Plus500 vs Interactive Brokers

Plus500 or Interactive Brokers – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare Plus500 and Interactive Brokers in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

Plus500 vs Interactive Brokers Comparison Table 2025
Plus500 Interactive Brokers
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4.1
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4.3
Plus500 is ranked #18 among CFD brokers. Interactive Brokers is ranked #39 among CFD brokers.
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Review
Established in 2008 and headquartered in Israel, Plus500 is a prominent brokerage that boasts over 25 million registered traders in over 50 countries. Specializing in CFD trading, the company offers an intuitive, proprietary platform and mobile app. It maintains competitive spreads and does not charge commissions or deposit or withdrawal fees. Plus500 also continues to shine as one of the most trusted brokers with licenses from reputable regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CySEC. Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a premier brokerage, providing access to 150 markets in 33 countries, along with a suite of comprehensive investment services. With over 40 years of experience, this Nasdaq-listed firm adheres to stringent regulations by the SEC, FCA, CIRO, and SFC, amongst others, and is one of the most trusted brokers for trading around the globe.
82% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Pros
  • Plus500 provides a specialized WebTrader platform designed explicitly for CFD trading, offering a clean and uncluttered interface
  • In 2025 Plus500 added new share CFDs in emerging sectors like quantum computing and AI, offering opportunities in stocks like IonQ, Rigetti, Duolingo, and Carvana.
  • The broker offers commission-free trading on a diverse range of markets, minimizing additional fees while appealing to established traders
  • Plus500 has recently bolstered its suite of short-term trading products, including introducing VIX options with enhanced volatility and extended hours trading on 7 stock CFDs
  • You can utilize leverage while engaging in long or short positions, allowing for more strategic trading opportunities
  • The customer support team continue to provide reliable 24/7 support via email, live chat and WhatsApp
  • IBKR is one of the most respected and trusted brokerages and is regulated by top-tier authorities, so you can have confidence in the integrity and security of your trading account.
  • The TWS platform has clearly been built for intermediate and advanced traders and comes with over 100 order types and a reliable real-time market data feed that rarely goes offline.
  • Interactive Brokers has been named Best US Broker for 2025 by DayTrading.com, recognizing its long-standing commitment to US traders, ultra-low margin rates, and global market access at minimal cost.
  • The new IBKR Desktop platform takes the best of TWS while adding bespoke tools like Option Lattice and Screeners with MultiSort to create a genuinely impressive trading experience for traders at every level.
  • There's a vast library of free or paid third-party research subscriptions catering to all types of traders, plus you can enjoy commission reimbursements from IBKR if you subscribe to Toggle AI.
  • IBKR continues to deliver unmatched access to global stocks with tens of thousands of equities available from 100+ market centres in 24 countries, most recently the Saudi Stock Exchange.
  • While primarily geared towards experienced traders, IBKR has made moves to broaden its appeal in recent years, reducing its minimum deposit from $10,000 to $0.
  • With low commissions, tight spreads and a transparent fee structure, IBKR delivers a cost-effective environment for short-term traders.
Cons
  • Plus500’s lack of support for MetaTrader or cTrader charting tools might be a deal breaker for advanced traders looking for familiarity
  • Educational resources are limited compared to best-in-class brokers like eToro, impacting the learning curve for beginners
  • The absence of social trading means users can’t follow and replicate the trades of experienced traders
  • Compared to some competitors, especially IG, Plus500’s research and analysis tools are limited
  • Algo trading and scalping are not supported, which may deter some traders
  • TWS’s learning curve is steep, and beginners may find it challenging to navigate the platform and understand all the features. Plus500's web platform is much better suited to new traders.
  • IBKR provides a wide range of research tools, but their distribution across trading platforms and the web-based 'Account Management' page lacks consistency, leading to a confusing user experience.
  • Support can be slow and frustrating based on tests, so you might find it challenging to reach customer service representatives promptly or encounter delays in resolving issues.
  • You can only have one active session per account, so you can’t have your desktop program and mobile app running simultaneously, making for a sometimes frustrating trading experience.
Awards
  • Best Overall Broker 2021 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2020 - DayTrading.com
  • Best Overall Broker 2019 - DayTrading.com
  • Best US Broker 2025 - DayTrading.com
FCA Regulated
Yes Yes
Instruments
CFDs on Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options Stocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$100 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
Variable $100
Regulator
FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, MAS, FSA, FSCA, FMA, EFSA FCA, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB, FINMA, AFM
Mobile Apps
iOS, Android & Windows iOS & Android
Trading App

Plus500 have developed their mobile apps to match the WebTrader online platform . Secure and reliable, the app is among the best out there. Stop loss and limits are available, free alerts and a full range of markets and instruments are available. Visit the download page here.

