Trading forex and CFDs carries high risk. Information is educational, not advice.
Independent Review · Edition

Plus500 Review

★★★☆☆ 3.4/5 Editor's Score · Trustpilot 4.3/5

Plus500 is a broker regulated by ASIC, 417727 FSCA (South Africa), 47546 FSP (New Zealand ), No. 486026 FCA (UK), 509909 CYSEC,250/14 FSA (Seychelles), SD039 MAS ( Singapore ), CMS100648-1 and based in Israel. It offers Forex, CFDs, Gold, Oil with leverage up to 1:30.

Editor's score breakdown

How Plus500 scores across the four dimensions that matter most.

Regulation
100%
Cost
50%
Platforms
25%
Support
100%

Key advantages

  • Clean, easy-to-use proprietary platform with a good mobile experience
  • FCA / ASIC regulated, 2000+ CFD instruments, with negative balance protection
  • Very fast account opening and onboarding; suited to pure-CFD players
  • No hidden commission; cost is built into the spread

Considerations

  • No MT4/MT5; strategies and EAs are limited
  • Spreads are wide overall
  • No phone support; thin research content
  • Leverage capped at 1:30; aggressive players are constrained
Our take: Suited to simple traders who only do CFDs and value ease of use and strong regulation.

Full specifications

Every key fact about Plus500 in one place.

Minimum deposit$100.0
Minimum position-
Max leverage1:30
Typical spreadvariable
RegulationASIC, 417727 FSCA (South Africa), 47546 FSP (New Zealand ), No. 486026 FCA (UK), 509909 CYSEC,250/14 FSA (Seychelles), SD039 MAS ( Singapore ), CMS100648-1
Country / HeadquartersIsrael / Israel
Founded2008
Trading platformsMT4
InstrumentsForex, CFDs, Gold, Oil
Account typesStandard, Demo
Payment methodsCredit cards, PayPal and wire transfer, Skrill(MoneyBookers)
Customer support24/5 support, Live chat, Email, Phone
Trustpilot4.3 / 5

Trading platforms

What you can trade on with Plus500 — and what each terminal is best for.

MetaTrader 4 (MT4)

The industry-standard terminal: supports Expert Advisors (EA automated trading), thousands of custom indicators, one-click trading and hedging. Suited to forex-focused traders who want to run strategies.

Your platform choice directly affects how you implement strategies (automated trading, indicators, mobile experience). Before committing, test order speed and stability on a demo account.

Account types

Pick the account structure that fits your strategy and starting capital.

Standard account

Classic account: the spread is built into the quote, with no separate commission. The default choice for most retail traders.

Demo account

A zero-risk practice account using virtual funds and mirroring real market prices, for testing strategies and getting familiar with the platform.

Different account types from the same broker can differ greatly in spread/commission structure — cost-sensitive strategies must calculate the combined "spread + commission" cost before opening an account.

Fees & costs

The charges that shape your real, all-in trading cost.

Minimum deposit$100
Typical spreadvariable
CommissionDepends on the account: Standard-type accounts have no separate commission; ECN/Raw-type accounts charge a small commission per lot.
Max leverage1:30
Overnight financingHolding a position past 17:00 ET incurs an overnight rollover (swap) fee; Islamic / swap-free accounts are exempt.
Inactivity feeMost brokers charge an inactivity fee on long-dormant accounts (typically after a 3–12 month lapse); specifics are per the broker's terms.
Deposit / withdrawalCredit cards, PayPal and wire transfer, Skrill(MoneyBookers)

"Low spread" does not equal "low cost" — if the account stacks commission, or inactivity/overnight fees are high, the true cost must be calculated holistically.

Regulation & safety

Who supervises Plus500, and what that means for your money.

UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Tier-1 strong regulation

One of the strictest regulators: mandatory client fund segregation, negative balance protection, and covered by the FSCS compensation scheme up to £85,000. Retail leverage cap 1:30.

Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) Tier-1 strong regulation

Strong Australian regulation: client fund segregation, retail leverage cap 1:30, strict enforcement and disclosure requirements.

Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) Tier-1 strong regulation

Regulated under the EU MiFID II framework, with an Investor Compensation Fund up to €20,000 and a retail leverage cap of 1:30.

MAS Entity to verify

Verify the licence number and entity validity on the regulator's official website.

South Africa Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) Offshore / weak regulation

South African regulation requiring client fund segregation and local redress channels, but with looser leverage limits than the EU/UK.

Financial Services Commission (FSC, Mauritius / offshore) Offshore / weak regulation

An offshore licence, lighter-touch regulation and higher allowed leverage; weaker client protection than the tier-1 set.

Financial Services Authority (varies by jurisdiction) Offshore / weak regulation

Offshore entities (e.g. Seychelles, SVG) offer flexible leverage with limited investor protection.

UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) Offshore / weak regulation

Regulates brokers operating in the UAE; standards are gradually rising.

Our verdict:This broker holds multiple tier-1 strong-regulation licences, with solid client fund segregation and investor protection.

The same brand often has multiple entities across regions, with different regulatory strength and leverage caps. Be sure to confirm the entity you actually open an account with.

Deposits & withdrawals

Funding methods this broker supports, and what to watch for on processing times.

Credit cardsPayPal and wire transferSkrill(MoneyBookers)

Processing times and fees vary by method and entity — cards and e-wallets are usually instant, while bank wires can take 1–5 business days. Confirm the exact schedule on the broker's site before funding.

What a trade really costs

A worked example of all-in spread cost for Plus500, using its published typical spread.

Trading 1 standard lot (100,000 units) of EUR/USD with a spread of variable costs from variable per side in spread — roughly that amount to open and the same to close. With maximum leverage up to 1:30, a 1% adverse move can erase a large share of a small account, so position sizing matters as much as the headline spread.

This is an illustrative all-in spread cost only. Commission-based (ECN/Raw) accounts add a per-lot fee, and holding overnight adds swap. Size positions to risk ≤1–2% of equity.

Mobile trading

This broker supports mobile trading: MetaTrader and cTrader offer full-featured iOS and Android apps for charting, one-tap execution and push alerts, so you can manage positions on the go.

How to open an account

The five steps from sign-up to your first live trade with Plus500.

  1. 1
    Sign up

    Register with email/phone and choose your account type and base currency.

  2. 2
    Verify identity (KYC)

    Upload ID and proof of address; regulation requires this before funding.

  3. 3
    Fund the account

    Deposit via your preferred method; respect the minimum deposit.

  4. 4
    Install the platform

    Download MT4/MT5/cTrader or use the web terminal; log in with your credentials.

  5. 5
    Start on a demo, then go live

    Practice risk-free first, then trade small and scale with experience.

Always read the broker's legal documents (terms, risk disclosure, fee schedule) before funding. Account opening is free; only trading risk is real.

Availability in your country

Broker availability, leverage caps and investor-protection schemes differ by country and entity. Confirm the broker accepts clients from your region and which licence you contract under before opening an account. See our By Country pages to check regional availability.

Compare Plus500 with rivals

See how Plus500 measures up against the brokers traders compare it with most.

Who is Plus500 best for?

Plus500 is best suited for traders who prioritise strong regulation.

Not sure if Plus500 is right for you? Compare it side-by-side with 24 other regulated brokers and filter by the features that matter to your strategy.

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Risk disclosure

82% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

This review is published for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Past performance and broker terms can change; always read the broker's legal documentation before opening an account.