Plus500 Review

If you want to buy and sell stocks (Amazon, Netflix, Facebook, and so on), stock indices, currencies, ETFs, and others, but your bank’s trading account has too high commissions, you can use an authorized and reliable broker to trade stock CFDs instead. Read our Plus500 review before making your decision.

Plus500 is one of the most popular CFD online trading providers in the world. It you investors to trade online over 2,000 financial instruments and invest in CFDs from the comfort of your own home on the assets of your choice using the freely accessible trading platform.

We have tested Plus500 several times and found both positive and negative aspects. Is it dependable? What is Plus500 and how does it work? Here are some thoughts on the platform as well as the updates for 2022.

74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

What is Plus500?

Plus500 Ltd is a financial investment firm based in Israel. The company was founded in 2008 and now has subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, and Cyprus.

Plus500 acts as a middleman between the investor and the market by providing CFD trading, which are derivative instruments that mimic the quotation of the market’s main assets, such as stocks, currencies, commodities, stock market indices, and so on.

With a market capitalization of 1.8 billion euros and positive balance sheets, Plus500 Ltd is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LON: PLUS).

Plus500 vs eToro

So far, we’ve been able to dispel one of the most common apprehensions among traders: we’ve discovered that the Plus500 broker is not a rip-off, but rather a professional service that is now well-known in the industry.

Despite this, in order to help you make a decision that meets your needs as a trader, we’ve decided to compare you to eToro, which has an undeniable lead in the field of online trading.

With a broader view of the best online trading platforms, you can be confident that you will be able to operate not only according to your needs, but also in complete safety.

Take a look at the table below, which summarizes the main differences between Plus500 and eToro:

We recommend that you take a look at the table below, which summarizes the main features of Plus500 vs eToro :

	eToro	Plus500
Minimum deposit	$ 50	€ 100
Authorizations	CySec, FCS, ASIC	ASIC, FMA, FCSA FCA, CySEC, MAS, FSA
Mobile App	Yup	Yup
Commissions	0% on stocks and ETFs	0%
Real asset purchase	Yes (Stocks)	No
Spread	0.01% to 5%	Variable
Demo account	$ 100,000	€ 40,000
Social Trading	Yup	No
Copy Trading	Yup	No
Customer service	via Chat and Phone	Via email, chat and WhatsApp
Formation	Financial Trading Academy	Video guides
Trial	Visit eToro	Visit Plus500

 

When comparing the two brokers, some similarities emerge. For example, both allow you to trade on financial instruments, even though Plus500 is solely a contract for difference (CFD) broker.

On the other hand, eToro provides a variety of options, such as the actual purchase of the underlying asset (for specific assets including shares and ETFs).

Furthermore, eToro has a much larger selection of assets than Plus500: the former has around 2,500 stocks, whereas the latter has just over 2,000. eToro also has a much larger list of ETFs, and allows direct asset purchases without overnight fees.

Plus500, on the other hand, has a larger selection of Forex currencies and stock market indices. Plus500 also allows you to invest in Call/Put Options, which is something that eToro does not currently offer.

Another distinguishing feature of eToro is its exclusive Copy Trading service. The platform is a world leader in part because it allows traders to copy the investments of more experienced traders, who earn a percentage of the shares in return.

Furthermore, there is a difference in the required minimum deposit. It is, however, only about $ 50, so it may not be a deciding factor in your final decision.

Starting with a free trial account is probably the best way to determine which platform is best for you between Plus500 and eToro: both brokers offer a demo mode to test the quality of the services offered without exposing yourself to risks.

Plus500 offers a demo account worth € 40,000, while eToro offers a virtual account worth $100,000.

The Pros and Cons of Plus500

Plus500 is recommended for all traders seeking a cutting-edge trading platform with a cutting-edge and innovative user interface. Let’s take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages:

Plus500 has a mobile (Android and iOS) and desktop trading platform. To be honest, we prefer the more advanced and responsive mobile platform. When compared to the competition of market maker brokers, the spreads are extremely tight, which is one of the many reasons Plus500 has been able to reach such a large audience.

