Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Plus500 vs Pepperstone, 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 is a well-established online broker known for its high trustworthiness in the trading community. It boasts a perfect Trust Score rating of 99 by ForexBrokers.com, making it highly trusted. Plus500 is publicly traded and holds an impressive six Tier-1 licenses, enhancing its credibility. It also has three Tier-2 licenses, further supporting its trusted status. Despite not being a bank, Plus500's regulatory standing makes it a go-to choice for many investors.
Pepperstone, founded in 2010, is another reputable online broker with a solid Trust Score of 95, indicating a high level of trust. Unlike Plus500, it is not publicly traded but still carries significant weight with three Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses under its belt. While Pepperstone is not a bank, it remains a favored option for traders due to its commendable regulatory approval and trusted reputation in the industry.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of online brokers Plus500 and Pepperstone, there are notable differences that prospective traders should consider. Plus500 has a pricing structure slightly above the industry average and lacks discounts for retail clients. However, they do offer cash rebates for qualified traders designated as Professional clients. In April 2024, the EUR/USD spread at Plus500 averaged 1.5 pips, which is higher compared to other industry players. For its commissions and fees, Plus500 is rated 4.0 stars and ranked 25th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Pepperstone, on the other hand, provides competitive pricing, especially with its Razor account, which is tailored for high-volume traders. With a commission-based structure, the Razor account recorded an average spread of 0.10 pips for the EUR/USD in July 2024. Factoring in a commission equivalent of 0.70 pips, the overall cost remains close to the industry average at 0.80 pips. The Standard account by Pepperstone is commission-free, yet has a relatively higher spread of 1.1 pips for the same currency pair, making it less cost-efficient than the Razor account.
Pepperstone also provides an Active Trader program, which offers rebates based on trading volume. For clients in the UK and EU trading at least £20 million monthly, rebates start at 15% per lot, escalating up to 25% for trades exceeding £200 million. In Australia, the rebate begins at a 10% reduction in spread for 100 lots over three months, with maximum discounts of 30% for those trading over 3001 lots. With a 4.5-star rating from ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone ranks 10th out of 62 brokers for commissions and fees, highlighting its appeal to cost-conscious traders.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 1.00 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | 0.70 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| 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 comparing the range of investments available through Plus500 and Pepperstone, both brokers offer forex trading as a contract for difference (CFD) with an identical selection of 65 forex pairs. However, Plus500 stands out with a significantly broader overall range, offering 5,500 tradeable symbols compared to Pepperstone's 1,726. Moreover, Plus500 allows clients to buy exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, enabling direct investment in companies like Apple and Vodafone. In contrast, Pepperstone does not offer this capability, focusing primarily on CFDs and lacking access to exchange-traded securities.
Both Plus500 and Pepperstone provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither supports the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. While Plus500 does not support copy trading, Pepperstone does, which may appeal to investors looking for this feature. In terms of overall ranking, Plus500 holds a higher position, rated at 4.5 stars and ranked #24 by ForexBrokers.com for its range of investments, whereas Pepperstone is rated slightly lower at 4 stars, positioned at #26 in the same category.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1726 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 65 |
| 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). |
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When it comes to comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by Plus500 and Pepperstone, several key differences emerge. Both brokers provide free virtual demo accounts, which are great for honing your trading skills without any financial risk. Plus500 has developed its own proprietary platform but does not provide a Windows-based desktop download platform, whereas Pepperstone offers its proprietary options and also supports popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and 5. Pepperstone stands out with additional features such as copy trading and DupliTrade, offering more variety for traders seeking collaborative tools. Both brokers have web-based platforms for convenience, but Pepperstone allows you to trade directly from a stock chart, a feature missing on Plus500.
