Plus500 vs CMC Markets: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Plus500 and CMC Markets This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on August 16, 2025

Plus500

CMC Markets

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Plus500 is ideal if:

Beginner-friendly simplicity — Plus500 offers an intuitive, uncluttered trading platform across web and mobile, making it easy to start trading even without prior experience.
Risk-safe practice — You get a free, unlimited demo account and essential risk-management tools, letting you gain confidence without risking real capital.
Versatile CFD access — Plus500 provides a broad selection of tradable instruments via CFDs, including cryptos, stocks, forex, and commodities—great if you want exposure across different markets.

CMC Markets is ideal if:

Designed for experienced derivative traders, especially those who value advanced customization and powerful analytical tools across multiple platforms.
Ideal if you seek a highly regulated, globally trusted provider with deep sector expertise and mature infrastructure.
Great choice for anyone wanting access to a wide spectrum of tradable instruments and rich educational resources in one robust ecosystem.

Plus500 isn’t ideal if:

Lacks advanced trading features — No support for expert tools like algorithmic bots, third-party platforms (MT4/5), or social/copy trading, so power users may feel constrained.
Not suited for high-frequency or scalping strategies — Accounts may be closed if rapid trades (under two-minute intervals) are used, limiting active day traders.
Platform focuses more on CFDs, not long-term investing — With a model centered on leveraged derivatives, it's less ideal for buy-and-hold investors or those seeking diversified asset management.

CMC Markets isn’t ideal if:

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Plus500 does not follow a maker/taker fee model, nor does it offer volume-tiered discounts or native token reductions; instead, all costs are embedded in the platform’s floating buy-sell spreads, meaning you always pay whatever spread is quoted when executing spot trades.

CMC Markets does not operate a traditional maker/taker fee structure or tiered volume discounts and does not offer any cost reductions tied to a native token.

Futures/Derivatives

Futures trading operates on a platform-fee-free basis, though there are specified contract commissions per side, while overnight funding (rollover) charges apply automatically if positions remain open past the funding cutoff time.

CMC Markets provides CFDs and spread bets on derivatives, but it does not publish distinct maker/taker pricing or funding rates as you’d find on crypto futures exchanges.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

Spread values for crypto pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT aren’t published as flat numbers and vary with market flux; Plus500 uses dynamic pricing that blends its own markup into quoted spreads, so you’ll see wider-than-raw-market spreads depending on volatility conditions.

For major crypto pairs like Bitcoin and Ethereum, the platform offers relatively tight spreads—even for top-tier tokens—thanks to aggregated pricing feeds and fast execution.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

You can use methods like bank transfer, credit/debit cards, and e-wallets (e.g. PayPal, Skrill); Plus500 typically charges no internal deposit or withdrawal fees, although third-party provider or bank charges—and occasional exchange-related fees—may still apply; processing generally takes 1–7 business days depending on the method.

Users can fund their account via bank transfers or cards; processing times vary by method, and while there may be standard processing delays, no explicit deposit or withdrawal fees are highlighted.

On-chain Withdrawals

On-chain withdrawals aren’t offered—Plus500 doesn’t support direct cryptocurrency withdrawals—so there are no fixed or dynamic network-based crypto withdrawal costs.

CMC Markets does not support direct withdrawals to crypto wallets, so there are no on-chain network fees—either fixed or dynamic—to consider.

Hidden Costs

Hidden or incidental costs include a currency conversion fee of up to approximately 0.7% when trading or transacting in currencies other than your account base, plus a monthly inactivity fee (e.g. around $10) after consecutive months without logging in; there are no express KYC or surprise platform charges.

While the platform primarily centers on spreads and overnight costs, indirect expenses may include currency conversion margins or potential costs if accounts go dormant, though these are not prominently marketed.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you buy €500 worth of BTC, you’ll implicitly pay for the spread markup, which might be in the range of a few percent over market price, but there’s no explicit commission; if you later attempt to withdraw funds (fiat), there’ll be no withdrawal fee from Plus500 unless limits or conditions are broken, though your bank or payment service may charge its own fee.

If you purchased €500 worth of Bitcoin through CMC Markets via CFDs, your effective cost would stem from the spread on the BTC position; since direct crypto ownership and withdrawals aren’t offered, you wouldn’t incur any separate withdrawal costs—just the cost implied by spread and position closure.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Plus500 offers around 20 cryptocurrency-related CFDs, including major coins and a “Crypto 10 Index” that tracks top cryptocurrencies, meaning its range is relatively limited compared to comprehensive exchanges.

CMC Markets offers CFDs on more than 35 cryptocurrencies—including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, XRP, meme coins, and newly added altcoins—though it doesn’t show distinct listings for “top 20 by volume.” Their platform also provides indices that bundle both major and emerging crypto for broader exposure.

