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

Broker Name

Firstrade

Plus500

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

20 Million

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FINRA, SEC

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

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.

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

Security Measures

SIPC

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)

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

2800+

Currency Pairs

Commodities

Indices

Yes- Through ETFs

Cryptocurrencies

Yes- Through ETFs

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

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

Retail Account & Demo Account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

$100

Leverage Available

1:30

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

Experienced traders

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

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

Withdrawal Methods

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

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

Other E-Wallets Supported

PayPal, Skrill

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

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)

Commission-$0

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Typical

Variable

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

1:30

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$10 per month inactive for three months

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.20-0.30%

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

0.70%

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 instrument offer

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

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

Support Languages

32+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

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

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

Firstrade makes starting out easy with a simple application, especially for retail clients. Plus500 platform, while requiring more effort to join, allows experienced traders to customize their accounts from the start.

Firstrade integrates well with algorithmic trading tools and third-party plugins. In contrast, Plus500 emphasizes educational content and built-in research features within its platform.

Firstrade delivers a robust ecosystem for seasoned traders, whereas Plus500 focuses on ease of access and modern usability.

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