Charting tools also highlight some distinctions between these two brokers. While Plus500 offers 22 drawing tools, Pepperstone provides 30, enhancing the depth of chart analysis. However, Plus500 excels with more watch list customization options, offering 10 columns compared to Pepperstone’s 7. Plus500’s platform receives higher user ratings, scoring 4.5 stars for its trading platforms and tools compared to Pepperstone’s 4 stars. This performance is reflected in their ranking by ForexBrokers.com, with Plus500 placing 14th out of 62 brokers, and Pepperstone ranked at 22nd. These differences may guide traders in selecting a platform that best suits their specific trading preferences and needs.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | Yes |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 114 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 22 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Plus500 and Pepperstone offer highly functional mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring traders can access the markets on the go. Users of both apps can benefit from features such as stock or forex price alerts and the ability to sync watchlists with an online account. This syncing capability means that any updates made to a watchlist are instantly reflected, whether you're on your mobile device or desktop. Both platforms allow users to draw trendlines and view various time frames on charts, catering to traders with diverse analytical needs. A standout difference is in the charting tools where Plus500 offers an extensive array of 110 technical studies, far surpassing Pepperstone's 30. Another variation is the auto-saving of chart drawings, a feature available in Pepperstone but not in Plus500.
In terms of app ratings and rankings, the Plus500 mobile trading app boasts a 4.5-star rating, slightly higher than Pepperstone's 4-star rating. According to ForexBrokers.com, Plus500 is ranked 14th out of 62 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category, indicating a strong reputation among users, while Pepperstone closely follows, positioned at 21st. With both apps supporting the creation of watchlists featuring real-time quotes, Plus500 and Pepperstone ensure that traders have the tools needed to stay updated and make informed decisions promptly. Whether you prioritize advanced technical analysis or seamless synchronization, both brokers provide solid options for mobile trading, although Plus500 might appeal more to those seeking extensive charting features.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 110 | 30 |
| 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.
Both Plus500 and Pepperstone provide daily market commentary, ensuring traders stay informed about the latest market trends. However, when it comes to access to forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, Pepperstone has the upper hand, while Plus500 lacks these offerings. Pepperstone also provides technical analysis tools from Autochartist, a feature absent in Plus500's service. On the other hand, Plus500 offers research tools from Trading Central, which Pepperstone does not provide. Both brokers offer sentiment-based trading tools and maintain comprehensive economic calendars to help traders track global events.
When rated for research, Pepperstone edges ahead with a 4.5-star rating compared to Plus500's 4.0-star rating. This superior research capability also reflects in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where Pepperstone is ranked 12th out of 62 brokers, while Plus500 is ranked 19th. Notably, neither broker offers market research from TipRanks nor research tools from Acuity Trading. In summary, while both brokers offer valuable research tools, Pepperstone offers a slightly more comprehensive research experience for serious traders.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| 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 educational resources for beginners, both Plus500 and Pepperstone provide a solid foundation. Both brokers offer a comprehensive range of educational materials, including over ten pieces of essential content focused on forex and CFDs, such as articles, videos, and archived webinars. They also host regular online webinars for clients, with a commitment to offering at least one per month, and maintain a searchable archive of these sessions, allowing users to revisit valuable insights at their convenience. Additionally, each of these platforms supports beginner traders with more than ten educational videos specifically designed to ease newcomers into the world of trading. For more advanced traders, Plus500 and Pepperstone also have educational videos that delve into complex trading topics.
While both brokers excel in providing a broad array of learning tools, Pepperstone offers an extra benefit with an investor dictionary that includes definitions of over 50 investing terms, a feature that Plus500 currently lacks. This additional resource may contribute to Pepperstone's slightly higher education rating of 4.5 stars, compared to Plus500's 4.0 stars. Furthermore, in the education category rank amongst 62 brokers evaluated by ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone is placed at #18, while Plus500 comes in at #31. Overall, both brokers deliver quality educational content tailored to trading beginners, with Pepperstone having a slight edge due to its extra resources.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 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 Pepperstone. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16.
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
|
Pepperstone
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 |
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Both Plus500 and Pepperstone do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they each provide options to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives.
In a comparison of online brokers, Plus500 does not support ACH or SEPA transfers for account funding, unlike Pepperstone, yet both brokers allow deposits and withdrawals through PayPal, Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires.
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 | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | Pepperstone Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
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| Regulation | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2010 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1726 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 65 | |
| 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 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 1.00 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | 0.70 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $0 | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| DupliTrade | No | Yes | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 114 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 22 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 110 | 30 | |
| 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 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Pepperstone Review |
| Overall | Plus500 | Pepperstone | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review | Pepperstone Review |
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