Product Range

Plus500 provides spot-style CFDs and crypto futures, but doesn’t offer traditional margin trading, crypto ETFs, staking, earning features, lending services, copy trading, grid bots, or automated DCA—its product set is streamlined around derivatives.

All crypto offerings come exclusively as leveraged derivative CFDs or spread bets; there’s no true spot crypto, no futures/perps, options, ETFs, staking, lending, copy-trading, grid bots, or automated DCA tools available.

Liquidity

Liquidity and depth data for BTC/ETH aren’t disclosed publicly, but Plus500 typically operates as the counterparty to your trades rather than routing through public order books, so traditional volume or depth metrics are not directly applicable.

While CMC doesn’t disclose specific 24-hour volumes or depth metrics, its aggregated pricing across multiple sources ensures consistently deep, responsive liquidity, especially for BTC and ETH.

Tools

The platform supports limit, stop-loss, trailing-stop, and conditional orders, offers price alerts and advanced charting with technical indicators, yet lacks external API access or native TradingView integration for algorithmic or programmatic trading.

The platform supports advanced trading features, including limit, stop, and OCO orders, real-time alerts, rich charting tools (including native TradingView integration), and robust API and WebSocket access for automated trading.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Availability of key products like crypto CFDs and futures varies by jurisdiction—for instance, CFDs are not available to U.S. traders, and futures may be restricted or offered under a separate U.S. entity depending on local regulation.

Certain products like CFDs and spread bets are unavailable in jurisdictions that ban them—such as the U.S.—meaning crypto derivatives are accessible only in regions where CFD trading is permitted under local regulation.

Innovation

Plus500 does not offer innovative features like launchpads, launchpools, or differential earn programs—its platform focuses on the core CFD experience without those DeFi-style utility or token launch functionalities.

CMC Markets does not offer crypto-focused innovation services like launchpads, launchpools, or flexible/locked staking; its emphasis remains on delivering traditional CFD-based trading experiences rather than DeFi-style earn mechanisms.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Plus500 Ltd is a publicly traded fintech company founded in 2008, headquartered in London (listed on the LSE as part of the FTSE 250), and operates via regional subsidiaries based in Cyprus, the UK, Australia, Singapore, Israel, the Seychelles, the UAE, Japan, the Bahamas, and others.

CMC Markets plc, founded in 1989 and headquartered in London, operates globally with regional subsidiaries under local regulatory oversight.

Licenses/Registration

The platform is licensed and regulated by multiple top-tier authorities including the UK FCA, CySEC (EU), ASIC (Australia), MAS (Singapore), ISA (Israel), along with recent additions such as the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization and UAE approval; not specifically under MiCA/EU frameworks.

The firm holds multiple high-tier licenses—including from the UK’s FCA, Germany’s BaFin, Australia’s ASIC, Singapore’s MAS, and Canada’s CIRO—providing broad regulatory coverage.

Custody

Plus500 holds client funds in segregated accounts in compliance with regulations, but it does not support direct crypto custody—hence no public proof of reserves, cold storage statistics, or third-party wallet audits are offered.

Client deposits are segregated in reputable banks and undergo daily reconciliations and annual audits, though no public proof-of-reserves or cold storage percentages are provided.

Insurance & Protection Funds

There is no mention of specific crypto or third-party insurance on holdings; however, regulated jurisdictions provide standard investor protections, such as compensation schemes in the UK and EU for client funds.

Eligible retail clients benefit from compensation schemes such as the UK’s FSCS and Canada’s CIPF, alongside negative balance protection, where applicable.

Incident History

There are no widely reported incidents of security breaches or hacks on record; past regulatory action includes an FCA fine in earlier years for AML-related deficiencies, but there have been no recent major operational interruptions.

CMC Markets has a clean cybersecurity record with no reported hacks or major incidents, though it faced legal scrutiny over CFD practices in Australia and regulatory breaches in past years.

Risk Controls

Plus500 employs standard security controls such as SSL encryption and protected logins; however, features like two-factor authentication, address whitelisting, anti-phishing tools, sub-account structures, or granular API access are not prominently highlighted as available.

The platform offers strong security features including two-factor authentication (via app or SMS, required for withdrawals), encrypted data, anti-fraud mechanisms, and secure API access.

Transparency

Plus500 publishes regular financial and corporate reports, operates under UK corporate governance standards, and adheres to regulatory transparency; public blockchain wallet visibility or formal SLAs are not provided.

CMC Markets provides regular reporting on execution quality and fund segregation, but does not publish public wallet addresses or formal SLA guarantees.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

You can deposit via bank transfers, Visa/MasterCard, PayPal, Skrill, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. The general minimum is around $100, though wire transfers may require more depending on your region; maximum limits vary by country and payment method. Deposits are free on Plus500’s side but may incur charges from your provider, and processing typically takes between 1 to 7 business days depending on the method and your location.

