CMC Invest vs Plus500
CMC Invest and Plus500 sit on opposite sides of the investing fence. CMC is a traditional CHESS-sponsored broker where you actually own ASX and US shares. Plus500 is a CFD provider — you never own the underlying asset, you're speculating on price movements with leverage. That single difference dictates everything else.
- ›You want to own real ASX shares under your own HIN with CHESS sponsorship
- ›You trade ASX stocks in small parcels — first $1,000 buy per security per day is free
- ›You need a full suite of account types including joint, trust, SMSF and kids accounts
- ›You want integrated tax reporting with CGT calculator and Sharesight/Navexa sync
- ›You plan to hold long-term and reinvest dividends via DRP
- ›You want to trade leveraged CFDs on indices, commodities, forex and crypto — not just shares
- ›You need 24/7 customer support and a demo account to practice before risking real money
- ›You want to deposit via PayPal, Apple Pay or credit/debit card with a low $100 minimum
- ›You trade after hours or overnight and want access to extended trading sessions
- ›You're comfortable with custodial arrangements and don't need individual HIN ownership
Where they differ
| Fact | CMC Invest | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Real share ownership (CHESS-sponsored) | CFDs only — no underlying asset ownership |
| ASX brokerage | $0 on first $1,000 buy per security per day; then $11 or 0.1% | Not applicable — Plus500 does not offer real ASX shares |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.006% | 0.7% |
| Account types | Individual, joint, company, trust, SMSF, kids | Individual and company only |
| Inactivity fee | $15 after 12 months | $10 per month after 3 months of no trading |
Choose CMC Invest if you want to own real shares; pick Plus500 only if you're specifically after leveraged CFD speculation.
Common questions
How do CMC Invest and Plus500 compare on product type?
CMC Invest: Real share ownership (CHESS-sponsored). Plus500: CFDs only — no underlying asset ownership. This is the fundamental difference between the two platforms.
How do CMC Invest and Plus500 compare on asx brokerage?
CMC Invest: $0 on first $1,000 buy per security per day; then $11 or 0.1%. Plus500: Not applicable — Plus500 does not offer real ASX shares. CMC offers genuinely free small ASX trades; Plus500 doesn't offer ASX shares at all.
How do CMC Invest and Plus500 compare on fx spread (aud/usd)?
CMC Invest: 0.006%. Plus500: 0.7%. CMC's FX spread is over 100x tighter when trading US stocks.
When is CMC Invest the better choice over Plus500?
Pick CMC Invest if you want to own real ASX shares under your own HIN with CHESS sponsorship; you trade ASX stocks in small parcels — first $1,000 buy per security per day is free; you need a full suite of account types including joint, trust, SMSF and kids accounts; or you want integrated tax reporting with CGT calculator and Sharesight/Navexa sync.
When is Plus500 the better choice over CMC Invest?
Pick Plus500 if you want to trade leveraged CFDs on indices, commodities, forex and crypto — not just shares; you need 24/7 customer support and a demo account to practice before risking real money; you want to deposit via PayPal, Apple Pay or credit/debit card with a low $100 minimum; or you trade after hours or overnight and want access to extended trading sessions.
CMC Invest or Plus500 — what's the verdict?
Choose CMC Invest if you want to own real shares; pick Plus500 only if you're specifically after leveraged CFD speculation.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | CMC Invest | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | — |
| Individual HIN | Yes | — |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | No |
| SMSF account | Yes | No |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | No |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| US shares supported | Yes | No |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| Other markets supported | United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.6% | 70% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.6% | — |
| Holds USD account | No | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $59.95 | — |
| Corporate action fees | — | Not applicable — Plus500 only offers CFDs, so users do not participate in real corporate actions (rights issues, SPPs, takeovers). Dividend adjustments on share CFDs are credited/debited to positions automatically. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $11 | — |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.1% | — |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | — |
| ASX free trade conditions | $0 brokerage on first ASX buy order per security per day for trades up to $1,000 (excludes margin loan settled trades and sells) | — |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | — |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | — |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $15 | $10 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $0 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | CMC Markets Stockbroking Limited | Plus500AU Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 246,381 | 417,727 |
| Year founded | 1,989 | 2,008 |
| Parent / ownership | CMC Markets plc (LSE: CMCX) | Plus500 Ltd (UK/Israel, LSE-listed parent) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | — |
| Deposit methods | PayID, Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY | BPAY, Bank transfer, Credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US | — |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | Typically 1-3 business days; same payment method as deposit (card, bank, e-wallet). |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | SMS only |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat | Live chat, Email, WhatsApp, Contact form |
| Support hours (AU time) | Monday-Friday, business hours AET (approx 8am-6pm) | 24/7 live chat, email and WhatsApp support |
| Education content | structured courses | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | No |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |