Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
IG vs Plus500
IG vs Plus500: the differences
| Compare |  IG |  Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread bettingCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, Options, Crypto |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69% | 81% |
| Platforms | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView | Plus500 WebTrader, Plus500 Mobile App |
| Stock trade fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | 2.5% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- IG scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.4.
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC.
- Regulators: only Plus500 offers Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Markets: only IG offers CFDs, Futures, Spread betting.
- Platforms: only IG offers Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime.
- Platforms: only Plus500 offers Plus500 WebTrader, Plus500 Mobile App.
- Features: only IG offers Fractional shares.
Our verdict on each
IG
IG suits traders who want shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting under a single roof, with an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5% on uninvested balances. Share dealing runs commission-free, while the retail loss rate is 69%.
Plus500
Plus500 suits UK and European retail traders who want one account covering stocks, etfs and forex in a single app. The UK arm is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, with FSCS up to GBP 85,000 behind UK balances and costs charged per trade rather than as a flat account fee.
Score breakdown
| Area | IG | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3 | Not confirmed |
| Offer | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. | 9.3 |
| Trust | 9.5 | 9.5 |
Feature by feature
| Markets | IG | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | No |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Spread betting | Yes | No |
How they place
| Ranking | IG | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 39 of 490 | 48 of 490 |
| Forex brokers | 15 of 147 | 22 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 13 of 145 | 20 of 145 |
| Options trading platforms | 11 of 103 | 14 of 103 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | IG | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | |
| Germany | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 | Not confirmed |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed | Financial Conduct Authority 509909 |
| United States | SIPC SIPC member 71021 | Not confirmed |
What we checked
IG
- ig.com: 8 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Plus500
- 500affiliates.com: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- plus500.com: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IG | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional sharesCovers more | Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | IG Europe GmbH | Plus500UK Ltd |
| Headquarters | Germany | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Chat, Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IG | Plus500 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £0at the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Account fee | €0at the median | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69%below the median | 81%highest quarter | 70.375% |
| Interest on cash | 2.5%below the median | Not confirmed | 3% |
Median across 38 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
IG
Pros
- Markets list stocks, etfs and forex, so shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting sit together.
- Regulated by Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, with client protection of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
- Platform choice runs Mobile trading, L2 Dealer and ProRealTime.
Cons
- Retail accounts that lose money come to 69%.
- The commission-free model in commission free applies to share dealing, and it does not extend to trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options or futures.
- Accounts sit with IG Europe GmbH in Germany, so compensation stops at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Plus500
Pros
- Costs are charged per trade, with no account fee listed
- UK protection stands at FSCS up to GBP 85,000
- One account spans stocks, etfs and forex in the same app
Cons
- Losses run high at 81% of retail accounts
- Support runs on chat, email and help centre only, with no phone line
- Retail loss of 81% tops the site median of 70.15%
Who each suits
IG
Who it suits
- Traders who want stocks, etfs and forex reachable from the same account rather than several platforms.
- Share buyers who want dealing on a commission-free basis, since commission free covers their trades.
- EU clients who weight regulation and compensation, given Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC and EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a platform built around share dealing and crypto alone should compare CFI, whose stocks, etfs and forex is a shorter, simpler list.
- Investors priced in dollars rather than euros should weigh eToro, where the stock trade fee is $0.
- Anyone weighing only the account charge should know Vantage lists $0, so IG's €0 is not the only way to hold an account cheaply.
Plus500
Who it suits
- UK retail traders wanting one app for several asset classes
- First-time traders who can practise on the demo account
- Traders who prefer one platform over several brokers
Who should look elsewhere
- Long-term investors wanting ISA or SIPP style accounts
- Traders wanting CFDs or futures, absent from stocks, etfs and forex
- Traders who want a phone line rather than chat, email and help centre
Questions about each
IG
What does it cost to trade shares with IG?+
Share dealing runs on a commission-free model, with a stock trade fee of £0 and an account fee of €0. Those are the two figures that matter for holding and trading, and both sit at the floor of the site tables. Trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options and futures are quoted apart from share dealing.
Who regulates IG and is my money protected?+
The regulators are Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, and the licences listed are MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 and SIPC member 71021. Client protection in the EU is EU ICS up to EUR 20,000, so a claim against the firm is covered only up to that ceiling. Any balance above the cap is your own exposure.
Plus500
What does Plus500 cost to trade?+
Plus500 charges per trade rather than a flat account fee, and no account fee is listed for the brand. Retail loss figures sit high at 81%, so costs per trade matter more than an annual charge.
Is Plus500 regulated in the UK?+
Yes. The UK arm trades as Plus500UK Ltd and is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under 509909. A Cyprus entity is separately authorised by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission under 250/14.
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