Detailed comparison of all fees, features, and suitability — updated for 2026.
Plus500 is the better choice for CFD Traders, while Smartbroker+ wins for Free Trades. Which one suits you depends on your strategy — the detailed comparison below shows every difference.
| Metric | Plus500 | Smartbroker+ | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order fee per trade | 0.00 € | 0.00 € | identical |
| 10y savings plan cost @ €100/month | 0 € | 0 € | identical |
| Free ETF savings plans | 0 | 2.000 | +2.000 more at Smartbroker+ |
| Available exchanges | 1 | 3 | +2 more at Smartbroker+ |
| BMInsider rating | 3.8/5 | 4.0/5 | +0.2 at Smartbroker+ |
All fees, products, and platform features compared side-by-side. The "Winner" column shows which broker leads in each category.
| Feature | Plus500 | Smartbroker+ | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees & Costs | |||
| Order Fee | 0€ (Spread-based) | 0€ (gettex, from 500€) / 4€ (Xetra) | Tie |
| ETF Savings Plan Fee | - | 0€ | Smartbroker+ |
| Account Fee | 0€/Year | 0€/Year | Tie |
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | 0€ | Tie |
| Interest on Cash | 0% | 0% | Tie |
| Product Range | |||
| Stocks | Tie | ||
| ETFs | Tie | ||
| Crypto | Tie | ||
| Options | Tie | ||
| CFDs | Tie | ||
| Fractional Shares | Smartbroker+ | ||
| Number of Exchanges | Plus500 intern | gettex, Xetra, und weitere | Smartbroker+ |
| Platform & Tools | |||
| Mobile App | Tie | ||
| Desktop Platform | Tie | ||
| Demo Account | Plus500 | ||
| Security & Regulation | |||
| Regulated by | CySEC / FCA / ASIC | BaFin | Tie |
| Deposit Protection | €20.000 (ICF) | 100.000€ | Tie |
| Founded | 2008 | 2019 | Tie |
| Overall Rating | |||
| Rating | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Smartbroker+ |
Depending on your strategy and experience, one broker fits better. Here's how to decide:
Low barriers, simple app, demo account and no hidden costs — perfect to get started.
More about Plus500 →Low per-order fees, many trading venues and derivatives access — important if you trade regularly.
More about Smartbroker+ →Free savings plans, interest on cash and no custody fee — what matters when you buy & hold.
More about Smartbroker+ →Plus500 is a CFD broker with 0 commission and spread-based pricing. Over 2,800 instruments across CFDs on stocks, forex, crypto CFDs, commodities, ETFs and options. Note: 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Particularly suitable for: CFD Traders, Active Traders, Experienced CFD Traders.
Smartbroker+ offers free trades from €500 order volume and free Xetra access. A strong competitor to Trade Republic.
Particularly suitable for: Free Trades, Savings Plan Investors, Cost-Conscious Investors.
Plus500 (Plus500CY Ltd, CySEC Cyprus, LSE-listed) and Smartbroker+ (Wallstreet Online Capital AG, BaFin, Berlin) are fundamentally different tools. Smartbroker+ is a German discount broker with a special Gettex tariff (€0 from €500 volume, otherwise €1/order), around 2 400 free ETF savings plans from €1 rate, all stock savings plans €0, plus €4/order on other venues. Plus500 is CFD-only — no real stocks, ETFs or savings plans.
Honest take: Smartbroker+ is the pick for large stock buys via Gettex at €0 plus savings plans. Plus500 is the pick for leveraged CFD speculation.
You want leveraged CFDs on forex, index, crypto. Plus500 allows 30:1 forex, 20:1 index, 2:1 crypto. Smartbroker+ has no CFDs.
You want 24/7 crypto trading. Plus500: 25 crypto CFDs on weekends. Smartbroker+ has no 24/7 crypto — only crypto ETNs during Xetra hours.
You want zero commission on small speculative trades. Plus500 only spread. Smartbroker+ charges €1 per order on Gettex below €500 volume, €4 on other venues.
You want fast mobile onboarding without banking bureaucracy. Plus500 onboards in 5 minutes via VideoIdent. Smartbroker+ expects full BaFin bank opening.
You want forex trading. Plus500: 70 forex pairs. Smartbroker+ offers no forex.
