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Rankings updated November 2026

Interactive Brokers vs Plus500

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Higher rated

Interactive Brokers

4.6/5

Viet Nam flag Doesn't accept traders from VN. See available CFD brokers

Not available in your countryRead Interactive Brokers review

Rating breakdown

  • Regulation & trust4.70.3 higher than Plus500 (4.4)
  • Assets & markets4.71.2 higher than Plus500 (3.5)
  • Fees & costs4.30.3 higher than Plus500 (4.0)
  • Platforms & tools3.90.6 higher than Plus500 (3.3)
  • Accounts & banking3.90.2 lower than Plus500 (4.1)
  • Education4.31.3 higher than Plus500 (3.0)
  • Research4.72.7 higher than Plus500 (2.0)
  • Customer support3.01.0 lower than Plus500 (4.0)

Plus500’s score. Numbers show the difference.

Plus500

4.1/5

#18 in our CFD broker rankings

Viet Nam flag Accepts traders from VN

81% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

Rating breakdown

  • Regulation & trust4.40.3 lower than Interactive Brokers (4.7)
  • Assets & markets3.51.2 lower than Interactive Brokers (4.7)
  • Fees & costs4.00.3 lower than Interactive Brokers (4.3)
  • Platforms & tools3.30.6 lower than Interactive Brokers (3.9)
  • Accounts & banking4.10.2 higher than Interactive Brokers (3.9)
  • Education3.01.3 lower than Interactive Brokers (4.3)
  • Research2.02.7 lower than Interactive Brokers (4.7)
  • Customer support4.01.0 higher than Interactive Brokers (3.0)

Interactive Brokers’s score. Numbers show the difference.

