EC Markets vs Plus500 : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

EC Markets

Plus500

Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

STP broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

2011

2008

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

No information

20 Million

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FSA,FCA, FSC

FCA, CYSEC, ASIC, FMA, FSCA, FSP, ISA, FSA, MAS, DFSA, FSA, SCB

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Trading Liquidity Award, Best Customer Awards

Best in Class for Trust Score 2024, GLOBAL TRADING ADVFN International Financial Awards

Security Measures

FSCS

Anti-Money Laundering

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

150+

2800+

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

Yes

ETFs

Stocks

Options

Yes

Futures

Yes

Bonds

Mutual Funds

Fractional Shares

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Equities

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

Yes

MT5

Yes

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Mobile and web trading platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes except Mac

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

Standard and ECN accounts

Retail Account & Demo Account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

$10

$100

Leverage Available

200:1 to 500:1

1:30

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Unlimited

Depends on the asset type

Commission (per account type)

$0 for standard account, $5 per lot per side for ECN account

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Both beginners and experienced traders

Experienced traders

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Union Pay, OCT 365, Swift wire transfer, Indonesia bank ATM, Bank Transfer Malaysia, THAI QR payment,e-wallets

Credit, Debit, Master card, Bank transfer, e-wallets

Withdrawal Methods

Union Pay, OCT 365, Swift wire transfer, Indonesia bank ATM, Bank Transfer Malaysia, THAI QR payment, e-wallets

Credit, Debit, Master card, Bank transfer, e-wallets

Other E-Wallets Supported

VN pay, PoLi.

PayPal, Skrill

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Trading Education, Market Analysis, Webinars, eBooks and Guides, Video Tutorials, MT4 Indicator Plugin

Trading Academy Online Courses, Market News and Analysis, Webinars, Trading Guides and eBooks, Video Tutorials, Trader's Guide Beginner's Guide

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Spread for Std account: Starts from 1.0 pip, Spread for ECN accounts: Starts from 0.0 pips

Commission-$0

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

500:1

1:30

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$10 per month inactive for three months

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

0.70%

Withdrawal Fee

$0 bank fees may apply

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Varies by asset type

Depends on the instrument offer

Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

24/5

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: +248 422 4099, E-mail: [email protected], Live chat

Call +65 6320 1111 or +65 6320 1119, Email to Plus500's customer support, Live chat

Support Languages

32+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

3rd Floor, 30 City Road, London, United Kingdom, EC1Y 2AY.

Menachem Begin 125 Tel Aviv, Israel.

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.

Both EC Markets and Plus500 offer affordable fee structures, but EC Markets generally edges out with no inactivity fees and lower commissions on standard trades, whereas Plus500 shines with bundled research and platform access.

EC Markets offers a quick and paperless account setup that appeals to traders on the go, whereas Plus500 more involved onboarding process adds an extra layer of safety and regulatory checks.

If you're looking for platform speed and ease of execution, EC Markets delivers a smooth experience. Plus500, however, is tailored toward traders who want deeper analysis tools and portfolio insights.

If you're after professional-grade platforms, EC Markets may be ideal. For casual investors, Plus500 offers a low-barrier entry.

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