You're building real stock and ETF wealth. Smartbroker+ BaFin-regulated, real securities in collective custody. 2 400 ETFs savings-plan ready free, all stock savings plans €0. Plus500 has zero ownership.
You want €0 orders on large stock buys. Smartbroker+ Gettex tariff: from €500 volume €0 order. A €5 000 MSCI World buy costs zero. Plus500 offers no real buys.
You want the German tax certificate. Smartbroker+ steuereinfach — 25% KESt + 5.5% Soli automatic. Plus500 as Cypriot CySEC pays gross.
You want stock savings plans (not just ETFs). Smartbroker+ also offers single-stock savings plans (Apple, Nestlé, Allianz) from €1 rate — free. Plus500 has no savings plans.
You want bonds, mutual funds, certificates, warrants. Smartbroker+ offers 25 000+ bonds, classic funds, certificates, warrants. Plus500 is limited to CFDs.
Germany — Smartbroker+ steuereinfach, Plus500 not. Smartbroker+ withholds 25% KESt + 5.5% Soli automatically. Plus500 pays gross; CFD gains self-declared.
€20 000 loss cap on CFDs: Plus500 CFD losses capped since 2026. Smartbroker+ stocks/ETFs unaffected.
Austria — neither steuereinfach. Smartbroker+ AT via FinanzOnline E1kv. Plus500 adds 27.5% AT special rate.
Vorabpauschale 2026: Smartbroker+ books automatically. Plus500 has no ETFs.
US dividends: Smartbroker+ W-8BEN, 15% credited. Plus500: cash adjustment minus 30%.
Profile A — Buy-and-hold with large buys: 6 manual €5 000 buys on Gettex, 1 monthly €300 ETF savings plan.
| Item | Smartbroker+ | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| 6× €5 000 Gettex buys | €0 (≥€500 threshold) | not offered |
| 12× €300 ETF savings plan | €0 (free) | not offered |
| Custody fee | €0 | €0 |
| Yearly cost A | €0 | n/a |
Profile B — Active index CFD trader: 100 DE40 trades at €5 000, 20 held overnight.
| Item | Smartbroker+ | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| 100× DE40 spread | not offered | ≈€120 (0.8 pt) |
| Overnight funding 20× | n/a | ≈€45 |
| Yearly cost B | n/a | ≈€165 |
Conclusion: Profile A crystal-clear Smartbroker+ (€0 via Gettex). Profile B only at Plus500.
Pick: Smartbroker+. €0 from €500 volume is unbeatable. Plus500 has no buys.
Pick: Smartbroker+. 2 400 ETFs free. Plus500 has no savings plans.
Pick: Smartbroker+. All stock savings plans €0. Plus500 irrelevant.
Pick: Plus500. Smartbroker+ has no CFDs.
Pick: Plus500. Smartbroker+ no 24/7 crypto.
Answers to the most common questions about Plus500 vs Smartbroker+.
For order fees, Plus500 leads at 0€ (Spread-basiert), while Smartbroker+ charges 0€ (gettex, ab 500€) / 4€ (Xetra). Note: with CFD brokers, spreads add hidden cost — the lower nominal price isn't always cheaper overall.
Plus500 is regulated by CySEC / FCA / ASIC, Smartbroker+ by BaFin. Both fall under EU oversight. Deposit protection: Plus500 €20.000 (ICF), Smartbroker+ 100.000€.
For German/Austrian customers, language, BaFin regulation and tax-simple status often matter most. Check the 'Regulated by' and 'Languages' rows — DACH-focused brokers usually have the edge.
Smartbroker+ offers free ETF savings plans from 1€. If a savings plan matters to you, that's a clear edge.
Both are covered under their home regulator's deposit protection. Plus500: €20.000 (ICF), Smartbroker+: 100.000€. Securities are held in segregated accounts and protected in case of broker insolvency.
Neither broker pays meaningful interest on uninvested cash. Look elsewhere if cash yield matters.
Both offer native mobile apps with good app-store ratings. Which is better depends on your needs — try both with a demo account if available.
A second broker makes sense when one offers features the other lacks (e.g. options, crypto, more exchanges). A full switch is only worth it if the cost difference or missing features are significant.
Sign up with the broker that fits your strategy. Both are regulated and offer a demo account to test risk-free.
