Share Trading comparison
Plus500 vs Superhero
Plus500 and Superhero aren't really competing in the same game. Plus500 is a CFD provider — you never own the underlying shares, you're speculating on price movements with leverage. Superhero is a genuine broker that lets you buy real ASX and US shares (and ETFs) for a flat $2 brokerage. The biggest practical difference: one is a derivatives trading platform, the other is a real share broker.
Choose
Plus500
if…
- ›You want to trade CFDs with leverage on indices, commodities, forex or crypto — not real shares
- ›You need a demo account to practise strategies before risking real money
- ›You trade around the clock and need after-hours / overnight access to markets
- ›You want 24/7 customer support via live chat, email or WhatsApp
- ›You're comfortable with a custodian model where you don't get a HIN and don't own the underlying asset
Choose
Superhero
if…
- ›You want to buy real ASX or US shares and ETFs, not derivatives
- ›You want the lowest cost on the ASX — $2 flat brokerage up to $20,000
- ›You need a kids / minor account, SMSF, or trust account structure
- ›You want auto-invest / DCA functionality with multiple schedule options
- ›You need an Australian tax statement and CGT report at EOFY, plus Sharesight integration
Where they differ
| Fact | Plus500 | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| What you actually buy | CFDs only — no real shares | Real ASX and US shares & ETFs |
| ASX brokerage | Not applicable (no ASX shares) | $2 flat up to $20,000, then 0.01% |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.7% | 0.005% |
| Account types | Individual, Company | Individual, Company, Trust, SMSF, Kids / Minor |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Not available | Yes — multiple schedule options |
Verdict
If you want to own real shares cheaply, choose Superhero. If you want leveraged CFD speculation, choose Plus500.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Plus500 | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | — | custodian |
| Individual HIN | — | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | No |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | No | Yes |
| SMSF account | No | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | Yes |
| 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 | ||
| 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 | No |
| IPO access | No | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 70% | 0.5% |
| Holds USD account | No | No |
| 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. | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | — | $2 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | — | 0.01% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | — | $20,000 |
| US brokerage minimum | — | US$2 |
| 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 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Plus500AU Pty Ltd | Superhero Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 417,727 | 430,150 |
| Year founded | 2,008 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | Plus500 Ltd (UK/Israel, LSE-listed parent) | Independent (founder-controlled). Previously merged into Swyftx in 2022; demerger completed December 2022 returning ownership to co-founders John Winters and Wayne Baskin. |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $100 | $100 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | — | $100 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Bank transfer, Credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay | PayID, BPAY, bank transfer |
| 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). | 1-3 business days |
| 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 | No |
| 2FA support | SMS only | SMS |
| Customer support channels | Live chat, Email, WhatsApp, Contact form | email, in-app chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24/7 live chat, email and WhatsApp support | Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm AEST |
| Education content | structured courses | basic |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | No | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | 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 | — |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | No |