Not to mention the Demo Account, which allows you to use the platform in “virtual” mode; in practice, it is a real trading simulator that allows you to test the platform before depositing your funds.

Plus500’s product offering is limited to CFDs. It’s also true that the assets it provides are practically limitless, ranging from stocks, stock indices and, of course, forex, but we’re still talking about CFDs.

Pay Close Attention: DayTrading and Plus500

Scalping with Plus500 appears to be forbidden. What exactly is scalping? It is the activity of those who buy and sell stocks in a very short period of time (under 2 minutes). Your account may be blocked if you are a day trader who enters and exits a position in less than a minute. If scalping under 2/3 minutes is a part of your trading strategy, stay away from Plus500.

Is Plus500 a reputable company?

Is Plus500 a scam? Not at all. There are numerous reasons why we consider Plus500 to be a benchmark in the online trading industry.

The company that manages the broker’s brand has become a point of reference in the European trading landscape since its founding in 2008 (as Wikipedia recalls). Thanks to astute management, first under Asaf Elimelech, and now under David Zruia, the new CEO.

What Makes Plus500 Trustworthy?

It is necessary to check the certifications and authorizations received based on your country of origin in order to have certain proofs of a broker’s security.

Plus500 is a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange (LON: PLUS) that adheres to the highest standards of corporate governance. The Financial Conduct Authority is also in charge of authorizing and regulating it (FCA). The investment firm is regarded as a trusted and regulated broker by the UK government agency.

Plus500 is trustworthy not only because it is a regulated broker, but also because of the thousands of positive reviews left on the internet by satisfied traders from all over the world.

It also meets all of the legal requirements for operating a trading platform in Italy and Europe. The Italian clients are served by Plus500CY, a Cyprus-based investment firm regulated by CySEC and listed on CONSOB’s list of registered intermediaries (as we will see below).

Is Plus500 regulated?

Plus500 is regulated by a number of supervisory authorities around the world, including the FCA in the United Kingdom, ASIC in Australia, and the FMA in New Zealand, among others. The broker holds a CySEC license (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) number 250/14 in Europe.

Plus500 authorizations

country	Registration number	Investment Firm
Singapore	Licensed or licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (CMS100648-1)	Plus500SG Pte Ltd
EEA countries (EU, Switzerland, Norway)	Authorized and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (No. 250/14)	Plus500CY Ltd
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa	Licensed by ASIC (AFSL # 417727), Financial Markets Authority (FSP # 486026) and AFSP (FSP # 47546)	Plus500AU Pty Ltd
Italy	Present in the Consob register (# 2912)	Plus500CY Ltd
UK	Authorized and regulated by the FCA (# 509909)	Plus500UK Ltd

 

Opening an Account

After a few minutes, the Plus500 demo account will open, and you will be able to switch to the real account (for the latter you will have to wait longer to trade, as you need to verify your documents).

Everything is completed online after you fill out forms with your personal information. After that, you must send your identity document in order to withdraw with Plus500.

How to open a Plus500 account

Plus500, as previously stated, allows you to open an account in just a few steps. The demo account will be operational in a matter of minutes, while the trading account may take a few days to activate.

After you’ve completed your online registration, you’ll need to verify your identity and provide proof of residency by uploading the following documents:

a copy of your document (identity card or driving license are generally fine).

a simple telephone or electricity bill. Plus500 allows you to open only and exclusively an individual (thus, personal) and non-corporate account, as well as one linked to your business.

Opening a Demo Account

Plus500, as stated in the introduction, provides its members with a complete demo platform on which they can begin trading with “virtual” money. You will be given 40,000 euros to trade with for free on all of the broker’s instruments:

We recommend that you test the platform before depositing any real money, whether you are a novice or a pro. It’s easy to sign up for a demo account, and once you do, you’ll be able to try out all of Plus500’s features right away.

Login and Security

Make the Login Plus500 is simple with the option to enter the company’s access, so if you’re already logged into Facebook or Google, you can log in with a single click.

