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.
- ›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
- ›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 |
Choose Interactive Brokers if you want to own real assets globally. Choose Plus500 only if CFDs are your game.
Common questions
How do Interactive Brokers Australia and Plus500 compare on what you can trade?
Interactive Brokers Australia: Real ASX & US shares, ETFs, options, bonds, CFDs, 30+ global markets. Plus500: CFDs only — no real shares, ETFs or bonds.
How do Interactive Brokers Australia and Plus500 compare on asx brokerage?
Interactive Brokers Australia: From $6 or 0.08%. Plus500: Not applicable (CFDs only, no real ASX shares).
How do Interactive Brokers Australia and Plus500 compare on fx spread (aud/usd)?
Interactive Brokers Australia: 0.002%. Plus500: 0.7%.
When is Interactive Brokers Australia the better choice over Plus500?
Pick 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; or you want advanced tools like conditional orders, options, fractional US shares, and auto-invest / DCA.
When is Plus500 the better choice over Interactive Brokers Australia?
Pick 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; or you value free real-time market data included out of the box with no add-on fees.
Interactive Brokers Australia or Plus500 — what's the 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 |