Two brokers compete in a high-stakes comparison across regulation, costs, and platforms. The axis centers on protection, pricing clarity, and platform freedom.
Plus500 edges AMarkets on trust and protection with FCA/ASIC/CySEC/MAS/CMA oversight and investor compensation. AMarkets operates under SVG FSA with no top-tier protection or investor compensation.
Find out which broker best suits your trader profile.
Choose AMarkets if…
Choose AMarkets if you want MT4, MT5, and cTrader access.
Choose Plus500 if…
Choose AMarkets if you value ECN pricing with a $6/lot commission and no inactivity fee. Choose Plus500 if you prefer a proprietary web platform with zero-commission trades. Choose Plus500 if you want top-tier regulation and investor compensation, and you are comfortable with an inactivity fee.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
AMarkets offers tighter spreads from 0.00 pips vs 0.60 pips for Plus500, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 3.8/ 5 | 4.0/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 3.4 / 5 | 4.2 / 5▲ |
Pros
MT4, MT5, and cTrader all available
Competitive $6 round-turn ECN commission
Mature PAMM platform with full performance transparency
No inactivity fee
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Raw spread account available
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | AMarkets | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Fail | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Fail | Pass |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS) | Fail | Pass |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Pass | Fail |
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Pass | Fail |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Fail |
| Proprietary platform | Fail | Pass |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Fail | Fail |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Fail |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Pass |
The scores are close: AMarkets rates 3.8/5 and Plus500 rates 4/5. Plus500 has a marginal edge in our scoring, but the difference is small enough that your specific priorities — fees, platforms, or regulatory jurisdiction — should guide the final choice.
AMarkets starts from 0 pips, tighter than Plus500's 0.6 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
Both AMarkets and Plus500 require a minimum deposit of $100 to open a live trading account.
Plus500 holds top-tier regulation (FCA, ASIC, MAS), providing stronger investor protections. AMarkets may be regulated but does not hold top-tier status in our data. Verify regulatory status on each regulator's public register before depositing funds.
For beginners, Plus500 provides negative balance protection, capping losses at your deposit amount. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources on each broker's site before deciding.
AMarkets lists maximum leverage of 3000:1, while Plus500 lists up to 30:1. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
AMarkets charges $6 per lot on commission-based accounts. Commission details for Plus500 are not currently available. Check their website for up-to-date pricing.
AMarkets supports cTrader, MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, while Plus500 supports Proprietary Web/Mobile. AMarkets has exclusive access to cTrader and MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4. Plus500 has exclusive access to Proprietary Web/Mobile.
Plus500 wins for safety with FCA/ASIC/CySEC/MAS/CMA oversight and investor compensation.
AMarkets wins for active traders due to MT4/MT5 and cTrader access, plus ECN pricing.
AMarkets is better suited for scalpers: raw/ECN spreads available, tighter spreads from 0.00 pips.
AMarkets wins for platform choice with MT4, MT5 and cTrader availability.
Plus500 wins for beginners with a straightforward proprietary platform and simple pricing.
Plus500 wins for instrument variety with 2000 instruments.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.0 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.1 / 5▲ | 3.7 / 5 |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 3.9 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|
| Headquarters | Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Haifa, Israel |
|---|
| Min Deposit | $100 | $100 |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0 pips▼ lower | 0.6 pips |
|---|
| Commission / lot | $6/lot | N/A |
|---|
| 0.6 pips | N/A |
| Max Leverage | 3,000:1 | 30:1▲ higher |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | None | $10/month (after 3 months) |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerWebMoneyCrypto | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardPayPalSkrillApple Pay |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNetellerWebMoneyCrypto | Bank transferCredit cardPayPalSkrill |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | SVGFSA | FCA ASIC MAS CySEC CMA |
|---|
| Platforms | cTrader MetaTrader 5 MetaTrader 4 | Proprietary Web/Mobile |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
No deposit fees
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Pros
LSE-listed providing strong institutional credibility
Zero commission on all trades
Intuitive proprietary platform with a clean mobile app
Negative balance protection across all accounts
Regulated by top-tier authorities (FCA, ASIC, CySEC)
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Multilingual customer support
Cons
SVG FSA registration only, no meaningful retail investor protection
No EU or Tier 1 licensed entity
Very high leverage (3000:1) is a risk amplifier
No top-tier regulatory licence
No negative balance protection
No investor compensation scheme
No proprietary platform
Limited charting capabilities
Cons
No MT4 or MT5 support
Limited research tools and market analysis
US residents not accepted
No copy trading
No raw spread account option
Inactivity fee applies
No MetaTrader support
Limited charting capabilities
No phone support
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 3.8 / 5
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