Plus500 vs ThinkMarkets (2026): regulation, platforms and costs compared

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Data refreshed 25 Aug 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan

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

ThinkMarkets

Trust rank #20 · Founded 2010

ThinkMarkets is a well-regarded forex and CFD broker offering broad market access via MetaTrader and its proprietary ThinkTrader platform. It provides research, education, and risk management tools to support analysis and platform…

Read the ThinkMarkets review

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. ThinkMarkets (Australia, founded 2010) holds 4 regulatory licences (ASIC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA), 2 of them tier-1, offers MT4, MT5, Proprietary and sits in our low-fee bracket. The two overlap in 199 countries; Plus500 is available in 32 countries where ThinkMarkets is not, and ThinkMarkets in 0 where Plus500 is not.

Verdict at a glance

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

Scored on 8 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.

Plus500 vs ThinkMarkets: side-by-side data

CriteriaPlus500ThinkMarkets
Editorial rating10 / 10Not verified
Trust rank#3#20
Founded20082010
HeadquartersIsraelAustralia
RegulatorsASIC, CFTC, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, FMA, FSA Seychelles, FSCA, ISA, MAS, NFAASIC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA
Broker typeMarket MakerECN, STP
PlatformsProprietaryMT4, MT5, Proprietary
InstrumentsCommodities, Cryptocurrencies, Forex, Indices, MetalsCommodities, Cryptocurrencies, Forex, Indices, Metals
Countries accepted231 countries199 countries
Fee levelLowLow
Trading typesCFD Trading, Spot TradingCFD Trading, Spot Trading
Best-for use casesProfessional Trading, Retail TradingCopy Trading, Professional 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

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

ThinkMarkets

  • FCA & ASIC regulation
  • MT4/MT5 and ThinkTrader platforms
  • Raw-spread ThinkZero; commission-free Standard
  • Negative balance protection; segregated funds
  • Hedging, scalping, EAs allowed; high leverage options

Cons

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

ThinkMarkets

  • - Offshore entity for many clients with weaker investor protections
  • - No guaranteed stop-loss orders (GSLO)
  • - Not available to U.S. residents
  • - No cTrader platform support
  • - CFDs only (no physical shares/ETFs)

Key features

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

ThinkMarkets

  • Multi Asset CFD Trading Forex Indices Commodities Shares
  • MT4 MT5 and ThinkTrader Platforms
  • Multi Jurisdiction Regulation ASIC FCA FSCA FSA and Segregated Client Funds
  • Negative Balance Protection
  • Standard and ThinkZero Raw Spread Accounts
  • VPS Hosting and Algorithmic EA Support

Country availability: Plus500 vs ThinkMarkets

Available at both (199): Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Colombia, Comoros and 159 more.

Only Plus500 (32): Austria, Bermuda, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and 7 more.

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

Plus500 vs ThinkMarkets: common questions

Which broker is more regulated, Plus500 or ThinkMarkets?

Plus500 holds more regulatory licences: Plus500 (ASIC, CFTC, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, FMA, FSA Seychelles, FSCA, ISA, MAS, NFA) versus ThinkMarkets (ASIC, CySEC, FCA, FSCA). Tier-1 licences: Plus500 6, ThinkMarkets 2.

Which trading platforms do Plus500 and ThinkMarkets offer?

Plus500 offers Proprietary; ThinkMarkets offers MT4, MT5, Proprietary.

Which has lower fees, Plus500 or ThinkMarkets?

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

Which is older, Plus500 or ThinkMarkets?

Plus500 is the older of the two, founded in 2008; ThinkMarkets was founded in 2010.

Are Plus500 and ThinkMarkets available in the same countries?

They overlap in 199 countries. Plus500 is additionally available in 32 countries (Austria, Bermuda, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus and 26 more) and ThinkMarkets in 0 countries ().

Keep comparing

Plus500

ThinkMarkets

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.