The IBKR Mobile app, available on both iOS and Android devices, makes your phone a powerful gateway to your IBKR accounts, offering you the freedom to keep an eye on portfolios, initiate trades, and dive into real-time quotes and charts, all while managing your account activities on the fly. This app stands out for its intuitive design, making it especially welcoming for those just starting their trading journey, providing a smoother and more accessible experience than the more complex TWS platform.
iOS App Rating
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4.1
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4.3
Android App Rating
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4.3
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4.5
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
1.55 - 2.59%
MetaTrader 4
No No
MetaTrader 5
No No
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No Yes
OmniTrader
No Yes
TradingView
No Yes
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No Yes
Trading Central
No Yes
STP Account
No Yes
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No Yes
MAM Account
No Yes
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No Yes
Robo Advisor
No Yes
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
Yes No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No Yes
Auto Trading
No Capitalise.ai & TWS API
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No No
VPS Hosting
No No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
Yes Yes
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Yes No
Inactivity Fee
$10 $0
Islamic Account
Yes No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • AUD
  • ZAR
  • CZK
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • INR
  • JPY
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • AED
  • HUF
Commodities
  • Copper
  • Cotton
  • Coffee
  • Livestock
  • Sugar
  • Gasoline
  • Cocoa
  • Platinum
  • Soybeans
  • Oil
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Corn
  • Aluminium
  • Palladium
  • Wheat
  • Cattle
  • Lean Hogs
  • Gold
  • Zinc
  • Aluminium
  • Natural Gas
  • Soybeans
  • Lead
  • Precious Metals
  • Lean Hogs
CFD
Plus500 presents commission-free CFDs encompassing a vast array of markets, spanning currencies, stocks, indices, and commodities. You can engage in long or short positions on popular assets, benefiting from adaptable leverage without encountering any concealed fees. Over 8,000 CFDs are offered on a vast array of instruments, encompassing stocks, indices, forex, and commodities. Moreover, the TWS platform lends itself to seasoned traders, offering a comprehensive selection of over 100 order types and algorithms, alongside premium market data sourced from reputable sources such as Reuters and Dow Jones.
Leverage
1:30 1:50
FTSE Spread
Dynamic 0.005% (£1 Min)
GBPUSD Spread<
Dynamic 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Oil Spread
Dynamic 0.25-0.85
Stocks Spread
Dynamic 0.003
Forex
Plus500 provides forex trading through CFDs, featuring narrow spreads across an impressive selection of over 60 currency pairs. During testing, spreads came in as tight as 0.6 pips on the EUR/USD, which is notably lower than many alternatives. IBKR presents an extensive range of over 100 major, minor, and exotic forex pairs, surpassing the offerings of nearly all leading alternatives, though not CMC Markets. Forex trading occurs over multiple platforms and boasts institutional-grade spreads starting from 0.1 pips and 20 complex order types, including brackets, scale, and one-cancels-all (OCA) orders.
Assets
60+ 100+
GBPUSD Spread
Dynamic 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURUSD Spread
Dynamic 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
EURGBP Spread
Dynamic 0.08-0.20 bps x trade value
Cryptocurrency
IBKR lets you purchase and hold Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin at competitive commission rates and without needing a crypto wallet. Additionally, there is a range of other diverse assets to explore, such as crypto indices like the NYSE Bitcoin Index, as well as futures contracts like the BAKKT Bitcoin Futures.
Spread
Variable 0.12%-0.18%
Coins
  • BCH
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • XRP
  • IOTA
  • NEO
  • EOS
  • XMR
  • BTC
  • LTC
  • ETH
  • XRP
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
Plus500 Interactive Brokers
Review
Review
82% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
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