Plus500 Broker Detailed Review

Is Plus500 Safe?

Plus500 AU Pty Ltd (AFSL #417727) is based in Australia and operates an online trading platform that you can use to invest in over 2,000 global financial instruments.  They are also regulated by the FMA in New Zealand, FSP #486026 and an Authorised Financial Services Provider in South Africa, FSP #47546.

Plus500 has not won any industry awards as they have chosen to opt-out from marketing events. While the reason for this is unclear, award shows do require for companies to put themselves forward as a candidate to be eligible to win awards.

Plus500 For Beginners

Plus500 has a demo account for beginners, where traders can practise with virtual money and no risk of losing real capital.  The idea is that brokers will start with a trading account and teach themselves a little and try out new strategies.

Education Material

There is limited education material at Plus500, but this is an issue they are aware of. Plus500 operates a YouTube channel comprised of 25 short silent videos that cover the essential features of the platform. Examples of videos would be How to edit and cancel an order or How to switch between charts.

Analysis Material

On occasion, Plus500 sends notification and newsletters on the platform which can be seen on the right corner, but Plus500 does not provide any guidance on how to trade or analyst recommendations.

Customer Support

Plus500 has 24/7 support for clients via email and live chat.

Trading Conditions

The Plus500 platform is self-contained quite like a market maker. Because it is a closed system where Plus500 is the counterparty, there are few requotes and fast trade execution.

Plus500 is not a market maker. As soon as a client places a trade on the platform, an automated system with no human interference sets a hedging trade as the counterparty to protect Plus500 against any potential loss by acting as the counterparty.

Plus500 makes a profit from the difference in the buy and sell spreads.

Account Types

There are two account types – demo account with play money, and a live account where clients can deposit real funds once the account is verified but Plus500 staff. There are no functionality limitations on the demo account.

Demo Account

The demo account gives the trader a practice area before you put up any money. The Plus500 platform is different from other brokers, so I would strongly advise you to have a good look around before you commit with a deposit. Some traders will enjoy the Plus500 platform, but others will prefer a more traditional layout.

Live Account

Besides the demo account, Plus500 only offers one other type of account with a minimum 1500 ZAR deposit amount. Nothing really with this account – very cut and dry with standard technical charts and fundamentals available.

Spreads and Commissions

Trades at Plus500 are commission-free. Plus500 generates all revenue on the bid/ask variable spreads. The currency pricing used at Plus500 is taken from a 3rd party and reflects actual market value, and then a spread is added on top of the price to create a Plus500 price that the clients can trade. Spreads are published alongside the instrument on the platform.

Deposit & Withdrawal Fees

Plus500 charges no fees for deposits or withdrawals unless the maximum number of five withdrawals per month has been exceeded. In this extreme case, the client will be charged USD 10 or equivalent per withdrawal.

Note that your bank or credit card company may charge your fees for moving money between Plus500 and your bank, but no fees are charged for this service by Plus500.

Inactivity Fee

Should a client not log into the trading account for three months, a fee of USD 10 will be charged. Should you not log into your account for six months, a total charge for those six months will be USD 20.

Trading Platform

The Plus500 platform can be downloaded an installed on a computer, or a trader can use the Webtrader interface on a browser. Both retail and professional traders use the same desktop and mobile applications.

Mobile Apps

Plus500 mobile apps are free for Windows, Android and IOS. They offer all of the features of the web and downloaded version of the trading suite, and make a convenient on-the-go trading solution.

Evaluation Method

We value transparency and openness in the way we review the partners. To bring transparency to the forefront, we have published our review process that includes a detailed breakdown of the Plus500 offer. Central to that process is the evaluation of the reliability of the broker, the platform offering of the broker and the trading conditions offered to clients, which are summarised in this review. Each one of these is graded, and an overall score is calculated and assigned to the broker.

Plus500 Risk Statement

Trading Forex is risky, and each broker is required to detail how risky the trading of Forex CFDs is to clients. Plus500 would like you to know that: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 80.6% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Overview

Plus500 is a leading brand in the CFD trading industry and has a loyal following of traders. With a lot of focus on making the trading platform accessible to beginners and a focus on trying to get the best trading conditions possible, there is a strong appeal to beginners. While the education and research area could be developed further, the customer service and support team are available 24/7 to help with questions anyone may have.

Most retail CFD accounts lose money. Your capital is at risk.