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.
- ›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
- ›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 |
Choose Halo if you want real shares and global markets; choose Plus500 only if CFDs are your game.
Common questions
How do Halo Technologies and Plus500 compare on platform type?
Halo Technologies: Real share brokerage (custodian model). Plus500: CFD-only provider (no ownership of underlying assets).
How do Halo Technologies and Plus500 compare on monthly platform fee?
Halo Technologies: $159/month. Plus500: $0/month.
How do Halo Technologies and Plus500 compare on asx share trading?
Halo Technologies: Yes — real ASX shares & ETFs. Plus500: No — ASX CFDs only, not real shares.
When is Halo Technologies the better choice over Plus500?
Pick 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; or you want a platform that supports joint accounts, trust accounts, SMSFs and company structures.
When is Plus500 the better choice over Halo Technologies?
Pick 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; or you value 24/7 customer support via live chat, email and WhatsApp.
Halo Technologies or Plus500 — what's the 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 |