Trading212 vs. Plus500

Trading212 and Plus500 present their proprietary trading platforms to traders, both omitting the well-known MT4. While both brokers cater well to manual trading strategies, the absence of MT4 is notable.

Trading212 provides an appealing offer for equity traders with smaller portfolios, while Plus500 shines with its options contracts. Both brokers offer commission-based trading, but the overall pricing environment is more competitive at Plus500.

Trading212 expanded its client-base notable over the past two years, growing to more than 1.5 million and assets exceeding €3.5 billion. It also has client deposit insurance up to €1 million, offering better protection than most competitors. Plus500 continues to grow as a publicly listed company in the UK and ranks as one of the most trusted brokers globally.

We have conducted an in-depth review of Trading212 and Plus500 to determine which one presents the better overall choice and which traders will benefit the most at either broker.

• Features and Platforms
• Available Markets
• Typical Spreads and Fees
• Security and Trust
• Trading212 vs. Plus500 - Verdict

Headquarters	Israel	Cyprus
Regulators	ASIC, CySEC, FCA, FMA, FSCA, MAS	FCA, FSC Mauritius
Tier 1 Regulator(s)?
Owned by Public Company?
Year Established	2008	2006
Execution Type(s)	Market Maker	Market Maker
Minimum Deposit	$100	$1
Negative Balance Protection		N/A
Trading Platform(s)	Proprietary platform, Web-based	MetaTrader 4, Proprietary platform
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD	1.3 pips	1.9 pips ($19.00)
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD	1.7 pips	2.9 pips ($29.00)
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil	$0.04	$0.04
Average Trading Cost Gold	$0.34	$0.68
Retail Loss Rate	80.00%	N/A
Minimum Raw Spreads	Not applicable	N/A
Minimum Standard Spreads	Not applicable	N/A
Minimum Commission for Forex	Commission-free	N/A
Islamic Account
Signals
US Persons Accepted?
Managed Accounts
	Get Started	Get Started

Features and Platforms

MT4
MT5
MT4/MT5 Add-Ons		N/A
cTrader
Proprietary Platform
Automated Trading
Social/Copy Trading		N/A
DOM?
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Scalping
Hedging
One-Click Trading
OCO Orders
Interest on Margin
	Get Started	Get Started

Noteworthy:

Neither broker supports algorithmic trading but presents a user-friendly manual alternative including a sentiment indicator.

Available Markets

Currency Pairs
Cryptocurrencies		N/A
Commodities
Crude Oil
Gold
Metals
Equity Indices
Stocks (non-CFDs)
Bonds
ETFs
Options		N/A
Futures
Synthetics
	Get Started	Get Started

Trading212 does not offer cryptocurrencies but has direct share dealing on more than 10,000 global equities. UK traders also get tax-free ISA accounts. The Plus500 maximum retail leverage depends on the regulatory jurisdiction, where the Seychelles unit offers the easiest trading conditions. It also features options contracts, supporting more complex strategies.

Typical Spreads and Fees

Average Trading Cost EUR/USD	1.3 pips	1.9 pips ($19.00)
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD	1.7 pips	2.9 pips ($29.00)
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil	$0.04	$0.04
Average Trading Cost Gold	$0.34	$0.68
Average Trading Cost Bitcoin	$78	$46.59
Minimum Raw Spreads	Not applicable	N/A
Minimum Standard Spreads	Not applicable	N/A
Minimum Commission for Forex	Commission-free	N/A
Deposit Fee		N/A
Withdrawal Fee		N/A
Inactivity Fee	$10 monthly after 3 months	N/A
	Get Started	Get Started

Trading212 advertises commission-free trading but does not disclose spreads, while swap rates are five times higher compared to other brokers. Trading212 does not levy an inactivity fee, which exists at Plus500. Plus500 has a currency conversion fee of up to 0.7% that will be applied if the currency is different from the trader's account currency. Third-party processor fees apply.

Security and Trust

Country of the Regulator	United Arab Emirates, Australia, Cyprus, Estonia, Israel, New Zealand, Seychelles, Singapore, United Kingdom, South Africa	Bulgaria, Cyprus, United Kingdom
Name of the Regulator	ASIC, CySEC, FCA, FMA, FSCA, MAS	FCA, FSC Mauritius
Regulatory License Number	509909, 250/14, 417727, 486026, 47546, SD039, 100648-1, NOT AVAILABLE, 4.1-1/18, F005651	609146, 398/21, RG-03-0237
Regulatory Tier	N/A	1, 1, 1
	Get Started	Get Started

Trading212 and Plus500 segregate client deposits from corporate funds, offer negative balance protection, and select jurisdictions have an investor compensation fund. Plus500 is also a publicly listed company in the UK and a constituent of the FTSE250.

Trading212 vs Plus500 – Verdict

Trading212

Pros	Cons
Market-leading currency and commodities selection	Low leverage for retail traders
Fractional share dealing and AutoInvest	MT4 trading platform not available
YouTube educational channel	Limited pricing transparency suggesting high trading costs
Low minimum deposits from as little as $1

Plus500

Pros	Cons
Competitive asset selection of 2,000+ focused on equity and ETF CFDs	No support for algorithmic trading and absence of MT4
Guaranteed stop-loss orders and negative balance protection	Higher minimum deposit but within a reasonable range
A publicly listed company, well-capitalized and trusted
Lightweight webtrader ideal for beginner traders Beginners should use the demo account and the Trading Academy to gain experience before trading with real capital due to the risks involved. ​

The $1 fractional share investing at Trading212 is ideal for equity traders with smaller portfolios. The AutoInvest service can help traders build and manage portfolios, but it is not the same as algorithmic trading. Plus500 offers a well-balanced asset selection and supports more complex trading strategies. It also maintains lower trading costs than Trading212.

You might also be interested in reviewing the below broker comparisons:

• Trading212 vs Avatrade
• Trading212 vs Robinhood
• Trading212 vs Capital.com
• Plus500 vs CityIndex
• Plus500 vs Trade360
• Plus500 vs Markets.com

Read full Trading212 Review

Read full Plus500 Review