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.
- ›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
- ›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 |
Pick Plus500 for leveraged CFD speculation; pick Stake if you actually want to own shares and keep your tax affairs simple.
Common questions
How do Plus500 and Stake compare on what you actually buy?
Plus500: CFDs only — no real shares. Stake: Real ASX and US shares under your HIN. Plus500 is a derivatives platform; Stake is a genuine broker.
How do Plus500 and Stake compare on chess sponsorship?
Plus500: Custodial — no individual HIN. Stake: Mixed — individual HIN available for ASX. Your ASX holdings are legally yours with Stake; with Plus500 they're not.
How do Plus500 and Stake compare on fx spread (aud/usd)?
Plus500: 0.7%. Stake: 0.0055%. Stake's FX cost is roughly 127x cheaper when buying US stocks.
When is Plus500 the better choice over Stake?
Pick 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; or you're comfortable with a custodial model where you don't get an individual HIN or hold real shares.
When is Stake the better choice over Plus500?
Pick 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; or you want to open a trust or SMSF account — Stake supports both; Plus500 doesn't.
Plus500 or Stake — what's the 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 |