Share Trading comparison
Interactive Brokers Australia vs Plus500
Interactive Brokers is a full-service broker offering real shares, ETFs, options and bonds across 30+ global markets. Plus500 is a CFD-only provider — you never own the underlying asset. That's the single biggest difference between them, and it shapes everything else.
Choose
Interactive Brokers Australia
if…
- ›You want to buy and hold actual ASX or US shares under your own HIN (custodian model, but real shares)
- ›You trade international markets — US, UK, Europe, Asia — from one account with tiny FX spreads
- ›You need low-cost brokerage: ASX from $6, US from $1, with no monthly or inactivity fees
- ›You want advanced tools like conditional orders, options, fractional US shares, and auto-invest / DCA
- ›You need tax reporting (CGT report, Australian tax statement) and Sharesight integration
Choose
Plus500
if…
- ›You only want to speculate on price movements via CFDs and have no interest in owning the underlying asset
- ›You prefer a dead-simple mobile app with 24/7 live chat support and no desktop software needed
- ›You want to deposit with credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay — not just bank transfer
- ›You value free real-time market data included out of the box with no add-on fees
- ›You're comfortable with an inactivity fee of $10/month after a dormant period
Where they differ
| Fact | Interactive Brokers Australia | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| What you can trade | Real ASX & US shares, ETFs, options, bonds, CFDs, 30+ global markets | CFDs only — no real shares, ETFs or bonds |
| ASX brokerage | From $6 or 0.08% | Not applicable (CFDs only, no real ASX shares) |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.002% | 0.7% |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $10/month after dormant period |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer, BPAY, SWIFT | Bank transfer, BPAY, credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
Verdict
Choose Interactive Brokers if you want to own real assets globally. Choose Plus500 only if CFDs are your game.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Interactive Brokers Australia | 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 | 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, Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Israel, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, China (Stock Connect), South Korea, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.002% | 70% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.002% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| FX currency switch trick | No | — |
| Market data fees | — | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | Corporate action processing is generally fee-free for standard events (dividends, splits, mergers). Some voluntary corporate actions and ADR pass-through fees apply per the published fee schedule. Mandatory reorganisations are processed at no charge. | 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 | $6 | — |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.08% | — |
| US brokerage minimum | US$1 | — |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.05% | — |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $10 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $0 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd | Plus500AU Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 453,554 | 417,727 |
| Year founded | 1,978 | 2,008 |
| Parent / ownership | Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBKR) | Plus500 Ltd (UK/Israel, LSE-listed parent) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | — |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY, International wire (SWIFT) | BPAY, Bank transfer, Credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US equities | — |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days for AUD EFT; same day possible for AUD instant transfers within Australia | 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | SMS only |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat, in-app secure message | Live chat, Email, WhatsApp, Contact form |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24 hours, Monday to Friday (Sydney) — local AU phone support during business hours; global desks cover overnight | 24/7 live chat, email and WhatsApp support |
| Education content | video + courses | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | 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 | multiple | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |