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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →CMC Markets is the better all-round choice for most UK traders because it combines spread betting, CFDs, share dealing, FX Active, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and TradingView. Plus500 is the better fit for someone who wants a simpler proprietary CFD app, an unlimited demo account or access to US futures through Plus500US.
The result changes by country. CMC’s UK CFD service is not available to US residents, while Plus500US is a separate US futures business. Fees, leverage, compensation and product access also depend on the legal entity serving your account.
CMC Markets vs. Plus500: the short answer
| If you are… | More suitable broker | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A UK spread bettor | CMC Markets | Offers spread betting, retail negative-balance protection and a broader platform range. |
| A UK CFD trader using MetaTrader | CMC Markets | Offers both MT4 and MT5 accounts. |
| A TradingView user | CMC Markets | TradingView is an advertised platform option. |
| A beginner seeking a simple CFD app | Plus500 | Its proprietary interface is more focused, with an unlimited demo account. |
| A UK long-term share investor | CMC Markets | Its UK service advertises commission-free share and ETF dealing without an account, custody or platform fee. |
| A US futures trader | Plus500US | Plus500US offers futures and options on futures; CMC’s UK CFD service is unavailable to US residents. |
Neither broker should be selected solely because of a headline spread or a “commission-free” label. Overnight funding, currency conversion, inactivity charges, market-data fees and—on futures—exchange and regulatory charges can materially change the cost.
Availability depends on where you live
“CMC Markets” and “Plus500” are groups of companies, not single worldwide accounts. The regulated subsidiary determines which products you can trade, the leverage available, the client-money rules and the compensation scheme.
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| Client location | CMC Markets | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Spread betting, CFDs, FX Active, share dealing and ETFs through FCA-regulated CMC entities. | CFDs through Plus500UK. Share dealing through Plus500 Invest must be confirmed for the specific applicant and product. |
| United States | CMC’s UK CFD service is unavailable to US residents. | Futures and options on futures through Plus500US Financial Services LLC, a CFTC-registered Futures Commission Merchant and NFA member. |
| Europe and other markets | Products, leverage and protections vary by local CMC entity. | CFDs, shares, futures and other products vary by local Plus500 entity. |
This makes some popular comparisons misleading. Plus500 is no longer only a CFD provider because it has a US futures operation and a European share-dealing product. Conversely, CMC’s UK offering cannot be treated as a US brokerage account.
Products and markets
CMC Markets
CMC’s UK spread-betting and CFD accounts cover forex, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, treasuries and other instruments. Its account-comparison page refers to approximately 13,000 instruments in one section and 12,000 in another, so it is better to describe the range as “around 12,000 to 13,000” rather than claim one fixed independently verified total.
CMC’s UK share-dealing service advertises more than 14,000 equities and more than 2,500 ETFs across 25 major markets. It separately describes the combined universe as over 16,000 shares and ETFs. These figures are published product-page counts, not a guarantee that every instrument is available to every client.
The important distinction is that a UK CMC customer can use both leveraged products and an outright share-investing service. Buying shares through share dealing is not the same as buying a share CFD: the latter is leveraged, carries holding costs and does not give you the same ownership position.
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Plus500’s standard international offering is primarily a proprietary CFD service. Depending on the jurisdiction, instruments can include forex, shares, indices, commodities, ETFs, options and cryptocurrencies.
Plus500US is different. It offers futures and options on futures, with stated access to exchanges including CME, CBOT, COMEX, NYMEX, EUREX, ICE and MGEX. It is not a conventional US stock-trading account.
Fees: where the comparison gets complicated
CMC Markets UK fees
For UK share dealing, CMC currently advertises:
- 0% commission on buying and selling shares and ETFs.
- No platform, account or custody fee for the stated service.
- A possible 0.7% foreign-exchange conversion fee.
- Possible market-data fees for shares from some countries.
- A £1 minimum one-time deposit stated on its share-dealing FAQ.
- No required minimum account balance.
Those terms apply to share dealing, not every CMC product. CFD and spread-betting costs can include:
- The bid-offer spread.
- Overnight holding costs.
- Share-CFD commission.
- Currency conversion.
- Market-data charges.
- A guaranteed-stop premium.
- An inactivity fee.
CMC’s published UK share-CFD commissions currently distinguish between markets. UK shares and European shares, excluding Greece, are listed at 0% commission. US share CFDs are listed at 2 cents per share, with a $10 minimum commission.
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CMC also offers an FX Active account. It advertises minimum spreads of 0.0 pips on EUR/USD, AUD/USD, GBP/USD, NZD/USD, USD/CAD and USD/JPY, but charges a commission of 0.0025%. That is a separate pricing model, not a free version of the standard CFD account.
