Comparing two brokers is seldom an easy task. In this article, we will compare Plus500 vs FP Markets two forex brokers in terms of regulation, fees, investment options, market research&analysis, and platforms.
Plus500 vs FP Markets – Regulation
Plus500 has three global Tier-1 regulators, FP Markets has one. Plus500 is the holder of four global Tier-2 licenses, whereas FP Markets is the holder of one.
Plus500 is regulated by:
- FCA (Financial Conduct Authority)
- ASIC ( Australian Securities & Investment Commission)
- MAS ( Monetary Authority of Singapore)
FP Markets is regulated by:
- ASIC ( Australian Securities & Investment Commission)
Plus500 vs FP Markets – Investment Options
Plus500
Most brokers provide non-deliverable spot FX like a rolling contract, however, Plus500 only offers CFDs for FX trading. The broker also started trading stocks in 2021 and will purchase a futures company in the United States. The list below outlines the various investment options that Plus500 users have access to.
Crypto trading: CFDs allow users to trade crypto, however, they can’t trade the underlying asset directly (meaning purchasing Bitcoin). Retail traders of any broker’s United Kingdom branch, as well as United Kingdom citizens, are not permitted to trade cryptocurrency CFDs.
- Forex Trading
- CFD Trading
- 1896 Tradeable Symbols in total
- 71 Forex Pairs in total
- US Stock Trading (Non CFD)
- Int’l Stock Trading (Non CFD)
- Cryptocurrency (CFD)
FP Markets
The MT (MetaTrader) service from FP Markets is restricted to about 130 tradable symbols, while the Iress platform suite provides international users with a broad selection of CFDs, featuring 8,884 shares, more than 60 FX pairs, 4 metals, a dozen indices, 5 cryptocurrencies, as well as 3 commodities.
Crypto trading: CFDs are offered for cryptocurrency trading, however, the underlying asset isn’t available for trade. Retail traders of any broker’s United Kingdom branch, as well as United Kingdom citizens, aren’t permitted to trade crypto CFDs.
- Forex Trading
- CFD Trading
- 9790 Tradeable Symbols in total
- 63 Forex Pairs in total
- Cryptocurrency (CFD)
- Social Trading / Copy-Trading
Plus500 vs FP Markets – Pricing
Plus500
Generally, the broker’s prices are in accordance with industry standards, however, regarding active trader fees, it lags below the leading forex brokers. Plus500 doesn’t give discounts to retail customers, but if they meet the qualifications and are recognized as Professional clients, they can get cash rebates (similar to an active trader plan).
- Minimum Deposit is €100
- Average Spread EUR/USD – Standard 0.6 (2018)
- All-in Cost EUR/USD – Active N/A
- Execution: Market Maker
FP Markets
FP Makets’ MetaTrader platform offers exceptionally cheap pricing, rendering it one of the most cost-effective brokers accessible to traders worldwide — at least for commission-based ECN accounts. The Iress ViewPoint account is more expensive, and it’s designed for active traders that hold substantial balances.
- Minimum Deposit is $100 AUD
- Average Spread EUR/USD – Standard 1.2
- All-in Cost EUR/USD – Active 0.7
- Active Trader or VIP Discounts
- Execution: Market Maker
Plus500 vs FP Markets – Platforms
Plus500
Because of its simplicity and concentration on delivering only the fundamentals, the broker’s WebTrader platform is a good alternative for laid-back traders. Throughout the years, the broker has made small changes to its platform, and as those advancements have accumulated, it has become similar to the leading companies in this area.
The broker’s web trading platform is still being improved, but it now includes pre-defined watchlists, the capacity to set alerts based on client attitude information, as well as instrument info from Yahoo Finance that shows up when observing a specific symbol.
- Virtual Trading (Demo)
- Its Own Platform
- Web Platform
- 110 Charting – Indicators / Studies in total
- 21 Charting – Drawing Tools in total
- 9 Watchlists – Total Fields
- Order Type – Market
FP Markets
Regarding share trading, the broker provides the Iress platform bundle, however, for FX and CFD trading, MT (MetaTrader) is the preferred platform.
FP Markets provides the whole MT platform suite, together with MT4 (MetaTrader 4) and MT5 (MetaTrader 5). The Iress platform package also includes 3 web-based platforms for active traders. MT is more suitable for FX traders, whereas the Iress platform (especially its ViewPoint account) is better for users who trade shares.
- Virtual Trading (Demo)
- Proprietary Platform
- Desktop Platform (Windows)
- Web Platform
- Social (Copy) Trading
- MT4 (MetaTrader 4)
- MT5 (MetaTrader 5)
- 30 Charting – Indicators / Studies in total
- 15 Charting – Drawing Tools in total
- Charting – Trade From Chart
- 7 Watchlists – Total Fields
Research and Analysis
Plus500
Plus500’s trading research is lacking, particularly in comparison to industry leaders like CMC Markets and IG. The broker has started adding articles regularly, providing market analysis as well as commentary, although it’s still missing FX news updates and regular webinars.
Summary of the research: User sentiment analytics, as well as an economic calendar provided by Dow Jones with access to Yahoo Finance for every trade symbol, are included in the broker’s web trading platform’s research. There aren’t any news updates or technical or basic analyses to be found.
- Daily Market Commentary
- Social Sentiment – Currency Pairs
- Economic Calendar
FP Markets
The majority of the broker’s research may be accessed on its webpage in the Traders Hub area, which is divided into technical & fundamental analysis. In comparison to the top research brokers, such as IG and CMC Markets, it has the potential to develop and should extend its research service to cover a greater range of daily material.
Over on its official YouTube page, FP Markets publishes daily written pieces as well as videos. High-quality sources like Citibank, Commerzbank, Reuters, as well as different forex news services supply news into the broker’s MetaTrader platforms.
- Daily Market Commentary
- Forex News (Top-Tier Sources)
- Autochartist
- Social Sentiment – Currency Pairs
- Economic Calendar
Overall Winner: Plus500
We analyzed the two brokers meticulously. Plus500 provides a superior trading experience, however, FP Markets provides exceptional market research. Plus500 is a well-known international broker that provides online traders with a convenient trading platform, as well as accessibility to share trading and a wide range of CFDs.
See also: IG vs Saxo Bank