Plus500 vs AvaTrade: which CFD broker suits you in 2026?
Plus500 and AvaTrade are both spread-based, multi-asset CFD brokers, and the choice turns on platform and brand against education and protection. Plus500 (ASIC AFSL 417727) runs a single proprietary platform with no MetaTrader, an LSE-listed FTSE 250 parent, the widest CFD range in the ASIC set at 2,800-plus instruments including options, and the highest-rated mobile app. AvaTrade (ASIC AFSL 406684, plus eight more regulators) offers MT4 and MT5 alongside its own apps, the deepest education library (AvaAcademy), the unique AvaProtect downside-protection tool, bond and ETF CFDs, and a lower AUD 100 minimum against Plus500's AUD 200. Forex pricing is spread-only at both, slightly tighter at Plus500 (around 0.6 to 0.8 pip) than AvaTrade (around 0.9 pip). Choose Plus500 for brand backing, the widest range and the best mobile experience; choose AvaTrade for MetaTrader, education and AvaProtect. CFD Service. Your capital is at risk.
Top picks for this comparison
Plus500
LSE-listed FTSE 250 parent, the widest CFD range (2,800+), and the highest-rated mobile app in the ASIC set, on one simple proprietary platform. CFD Service. Your capital is at risk.
CFD Service. Your capital is at risk.
AvaTrade
MT4 and MT5, the deepest education library (AvaAcademy), AvaProtect downside protection, and a lower AUD 100 entry point.
Two spread-based brokers, split on platform and philosophy
Plus500 and AvaTrade have more in common than most pairings on this site. Both are ASIC-regulated, both price forex on spreads with no commission, both cover a wide multi-asset CFD range, and both are pitched at beginners more than at ECN scalpers. The split is in how they get there. Plus500 backs a single proprietary platform with a listed parent and the widest range. AvaTrade backs MetaTrader, education and a downside-protection tool. You are really choosing between two philosophies of beginner-friendly CFD trading.
Choose Plus500 if:
- You want an LSE-listed FTSE 250 parent behind your broker
- You want the widest CFD range, including options
- You want the best mobile app in the ASIC CFD set
- You prefer one simple platform with no MetaTrader to learn
Choose AvaTrade if:
- You want MetaTrader 4 or 5 and expert-advisor support
- You want the deepest education library (AvaAcademy)
- You want AvaProtect to cap downside on a position
- You want a lower AUD 100 minimum deposit
At-a-glance comparison
| Feature | Plus500 | AvaTrade |
|---|---|---|
| ASIC licence | AFSL 417727 | AFSL 406684 (+8 more globally) |
| Backing | LSE-listed FTSE 250 parent | Nine-regulator footprint |
| Platforms | Proprietary only (no MetaTrader) | MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGO, WebTrader |
| CFD range | 2,800+ incl options | Narrower, adds bond + ETF CFDs |
| EUR/USD spread | ~0.6 to 0.8 pip | ~0.9 pip |
| Minimum deposit | AUD 200 | AUD 100 |
| Education | Trading Academy | AvaAcademy (deepest in ASIC set) |
| Downside protection | None | AvaProtect |
| Mobile app | Highest-rated in ASIC CFD set | AvaTradeGO (well-rated) |
| Best for | Brand, breadth, mobile | MetaTrader, education, protection |
Platforms: proprietary vs MetaTrader
This is the cleanest dividing line between the two. Plus500 runs its own platform and nothing else. There is no MT4, no MT5, no cTrader, and no third-party charting or automation. For a trader who finds MetaTrader cluttered and just wants to place trades, that simplicity is the appeal, and Plus500's app is the best-rated in the ASIC CFD set.
AvaTrade goes the other way. It offers MT4 and MT5 with full expert-advisor support, alongside its own AvaTradeGO mobile app and WebTrader. If you want MetaTrader fluency, automated strategies, or the ability to use third-party tools and copy-trading services, AvaTrade supports that and Plus500 cannot. So the platform question answers itself: MetaTrader trader, AvaTrade; single-simple-platform trader, Plus500.
CFD range and brand backing: where Plus500 leads
Plus500's two structural strengths are range and parent. The instrument list runs past 2,800 CFDs across forex, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, options and crypto, the widest in the ASIC-regulated set, and it is one of the only ASIC retail brokers offering CFD options. On the corporate side, Plus500's parent is listed on the London Stock Exchange in the FTSE 250, which means audited accounts and public disclosure that no privately held competitor, AvaTrade included, can match. For a trader who weighs brand and breadth, those are genuine advantages.
