Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AvaTrade vs Plus500, 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.
AvaTrade and Plus500 are both well-established online brokers, founded in 2006 and 2008, respectively. While both companies offer trading services, they differ in their business structure, as Plus500 is a publicly traded company, whereas AvaTrade is privately held. Both brokers are not banks, ensuring that their focus remains entirely on providing trading services. AvaTrade holds four highly trusted Tier-1 licenses while Plus500 surpasses it with six, reflecting a higher level of regulatory approval. Both brokers maintain equal footing with three trusted Tier-2 licenses each.
In terms of trustworthiness, ForexBrokers.com provides AvaTrade with a Trust Score of 94 out of 99, signifying a highly trusted broker status. Plus500, however, achieves a near-perfect Trust Score of 99, denoting an exceptional level of trust. These scores indicate that both brokers are highly reliable; however, Plus500 edges out AvaTrade concerning overall credibility and regulatory recognition in the financial market.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 6 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of AvaTrade against Plus500, AvaTrade shows a slightly better edge. AvaTrade's spreads are close to the industry average, currently at 0.9 pips as of June 2024. While these spreads might be a little higher than competitors like CMC Markets and Tickmill for entry-level accounts, they become competitive for professional traders with a lower spread of 0.6 pips, making them comparable to FP Markets. AvaTrade is highly rated for its commission and fee structure, earning a 4.5-star rating and achieving the 12th spot out of 62 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com rankings.
On the other hand, Plus500's pricing is slightly above the industry average, particularly lagging behind leading forex brokers when it comes to active trader pricing. Despite not offering retail client discounts, Plus500 does provide cash rebates akin to an active trader program if you qualify as a Professional client. During April 2024, Plus500's EUR/USD spread averaged 1.5 pips, which is noticeably higher than the industry average. Plus500 is rated 4.0 stars for its commission and fees and occupies the 25th position in the ForexBrokers.com rankings.
In summary, if you prioritize lower spreads and are considering professional trading options, AvaTrade may offer more competitive pricing than Plus500. AvaTrade stands out with higher ratings and rankings, reinforcing its position as a preferable option for traders focused on competitive fees.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | €100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.93 | 1.5 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 1.5 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 range of investments available, both AvaTrade and Plus500 offer distinct advantages that cater to different types of traders. AvaTrade provides access to forex trading both as CFDs and spot contracts, with a choice of 53 different forex pairs. Plus500 also supports forex trading as CFDs and spot contracts, featuring a slightly broader selection with 65 forex pairs. However, Plus500 truly shines in the overall variety of tradeable symbols, offering an impressive total of 5,500 compared to AvaTrade's 1,260. While AvaTrade offers users the option for copy trading, Plus500 lacks this feature.
In terms of stock trading, Plus500 allows clients to purchase exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, unlike AvaTrade, which solely emphasizes CFD trading. Both brokers enable their clients to trade cryptocurrency derivatives but not the actual cryptocurrencies themselves. When considering ratings, Plus500 is slightly favored, earning 4.5 stars for its range of investments, while AvaTrade receives 4 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, Plus500 ranks higher at #24 compared to AvaTrade's position at #32 out of a total of 62 brokers, reflecting its wider selection and overall appeal to diverse traders.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 5500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 65 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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). | 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. |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Both AvaTrade and Plus500 offer free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to explore their trading platforms without financial risk. Each broker provides a proprietary trading platform, but there are notable differences in platform availability. AvaTrade supplies a Windows-based desktop platform and a browser-based option, while Plus500 only offers a browser-based platform. AvaTrade supports popular third-party platforms MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, as well as DupliTrade and ZuluTrade, granting traders a versatile trading experience. Plus500, on the other hand, does not support these third-party platforms, limiting its breadth in this aspect. AvaTrade also enables traders to engage in copy trading, a feature lacking in Plus500’s offerings.
