TradingCritique

Select Your Brokers to Compare

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

Broker Name

Plus500

Plus500

VS
IG

IG

Icon

Broker Overview

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

Market maker

ECN

Years of Existence / Established Year

2008

1974

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

20 Million

313,000 customers


Icon

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

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

NFA CFTC FCA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

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

Best Multi platform provider - ADVFN International Financial Awards 2024 Best Finance App - ADVFN International Financial Awards 2024 Best platform for active trader - ADVFN International Financial Awards 2022

Security Measures

Anti-Money Laundering

FSCS

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes


Icon

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

2800+

17,000 + markets

Currency Pairs

No

Yes

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

No

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

No

Yes

CFDs

Yes

Yes

ETFs

No

Yes

Stocks

No

Yes

Options

Yes

Yes

Futures

Yes

Yes

Bonds

No

Yes

Mutual Funds

No

Yes

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

Yes

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

Yes

Equities

No

Yes


Icon

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

No

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

Yes

Copy Trading

No

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Mobile and web trading platform

ProReal Time APIs L2 dealer

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


Icon

Account Types & Conditions

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

Retail Account & Demo Account

Leveraged Accounts Spread betting account CFD accountNon-Leveraged Account Share dealing account ISA account IG smart portfolio account IG smart ISA portfolio account

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

No

Minimum Deposit

$100

$50

Leverage Available

1:30

200:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on the asset type

Trade size vary on each asset

Commission (per account type)

$0

Starting from 0.1

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

Experienced traders

Beginners


Icon

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

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

Bank transfers Card FPS in Hong Kong dollars Funding on IG mobile app Wise

Withdrawal Methods

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

Card Bank transfer

Other E-Wallets Supported

PayPal, Skrill

No


Icon

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

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

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

Trade analytics tools Seminars & webinars


Icon

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Commission-$0

US shares 0 to 50 - commission free 50+ trades - $5Other shares Germany - 0.1% UK - 0.1% Ireland - 0.1%

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Variable

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

NA

NA

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

Vary for each asset

Maximum Leverage

1:30

200:1


Icon

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$10 per month inactive for three months

$12/month after 24 months of no trading activity

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

NA

Advisory Fees

NA

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

NA

$50

Account Opening Fee

NA

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

NA

$0

Deposit Fee

$0

Free for Wire & check deposits

Currency Conversion Fee

0.70%

0.5% - CFDs and share dealing accounts 0.7% - international shares

Withdrawal Fee

$0

Wire transfer - $25


Icon

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

No

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

Yes


Icon

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Depends on the instrument offer

Forex Monday 00:00 - Friday 22:00 GMT (International times may vary)UK shares (LSE): 08.00-16.30 (London time) US shares: 09.30-16.00 (New York time) European shares: vary on relevant exchanges


Icon

Customer Support

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

24/7

24x5 support

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

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

Call +44 (20) 7633 5430 Email: [email protected] 10AM to 7PM whatsapp channel support (Monday to Friday)

Support Languages

32+

8


Icon

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Menachem Begin 125 Tel Aviv, Israel.

IG Cannon Bridge House 25 Dowgate Hill London EC4R 2YA

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


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.
While Plus500 maintains low trading fees with no minimum deposit, IG includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making Plus500 the better option for budget-focused traders.
New users will likely find Plus500 sign-up process more intuitive. Meanwhile, IG takes a more regulated path to onboarding, which could benefit traders seeking high capital limits and detailed agreements.
Traders who value simplicity and execution speed may prefer Plus500 platform. Meanwhile, IG offers more flexibility through tools like advanced order types and multi-screen support.
If you're after professional-grade platforms, Plus500 may be ideal. For casual investors, IG offers a low-barrier entry.