Vanguard or Plus500 – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare Vanguard and Plus500 in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.
Vanguard is a US-headquartered brokerage with 50 million clients globally and $8+ billion in assets under management. The brands offers investing in stocks, mutual funds, bonds, ETFs and options with low fees. The trusted broker is regulated by the SEC, FINRA and FCA.
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.
82% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Pros
Trusted since 1975 with strong regulatory oversight in the US and UK
Retirement and ISA accounts available alongside traditional investing solutions
Fully managed accounts providing a hands-off approach to investing
Excellent education and user guides compared to alternatives
Competitive fee structure with a 0.15% account fee
Commission-free stock and ETF trading
Well-designed mobile app
ESG funds available
Plus500 provides a specialized WebTrader platform designed explicitly for CFD trading, offering a clean and uncluttered interface
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
Cons
Limited payment methods - credit cards, cheques and e-wallet are not supported
High minimum investment amounts, including $3000 for the majority of mutual funds
No demo account available to practise trading risk-free
Focused on US clients
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
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.
iOS App Rating
4.1
Android App Rating
4.3
Margin Trading
Yes
Yes
MetaTrader 4
No
No
MetaTrader 5
No
No
cTrader
No
No
AlgoTrader
No
No
OmniTrader
No
No
TradingView
No
No
Autochartist
No
No
eSignal
No
No
Trading Central
No
No
STP Account
No
No
ECN Account
No
No
DMA Account
No
No
MAM Account
No
No
PAMM Account
No
No
LAMM Account
No
No
Demat Account
No
No
AI / Machine Learning
Yes
No
Robo Advisor
Yes
No
Negative Balance Protection
No
Yes
Market Maker
No
Yes
P2P Trading
No
No
Spot Trading
Yes
No
Auto Trading
Yes
No
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
Yes
No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No
Yes
Inactivity Fee
$10
Islamic Account
No
Yes
Account Currencies
USD
EUR
GBP
USD
EUR
GBP
AUD
ZAR
CZK
Commodities
Copper
Cotton
Coffee
Livestock
Sugar
Gasoline
Cocoa
Platinum
Soybeans
Oil
Gold
Silver
Corn
Aluminium
Palladium
Wheat
Cattle
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.
Leverage
1:30
FTSE Spread
Dynamic
GBPUSD Spread<
Dynamic
Oil Spread
Dynamic
Stocks Spread
Dynamic
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.