I was testing Plus500 in the hours when the market was most active. I saw that this CFD platform has a really a low floating spread on currency pairs.
It is a very attractive rate in the present market. On top of that, Plus500 does not charge commissions from traders so you only have to count their share of the spread when evaluating costs.
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As a CFD trader, there are certain crucial factors to be aware of, when picking a trading platform:
- Is it licensed and regulated?
- What reputation does it have?
- Does it trade the sort of assets you are interested in?
- How is the usability of the platform?
The list goes on quite a bit.
But one particular concern we want to focus on, is what it would actually cost to trade with your CFD platform. That is usually a matter of spreads, commissions, and swap rates.
The latter refers to the fees charged for overnight trading and are irrelevant to day traders. These costs can vary from one platform to the next.
Features of Plus500 Australia
Plus500 is a CFD provider and of a very high standard as well. It offers traders CFDs over thousands of financial instruments which include all popular currency pairs (including AUD/USD).
You can also trade CFDs over shares, ETFs, commodities, and indices spanning over 20 international markets.
Australia is an important market for Plus500 and that’s why they added Australian ETFs and Shares to the platform. You can trade the ASX200 and individual Australian shares like Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Telstra Corp and many more.
One of the more unique and appreciable features of Plus500 is that it does not rely on an aggressive sales team, or any sales team for that matter.
To put that into context, most other service providers will forward a trader’s information to an aggressive sales team.
With Plus500, prospective traders are only needed to finish the application process and make their deposits. If you are one of those traders who cannot stand an aggressive sales pitch and would like to explore forex trading in your own time, Plus500 is a prime candidate to be your CFD provider.
Managing risk with Plus500
A risk factor is part and parcel of online trading and it tends to catch up with just about every trader who has been involved in the market long enough.
But the mark of a good platform, is in offering traders various managing devices to alleviate the level of risk as much as possible. This inevitable makes trading more lucrative for the traders as well as the platform.
Plus500 Disclaimer: 77% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
When it comes to trade executions, you can set a price level for ‘Close at Profit’ or ‘Close at Loss’ for certain assets there for cutting back considerably on the level of risk involved in trading them. This security device is rare among most other platforms. You can also set a price alert to notify you when the market reaches a certain buy or sale price.
Furthermore, Plus500 offers traders the benefits of a trading stop which has been devised specifically to secure your profits. A trailing stop, once it has been placed on an open trade will seal the profits by closing the position at a different level from what you placed initially. It effectively limits ‘downside’ risk without requiring you to keep track of the position yourself and switch the stop price.
Additional features
Plus500 was among the first CFD providers, to extend trading on leverage to bitcoin after it became accessible as a CFD in 2013. Mind you, you can trade bitcoin on a demo account here too.
You can access the Plus500 online platform in 32 separate languages so it does appeal to a greater variety of clients.
All traders using Plus500 are entitled to its free demo account where they can trade without risking any of their personal funds for an unlimited period. It is a crucial feature of most reputable trading platforms.
If you are looking for something else, make sure to check out eToro.
Deposits & withdrawals
These transactions can be handled by credit cards, bank wire transfers, Skrill, and Paypal.
The minimum deposit on Plus500 for Australian traders is only $200.
Customer Support
Customer service from Plus500 is on hand 24 hours a day 7 days a week. There is no phone service, only email and a live online chat.
Trading Platforms
This platform has a WebTrader platform and also the Plus500 proprietary CFD trading platform that displays all the crucial details in information in just a single screen so it is very convenient for traders. You refer the four top tabs that are clearly labeled to access information about past trades as well as present positions without actively searching for them.
The platform is accessible in 2 versions:
- there is the web-based version
- and a mobile version for mobile trading
A downloadable version is not available.
All 2 are consistent with each other so switching between them is absolutely seamless. This is another rare feature to find among other platforms. Traders also have access to features like advanced technical analysis devices, guaranteed stop loss etc.
The trading platform is very reliable and offers very competitive spreads, leverage up to 1:30, and no trading commissions whatsoever.
It is important to note here, particularly for CFD traders, that the risks involving leverage are extremely high. If they are not estimated correctly, you could end up losing your whole capital.
So understanding the risks here is key to deciding which strategy to go with while trading.
Binary options is not offered on Plus500. You can take a look at the binary options Australia page for sites that do offer binary options trading.
Is it a Good Broker for Australian Traders?
Plus500 is a well-recognised provider of Contracts for Difference (CFDs) in Australia, offering a range of financial instruments for retail traders. With over 2000 financial instruments, including stock, commodity, and forex CFDs, Plus500 is a great trading app for Australians.
One of the benefits of trading with Plus500 is that they are regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), which is one of the most respected financial regulators in the world. This means that Plus500 is subject to strict guidelines and oversight to ensure that they are operating in a fair and transparent manner.
In addition to regulatory oversight, Plus500 also offers a range of trading features that can be appealing to Australian traders. For example, they offer competitive spreads and leverage ratios, allowing traders to potentially increase their returns on investment. Plus500 also has a user-friendly platform that can be accessed on desktop or mobile devices, making it easy for traders to monitor their positions and execute trades on the go.
My Verdict – Plus500 Australia
Plus500 is one of those platforms that can be commended beyond the usual strong points of other top-rated sites.
The trading platform has unique qualities that make it very user-friendly.
After more than a decade of activity, it is very definitely one of the best CFD providers you can choose. Yet, it still offers trading assets that would appeal to traders of currency, shares, commodities etc. And being an approved by so many renowned financial institutions, you can be assured a fair trading experience.
Plus500AU Pty Ltd (ACN 153301681)is licensed by: ASIC in Australia, AFSL #417727, FMA in New Zealand, FSP #486026; Authorised Financial Services Provider in South Africa, FSP #47546.
Plus 500 has horrendous spreads. It is not designed for those that are scared to lose money.
Which fees are you referring to?
Which spreads do you mean? Plus500 spreads are pretty standard ones.
Plus 500 are a pathetic excuse for a company. They will not except Australian drivers license or proof of age cards as I.D!! Are you kidding me?? Never give them a cent
I am sure it’s because of regulation. Just send them whichever document they need in order to verify your account.
Hi, I wonder if the sell and buy chart will go completely different direction. Because it happened to me on 9th of February. I saw the price hit my closure point later the day but I was watching the apps during the time and what I saw was completely opposite direction. I wonder if it’s the plus 500 app’s mistake.
Please contact the plus500 support with this. I’m sure they can help you.
I did contact plus 500, but they reply me with the answer that buy and sell has price spread. However, I have been looked into all the buy and sell chart , they are slightly different but still go with same direction. I just want to talk with someone who might have better knowledge of share. I’m very new, so I wish I could find some helps. Thanks