along with three Tier-2 licenses, showcasing its strong regulatory compliance though it is not classified as a bank. Both Swissquote and Plus500, with their excellent regulatory credentials, offer secure investment environments but differ in their institutional frameworks and years of experience in the industry.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 6 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Plus500 generally edges out Swissquote on overall pricing for most traders. Plus500 earns 4.0/5 stars and ranks #24 of 63 for Commissions and Fees, while Swissquote scores 3.5/5 stars and ranks #54 of 63. Plus500’s EUR/USD spreads averaged 1.5 pips in April 2024—slightly above the industry average—yet it still rates and ranks better than Swissquote in this category. Plus500 doesn’t discount pricing for retail clients, but Professional clients may qualify for cash rebates.
Swissquote’s pricing varies by entity and account type, and you’ll often pay a small premium for the Swiss banking brand. In the U.K., four account types are offered: Standard (EUR/USD from 1.3 pips), Prime (minimum spread from 0.6 pips, not an average), Elite (commission-based with a $5 charge per round-turn and lower spreads, designed for deposits of $10,000+), and a Professional account with similar pricing but different margin rules. Swissquote Luxembourg has three tiers with rising minimum deposits and falling minimum spreads: Standard ($1,000, from 1.5 pips), Premium ($5,000), and Prime ($50,000, from 0.8 pips). In Switzerland, forex clients see higher starting points: Standard ($1,000, from 1.7 pips), Premium ($10,000, from 1.4 pips), and Prime ($50,000, from 1.1 pips), with custom pricing negotiated for very active traders.
Bottom line: Plus500’s fee profile is simpler and, despite spreads that sit a touch above the market average, it outperforms Swissquote on ratings and rankings for commissions and fees. Swissquote can appeal to those seeking a Swiss bank and multiple account pathways, but its spreads and required deposits—especially outside the U.K. entity—tend to run higher than many low-cost forex 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.
Swissquote vs Plus500 for range of investments: Plus500 offers far more total instruments (about 5,500 vs Swissquote’s 472), which appeals if you want lots of markets in one place. For forex pairs, though, Swissquote edges ahead with 80 versus Plus500’s 65, and both let you trade forex as CFDs. Each broker also provides access to exchange-traded stocks in the U.S. and abroad (not just CFDs), so you can buy shares in companies like Apple or Vodafone directly.
Swissquote stands out for extras: it supports copy trading and lets you buy actual cryptocurrency as well as crypto CFDs, while Plus500 offers crypto only via CFDs and no copy trading. Reflecting this mix, ForexBrokers.com rates Swissquote 5/5 for Range of Investments and ranks it #2 of 63 brokers, while Plus500 scores 4.5/5 and ranks #22.
| 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 vs Plus500: both brokers offer a free demo account and their own proprietary platforms, along with convenient web-based trading. Swissquote also provides a downloadable Windows desktop platform, while Plus500 is web-only. According to ForexBrokers.com, both earn 4.5 stars for trading platforms and tools; among 63 brokers reviewed, Swissquote ranks #12 and Plus500 ranks #14.
For platform features, Swissquote pulls ahead with MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) support, copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. Plus500 does not offer MT4/MT5, copy trading, or trading from charts. If you want a wider toolkit and desktop flexibility, Swissquote is the stronger pick. If you prefer a simple, browser-based setup, Plus500 can be a straightforward choice.
| 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 deliver iPhone and Android mobile trading apps that cover the essentials: price alerts, trendline drawing, and clean, on-the-go access to markets. Each app earns a 4.5/5 rating for Mobile Trading Apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s 2024 rankings out of 63 brokers, Swissquote sits at #12 while Plus500 is close behind at #14, making both solid picks for traders who value mobile performance.
For charting, Plus500 offers more technical studies (115) than Swissquote (30), which may appeal to indicator-heavy traders. Swissquote counters with auto-saving for chart drawings, while Plus500 does not auto-save. Watchlists are another key difference: Plus500 syncs watchlist symbols between the app and your online account, whereas Swissquote does not. In short, choose Swissquote if saved chart work matters most, or Plus500 if you want deeper indicator choices and synced watchlists.
| 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 provide daily market commentary, offering traders insights into market movements. However, for those who rely heavily on receiving forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Swissquote has the upper hand by providing this feature, while Plus500 does not. In terms of analysis tools, Swissquote leverages resources from Autochartist for technical and fundamental research, whereas Plus500 offers tools from Trading Central, which includes sentiment-based trading tools that Swissquote lacks. Both brokers provide an economic calendar for tracking global news events, but neither offers market research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading.
When it comes to ratings, Swissquote and Plus500 both receive a commendable four-star rating for research from ForexBrokers.com. Despite their equal ratings, there is a slight difference in their rankings out of 63 brokers: Swissquote takes the 16th spot, while Plus500 follows at 19th. This comparison highlights Swissquote's strength in offering comprehensive forex news and research tools, while Plus500 differentiates itself with advanced trading tools from Trading Central. Whether you're prioritizing in-depth news coverage or sentiment analysis, both brokers cater to varying research needs with distinct advantages.
| 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.
Comparing Swissquote vs Plus500 for beginner education: both brokers run client webinars at least once a month and offer at least 10 beginner-friendly trading videos, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. Their materials span common trading topics, including forex and CFDs. Note: this summary does not confirm whether either broker meets the specific threshold of 10 or more dedicated forex/CFD pieces as a standalone category.
For overall education quality, Swissquote is rated 4 stars and ranks #20 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 is rated 4.0 stars and ranks #31. In short, both give beginners plenty of webinars and videos to get started, but Swissquote’s higher placement suggests a slightly stronger all-around learning experience. If you want regular webinars and a large video library, either platform works; if rankings matter to you, Swissquote has the edge.
| 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 |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| 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 | 6 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| 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 | No | |
| 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 SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Plus500 Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill