Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Plus500 vs ThinkMarkets, 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.
When comparing the online brokers Plus500 and ThinkMarkets, both platforms offer reliable trading options but differ in some key areas. Plus500, established in 2008, is publicly traded and holds six Tier-1 licenses, contributing to its exceptional Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. ThinkMarkets, founded in 2010 and not publicly traded, holds five Tier-1 licenses and achieves a commendable Trust Score of 92. Neither broker operates as a bank, yet they are prominently regulated, reflecting their commitment to providing secure trading environments.
The higher number of Tier-1 licenses held by Plus500 indicates a stronger regulatory foundation, which can be particularly appealing to traders prioritizing trust and security. ThinkMarkets, while slightly behind in licenses, maintains a solid reputation with its impressive regulatory measures. Despite their differences, both brokers are considered highly trusted by industry standards, offering traders peace of mind when engaging in financial markets.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2008 | 2010 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 5 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
When comparing the online brokers Plus500 and ThinkMarkets, both brokers offer competitive pricing, yet with some notable differences. Plus500's pricing structure is slightly above the industry average, particularly for active traders without the option of discounts for retail clients. However, Plus500 does provide cash rebates to those who qualify as Professional clients, which can serve as an incentive for active trading. The average spread for the EUR/USD pair at Plus500 was 1.5 pips for April 2024, slightly higher than the industry standard. In terms of ratings, Plus500 scores 4.0 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked at #25 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category.
ThinkMarkets, on the other hand, does not provide explicit average spread data, making it harder to gauge its pricing at a glance. Despite this, ThinkMarkets matches Plus500 with a 4-star rating for commissions and fees, highlighting its competency in this area. However, according to ForexBrokers.com, ThinkMarkets is ranked at #48 out of 62 brokers for commissions and fees, indicating there may be room for improvement in terms of its overall competitiveness.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $50 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 1.1 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| 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 comparing Plus500 and ThinkMarkets, both online brokers stand out with their extensive investment options, catering to a wide array of trading preferences. Plus500 offers access to a remarkable 5,500 tradeable symbols, surpassing ThinkMarkets' 4,000 symbols. Both brokers provide forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts. However, Plus500 extends its reach with 65 forex pairs compared to ThinkMarkets’ 46. Furthermore, Plus500 allows clients to purchase exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, such as Apple shares, a feature not available with ThinkMarkets. Despite this, both platforms enable trading in international exchange-traded securities like Vodafone shares.
In terms of cryptocurrency, neither Plus500 nor ThinkMarkets offer the ability to buy actual cryptocurrencies, but both allow for investment in cryptocurrency derivatives. A crucial differentiator is ThinkMarkets’ support for copy trading, a functionality absent from Plus500. Both brokers excel in the range of investments category, each earning a 4.5-star rating. However, ThinkMarkets holds a slight edge, ranking 21st compared to Plus500’s 24th place out of 62 brokers surveyed by ForexBrokers.com for their investment offerings.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 4000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Both Plus500 and ThinkMarkets provide traders with a free virtual demo account, allowing users to practice trading without financial risk. While both brokers have developed their proprietary platforms, Plus500 stands out by offering a web-based trading platform but lacks a Windows-based desktop application, unlike ThinkMarkets. Plus500 does not support popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which are available with ThinkMarkets, along with copy trading features. Plus500 provides a wider range of drawing tools for charting but does not offer the ability to trade directly from a chart, a feature available with ThinkMarkets.
In terms of watch list customization, ThinkMarkets offers more columns than Plus500, providing users with a way to track more data points conveniently. Finally, Plus500 receives a higher rating of 4.5 stars for its trading platforms and tools as compared to ThinkMarkets' 4 stars. Additionally, Plus500 is ranked 14th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, surpassing ThinkMarkets, which is ranked 28th. Overall, Plus500 appears to have a slight edge for users focused on a simplified online interface and advanced charting tools, while ThinkMarkets excels with more advanced platform options and trading features.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | 15 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both Plus500 and ThinkMarkets offer apps for iPhone and Android, meeting the needs of traders on the go. Both platforms provide stock and forex price alerts, ensuring timely updates for market participants. Plus500 distinguishes itself with its watchlist symbol syncing feature, allowing users to seamlessly manage their watchlists from both mobile and online accounts, a feature missing in ThinkMarkets. Plus500 also guarantees more extensive charting options with 110 technical studies compared to ThinkMarkets' 94. While both apps support drawing trendlines and offer diverse time frame views for chart analysis, Plus500 falls short in auto-saving drawings, a convenience provided by ThinkMarkets. Each app facilitates the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes to keep users informed.
In terms of user ratings and rankings, Plus500 edges ahead with a 4.5-star rating compared to ThinkMarkets' 4 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, Plus500 is ranked 14th among 62 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category, while ThinkMarkets is positioned at 20th. These factors may influence your choice based on the importance of specific charting features, watchlist management capabilities, and overall user satisfaction. Both platforms offer solid options, but Plus500 exhibits a few advantages that could appeal to more technically inclined traders or those seeking integrated account management.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 110 | 94 |
| 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 offerings of Plus500 and ThinkMarkets, both platforms provide daily market commentary to keep traders informed. However, ThinkMarkets edges ahead in forex news by sourcing updates from high-quality providers like Bloomberg and Reuters, which Plus500 does not offer. For those interested in technical analysis, Plus500 integrates tools from Trading Central, while ThinkMarkets lacks this resource. In terms of sentiment-based tools, both platforms allow users to view the ratio of long or short positions on various instruments, aiding sentiment analysis.
Additional research capabilities differ as well: ThinkMarkets benefits from tools by Acuity Trading, adding depth to its research arsenal, which Plus500 does not provide. Both brokers offer an economic calendar to track global news events. In terms of ratings, Plus500 scores slightly higher with a 4.0-star rating for research, compared to ThinkMarkets' 3.5 stars. When it comes to ranking among 62 brokers for research, Plus500 holds a stronger position at #19, while ThinkMarkets is situated at #50 according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both Plus500 and ThinkMarkets provide a variety of materials to help new traders get started with forex and CFDs. Both platforms deliver more than 10 educational pieces like articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on forex and CFD trading. They also host monthly online educational webinars, allowing clients to have valuable, live learning experiences. Furthermore, these webinars are recorded and easily searchable, providing an excellent resource for those who want to revisit past sessions. For visual learners, both brokers offer a wide selection of beginner-friendly videos covering a range of trading topics.
While Plus500 and ThinkMarkets provide ample resources for both novice and experienced traders with their advanced educational videos, there are some differences. ThinkMarkets offers an investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms, which is not available with Plus500. This could be particularly handy for beginners in grasping essential trading terminology. In terms of ratings, Plus500 edges out slightly with a 4-star rating compared to ThinkMarkets' 3.5 stars for education. Additionally, ForexBrokers.com ranks Plus500 at #31 out of 62 for educational resources, while ThinkMarkets is ranked at #52. This suggests that Plus500 might be a slightly better choice for those prioritizing educational content in their online trading journey.
| Feature |
Plus500
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 ThinkMarkets. Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14, while ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27.
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
|
ThinkMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 92 |
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Both Plus500 and ThinkMarkets do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing the online brokers Plus500 and ThinkMarkets, both do not support ACH or SEPA transfers, but Plus500 uniquely accepts PayPal alongside Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires for fund transactions, whereas ThinkMarkets matches only the options for Skrill, Visa, 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Plus500 | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Regulation | Plus500 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 92 | |
| 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 | 5 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Plus500 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Plus500 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Plus500 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 4000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.5 | 1.1 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.5 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Plus500 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €100 | $50 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Plus500 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 15 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 94 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Plus500 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 92 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Plus500 Review |
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