Plus500 is one of the world's best-known trading platforms for Contracts for Difference (CFDs). These are financial instruments which let you invest in a variety of assets without needing to purchase and store them. As a result, CFDs are more convenient and faster to trade, allowing investors to short sell assets and trade using leverage. A Brief Overview of Plus500 Screenshots are shown for illustration purposes only. Actual product may vary. Set up in Israel in 2008, Plus500 is today a global trading powerhouse, counting millions of active users. The platform offers various advantages over similar competitors, especially regarding fees. As with any reputable trading platform, Plus500 needs fees to cover its operating expenses and make a profit. However, the company offers advantageous rates to both novice and serial investors. When trading with Plus500, you will not be charged deposit fees, nor will you need to pay commissions for opening or closing trades. In addition, a range of platform services, including forex quotes, dynamic charts, and live share CFD prices are all available for free to all users. Deposit and Withdrawal Fees Plus500 supports a variety of payment methods, including cards, eWallets, bank transfers and even PayPal. Notwithstanding this convenience, the platform does not charge any deposit fees. In addition, withdrawals are also free, as long as you do not exceed 5 per month. Currency Conversion Fee When you register an account with Plus500 you can choose or are set a base currency based on your country of residence. Every time you invest in an instrument which is not in your base currency, the platform will charge you a currency conversion fee. This fee varies, but should never exceed 0.3% of the trade's realised profit and loss. It is reflected live into the unrealised profit and loss of an open trade position. Conversion Fee Example Imagine that you reside within the European Union and that your account's base currency is EUR. Consider that at the moment when you are trading, the EUR/USD rate is set at 1.10990. You decide to short sell Apple stock with a position worth 500 USD. The trade results in a loss of 15 USD, or 13.51 EUR. In this example, Plus500 would charge you a 0.3% fee on the loss. This works out to 0.045 USD, or 0.04 EUR, making the total loss on this trade 15.045 USD or 13.56 EUR. Buy and Sell Spread Fees Screenshots are shown for illustration purposes only. Actual product may vary. Since Plus500 does not charge any commission or broker fees, it makes the majority of its income from spreads. The spread is simply the difference in price between buying and selling an asset and is automatically incorporated into the platform's quoted rates. Therefore, the price that you see before opening a position is the same as you will pay. Plus500 offers either a fixed or a dynamic spread for its range of instruments. Whilst the fixed spread remains unchanged as long as your trading position remains open, the dynamic spread can vary. In order to ensure a fair representation of value in its instruments, Plus500 utilises several exchanges and updates prices continually. Similarly, in order to price Bitcoin CFDs, the platform relies on several reputable cryptocurrency exchanges. Spread Fee Example In this example, we will be looking at the spread for Ethereum, a popular cryptocurrency. The sell price for the asset is set at 201.15 whilst the buy price is set at 203.24. As a result, the spread, in this case, is 2.09. Plus500 is a live trading platform, which means that pricing is continually updated. In order to get the most precise spread, you should log into your account and search for a specific coin or commodity. Only then will you be able to open a position whilst locking the spread. [cta disclaimer='80.5% of retail CFD accounts lose money.' text='Visit Plus500' href='/out/plus500'] Overnight Fees Every instrument on Plus500 has a set time during the day which is considered to be the end of the day. If your position remains open past this time, you are automatically charged an overnight fee. The time and amount vary, and you can find the exact figures in the "Details" link next to the instrument's name. Guaranteed Stop Order When markets are particularly volatile or in certain other conditions, setting a Stop Loss Order might not be sufficient to close a position at your precise price. By activating the Guaranteed Stop Order, you can be sure that your position will be closed at the pre-determined price, no matter the market's volatility. This feature is only available for select instruments and is included in the wider spread. Inactivity Fees Plus500 charges 10 USD per month for any accounts which have not been logged into in the preceding 3-month period. This fee continues to be charged each month until a successful login is made. Trading with Plus500 Plus500 has been designed to offer a user-friendly interface for both novice and experienced traders. Even though the platform offers over 2,000 CFD instruments, the search and filter options lets you find the asset you are looking for easily. As a newcomer to Plus500, you should make use of the platform's free demo account. Once you register your account you will have access to this platform which is practically identical to the real one. The main difference is that in the demo account you are given €40.000,00 in fake credits, allowing you to test different investment strategies whilst getting used to the options and controls. Once the balance of the demo account drops to 200 EUR (or the equivalent currency amount) or below, the initial demo amount will be automatically reinstated by the system. Apart from its web trader, Plus500 also lets you trade on the go, using its dedicated iOS or Android mobile app. The web trader is responsive to different screen sizes, so even if you've got a Windows phone you can use it to trade. [cta disclaimer='80.5% of retail CFD accounts lose money.' text='Visit Plus500' href='/out/plus500'] Concluding Thoughts Plus500 enjoys a positive online reputation, supported by a secure and regulated platform. Apart from countries which ban CFD trading, such as the USA, it is accessible around the world. User registration is fast and complies with the regulations of multiple jurisdictions. Plus500 fees are easy to understand, transparent, and competitive. The platform is proud, and rightly so, of doing away with complicated or hidden fees. It operates a straightforward fee structure centred around the spread, with the majority of other fees being optional, based on particular transactions or tools. As a result, the platform gets an overall rating of "Great" based on over 1,100 user reviews. Does Plus500 let you trade using leverage? Yes, Plus500 offers up to 1:30 leverage, although this amount is lower based on the instrument. Is Plus500 regulated? Through several subsidiaries, Plus500 companies are licenced and regulated in a variety of jurisdictions around the world. Does Plus500 charge any hidden fees? No, the platform clearly states that all of its fees are published and transparent. Do I need to deposit funds in order to use the Plus500 demo account? All you need to use the demo account is to register your account. No funds are required.