How to Trade CFD Stocks with Plus500

Trading order management is not very intuitive: you will need to spend a few minutes learning how to place a stop loss or other order. Trading is not easy as it requires knowledge and experience, and risks are involved. This section was more enjoyable when viewed on a mobile device.

It’s interesting to see the live statistics relating to trader ” sentiments ” in the orders panel. In practice, the percentage of a stock that is bought or sold can be determined.

When compared to the competition, the Plus500 web trading platform is well-designed, cutting-edge, and quick.

Is there any criticism? The platform can’t be customized too much; the only feature that can be changed is the home page’s preferred securities (shares, etc.) selection.

Stocks and tools are available at Plus500

Plus500 offers a wide range of financial instruments. On the platform, you can trade over 2,000 assets, including stocks, stock indices, forex currencies and commodities.

For the time being, the only restriction is that you can only trade CFDs (contracts for difference) and not the underlying assets. If you want to buy real shares, you’ll have to go with a different broker ( eToro for example).

Plus500 is a CFD broker that offers over 2000 instruments from 20 different financial markets, including stocks, forex currencies, stock indices, etfs, and more. It currently has one of the largest “catalogs” in the industry:

 

No. of CFDs	Plus500
Currency pairs (#)	59
Number of ETF CFDs	80
Stock index CFD (#)	23
CFDs on commodities	17
Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin ..) – Disclaimer: Availability subject to regulation	9
Number of stock CFDs	1,800

Financial leverage on Plus500

The financial levers of Plus500 are the maximums set by law (ESMA directive) and are the following:

• 20: 1 for other currencies, gold and major indices
• 30: 1 major currency pairs
• 5: 1 for stocks
• 10: 1 commodities (except gold) and secondary indices

Let’s start with an explanation of what it means to buy a CFD share or a 5: 1 leveraged currency pair on Plus500.

If you deposit € 100 to invest in Amazon securities, for example, using a 5:1 leverage, your return would be 5% if the underlying security’s value increased by 1%. (5: 1). Essentially, with € 100 and a 5:1 leverage, you can enter the market with € 500 in capital.

Financial leverage, on the other hand, is a very dangerous tool because the multiplier we’re talking about also has a negative effect. This means that if the stock we discussed earlier loses even 0.2 percent, you will lose the entire sum of € 100.

If you want to trade with higher financial leverages (300: 1, 200: 1), you can do so with Plus500, but you must be a “professional trader” and possess certain characteristics, according to ESMA regulations.

Plus500 Notifications and Alerts

Push and SMS notifications are another useful feature.

In practice, choosing a stock allows you to stay up to date on percentage changes at all times. You can choose whether to receive alerts via push notifications, SMS, or email by clicking on a specific icon. We also found excellent proof of transparency on Plus500.

Plus500 Mobile Trading Review

The Plus500 mobile trading platform is well designed and state of the art.

PRO	CON
Two-step login (secure)	No problems found
Good search function
Completely in Italian

Plus500’s mobile platform has the same features as the web version, with a few minor improvements in some cases.

Order execution appears to be faster on mobile than on desktop, but this is most likely due to a more engaging user experience.

Both iOS and Android versions of the app are available.

Plus500 Download

Are you looking for a way to get the Plus500 platform? Regrettably, this isn’t possible. The platform is web-based, which means you don’t need to download any software to use it: simply register and use your browser to access it (Chrome, Firefox or IE).

If you want to get the Plus500 App, on the other hand, you’ll need to go to the appropriate market: Google Play or App Store.

 

Plus500 Minimum Deposit

The minimum Plus500 deposit is 100 € if paid by debit and credit card and 500 € if you want to deposit via bank transfer.

PRO	CON
All credit and debit cards (including Postepay)	No problems found
Deposit without commissions
5 Free withdrawals per month

Plus500 Review: Costs and Commissions

Plus500 offers zero commission online trading . As a market maker broker, it eliminates the trading costs that you would pay on the real market, and in return earns by marginalizing on the spreads of its financial instruments.