When it comes to charting capabilities, AvaTrade and Plus500 both present comprehensive tools, but their strengths vary. Plus500 surpasses AvaTrade in the number of drawing tools available, offering 22 compared to AvaTrade’s 13. However, AvaTrade facilitates direct trading from a stock chart, providing an integrated trading experience not available with Plus500. For watch lists, Plus500 leads with 10 columns, while AvaTrade provides seven. Both brokers are favorably rated at 4.5 stars for their platforms and tools, though AvaTrade slightly edges out Plus500 in rankings by ForexBrokers.com, placing 13th against Plus500's 14th spot, reflecting their close competition in serving traders’ needs.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 114 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 13 | 22 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 10 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
For traders seeking versatile mobile trading platforms, both AvaTrade and Plus500 offer compelling features for iPhone and Android users. Each broker provides mobile apps that allow for real-time stock or forex price alerts and watchlist synchronization, ensuring that watchlists are seamlessly updated between the mobile platform and the user's account. AvaTrade's app offers 73 technical studies for charting, while Plus500 provides an impressive 110. Both platforms support drawing trendlines and viewing charts in multiple time frames, ranging from daily to intraday. However, neither app currently offers an auto-save feature for drawings. Users can easily create watchlists with real-time quotes on both platforms, enhancing their trading experience significantly.
When it comes to user satisfaction, AvaTrade and Plus500 both receive a solid 4.5 out of 5-star rating for their mobile trading apps. Despite this similarity in user ratings, AvaTrade holds a slightly higher position, ranking 13th out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, with Plus500 closely following at the 14th position. This suggests that both brokers offer high-quality mobile trading services, with slight differences in feature offerings and popularity among users. Whether you're drawn to AvaTrade for its user-friendly experience or prefer Plus500 for its extensive charting options, both platforms deliver on fundamental trading needs, making them strong choices for mobile traders.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 110 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research offerings, AvaTrade and Plus500 each bring unique strengths to the table. AvaTrade provides forex news from reputable sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring you have access to quality information. It also features Trading Central tools for advanced technical analysis and offers a sentiment-based trading tool that provides insights into market trends by showing the ratio of long or short positions. An economic calendar displaying significant global news events complements these features, helping you stay informed about influential market shifts. However, AvaTrade does lack daily market commentary and tools like Autochartist or offerings from Acuity Trading.
Plus500 distinguishes itself by providing daily market commentary, a helpful feature for traders keen on staying updated with regular insights. Like AvaTrade, Plus500 users can benefit from Trading Central tools and a sentiment-based trading tool for a comprehensive view of the market atmosphere. It also features an economic calendar, ensuring you have a reliable source for tracking upcoming global events. However, Plus500 falls short in offering forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg or Reuters. Despite this, Plus500 achieves a higher research ranking (#19) compared to AvaTrade (#34) among 62 brokers surveyed, reflecting its well-rounded research support. Both platforms are rated equally with four stars for their research services.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, both AvaTrade and Plus500 present a wealth of resources for those stepping into the world of forex and CFDs. Each platform offers a variety of over ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars, designed to impart essential trading knowledge. Both brokers host regular monthly webinars, and each has thoughtfully curated an archive of recorded sessions for users to explore at their own pace. AvaTrade and Plus500 each present an array of over ten beginner-focused trading videos, ensuring newcomers have ample material to aid their learning journey.
However, while both brokers provide advanced educational videos and maintain high educational ratings of 4 stars, a notable difference lies in their offerings of educational tools. AvaTrade goes a step further by including an investor dictionary featuring definitions for over 50 investing terms, a resource not offered by Plus500. This commitment to comprehensive educational support is reflected in their rankings; AvaTrade impressively stands at the second place out of 62 brokers in the Education category by ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 is positioned at #31, highlighting a slight edge in AvaTrade’s educational offerings for those keen on expanding their trading expertise.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that AvaTrade is better than Plus500. AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #13, while Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14.
AvaTrade is a trusted global brand best known for offering an extensive selection of trading platforms for forex and CFD traders, as well as exceptional educational content that helped it nab Best in Class honors for Beginners in the ForexBrokers.com 2025 Annual Awards.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 99 |
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Both AvaTrade and Plus500 do not provide the option to purchase actual cryptocurrencies, but they do offer the ability to buy cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both AvaTrade and Plus500 do not support ACH or SEPA transfers for account funding or withdrawals, but they both offer a variety of payment methods including PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, providing flexible options for traders.
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 | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
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| Regulation | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 94 | 99 | |
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | Yes | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 6 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 5500 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 65 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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). | 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. |
| Cost | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.93 | 1.5 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | 1.5 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | €100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No | |
| ZuluTrade | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 10 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 114 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 13 | 22 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 110 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | No | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade Review | Plus500 Review |
| Overall | AvaTrade | Plus500 | |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | Plus500 Review |
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