Plus500 vs Trading 212 - which service is the winner?

Written by
Bence András R.
Fact checked by
Gyula L.
Updated
Nov 2023

In this article, we’ll compare the two services in detail. While Plus500 and Trading212 share some similarities, the latter is not included in our top 5 Plus500 alternatives list, as it lags behind on some aspects in the BrokerChooser methodology.

This doesn’t mean Trading 212 is not a good alternative to Plus500, it rather illustrates that the broker is not a 100% replacement to Plus500.

Visit Plus500
82% of retail CFD accounts lose money
Visit Trading 212

 

Plus500 summary

  Plus500
Summary Plus500 is a global CFD broker, listed on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market and regulated by many authorities including the UK FCA and CySEC of Cyprus.
Foundation date 2008
Country of origin Israel
Recommended for Experienced traders looking for an innovative platform and a great user experience

The fact that Plus500 is listed on a stock exchange, is regulated by several top-tier financial authorities and discloses its financials publicly are all good signs for the broker's legitimacy.

Plus500 is a CFD broker - with extras

Although its product portfolio consists mainly of CFDs, Plus500 has introduced an Invest platform where clients can trade real stocks from some EEA countries and the USA.

In comparison to Trading 212, Plus500’s product selection lags a bit behind and some popular assets such as ETFs are not available.

Visit Plus500
82% of retail CFD accounts lose money

Trading 212 summary

Trading 212 onboards clients without a waiting list from the EEA region only. Customers from other eligible countries can join Trading 212's waiting list, but it may take a while until onboarding restrictions are lifted and the waiting list is scrapped.

  Trading 212
Summary Trading 212 is a CFD broker regulated by the UK FCA, Bulgarian FSC, and Cypriot CySEC. Customers can invest in commission-free stock and ETF trading as well.
Foundation date 2004
Country of origin Bulgaria
Recommended for Equity investors and CFD traders looking for easy-to-use trading platforms

Trading 212 is considered legit as it is regulated by the top-tier FCA.

Trading 212 is both an investment & a CFD platform

This means that the broker offers CFDs, forex and real investment products like stocks and ETFs. Plus500 also offers stocks, but its main focus is on CFDs.

Visit Trading 212

How Trading 212 compares to Plus500

On the positive side:

  • Both services offer great, user-friendly platforms

  • The quality of customer service, education and research tools is similar

On the negative side:

  • Plus500 charges higher fees than Trading 212 as the latter is generally a zero-commission broker for investment products like stocks and ETFs. CFD costs at Trading 212 are generally high

  • Deposit and withdrawal is somewhat better at Plus500 as there are more base currencies available

  Plus500 Trading 212
Overall score 4.3 4.5
Overall pros
  • User-friendly platform
  • Great account opening
  • Quick and helpful customer support
  • Real stocks and ETFs are commission-free
  • Quick and easy account opening
  • Great trading platforms
Overall cons
  • Limited product range (only CFDs)
  • Mediocre research tools
  • Average CFD fees
  • Limited product portfolio
  • High forex fees
  • USD unavailable as account currency
Fees score 2.9 stars 3.7 stars
Account opening score 5.0 stars 4.5 stars
Deposit and withdrawal score 5.0 stars 4.3 stars
Markets and products score 2.3 stars 4.1 stars
Research score 3.4 stars 3.4 stars
Customer service score 5.0 stars 5.0 stars
Education score 3.5 stars 4.0 stars
Recommended for Experienced traders looking for an innovative platform and a great user experience Equity investors and CFD traders looking for easy-to-use trading platforms
Visit Plus500
82% of retail CFD accounts lose money
Visit Trading 212

Plus500 vs Trading 212: Markets and products

When it comes to product selection, Trading 212 has a somewhat broader selection as it also offers ETFs. While Plus500 provides real stocks, its main focus is on CFDs.

Product selection
  Plus500 Trading 212
Stocks No Yes
ETFs No Yes
Forex No Yes
Funds No No
Bonds No No
Options No No
Futures Yes No
Crypto No No
CFDs Yes Yes

Conclusion

Is Plus500 better than Trading 212?

The Plus500 platform is very innovative, it provides a great user experience even for first-timers. The account opening process and customer support are great. On the other hand, the broker only offers CFDs and stocks, research tools are limited, and CFD fees are average. 

Scalping is taken seriously at Plus500, if you plan to execute many trades within 2 minutes, Plus500 is not your broker.

Trading CFD products is a more seamless experience at Plus500 as fees are lower and the selection is broader, however, the broker lags behind Trading 212 when it comes to investing.

Is Trading 212 better than Plus500?

Trading 212 offers commission-free stocks and ETF trades, and non-trading fees are low. The account opening process is seamless and the trading platforms are user-friendly.

Nevertheless, we found that CFD and forex fees are relatively high and we missed USD as an account currency.

At Trading 212, investing services are better - fees are lower, the selection of stocks and the availability of ETFs may be more appealing to users looking for an investment platform. If you are more into trading CFDs and forex, Plus500 may be a better option for you.

Visit Plus500
82% of retail CFD accounts lose money
Visit Trading 212

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Further reading:

 

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Author of this article

Bence András Rózsa
Bence András Rózsa

Bence is a former broker analyst for BrokerChooser. Having an MSc in international economy and finance, he focused on equities, cryptos and newcomer financial services. He also gained years of experience within the brokerage industry, specializing in stock and CFD/forex brokers, crypto providers and robo-advisors.

Everything you find on BrokerChooser is based on reliable data and unbiased information. We combine our 10+ years finance experience with readers feedback. Read more about our methodology.

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