Interactive Brokers vs Plus500 comparison table 2026
Interactive BrokersPlus500
OverviewInteractive Brokers (IBKR) is a premier brokerage, providing access to over 170 markets across 40 countries, along with a suite of comprehensive investment services. With over 40 years of experience, this Nasdaq-listed firm adheres to stringent regulations by the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC, amongst others, and is one of the most trusted brokers for trading around the globe. Established in 2008 and headquartered in Israel, Plus500 is a prominent brokerage that boasts over 25 million registered traders in over 50 countries. Specializing in CFD trading, the company offers an intuitive, proprietary platform and mobile app. It maintains competitive spreads and does not charge commissions or deposit or withdrawal fees. Plus500 also continues to shine as one of the most trusted brokers with licenses from reputable regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CySEC.
Customer Reviews
3.5
Based on 4 customer reviews
4.2
Based on 5 customer reviews
Trustpilot Score
3
4.2
Comment by Reviewer“Interactive Brokers is one of the best brokers for advanced day traders, providing powerful charting platforms, real-time data, and customizable layouts, notably through the new IBKR Desktop application. Its superb pricing and advanced order options also make it highly attractive for day traders, while its diverse range of equities is still among the best in the industry.”“Plus500 offers a super-clean experience for traders with a CFD trading platform that sports a modern design and dynamic charting. That said, the broker’s research tools are limited, fees trail the cheapest brokers, and there’s room for enhancement in its educational resources.”
Pros
  • IBKR continues to deliver unmatched access to global stocks with tens of thousands of equities available from 100+ market centres in 24 countries, most recently the Saudi Stock Exchange.
  • The TWS platform has clearly been built for intermediate and advanced traders and comes with over 100 order types and a reliable real-time market data feed that rarely goes offline.
  • Interactive Brokers was named 'Best US Broker' for 2025 by DayTrading.com, recognizing its long-standing commitment to US traders, ultra-low margin rates, and global market access at minimal cost.
  • Interactive Brokers has launched a unified interface that integrates prediction markets across three top exchanges: Kalshi, CME Group, and ForecastEx, with products where users can trade yes/no contracts on political, economic, and climate events, with fixed $1 payouts per contract, 24/6 market access, and interest on eligible held positions.
  • IBKR is one of the most respected and trusted brokerages and is regulated by top-tier authorities, so you can have confidence in the integrity and security of your trading account.
  • Plus500 has bolstered its suite of short-term trading products, including introducing VIX options with enhanced volatility and extended 24/5 hours trading on select stock and ETF CFDs, including SpaceX
  • In 2025 Plus500 added new share CFDs in emerging sectors like quantum computing and AI, offering opportunities in stocks like IonQ, Rigetti, Duolingo, and Carvana
  • The broker offers low commission trading on a diverse range of markets, minimizing additional fees while appealing to established traders
  • AI Bites has been added, giving active traders real-time, AI-generated market summaries, technical analysis, and social sentiment next to charts, aiding in short-term trading decisions
  • Plus500 provides a specialized WebTrader platform designed explicitly for CFD trading, offering a clean and uncluttered interface
Cons
  • TWS’s learning curve is steep, and beginners may find it challenging to navigate the platform and understand all the features.
  • Support can be slow and frustrating based on tests, so you might find it challenging to reach customer service representatives promptly or encounter delays in resolving issues.
  • IBKR provides a wide range of research tools, but their distribution across trading platforms and the web-based 'Account Management' page lacks consistency, leading to a confusing user experience.
  • You can only have one active session per account, so you can’t have your desktop program and mobile app running simultaneously, making for a sometimes frustrating trading experience.
  • IBKR was fined $11.8m by the US OFAC in 2025 for providing services in sanctioned jurisdictions. It was also fined $125k by FINRA in 2025 for municipal bond disclosure failures.
  • The absence of social trading means users can’t follow and replicate the trades of experienced traders
  • Educational resources are limited compared to best-in-class brokers like eToro, impacting the learning curve for beginners
  • Compared to some competitors, especially IG, Plus500’s research and analysis tools are limited
  • Algo trading and scalping are not supported, which may deter some day traders
  • Plus500’s lack of support for MetaTrader or cTrader charting tools might be a deal breaker for advanced day traders looking for familiarity
Awards
  • Best US Broker 2025 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2021 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2020 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2019 - DayTrading.com
InstrumentsStocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies, CFDsCFDs on Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Options, Crypto
Demo AccountYesYes
Minimum Deposit$0$100
Trading Platforms
  • Trader Workstation (TWS)
  • IBKR Desktop
  • GlobalTrader
  • Mobile
  • Client Portal
  • AlgoTrader
  • OmniTrader
  • TradingView
  • eSignal
  • TradingCentral
  • ProRealTime
  • Quantower
  • WebTrader
  • App
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade$1Variable
RegulatorSEC, FINRA, CFTC, NFA, CIRO, FCA, CBI, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MASFCA, CySEC, EFSA, ASIC, FMA, FSCA, MAS, ISA, FSA, DFSA, SCA, JFSA, SCB, CIRO, BAPPEBTI, OJK, BI
Margin TradingYesYes
Margin Rate5.5% - 6.13% (depending on account tier)2.5%
STP AccountYesNo
ECN AccountNoNo
DMA AccountYesNo
MAM AccountYesNo
PAMM AccountNoNo
LAMM AccountNoNo
Demat AccountYesNo
AI / Machine LearningYesYes
Robo AdvisorYesNo
Negative Balance ProtectionYesYes
Market MakerNoYes
P2P TradingNoNo
Spot TradingYesNo
Mobile AppsiOS & AndroidiOS, Android & Windows
App ReviewThe IBKR Mobile app, available on both iOS and Android devices, makes your phone a powerful gateway to your IBKR accounts, offering you the freedom to keep an eye on portfolios, initiate trades, and dive into real-time quotes and charts, all while managing your account activities on the fly. This app stands out for its intuitive design, making it especially welcoming for those just starting their trading journey, providing a smoother and more accessible experience than the more complex TWS platform.Plus500 have developed their mobile apps to match the WebTrader online platform . Secure and reliable, the app is among the best out there. Stop loss and limits are available, free alerts and a full range of markets and instruments are available. Visit the download page here.
Android App Rating
4.5
4.3
iOS App Rating
4.3
4.1
Auto TradingTWS APINo
Copy TradingNoNo
Social TradingNoNo
VPS HostingNoNo
TournamentsNoNo
Demo CompetitionsNoNo
Ethical InvestingYesYes
Custodial AccountNoNo
Guaranteed Stop LossNoYes
Inactivity Fee$0$10
Islamic AccountNoYes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • INR
  • JPY
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • AED
  • HUF
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • AUD
  • ZAR
  • CZK
Stock Exchanges
Commodities
CFD Trading
OverviewOver 8,000 CFDs are offered on a vast array of instruments, encompassing stocks, indices, forex, and commodities. Moreover, the TWS platform lends itself to seasoned day traders, offering a comprehensive selection of over 100 order types and algorithms, alongside premium market data sourced from reputable sources such as Reuters and Dow Jones.Plus500 presents commission-free CFDs encompassing a vast array of markets, spanning currencies, stocks, indices, and commodities. You can engage in long or short positions on popular assets, benefiting from adaptable leverage without encountering any concealed fees.
Leverage1:50Yes
FTSE Spread0.005% (£1 Min)2.0
GBPUSD Spread0.08-0.20 bps x trade value1.3
Oil Spread0.25-0.850.06
Stocks Spread0.0031.28 (Apple)
Forex Trading
OverviewIBKR presents an extensive range of over 100 major, minor, and exotic forex pairs, surpassing the offerings of nearly all leading alternatives, though not CMC Markets. Forex trading occurs over multiple platforms and boasts institutional-grade spreads starting from 0.1 pips and over 100 complex order types, including brackets, scale, and one-cancels-all (OCA) orders.Plus500 provides forex trading through CFDs, featuring narrow spreads across an impressive selection of over 60 currency pairs. During testing, spreads came in as tight as 0.6 pips on the EUR/USD, which is notably lower than many alternatives.
GBPUSD Spread0.21.3
EURUSD Spread0.10.6
EURGBP Spread0.31.5
Assets100+60+
Cryptocurrency
OverviewIBKR lets you purchase and hold Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin at competitive commission rates and without needing a crypto wallet. Additionally, there is a range of other diverse assets to explore, such as crypto indices like the NYSE Bitcoin Index, as well as futures contracts like the BAKKT Bitcoin Futures.Investors can trade on rising and falling prices with CFDs on popular cryptos like Bitcoin. Plus500 also stands out for its crypto indices, which offer diversification opportunities by tracking a basket of leading digital currencies. Availability subject to regulation.
Spread0.12%-0.18%Variable
Coins
  • BTC
  • LTC
  • ETH
  • XRP
  • BCH
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • XRP
  • IOTA
  • NEO
  • EOS
  • XMR
Crypto LendingNoNo
Crypto MiningNoNo
Crypto StakingNoNo
Auto Market MakerNoNo
Not available in your countryRead Interactive Brokers review

81% of retail CFD accounts lose money.