Plus500 vs Pepperstone

If you are reading this article, you are likely having trouble deciding whether Plus500 or Pepperstone is the better trading platform for you. While both platforms generally provide positive user experiences, there are some essential differences to note.

In this Plus500 or Pepperstone broker comparison, we outline the highlights of each trading platform to help you make a more informed decision. We evaluate:

FeaturePlus500 (visit site)Pepperstone (visit site)
Headquarter:IsraelAustralia
Regulation :
CySEC, FCA, ASIC, FMA, FSCA, MASFCA, ASIC, DFSA
Type of Broker:
Market MakerECN/STP
U.S. Clients Allowed:
Minimum Deposit:
$100$1
Maximum Leverage:
1:301:500
Commissions / Spreads:
Variable SpreadsStandard Account is Spread Only
Account 1:
CFDStandard
Account 2:
Razor
Account 3:
Edge Active
Demo Account:
Islamic Account:
Segregated Account:
Managed Accounts:
Institutional Accounts:
Website Languages:
  • imageEnglish
  • image Chinese
  • Other
  • imageEnglish
  • image Chinese
Support Hours:
24/724/5
E-mail Support:
SMS Support:
Chat:
Broker Offers:
82% of retail CFD accounts lose money
.

Features and Platforms

Traders at Plus500 remain confined to the proprietary webtrader, which offers alerts for price movements and sentiment changes, but lacks core trading features. The absence of support for automated trading solutions is notable, and social trading is equally unavailable. Adding to shortfalls at this broker is the lack of research and an inadequate attempt to offer educational material for new traders. Pepperstone became one of the most trusted multi-asset brokers and grants clients the MT4, MT5, and cTrader trading platforms. VPS hosting supports automated traders, Autochartist assists manual traders, and the Smart Trader Tools upgrade adds 28 plugins for the MT4/MT5 platforms, converting them into cutting edge solutions. Competitive research and education divisions complete an excellent core trading environment at Pepperstone.

FeaturePlus500Pepperstone
Type of Platform:Proprietary platform, Web-basedMetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader
Platform Languages:
  • imageEnglish
  • image Chinese
  • image Spanish
  • image Italian
  • image French
  • image German
  • Other
  • imageEnglish
  • imageChinese
  • imageRussian
OS Compatibility:
  • imageWindows
  • Mobile
  • Web
  • image iPhone
  • image iPad
  • imageWindows
  • Mobile
  • Web
  • image iPhone
  • image iPad
Trading Signals:
Charting Package:
Market Analysis:
Chart Trading:
Automated Trading:
Scalping:
Hedging:
Mobile Alerts:
Trailing Stops:
Guaranteed Stop Loss:
Guaranteed Limit Orders:
Guaranteed Execution:
One-click Execution:
Interest on Margin:
Web-based Trading:
Mobile Trading:

Available Markets

Plus500 delivers an excellent selection of assets. With 71 currency pairs, pure Forex traders have sufficient choices to deploy their strategies. The 22 commodity CFDs and 26 indices complement the Forex selection and remain the two sectors most Forex traders prefer for diversification and hedging purposes. The majority of assets remain in equities, where Plus500 maintains 1,737, supported by 585 options contracts and 95 ETFs. Pepperstone delivers a significantly smaller asset selection. While 61 currency pairs and 23 commodity CFDs are available, Pepperstone maintains only fourteen index CFDs and 64 equity CFDs. It does provide more cryptocurrencies than Plus500, with nine versus four, but neither is sufficient. The choice of trading opportunities and cross-asset diversification remains superior at Plus500.

FeaturePlus500Pepperstone
ETFs:
CFDs:
Commodities:
Metals:
Stocks:
Oil:
Gold:
Binary Options:
Indices:

Typical Spreads and Fees

Pepperstone offers Forex traders a commission-free account, where the minimum markup commences from 1.0 pips. Low-frequency traders will find a more competitive pricing structure at Plus500 due to dynamic, market-dependent, commission-free Forex spreads. The Razor account at Pepperstone shows a commission of $7.00 per round lot for access to raw market spreads. The three-tier Active Trader Program a Pepperstone allows clients to lower the final trading costs. Both brokers levy swap rates on overnight positions. Plus500 features an up to 0.70% currency conversion fee and a $10 monthly inactivity fee versus 1.00% and $0 at Pepperstone.

Security and Trust

Plus500 is a publicly listed company in the UK and a constituent of the FTSE 250 index. With the FCA as its primary regulator, it also maintains oversight from six additional ones.the broker also incurred a regulatory fine from the FCA for misreporting transactions. Pepperstone is an Australian-based broker with the ASIC as its regulator, but international clients will trade with the Bahamas entity under the oversight of the SCB. Two additional subsidiaries exist under the authorization of the FCA and DSFA. Client deposits remain segregated at both brokers, and negative balance protection exists anywhere mandated by regulators. Plus500 and Pepperstone both ensure their clients trade from a secure trading environment, while Pepperstone scores higher when it comes to trust. All client funds deposited with Plus500’s Cyprus subsidiary are held in segregated client bank accounts in accordance with the Cyprus Security and Exchange Commission’s (CySEC) client funds rules. Plus500AU Pty Ltd holds client money in a segregated trust account, in accordance with the Australian legal requirements.

Plus500 vs Pepperstone – Verdict

Plus500 focuses solely on the core trading environment and fails to provide value-added services. Instead, it spends money on marketing and a preference for sponsorships of team sports. While the trading platform is below-average, the asset selection is competitive, and the commission-free cost structure acceptable. Regrettably, it does not support automated trading solutions or third-party developers, making it a choice for traders seeking an execution-only broker for manual trading. Pepperstone remains an excellent broker where clients have access to the MT4, the MT5, and the cTrader trading platforms. The Smart Trader Tools suite provides 28 upgrades to the MT4/MT5, Autochartist adds value to manual traders, and VPS hosting enhances automated traders. Three social trading platforms support the sector with excellent choices, and the research and educational sections further distance Pepperstone from Plus500. The asset selection remains the only weakness at Pepperstone. Active traders in the Razor account enjoy superior pricing compared to Plus500, which is further improved via the Active Trader Program. While 82% of retail CFD accounts lose money at Plus500, the figure is 79.3% at Pepperstone.

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