Asset Example	Commissions (spread)
US securities	Spread of 0.51 pips *
EUR / USD	Spread of 0.6 pips *
US tech funds	–
Inactivity fee	€ 10 per month after 3 months of inactivity

* Spreads may vary

Let’s explain some terms:

• Trading fees are the costs incurred when buying and selling stocks, stock indices, and other financial instruments (which Plus500 resets).
• The inactivity fee, on the other hand, is a charge for not using the platform;
• The overnight rates, on the other hand, are the costs that the broker charges when a position with open leverage is held for more than one day.

Plus500 has relatively low trading costs, as we have already mentioned. In reality, Plus500 does not charge commissions; what we refer to as “commissions” is actually the traditional market spread on the asset you wish to invest in.

The difference between the purchase price (Ask) and the selling price (Bid) is known as the spread (Bid). Market maker brokers like Plus500 make their money by exploiting this void.

Inactivity fees

On average, the inactivity fees reflect the current state of all other brokers. Given that there is a fee of 10 € after three months of inactivity, the cost is relatively low.

Withdrawal costs on Plus500

You will also have 5 free withdrawals per month, after which commissions will be charged. For bank transfers, Plus500 does not charge any fees. When transferring money to and from your Plus500 account, the bank or payment issuer may charge fees, but these are not the broker’s responsibility.

Plus500 Bonus

You’re a few years late if you’re looking for Plus500 bonuses. Any broker or trading platform was required by Mifid and ESMA provisions to eliminate any incentive to trade in the form of bonuses! As a result, any serious broker working with Italian traders should not provide a welcome or first deposit bonus.

Plus500 was one of the first brokers to comply with European regulations, so it no longer offers any bonuses.

Customer Service Review

Plus500 offers a great customer service . Both live chat and email support are reliable, fast and available 24 hours a day.

PRO	CON
Live chat available	No phone support
Relevant answers
Availability 24/7

Customer service can only be contacted via live chat and e-mail; unfortunately, the phone service is not available. We used live chat to put the platform’s customer service to the test.

We received a response within an hour (which is extremely quick when compared to other brokers), and the solutions provided were very relevant to our request (and we were very bad at that).

Furthermore, they are available for chat 24 hours a day, which is difficult to come by on other platforms, if not impossible!

Does Plus500 have real customer service?

Yes, the reliability of Plus500 is proven by the fact that it uses only innovative and modern tools. Try to go to the Plus500 site and in a few seconds you can get in touch with an operator to ask for anything.

Plus500 Sponsorships

Plus500 has managed to establish itself on the European trading scene over the years, thanks to successful marketing efforts. Among the most important are millionaire sponsorships of major football teams, including a historic agreement with Atalanta from Serie A in Italy.

Atalanta sponsor

Plus500 has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Atalanta, becoming the club’s main sponsor.

The multi-million-euro deal will allow the platform to put its logo on Goddess t-shirts, giving it a powerful image boost in Italy and Europe.

PRO	CON
Regulated by various control bodies (FCA, CySec ..)	No problems detected
Quoted on the stock exchange
Transparent Financial Information

Conclusion

Plus500 is listed on the London Stock Exchange, which provides a significant advantage in terms of the security of trader funds, as we explained in the previous paragraph.

Another factor to consider when discussing Plus500 is the authorizations it receives from most European and financial institutions, including regular Consob registration (the body that protects investors and regulates the efficiency and transparency of the Italian securities market).

All of the broker’s accounts and asset management are documented, accessible, and transparent as a publicly traded company.

Plus500 is a Broker Market Maker, which should be remembered because many traders are unaware that their counterpart is the broker, not the market. Your operations are managed by a market maker broker who does not buy assets directly on the market. In a nutshell, if you trade Amazon shares through Plus500, you will not become an Amazon shareholder, but you will receive dividends and invest in the reference value in a completely speculative manner. If the stock price rises, you profit, and vice versa. It’s important to mention that losses can occur as well and traders could lose their money quickly.

Plus500 is, in the end, a fantastic broker. We seriously believe that the broker represents one of the best solutions on the market for traders.

FAQs

Disclaimer: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.

74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.