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CMC says spread-betting, CFD and FX Active accounts have no minimum deposit. You still need enough available margin to open a position.
Plus500 CFD fees
Plus500’s standard CFD model generally does not charge a separate dealing commission. That does not make trades free. The main possible costs are:
- The market spread.
- Overnight funding.
- Currency conversion.
- An inactivity charge.
- A wider spread when using a guaranteed stop.
To check an instrument’s funding terms, open the main trading screen and select the “Details” link next to the instrument name. Plus500 says its currency-conversion fee is currently up to 0.7% of the realised net profit or loss when the instrument is denominated in a currency different from the account currency. The percentage can change.
On the current Plus500 CFD fees page, the inactivity charge is described as up to $10 per month after at least three months without logging in, charged only where sufficient available funds exist. This is jurisdiction-specific and should not be applied automatically to every Plus500 subsidiary.
Plus500US futures fees
Plus500US publishes a more explicit futures schedule:
| Charge | Published amount |
|---|---|
| Micro contract | $0.49 per contract, per side |
| Standard contract | $0.89 per contract, per side |
| Auto-liquidation | $10 per contract |
| NFA regulatory fee | $0.02 per side, per futures contract |
| Deposit fee | None listed |
| Withdrawal processing | 1.75%, minimum $1 and maximum $150 |
Exchange execution and clearing fees may also apply. Plus500US lists platform, data, routing and inactivity fees as zero. Its site describes a $10 minimum deposit transaction, while marketing material says an account can be opened with as little as $100. Neither figure should be treated as a universal minimum trading balance: the margin requirement depends on the futures contract.
Platforms and trading tools
CMC Markets
CMC offers four main retail interfaces:
- CMC’s own web platform.
- MetaTrader 4.
- MetaTrader 5.
- TradingView.
Its proprietary platform includes integrated TradingView charts, advanced order execution, mobile-optimised charts, TipRanks analysis, client sentiment, a pattern-recognition scanner, Morningstar research and Reuters news.
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Plus500
Plus500’s standard CFD service uses its own web and mobile platforms. It does not offer MetaTrader or TradingView as standard platform choices. That simplicity can help a new trader avoid juggling several interfaces, but it is a limitation if you depend on Expert Advisors, custom third-party integrations or TradingView workflows.
Rank #3
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Plus500US futures customers have a broader set of choices than standard Plus500 CFD customers. Available options include the Plus500 Futures Platform, T4 Desktop and T4 Mobile. Other futures platforms—including CQG, TT, QST, Sierra Chart and Rithmic—may be available through the FCM relationship. T4 also supports open .NET and FIX APIs.
Demo accounts
CMC’s general demo account does not expire and can remain open after a live account is opened. It is not an exact simulation of every live product, however:
- Share trading is limited by exchange restrictions.
- Most share CFDs, including US shares, are available for 30 days after activation.
- UK and Italy share subscriptions are available for the calendar month only.
To add virtual money in CMC’s demo, use the “Payments” menu. To apply for a live account from the platform, select the profile icon in the top-left and choose “My Accounts.”
Plus500’s US demo account is free, unlimited and funded with virtual money. It can be reset to a chosen amount using:
Menu → Funds Management → Set demo Funds
To switch between demo and live mode, open the platform menu and select the “Demo” or “Real” account tab near the bottom.
Therefore, the claim that “CMC’s demo expires after 30 days” is too broad. The main CMC demo can remain open indefinitely; the 30-day rules relate to certain share instruments and MT4/MT5 demo inactivity.
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For UK retail clients, CMC states a maximum leverage ratio of 30:1, equivalent to a 3.3% margin requirement, for spread betting, CFDs and FX Active. Individual products can have lower limits. CMC says UK retail clients receive negative-balance protection, so losses cannot exceed the available cash in the trading account. Professional clients do not receive the same protection.
Plus500’s retail CFD entities provide negative-balance and margin-closeout protections where required by the relevant regulator. These protections limit liability under the applicable rules; they do not prevent losing money, suffering rapid losses or having a position closed when margin is insufficient.
Professional classification can change leverage and protections at either group. Check the client agreement for the entity actually opening your account.
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Regulation and client-money protection
CMC Markets UK plc is FCA-authorised under registration number 173730. CMC says UK retail money is held in segregated bank accounts and that eligible claims may be covered by the FSCS up to £85,000, subject to FSCS rules.
Plus500UK Ltd is FCA-authorised under FRN 509909. Its current client-money page states that eligible clients fall under the FSCS investment-claim category, with compensation of up to £120,000 per person per firm if there is a shortfall, subject to the scheme’s rules.
