Share Trading comparison
Halo Technologies vs Plus500
Halo Technologies and Plus500 look like they compete in the same space, but they're fundamentally different products. Halo is a full-featured brokerage for buying real ASX and international shares under a custodian model. Plus500 is a CFD provider — you never actually own the underlying asset. That single difference dictates everything else: fees, features, and who should use each platform.
Choose
Halo Technologies
if…
- ›You want to buy and hold real ASX or US shares, not derivatives or contracts for difference
- ›You trade frequently on ASX — Halo's $15 minimum brokerage (0.12% above $12,500) is competitive for active traders
- ›You need access to 30+ global exchanges including UK, Europe, Japan and Asia Pacific markets
- ›You want a platform that supports joint accounts, trust accounts, SMSFs and company structures
- ›You need dividend reinvestment (DRP) and proper Australian tax statements for real shares
Choose
Plus500
if…
- ›You only trade CFDs and have no interest in owning physical shares or ETFs
- ›You want zero monthly or annual platform fees — Plus500 charges $0/month compared to Halo's $159/month
- ›You want a demo account to practise trading strategies before risking real money
- ›You value 24/7 customer support via live chat, email and WhatsApp
- ›You prefer structured educational courses and free real-time market data included at no extra cost
Where they differ
| Fact | Halo Technologies | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| Platform type | Real share brokerage (custodian model) | CFD-only provider (no ownership of underlying assets) |
| Monthly platform fee | $159/month | $0/month |
| ASX share trading | Yes — real ASX shares & ETFs | No — ASX CFDs only, not real shares |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.005% | 0.7% |
| Account types | Individual, joint, company, trust, SMSF | Individual and company only |
Verdict
Choose Halo if you want real shares and global markets; choose Plus500 only if CFDs are your game.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Halo Technologies | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | — |
| Individual HIN | No | — |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | No |
| SMSF account | Yes | No |
| Kids / minor account | — | 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 | US (NASDAQ, NYSE), UK, Europe, Japan (NIKKEI), Asia Pacific, 30 exchanges total | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | — | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | — | No |
| IPO access | — | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.5% | 70% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.5% | — |
| Holds USD account | — | No |
| Market data fees | $19/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | — | $0 |
| 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 | $15 | — |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.12% | — |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $12,500 | — |
| ASX free trade conditions | Promotional offer: $0 brokerage on trades up to $250,000 (per landing page /0-brokerage-on-trades-up-to-250000); standard FSG schedule remains $15/0.12%. Conditions not fully disclosed publicly. | — |
| US brokerage minimum | US$15 | — |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.12% | — |
| Monthly platform fee | $159/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $2,508/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | — | $10 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | — | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | HALO Technologies Pty Ltd (ABN 54 623 830 866); ultimately wholly owned by HALO Technologies Holdings Limited ABN 73 645 531 219 | Plus500AU Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 484,264 | 417,727 |
| Year founded | 2,017 | 2,008 |
| Parent / ownership | HALO Technologies Holdings Limited (ASX:HAL) — ultimate parent; publicly listed | Plus500 Ltd (UK/Israel, LSE-listed parent) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | — | $100 |
| Deposit methods | AUD bank transfer / direct credit (to HALO trust account) | BPAY, Bank transfer, Credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Withdrawal time | — | 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 | — | No |
| Demo account | — | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | No | Yes |
| 2FA support | — | SMS only |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat | Live chat, Email, WhatsApp, Contact form |
| Support hours (AU time) | — | 24/7 live chat, email and WhatsApp support |
| Education content | basic articles | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | — | No |
| CGT calculator / report | — | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | — | No |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | — | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | — | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | multiple | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | — | Yes |