FOREX.com vs Plus500 (2026): regulation, platforms and costs compared

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Data refreshed 25 Sep 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan

FOREX.com

Trust rank #1 · Editorial rating 10 / 10 · Founded 2001

FOREX.com is a well-regarded forex broker offering broad access to forex markets through web, desktop, and mobile platforms, with research, education, and risk management tools. It operates under applicable regulatory oversight in…

Read the FOREX.com review

Plus500

Trust rank #3 · Editorial rating 10 / 10 · Founded 2008

Plus500 is a regulated forex and CFD broker offering broad access to currency pairs and other markets on a proprietary web and mobile platform. It provides built-in charting, order types, and risk…

Read the Plus500 review

FOREX.com (United States, founded 2001) holds 4 regulatory licences (ASIC, CFTC, FCA, NFA), 4 of them tier-1, offers MT4, MT5, Proprietary, TradingView and sits in our low-fee bracket. Plus500 (Israel, founded 2008) holds 11 regulatory licences (ASIC, CFTC, CySEC, DFSA, FCA…), 6 of them tier-1, offers Proprietary and sits in our low-fee bracket. The two overlap in 231 countries; FOREX.com is available in 0 countries where Plus500 is not, and Plus500 in 0 where FOREX.com is not.

Verdict at a glance

  • FOREX.com leads on trust rank, track record and platform choice.
  • Plus500 leads on regulatory coverage, instrument range and tier-1 licences.
  • Level on editorial rating, country coverage and fee level.

Scored on 9 measurable dimensions where both brokers have verified data. Dimensions missing for either side are excluded rather than guessed. This is a data summary, not a recommendation.

FOREX.com vs Plus500: side-by-side data

CriteriaFOREX.comPlus500
Editorial rating10 / 1010 / 10
Trust rank#1#3
Founded20012008
HeadquartersUnited StatesIsrael
RegulatorsASIC, CFTC, FCA, NFAASIC, CFTC, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, FMA, FSA Seychelles, FSCA, ISA, MAS, NFA
Broker typeDMA, Market Maker, STPMarket Maker
PlatformsMT4, MT5, Proprietary, TradingViewProprietary
InstrumentsCommodities, Forex, Indices, MetalsCommodities, Cryptocurrencies, Forex, Indices, Metals
Countries accepted231 countries231 countries
Fee levelLowLow
Trading typesCFD Trading, Spot TradingCFD Trading, Spot Trading
Best-for use casesProfessional Trading, Retail TradingProfessional Trading, Retail Trading

Highlighted cells mark the stronger value where a direction is objectively better (e.g. more licences, lower fees). "Not verified" means the field is not yet in our catalogue for that broker — we never fill gaps with estimates.

Pros

FOREX.com

  • Multi-jurisdiction regulation (US/UK/CA)
  • Accepts US clients
  • Proprietary platform + MT4/MT5 support
  • Competitive spreads with raw/commission pricing options
  • Extensive FX pair offering

Plus500

  • Multi-jurisdiction regulation and segregated client funds
  • Commission-free FX trading with competitive spreads
  • Negative balance protection and advanced risk tools
  • Intuitive WebTrader and mobile apps
  • Broad FX pair selection

Cons

FOREX.com

  • No CFDs for U.S. clients
  • FIFO and no-hedging rules on U.S. accounts
  • No negative balance protection in the U.S.
  • Inactivity fee after 12 months of no trading
  • High minimum balance for STP Pro/DMA accounts

Plus500

  • Market-maker execution (no ECN/STP/DMA)
  • Proprietary platform only (no MetaTrader/cTrader)
  • No algorithmic/API trading support
  • No commission-based raw-spread accounts
  • Inactivity fee after inactivity

Key features

FOREX.com

  • Spot forex and multi asset CFD trading
  • Top tier regulation and segregated client funds
  • MetaTrader 4 MetaTrader 5 and Advanced Trading platform
  • TradingView integration and advanced charting tools
  • API trading via REST and FIX plus VPS support
  • Raw pricing with commission and standard spread only accounts

Plus500

  • Multi asset CFD trading Forex Indices Commodities Shares ETFs Options and Crypto
  • Proprietary WebTrader platform on web and mobile advanced charting alerts and sentiment
  • Top tier regulation segregated client funds and FTSE 250 listed parent company
  • Risk management Guaranteed Stop Orders Trailing Stops and Negative Balance Protection
  • Commission free spread only pricing with overnight funding and conversion fees
  • Free unlimited demo account and 24 7 multilingual support

Country availability: FOREX.com vs Plus500

Available at both (231): Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China and 191 more.

Availability reflects the countries each broker declares it serves. Local rules change; confirm on the broker's own site before signing up.

FOREX.com vs Plus500: common questions

Which broker is more regulated, FOREX.com or Plus500?

Plus500 holds more regulatory licences: FOREX.com (ASIC, CFTC, FCA, NFA) versus Plus500 (ASIC, CFTC, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, FMA, FSA Seychelles, FSCA, ISA, MAS, NFA). Tier-1 licences: FOREX.com 4, Plus500 6.

Which trading platforms do FOREX.com and Plus500 offer?

FOREX.com offers MT4, MT5, Proprietary, TradingView; Plus500 offers Proprietary.

Which has lower fees, FOREX.com or Plus500?

Both sit in the same fee bracket (low) in our catalogue; compare the spreads and commission rows above for detail.

Which is older, FOREX.com or Plus500?

FOREX.com is the older of the two, founded in 2001; Plus500 was founded in 2008.

Are FOREX.com and Plus500 available in the same countries?

They overlap in 231 countries. FOREX.com is additionally available in 0 countries () and Plus500 in 0 countries ().

Keep comparing

FOREX.com

Plus500

Risk warning: CFDs and forex are complex, leveraged instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly. A majority of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. Nothing on this page is financial advice; verify licence status on the regulator's register before depositing. Full risk disclosure.