Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Plus500 vs Trading 212, 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.
Plus500 vs Trading 212: Plus500 was founded in 2008 and is publicly traded, while Trading 212 started in 2004 and is not listed. Neither company is a bank. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score scale (90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, below 59 not trusted), Plus500 scores 99/99, placing it in the highly trusted bracket, and Trading 212 scores 82/99, placing it in the trusted bracket.
Regulation is a key difference. Plus500 holds 7 Tier-1 licenses and 4 Tier-2 licenses, whereas Trading 212 holds 3 Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses. Tier-1 regulators are viewed as highly trusted and Tier-2 as trusted by ForexBrokers.com, which suggests Plus500 operates under a wider set of top-tier and mid-tier authorities than Trading 212.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 4 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
When comparing commissions and fees, Plus500 comes out slightly ahead of Trading 212 for overall pricing. Plus500 earns a 4.0-star rating and ranks #25 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Its pricing is a little above the industry average, and while it does not offer retail client discounts, some professional clients may qualify for cash rebates. In April 2024, Plus500’s average EUR/USD spread was 1.5 pips, which is higher than the industry average but still better than Trading 212’s CFD pricing.
Trading 212 receives a 4-star rating and ranks #28 out of 36 brokers in the same category. The broker advertises zero-commission trading, but that mainly applies to shares; CFD and forex traders still pay through the spread. Trading 212 has started sharing average spread data, and for April 2025 its EUR/USD spread averaged 2.7 pips, which is well above the industry average and makes it less competitive for active CFD and forex traders.
In simple terms, both brokers keep commissions low, but spreads are where the real cost shows up. Plus500 is the better choice for traders focused on lower trading costs between these two, while Trading 212 may appeal to those drawn to its zero-commission style marketing, even though CFD and forex spread costs can be higher.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €50 | €1 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 2.7 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | 2.7 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing Plus500 vs Trading 212 for range of investments, both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both also offer exchange traded securities on U.S. and international markets. Neither broker supports copy trading, and both let you trade cryptocurrency CFDs. The key difference is that Trading 212 has a wider selection overall, with around 13,000 tradeable symbols and 180 forex pairs, compared with Plus500’s 5,500 symbols and 65 forex pairs.
Trading 212 also stands out for offering the purchase of actual cryptocurrency, while Plus500 does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments category, Trading 212 is rated 5 stars and ranked #15 out of 36 brokers, while Plus500 is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #16. For traders who want a broader market choice, Trading 212 has the edge, although Plus500 still covers the main investment types many beginners look for.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 13000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 180 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes |
| 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. | 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Plus500 and Trading 212 both offer a free demo account, so beginners can practice trading without risking real money. Each broker also provides a web-based platform, but Plus500 stands out for its own in-house platform, while Trading 212 does not use a proprietary platform. Neither broker offers a Windows desktop download, copy trading, or MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, so traders looking for those tools will need to look elsewhere.
When it comes to platform features, Trading 212 has a small edge because it lets users place trades directly from a stock chart, while Plus500 does not. Still, Plus500 earns a slightly higher rating for Trading Platforms and Tools at 4.5 out of 5 stars, compared with 4 stars for Trading 212. That difference is reflected in their ForexBrokers.com rankings as well, with Plus500 placing #14 out of 36 brokers and Trading 212 coming in at #19.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 102 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Plus500 and Trading 212 both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts, watchlist symbol syncing, and trendline drawing on charts. This means users can monitor markets, keep track of favorite symbols, and make chart-based decisions from their phones with either broker. In these core mobile features, the two apps are very similar and both cover the basics well for everyday traders.
Where Plus500 pulls ahead is in charting depth and overall app ratings. Its mobile app includes 115 technical studies, compared with 104 at Trading 212, and it also earns a higher Mobile Trading Apps score at 4.5 stars versus 4 stars. Plus500 is ranked #14 out of 36 brokers in this category by ForexBrokers.com, while Trading 212 is ranked #17. One area where Trading 212 has an edge is that it auto-saves chart drawings, while Plus500 does not.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing Plus500 vs Trading 212 for market research, Plus500 comes out ahead overall. Plus500 offers daily market commentary, Trading Central tools, a sentiment indicator for long and short positions, and an economic calendar, giving traders several ways to follow market trends and plan trades. It does not include forex news from major providers like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and it does not offer Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools. Still, Plus500 is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for research and is ranked #16 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Trading 212 also provides a sentiment tool and an economic calendar, but it does not offer daily market commentary or Trading Central research. On the positive side, it does include forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, which Plus500 does not. However, Trading 212 is rated lower for research at 3.5 out of 5 stars and is ranked #33 out of 36, so while it has some useful market news features, Plus500 offers a stronger overall research experience for most traders.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking at trading education, both Plus500 and Trading 212 offer a range of learning materials, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos for more experienced traders. Both brokers also provide forex or CFD-focused education with 10 or more learning pieces, so new traders can find content centered on the markets they are most likely to explore. In terms of overall education quality, Plus500 is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars, while Trading 212 is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Where Plus500 stands out is in live learning support, since it offers online educational client webinars at least once a month, while Trading 212 does not. That extra webinar offering may make Plus500 feel more helpful for beginners who want regular guidance in a live format. Even so, Trading 212 places higher in ForexBrokers.com’s Education ranking, coming in at #20 out of 36 brokers, compared with Plus500 at #26.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 Plus500 is better than Trading 212. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #25.
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
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Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 |
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In the Plus500 vs Trading 212 comparison for cryptocurrency, Trading 212 lets you buy actual (delivered) crypto and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, while Plus500 does not support buying delivered crypto and only offers cryptocurrency CFDs.
In the Plus500 vs Trading 212 comparison of deposit and withdrawal options, Trading 212 supports ACH/SEPA while Plus500 does not; Plus500 supports PayPal and Skrill while Trading 212 does not; both brokers support bank wire transfers; 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.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2004 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 4 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 13000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 180 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | Yes | |
| 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. | 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). |
| Cost | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 2.7 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | 2.7 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €50 | €1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 102 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 115 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Plus500 Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | Plus500 | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 82 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | Trading 212 Review |
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