Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Plus500 vs ATFX, 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.
Founded in 2008, Plus500 stands out for its robust regulatory framework, holding six Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses. This extensive licensing contributes to its high ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, indicating it is highly trusted in the industry. Moreover, Plus500 is a publicly traded entity, which adds to its credibility among traders seeking a well-regulated online broker that is not a bank.
Established in 2017, ATFX also offers a solid regulatory foundation, though it is not publicly traded like Plus500. It operates with four Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, earning it a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 85, categorizing it as trusted. Both Plus500 and ATFX provide a safe trading environment, but Plus500 holds a slight edge in terms of trust and regulatory oversight.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2017 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing Plus500 and ATFX in terms of commissions and fees, Plus500 stands out slightly due to its pricing structure, although it is generally higher than the industry average. Plus500's main downside is that it doesn't provide retail clients with discounts, but instead, offers cash rebates for those who qualify as Professional clients. The EUR/USD spreads at Plus500 averaged 1.5 pips in April 2024, which is higher than the typical industry standards. As such, Plus500 earned a 4.0-star rating for its commissions and fees, ranking 25th out of 62 brokers reviewed by ForexBrokers.com.
Conversely, ATFX lacks available average spread data, making a direct pricing comparison with Plus500 challenging. This lack of transparency might be a factor contributing to ATFX's relatively lower 3-star rating for commissions and fees. ForexBrokers.com ranks ATFX at 59th place among 62 brokers for this category, indicating that its pricing might not be as competitive or clear as some of its peers.
In summary, Plus500 might be better suited for traders willing to engage in services with slightly higher costs in exchange for structured programs like cash rebates for Professional clients. ATFX, on the other hand, lacks detailed information on its pricing, which potentially affects its competitiveness and lower ranking. For investors weighing their options, understanding these distinctions can help shape a more informed decision when choosing an online trading platform.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $500 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to the variety of investment options, Plus500 clearly has an edge over ATFX. Plus500 provides access to more than 5,500 tradeable symbols, including 65 forex pairs, offering traders a vast selection of assets to choose from. Additionally, Plus500 allows clients to trade exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, such as buying shares of Apple or Vodafone, which ATFX does not offer. While both platforms allow for forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts and offer cryptocurrency derivatives, Plus500 does not provide the ability to buy or trade actual cryptocurrencies or engage in copy trading.
Conversely, ATFX offers a more limited range of tradeable symbols with just 150 options, including 44 forex pairs. Although ATFX includes the appealing feature of copy trading, which Plus500 lacks, it does not support trading in securities on U.S. or international exchanges. With a rating of 4.5 stars by ForexBrokers.com for its range of investments, Plus500 is ranked 24th out of 62 brokers, reflecting its comprehensive asset offering. Meanwhile, ATFX holds a 3.5-star rating and is ranked at 57th, indicating a more modest selection in comparison to its counterpart.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 44 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of Plus500 and ATFX, both brokers provide simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts, making it easy for traders to hone their skills without financial risk. Plus500 stands out with its proprietary platform, designed in-house, offering a user-friendly web-based experience as it lacks a Windows desktop download option. On the other hand, ATFX does not offer a proprietary platform but compensates with a wide array of third-party platforms, including MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, both preferred by many traders. ATFX also supports copy trading, adding a collaborative dimension to trading strategies.
The charting capabilities of these brokers reveal Plus500 offers 22 drawing tools, slightly more than ATFX's 15 drawing tools, but Plus500 does not allow trading directly from the charts, unlike ATFX. When it comes to organizing market information, Plus500's watch lists support 10 columns, while ATFX provides 7. In ratings, Plus500 scores higher with 4.5 stars for trading platforms compared to ATFX's 3.5 stars, and it ranks significantly higher at #14 out of 62 brokers, whereas ATFX is positioned at #61, showcasing Plus500's stronger appeal in trading platform capabilities.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 114 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 22 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Plus500 and ATFX, some distinctions stand out for traders. Both brokers offer apps for iPhone and Android devices, providing full access to stock or forex price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. However, Plus500 surpasses ATFX by offering watchlist symbol syncing, allowing changes to be effortlessly synced between the mobile app and the user’s online account. On the other hand, while ATFX ensures that chart drawings are automatically saved, Plus500 lacks this feature.
Charting capabilities also differ significantly between the two platforms. Plus500 showcases 110 technical studies, offering comprehensive tools for in-depth analysis, compared to ATFX's seven studies. Despite both apps enabling users to view multiple time frames, Plus500 holds a higher rating of 4.5 stars versus ATFX's 3.5 stars. In the ForexBrokers.com ranking, Plus500 ranks 14th out of 62 brokers for its mobile trading apps, while ATFX is positioned at the bottom at 62nd. Both apps allow the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, ensuring traders are kept up-to-date with the latest market movements.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 110 | 7 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research capabilities of Plus500 and ATFX, both brokers provide valuable tools and resources, yet they differ in several key areas. Plus500 excels in providing daily market commentary and offers a sentiment-based trading tool, enabling traders to gauge market sentiment with ease. It also stands out with its inclusion of Trading Central tools, known for their technical analysis. While both brokers lack forex news from top-tier sources and research tools from Acuity Trading, Plus500 surpasses ATFX by offering an economic calendar and ranking higher in research ratings, garnering a 4.0-star rating compared to ATFX's 3 stars.
ATFX, although not as highly ranked as Plus500 in industry research standings, offers unique advantages like access to Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental insights, which Plus500 does not provide. Both platforms present users with economic calendars, ensuring traders stay informed of significant global events that could influence the markets. Overall, while Plus500 holds a stronger research position at #19 out of 62 brokers, ATFX remains a viable option for those who prioritize access to specific technical analysis tools.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners in forex and CFDs, both Plus500 and ATFX provide a solid selection of at least 10 educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. However, Plus500 distinguishes itself by offering monthly online educational webinars, a feature that ATFX lacks. Both brokers provide searchable archives of past webinars, making it easier for users to revisit valuable content at their convenience.
For video content, Plus500 and ATFX both support beginner traders with at least 10 specific beginner training videos. Plus500 goes a step further by catering to seasoned traders with more than 10 advanced videos, a benefit not matched by ATFX. Additionally, while ATFX offers an investor dictionary with definitions for over 50 investing terms, Plus500 does not provide this feature. In terms of overall education quality, Plus500 earns a 4.0-star rating compared to ATFX's 3 stars. Despite Plus500’s advantage in educational offerings, ATFX ranks slightly higher on the ForexBrokers.com education list, holding the 28th spot versus Plus500's 31st place.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Plus500 is better than ATFX. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while ATFX finished with an overall rank of #51.
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
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
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When comparing online brokers Plus500 and ATFX, both platforms do not provide the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to purchase cryptocurrency derivatives.
In comparing online brokers, Plus500 and ATFX both support major payment methods like Skrill and bank wires, but differ in that Plus500 also accommodates PayPal users, whereas neither offers ACH or SEPA transfers for account transactions.
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 | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Plus500 | ATFX | |
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| Regulation | Plus500 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2017 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Plus500 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Plus500 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 44 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Plus500 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Plus500 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Plus500 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 114 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 22 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Plus500 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 110 | 7 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Plus500 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Plus500 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Plus500 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Plus500 Review |
| Overall | Plus500 | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review |
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