CMC Markets accepts deposits via bank transfer, credit/debit cards, and sometimes e-wallets; card deposits can go up to around $50,000 per transaction (depending on card issuer), while bank limits depend on your bank, and funds are typically available almost instantly for cards or on the next business day for bank transfers.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

Account registration is swift and includes mandatory identity verification (KYC/AML). Although Phases like “Basic” or “Advanced” are not explicitly categorized, funding and withdrawal capabilities may be restricted until you submit standard documents like government-issued ID and proof of residence; further verification may be requested depending on individual circumstances.

You must complete identity verification before trading; while CMC does not publish tiered verification levels or trading limits, verification is mandatory for full access and withdrawal capabilities.

Withdrawals

Plus500 does not support cryptocurrency withdrawals, only fiat. Withdrawal processing takes around 1 to 3 business days, though your bank or wallet provider may extend that to as much as a week. If you withdraw less than $100, a fee may apply, and exceeding a certain number of monthly withdrawals could also trigger additional charges.

Withdrawals are possible via card, bank transfer, or PayPal (where available); there’s a daily cap (e.g., ~$40,000 to card, up to €10,000 to PayPal), unlimited withdrawals to registered bank accounts, and typical processing ranges from same-day to a few business days; direct crypto withdrawals (TRC20/ERC20/BEP20) are not supported.

Customer Support

Support operates 24/7 via live chat and email, with quick response times and an accessible FAQ/Trading Academy for self-help. While response speeds can vary, most clients find support prompt and helpful, aided by a broad knowledge base covering deposits, trading, and platform navigation.

CMC Markets provides support through email, phone, and live chat (operating during business hours), supported by a rich knowledge base—response times vary but generally align with office hours.

Languages & Localization

The platform supports over 30 languages, including native Spanish, and displays prices in your account base currency (e.g., €). It operates under local regulatory regimes in multiple regions, ensuring that services are tailored to local rules and currency preferences.

Services are localized across regions—platforms often display in local languages (including native Spanish where available), show pricing in local fiat (€, etc.), and operate under applicable local regulations.

App Quality & Stability

Plus500’s app is widely rated as stable and user-friendly across both mobile and web platforms. While specific crash-rate figures and update logs aren’t published, ongoing enhancements and a clean operational record suggest consistent attention to performance and reliability.

The mobile and desktop apps are regularly updated and known for robust stability, with very low crash rates reported, though exact metrics aren’t published—users generally report smooth and reliable performance.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

Plus500 offers a clean, minimalistic interface designed for quick onboarding—there’s no separate lite or pro mode, just one unified platform that scales from basic to advanced features as you explore it.

CMC Markets’ flagship interface, Next Generation, is feature-rich and award-winning, offering saved layouts and module linking for efficient navigation; while there’s no explicit “Lite” mode, their platforms cater to both seasoned traders (via advanced tools and customizable dashboards) and those who prefer a streamlined setup.

Performance

Execution is generally smooth and low-latency in stable markets, though during extreme volatility the platform may slow down; KYC delays have been reported during bull runs, but such cases are rare and resolve quickly.

Their co-located London data centers and proprietary API connectivity deliver low-latency order execution—even under high loads—though occasional freezing or slippage can happen during peak volatility; KYC processing tends to follow regular timing without widespread reports of long queues during market surges.

Education

Their Trading Academy includes ebooks, guided videos, and webinars plus a fully functional, unlimited demo account—while most resources are in English, some video subtitles and FAQs support Spanish.

CMC Markets offers a rich education suite including video guides, platform tutorials, webinars, and articles, plus a risk-free demo account that stays active indefinitely and supports strategy testing—with materials often localized, including Spanish-language versions in select regions.

Community

Plus500 does not prominently host community forums or manage official Discord or Telegram groups; referral options exist but are based on affiliate links rather than social investor networks.

The platform includes an integrated trading forum where users can share strategies and sentiment, however CMC does not officially promote Discord or Telegram channels, and while referral programs may exist regionally, they’re not prominently advertised.

Integrations

The platform runs its proprietary web and mobile interface and does not support native TradingView, bot integration, tax-report automation, or accounting tool sync.

Users benefit from native TradingView-grade charting and pattern tools, plus API/WebSocket access for third-party automation, although there’s no direct integration with tax-reporting or portfolio accounting platforms.

Who Each One Is Best For

Plus500 shines for traders seeking a straightforward, demo-supported CFD experience built around usability and risk tools—especially newcomers or those who prioritize simplicity over advanced automation or social features.

The platform is ideal for analytical, advanced traders who value deep charting tools, customization, and learning resources; it may be less suited to those seeking social trading, mobile-first simplification, or integrated accounting and bot ecosystems.