AvaTrade's range is narrower in total, but it carries bond and ETF CFDs that Plus500 does not emphasise, and it leans on a nine-regulator footprint rather than a single listed parent as its credibility signal.
Education and AvaProtect: where AvaTrade leads
Where AvaTrade pulls ahead is support for a developing trader. AvaAcademy is the deepest education library among ASIC brokers, with structured courses, webinars and guides aimed at taking a beginner from nothing to competent. AvaProtect, the paid downside-protection tool, has no Plus500 equivalent and is genuinely useful for capping risk on a position while you are still learning. And the AUD 100 minimum is half of Plus500's AUD 200, a small but real lower barrier to a first deposit. None of these win on cost, but for a new trader they can matter more than the platform or the brand.
Who wins on specific use cases
- MetaTrader and automation: AvaTrade. MT4, MT5 and expert advisors; Plus500 has none.
- Widest market range: Plus500. 2,800-plus CFDs including options.
- Brand and corporate transparency: Plus500. LSE-listed FTSE 250 parent.
- Education-led learning: AvaTrade. AvaAcademy is the deepest in the set.
- Downside protection: AvaTrade. AvaProtect is unique.
- Best mobile experience: Plus500. Highest-rated app in the ASIC CFD set.
- Lowest entry point: AvaTrade. AUD 100 against AUD 200.
Final recommendation
If you want a single simple platform, the widest CFD range, the best mobile app and a listed parent behind it, Plus500 is the better fit, which is why it sits at the top of the best CFD brokers in Australia ranking. If you want MetaTrader, the strongest education, AvaProtect and a lower entry point, AvaTrade is the better-suited broker. The deciding question is usually the platform: traders who want MetaTrader go to AvaTrade, and traders who want a clean single-platform experience go to Plus500.
Read the full Plus500 review and AvaTrade review, or see how each compares against the ECN brokers on the best forex brokers in Australia ranking.
Frequently asked questions
Both are ASIC-regulated, spread-based, multi-asset CFD brokers, so it comes down to preferences. Plus500 is better if you want an LSE-listed parent, the widest CFD range, and the best mobile app on a single simple platform. AvaTrade is better if you want MetaTrader 4 or 5, the strongest education library, the AvaProtect downside-protection tool, and a lower AUD 100 minimum deposit. Neither is broadly better; they suit different priorities.
Only AvaTrade. AvaTrade offers MT4 and MT5 alongside its own AvaTradeGO and WebTrader platforms. Plus500 runs its proprietary platform only, with no MetaTrader, no cTrader, and no third-party tooling. If you want MetaTrader, expert advisors, or copy-trading integrations, AvaTrade is the only one of the two that supports them. If you prefer a single streamlined platform with nothing to configure, Plus500's proprietary approach is the simpler experience.
Plus500 has the wider range overall, with more than 2,800 CFD instruments including forex, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, options and crypto, the broadest in the ASIC set. AvaTrade's range is narrower in total but distinct in one way: it includes bond and ETF CFDs, and it is one of the few ASIC brokers offering bonds. For sheer breadth, Plus500; for bond CFDs specifically, AvaTrade.
Yes. Plus500 operates in Australia as Plus500AU Pty Ltd under ASIC AFSL 417727, with a parent company listed on the London Stock Exchange in the FTSE 250. AvaTrade operates as Ava Capital Markets Australia Pty Ltd under ASIC AFSL 406684, and the group holds eight more licences worldwide. Both apply the standard ASIC retail protections. Plus500 adds public-company transparency through its listed parent; AvaTrade leans on the breadth of its multi-regulator footprint.
Both use spread-only pricing with no separate commission, and the costs are close. Plus500's EUR/USD spread runs around 0.6 to 0.8 pip, slightly tighter than AvaTrade's roughly 0.9 pip. AvaTrade has the lower minimum deposit at AUD 100 against Plus500's AUD 200. On inactivity, Plus500 charges USD 10 a month after three months while AvaTrade charges USD 50 a quarter after three months. For active forex, neither is as cheap as an ECN broker like Pepperstone or Fusion Markets.
Both target beginners, differently. Plus500 offers the simplest experience: one clean platform, the best-rated mobile app, and nothing to configure, which suits someone who wants to place a trade without learning MetaTrader. AvaTrade offers more support: the AvaAcademy education library, the AvaProtect tool to cap downside while learning, and a lower AUD 100 entry. A beginner who values simplicity leans Plus500; one who values structured learning and a safety net leans AvaTrade.
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