In this article, we help you weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of Trading 212 versus Plus500, considering the products and services they offer. We also consider the costs of investing via each platform and summarise the customer reviews.
Trading 212 vs Plus500: Which is better?
| Trading 212 | Plus500 | |
| Services | Investing in shares, ETFs, CFDs and gold
Fractional shares Video guides Community forum
|
Trading in indices, forex, commodities, shares, options and ETF CFDs
Trading alerts Risk management tools Traders' Guide Demo account 24/7 customer support |
| Products | Trading 212 Invest
Trading 212 ISA Trading 212 Cash ISA Trading 212 CFD |
Standard account
Plus500 Premium Service (invitation only) |
| Minimum investment | £1 (£10 for CFDs) | $100 (card payment), $500 (bank transfer) |
| Fees | No platform charge for ISA
No fees for buying and selling shares in same currency as account 0.15% fee for trades in other currencies |
No commission of transaction fees
Up to 0.70% currency conversion fee Overnight funding fee Guaranteed stop order $10 inactivity fee per month after inactivity period of 3 months |
| Customer reviews (Trustpilot) | 4.6/5.0 | 4.2/5.0 |
| Money to the Masses offer | Free fractional shares worth up to £100* when you create a Trading 212 account. Sponsored content. Terms apply. Capital at risk
Earn a boosted Cash ISA rate of 4.56% AER (variable tracker) for 12 months. Rate includes a bonus of 0.96% for the first 12 months. T&Cs and eligibility criteria apply. |
n/a |
Trading 212 vs Plus500 - services
While Plus500 solely offers CFDs, Trading 212 has a range of investment options, including shares (and fractional shares), ETFs and gold. Trading 212 also offers a Cash ISA which regularly features at the top of our Best Buy tables. Both platforms have resources to help beginners, including video guides, which are proportionate with the level of risk for the types of investment they offer.
Trading 212 vs Plus500 - products
Plus500 currently offers its standard account with the option to invest in different types of CFDs, including indices, forex and commodities CFDs. It also has a premium service, which is free but operates on an invitation-only basis. For Trading 212, it offers a broad range of accounts including an ISA, Cash ISA, Invest and CFD account. Interestingly, there isn't a platform charge for Trading 212's ISA, which is unusual for investment platforms and could be appealing to investors looking to minimise cost.
Trading 212 vs Plus500 - minimum investment
Trading 212 has a much smaller minimum investment requirement than Plus500, with users able to open an account with as little as £1, or £10 for CFDs. With Plus500, the minimum initial deposit is $100 if you make the payment with a card, or $500 if you pay via a bank transfer.
Trading 212 vs Plus500 - fees
Neither Trading 212 or Plus500 charges commission for buying or selling investments. Both charge a fee for currency conversion, however, with Trading 212 charging 0.15% and Plus500 0.70% for trades in a different currency from the one the account is in. In addition, Plus500 charges overnight funding fees and guaranteed stop orders, as well as a $10 per month inactivity fee.
Trading 212 doesn't charge a platform fee for its ISA, which means it stacks up well against other platforms, although, as with all investments, you need to factor in the costs associated with the underlying holdings.
Trading 212 vs Plus500 - customer reviews
Plus500 is rated as "Great", with 4.2 out of 5.0 stars, according to around 18,000 reviews on customer review site Trustpilot. Of those, 60% think the company is excellent, while 15% gave the company just 1 star. Trading 212 is even more highly rated, with 4.6 out of 5.0 stars, based on over 80,000 reviews. Of those, 79% think the company is excellent, while just 5% gave it a poor rating. Both platforms are rated highly for their ease of use, customer service and the support they give to beginners.
Summary: Trading 212 vs Plus500
If you are looking specifically for CFDs, Plus500 has a broader choice as it is its central focus. However, Trading 212 has CFDs, as well as other investment options and, what is more, it also has an ISA, which allows you to invest in a tax-efficient way. It's also worth noting the disparity between the minimum investment needed to open an account with each platform, with Plus500 requiring a much larger initial deposit.
For a more detailed analysis of each, read our Trading 212 review and Plus500 review.
When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. Do your own research.
If a link has an * beside it this means that it is an affiliated link. If you go via the link Money to the Masses may receive a small fee which helps keep Money to the Masses free to use. But as you can clearly see this has in no way influenced this independent and balanced review of the product. The following link can be used if you do not wish to help Money to the Masses or take advantage of any exclusive offers - Trading 212
MTTM AI (beta) 