The different figures should not be turned into a simple safety ranking. Segregated client money is not the same as a government compensation guarantee, and eligibility depends on the legal entity and claim category. Plus500US futures accounts are governed by US futures regulations, not the UK FSCS.
Customer support
Plus500 advertises 24/7 support for its standard service, while Plus500US lists live chat and telephone support. Plus500US publishes (312) 705-2833 as a customer-support number.
Support availability and channels vary by product and country. A 24/7 label does not guarantee an immediate resolution, specialist assistance for every issue or identical telephone access across all subsidiaries.
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What the risk-warning percentages do—and do not—tell you
Current UK pages display provider-specific warnings that:
- 68% of CMC Markets UK retail investor accounts lose money when spread betting or trading CFDs.
- 80% of retail CFD accounts lose money on the relevant Plus500 UK page.
These are regulatory risk warnings, not directly comparable performance statistics. They may use different calculation periods, products or legal entities. Neither figure tells you which broker will be profitable for your strategy.
Which broker is better for you?
Choose CMC Markets if you want flexibility
CMC is the stronger choice if you are in the UK and need spread betting, share dealing, multiple platforms, automated trading or TradingView. It is also more appealing to a long-term share investor because the published UK service offers commission-free share and ETF dealing with no account, custody or platform fee, although FX and market-data costs may apply.
Choose Plus500 if you want a straightforward CFD interface
Plus500 may suit a beginner who wants one proprietary app, spread-based standard CFD pricing and an unlimited demo. The trade-off is less platform flexibility: standard CFD users do not get MT4, MT5 or TradingView.
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Choose Plus500US for US futures
For an eligible US resident looking to trade futures or options on futures, Plus500US is the relevant option in this comparison. CMC’s UK CFD service is not available to US residents. Futures traders should compare the full per-contract cost, exchange charges, margin requirements, liquidation rules and platform options before opening an account.
How to make the final comparison
- Confirm the legal entity. Look for the regulated company named in the application and client agreement.
- List the exact instruments. Decide whether you need shares, share CFDs, spread bets, forex, crypto, futures or options.
- Calculate all-in cost. Include spread, commission, overnight funding, currency conversion, inactivity, data, exchange and withdrawal charges.
- Test the platform. Use the demo to place orders, set stops and locate funding details before risking money.
- Check protection and leverage. Confirm retail or professional classification, negative-balance protection and applicable compensation rules.
FAQ
Is CMC Markets better than Plus500?
For UK traders who want spread betting, CFDs, share dealing, MetaTrader or TradingView, CMC Markets is generally the more versatile choice. Plus500 is better suited to someone who prefers a simpler proprietary CFD platform. The answer depends on your country, product and trading method.
Which is cheaper, CMC Markets or Plus500?
There is no universal winner. Plus500 standard CFDs generally have no separate dealing commission but charge through spreads and may apply overnight funding, currency conversion, inactivity and guaranteed-stop costs. CMC has different pricing by product, including commission-free UK share dealing and certain share CFDs, FX Active commission pricing and other possible charges.
Can I use MetaTrader with Plus500?
Not as a standard platform option for Plus500’s CFD service. CMC offers MT4 and MT5 accounts. Plus500US futures customers may access T4 and other futures platforms, which is a separate service from standard Plus500 CFDs.
Can US residents use CMC Markets?
CMC’s UK CFD service is explicitly unavailable to US residents. Plus500US offers futures and options on futures through Plus500US Financial Services LLC, a CFTC-registered Futures Commission Merchant and NFA member.
Does CMC Markets have an unlimited demo account?
CMC’s general demo account does not expire, although access to some share instruments is time-limited and MT4/MT5 demos expire after 30 days of inactivity. Plus500 also offers an unlimited demo and lets users reset virtual funds through Menu → Funds Management → Set demo Funds.
Which broker is safer?
Both provide protections that depend on the regulated entity and client classification. CMC Markets UK and Plus500UK are FCA-regulated, but their published FSCS figures differ. Segregated client money and compensation arrangements are not the same as protection from trading losses, and neither eliminates investment risk.
The Bottom Line
CMC Markets wins this comparison for breadth: it is the better fit for UK spread bettors, multi-platform CFD traders, MetaTrader and TradingView users, and investors seeking UK share dealing. Plus500 wins on focused simplicity for standard CFD users and is the relevant choice here for eligible US futures traders.
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Before applying, confirm the broker’s local entity, available products and current fee schedule. Then compare the cost of your actual trades—not just the advertised spread or the absence of a dealing commission.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
