Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Plum vs Vantage
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Plum |  Vantage |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £2 | $5 |
| Account fee | £0 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Funds | Forex, CFDs, Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, Metals |
| Platforms | Mobile app | MT4, MT5 |
| Stock trade fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority | Not confirmed |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | Not confirmed |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 74% to 89% |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | no deposit or withdrawal fee |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Vantage scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 8.9.
- Markets: only Plum offers Funds.
- Markets: only Vantage offers Forex, CFDs, Crypto.
- Platforms: only Plum offers Mobile app.
- Platforms: only Vantage offers MT4, MT5.
- Features: only Plum offers Fractional shares.
- Features: only Vantage offers Demo account, Copy trading.
- Pricing model: only Plum offers Commission free.
- Pricing model: only Vantage offers Low fees.
Our verdict on each
Plum
Plum is a UK app aimed at beginners who want to start small and pay nothing to hold or trade. Stocks, ETFs and funds sit behind fractional shares, the account fee is £0 and the minimum deposit is £2, so small amounts can be put to work in a SIPP, ISA or LISA.
Vantage
Vantage suits UK and European traders who want forex, CFDs, shares, ETFs, crypto and metals in one account. The cost picture is friendly, with an account fee of $0 and no deposit or withdrawal charge, while the opening balance and retail losses are the trade-offs.
Score breakdown
| Area | Plum | Vantage |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Stock dealing is £0, the account fee is £0 and management fees run 0.15% to 0.6% on portfolios. | 9.3 |
| Offer | 8.9 | 9.2Higher |
| Trust | 8.5 | Not confirmed |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Plum | Vantage |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 168 of 471 | 84 of 471 |
What we checked
Plum
- withplum.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- finextra.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Vantage
- fxleaders.com: 6 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokerchooser.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Plum | Vantage |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Fractional shares, Mobile app | Demo account, Mobile app, Copy trading |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Low fees |
| Audience | Beginners | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | Plum Fintech Limited | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2016 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | Plum | Vantage |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0.15% to 0.6% | Not confirmed |
| Minimum investment | £1 | Not confirmed |
| Portfolio types | ETF, Cash | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Plum | Vantage | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £0at the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0at the median | $0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 74% to 89%above the median | 72.05 |
Median across 47 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Plum
Pros
- Stock trades cost £0 and the account fee is £0, so holding and dealing carry no charge.
- The account opens from £2 and the smallest investment is £1, which suits small regular amounts.
- Fractional shares on a Mobile app let a small sum hold part of a share rather than a whole one.
Cons
- Support runs on email and help centre only, so an urgent question waits for a written answer.
- The market list is stocks, etfs and funds and portfolio types run to etf and cash, so the account is narrow beside a full trading platform.
- The minimum deposit of £2 ranks 89 of 213, and CFI lists a minimum deposit of $0.
Vantage
Pros
- No standing charges on the account: an account fee of $0 and an inactivity fee of $0, so a balance left untouched still costs nothing to keep.
- One account across forex, cfds and stocks, so short-term currency trading and longer stock holding do not need a second broker.
- A demo account, a mobile app and copy trading, with orders placed on MT4 and MT5 listed in MT4 and MT5.
Cons
- The minimum deposit of $5 leaves Vantage at 92 of 213 on entry cost, behind CFI at $0 and XTB at €0.
- Retail accounts that lose money run 74% to 89%, a wider band than the site median of 70.15%.
- Vantage is listed under low fees, while 69.8% of the brands compared run on a commission-free model, so frequent traders can find cheaper pricing elsewhere.
Who each suits
Plum
Who it suits
- Beginners who want a SIPP, ISA or LISA going from a first deposit of £2.
- Investors who want to pick their own shares and are content with portfolio types of etf and cash.
- Readers who care most about the cost of a trade, since dealing is £0 and the account fee is £0.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone wanting a lower floor than the £2 minimum, since CFI lists a minimum deposit of $0.
- Readers comparing purely on dealing costs, since eToro also charges $0 for a stock trade.
- People who want to fund from a higher starting amount: Vantage lists a minimum deposit of $5.
Vantage
Who it suits
- Traders who want forex, CFDs, shares, ETFs, crypto and metals held in one account, listed in forex, cfds and stocks.
- Anyone likely to leave money parked for a while, since the inactivity fee is $0.
- Copy traders and mobile traders, with a demo account, a mobile app and copy trading included in demo account, mobile app and copy trading.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro, if futures matter, since they are part of stocks, etfs and forex but not of forex, cfds and stocks.
- CFI or XTB, if the opening balance is the deciding factor and a minimum deposit of $0 or €0 suits better than $5.
Questions about each
Plum
How much does it cost to use Plum?+
Stock trades cost £0 and the account fee is £0, so there is no dealing charge and no annual subscription to pay. The cost that can appear is the management fee of 0.15% to 0.6% on portfolios, which applies to the managed side rather than to every account. On the cost of holding and dealing, Plum sits at the cheap end of the field.
Is Plum regulated, and is my money protected?+
Plum is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and the account is held with Plum Fintech Limited. The stated investor protection is FSCS up to GBP 85,000, which is the compensation available if the firm cannot pay a valid claim. That is the standard UK arrangement for a firm holding investments, and it is the part to check before depositing.
Vantage
What is the minimum deposit at Vantage?+
You need $5 to open an account, a little above the site median of €4.64 though well under the highest minimum deposit of €26,308.87 in the comparison. In practice the balance is small enough to fund from everyday money and top up later rather than committing a large sum on day one.
Does Vantage charge an account fee or an inactivity fee?+
Neither applies. The account fee is $0 and the inactivity fee is $0, so holding the account open or leaving it untouched carries no standing charge. For readers weighing costs, those two lines matter more over time than the entry point, because they are the fees most often buried in small print elsewhere.