Firstrade vs Plus500 Futures : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Firstrade

Plus500 Futures

Broker Overview

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

STP broker

Market Maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1985

2008

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1Million

30+ Million

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA, SEC

NFA, CFTC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.

Security Measures

SIPC

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

2200+ ETFs including CDs, Treasury bills, Notets and bonds, Primary market CDs, Zeros and strips and more

2800+ including Equity index

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes- Through ETFs

Cryptocurrencies

Yes- Through ETFs

Yes

CFDs

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Yes

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Yes

Precious Metals

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

Equities

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

MT5

Yes

cTrader

Social Trading

Copy Trading

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Firstrade platform

Mobile and web trading platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

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

Brokerage account- Individual, Joint, Custodial, Retirement- Retirement (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA), Corporate, Trust, International, Education Planning, Business Planning

Plus500 futures trading account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

$100

Leverage Available

1:30 - 1:300

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on asset class

Depends on the asset type

Commission (per account type)

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

Both beginners and experienced traders

Beginners

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Wire Fund Transfer, Check deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer

Visa, Master card, Bank transfer, e-wallets

Withdrawal Methods

Wire Fund Transfer, Check Deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer, Withdrawal of sales proceed

Visa, Master card, Bank transfer, e-wallets

Other E-Wallets Supported

Apple pay, GPay, Klarna

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

Education Center, Investment Education Videos, Option Guide, Margin Guide, Webinars, Tax center, Blogs, Upcoming IPOs

Trading academy, News and Markets insights, Risk management tools

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Commission for stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual funds- $0, Fixed income- Treasury Bills, Notes & Bonds, Municipal Bonds, Agency Bonds, Secondary Market CDs, Zeros & Strips- Net yield basis, Primary Market CDs- $30, Broker-Assisted Stock & Options Trades- $19.95 (+$0.50/Contract)

NFA Regulatory Fee- $0.02 per side, Commission -$0.49 to $0.89

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Typical

Fixed

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

1:300 for professional account

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.20-0.30%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

Withdrawal Fee

$25-$75

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Pre-Market: 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM ET Regular Market: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET After-Hours: 4:05 PM to 8:00 PM ET

Depends on the assets type

Customer Support

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

Monday - Friday,10am - 4pm ET

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: U.S. Toll Free: 1-800-869-8800, Outside the US: 1-718-961-6600, E-mail, FAQ, Fax: 1-718-961-3919

E-mail through Query Form, Live chat

Support Languages

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

30-50 Whitestone Expwy. Ste. A301 Flushing, NY 11354

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.

Value depends on what you trade: Firstrade can suit multi-asset portfolios, while Plus500 Futures is simple for exchange-traded futures with transparent per-order fees.

Firstrade commonly provides multiple account options and may include more manual checks. Plus500 Futures keeps onboarding streamlined and digital, includes a demo account, and requires a $100 minimum deposit.

Firstrade may emphasize research add-ons or screeners. Plus500 Futures focuses on efficient futures execution via WebTrader/mobile connectivity.

Firstrade can suit traders seeking broader product menus or research-heavy workflows. Plus500 Futures is better aligned to futures-led strategies with transparent, exchange-style pricing.

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