Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Interactive Brokers vs Plus500
Where Interactive Brokers and Plus500 differ
| Compare |  Interactive Brokers |  Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Bonds, ETFs, Forex, Funds, Futures, Options, Stocks | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, Options, Crypto |
| Regulators | SEC, FCA, SIPC | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to USD 500,000 | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Platforms | Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, Trader Workstation | Plus500 WebTrader, Plus500 Mobile App |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Stock trade fee | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 81% |
| Margin rate | 4.38% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | $0.65 | Not confirmed |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, IRA, Joint, Corporate | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | 3.38% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Interactive Brokers scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 9.4.
- Regulators: only Interactive Brokers offers SEC, FCA, SIPC.
- Regulators: only Plus500 offers Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Markets: only Interactive Brokers offers Bonds, Funds, Futures.
- Markets: only Plus500 offers Crypto.
- Platforms: only Interactive Brokers offers Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile.
- Platforms: only Plus500 offers Plus500 WebTrader, Plus500 Mobile App.
- Support channels: only Interactive Brokers offers Community.
- Support channels: only Plus500 offers Chat, Email.
- Features: only Interactive Brokers offers Fractional shares.
Our verdict on each
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers suits investors who want a single account across ISA, SIPP, IRA, joint and corporate holdings, with stocks, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures behind it. It ranks 1 of 213 brands on minimum deposit at $0, and stock trades are charged at $0.
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 | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Stock trades cost $0, the minimum deposit is $0 and an options contract costs $0.65. | Not confirmed |
| Offer | 9.6HigherAccount types cover isa, sipp and ira, and the market list spans bonds, etfs and forex. | 9.3 |
| Trust | 9.8Higher | 9.5 |
Feature by feature
| Markets | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| Crypto | No | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
Sources behind this comparison
Interactive Brokers
- interactivebrokers.com: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokersway.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- toponlineforexbrokers.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- euinvestinghub.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- eupersonalfinance.eu: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Plus500
- 500affiliates.com: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- plus500.com: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 35 of 490 | 48 of 490 |
| Forex brokers | 13 of 147 | 22 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 11 of 145 | 20 of 145 |
| Options trading platforms | 7 of 103 | 14 of 103 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile app | Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free, Low fees | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | INTERACTIVE BROKERS LLC | Plus500UK Ltd |
| Headquarters | United States | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 1978 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Chat, Email, Help centre |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio types | ETF | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Interactive Brokers | Plus500 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0below the median | Not confirmed | $10 |
| Stock trade fee | $0at the median | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 81%highest quarter | 70.375% |
| Margin rate | 4.38%below the median | Not confirmed | 8.79% |
| Options contract fee | $0.65above the median | Not confirmed | $0.59 |
| Interest on cash | 3.38%above the median | Not confirmed | 3% |
Median across 99 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Interactive Brokers
Pros
- A stock trade costs $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, the pairing behind rank 1 of 161 on stock trade fees among the brokers tracked here.
- The account types listed cover isa, sipp and ira, so an ISA, SIPP, IRA, joint or corporate account all sit under a single provider.
- bonds, etfs and forex puts stocks, ETFs, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures on the same account, with a margin rate of 4.38% for geared positions.
Cons
- Support runs on help centre and community, so a phone line and live chat sit outside the offer.
- bonds, etfs and forex covers shares, ETFs, bonds, funds, forex, options and futures but leaves out crypto and CFDs, which eToro lists in stocks, etfs and forex.
- An options contract costs $0.65 against a stock trade at $0, so options strategies pay a visible premium per contract.
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
Interactive Brokers
Who it suits
- Investors holding money across several wrappers, since the account types listed cover isa, sipp and ira.
- Traders who want options, futures, forex and bonds alongside shares on a single account, per bonds, etfs and forex.
- Anyone starting with a small balance: the minimum deposit is $0 and fractional shares appear in the feature list (fractional shares and mobile app).
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who trades crypto or CFDs, since bonds, etfs and forex leaves both out while eToro lists them in stocks, etfs and forex.
- Readers who want a stated entry figure as a signal of the provider's target size, since Vantage publishes $5 where this broker's minimum is $0.
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
Interactive Brokers
What does it cost to trade shares?+
A stock trade is charged at $0 and the minimum deposit is $0, so opening an account and dealing in shares carry no charge. The money sits in derivatives and leverage instead, where an options contract costs $0.65 and the margin rate is listed at 4.38%.
Is my money protected?+
The regulatory list runs to SEC, FCA and SIPC, and investor protection is stated as SIPC up to USD 500,000. The UK entry is the FCA under licence 208159, while the US side names the SEC and the SIPC membership SIPC member 53615. The protection figure describes the scheme stated for the account and says nothing about how a trade performs.
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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