Share Trading comparison
Plus500 vs Stake
Plus500 and Stake couldn't be more different. Plus500 is a CFD provider — you never actually own the underlying shares, just speculate on price movements. Stake is a genuine broker that lets you buy real ASX and US shares under your own HIN. That single distinction drives every practical difference between them.
Choose
Plus500
if…
- ›You want to trade CFDs with leverage and short-selling on indices, commodities, or forex — not just shares
- ›You prefer a demo account to practise strategies before risking real money
- ›You want 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, and WhatsApp
- ›You're comfortable with a custodial model where you don't get an individual HIN or hold real shares
- ›You want to trade options and derivatives, not just equities
Choose
Stake
if…
- ›You want to buy and hold real ASX shares under your own HIN with CHESS sponsorship
- ›You trade US stocks and want a low 0.55 bps FX spread plus a USD account to avoid repeated conversion fees
- ›You need a CGT report and Sharesight integration for tax time
- ›You want to open a trust or SMSF account — Stake supports both; Plus500 doesn't
- ›You plan to transfer an existing portfolio in and get 12 months of free ASX brokerage on holdings over $1,000
Where they differ
| Fact | Plus500 | Stake |
|---|---|---|
| What you actually buy | CFDs only — no real shares | Real ASX and US shares under your HIN |
| CHESS sponsorship | Custodial — no individual HIN | Mixed — individual HIN available for ASX |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.7% | 0.0055% |
| Inactivity fee | $10 | $0 |
| Minimum initial deposit | $100 | $500 |
Verdict
Pick Plus500 for leveraged CFD speculation; pick Stake if you actually want to own shares and keep your tax affairs simple.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Plus500 | Stake |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | — | mixed |
| Individual HIN | — | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | No |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | No | Yes |
| SMSF account | No | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | No | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| US shares supported | No | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| Other markets supported | United States | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | Yes |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | Yes |
| IPO access | No | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 70% | 0.55% |
| Holds USD account | No | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | — | Yes |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $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. | Corporate actions (dividends, SPPs, rights issues, takeovers) are passed through where mandatory; Stake does not provide a DRP — investors must elect DRP directly with each company's share registry. No published per-event fee. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | — | $3 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | — | 0.01% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | — | $30,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | No free-trade promotion ordinarily offered; brokerage waived for 12 months on transferred ASX holdings worth A$1,000+ |
| US brokerage minimum | — | US$3 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 0.01% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $10 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | — | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Plus500AU Pty Ltd | Stakeshop Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 417,727 | 548,196 |
| Year founded | 2,008 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | Plus500 Ltd (UK/Israel, LSE-listed parent) | Privately held (Stakeshop AFSL Pty Ltd group); investors include AGL Energy's former CEO and various private investors |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $100 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | — | $20 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Bank transfer, Credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay | Bank transfer (Osko/PayID), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Debit card, Credit card |
| Settlement period | — | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | Typically 1-3 business days; same payment method as deposit (card, bank, e-wallet). | 1-2 business days for AUD (Stake AUS); 2-3 US business days for USD (Stake Wall St) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | Yes | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS only | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | Live chat, Email, WhatsApp, Contact form | Email, In-app chat, Help centre |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24/7 live chat, email and WhatsApp support | Business hours AEST/AEDT (approximately Mon-Fri); chat/email response varies |
| Education content | structured courses | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | No | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| CGT calculator / report | No | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | No | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |