What Is the Best Futures Broker?

Choosing the right futures broker is crucial for achieving trading success, cost efficiency, and a positive overall experience. Key factors include commission structures, regulatory compliance, accessibility, and hidden fees.

As the US futures market has grown significantly, it's vital to select a broker that offers competitive pricing and robust infrastructure while avoiding common fee traps that erode profitability.

In this article, we cover the leading futures brokers and help you understand the best one for your needs.

TL;DR

• Traditional brokers often impose high commissions ($1.50-$2.25 per contract), platform fees, data fees, and inactivity charges.
• Plus500 Futures offers transparent pricing, with fees ranging from $0.49 to $0.89 per contract, including zero platform fees, zero data fees, and zero inactivity fees.
• Account minimums vary dramatically: some brokers require $500-$1,000, whilst Plus500 Futures starts at just $100.
• Hidden costs at competing brokers can erode profits through monthly charges that Plus500 eliminates entirely.
• Regulatory compliance remains consistent across CFTC-registered brokers, making cost structure the primary differentiator.

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The True Cost of Futures Trading: Beyond Commission Rates

Whilst many traders focus exclusively on per-contract commission rates, the total cost of futures trading extends far beyond this single metric. Traditional brokers frequently impose multiple fee layers that substantially increase trading costs, charges that Plus500 Futures has deliberately eliminated.

Commission Rate Comparisons: The Competitive Landscape

Plus500 Futures positions itself advantageously against major competitors through straightforward, competitive commission pricing:

Plus500 Futures:

• Micro contracts: $0.49 per side
• Standard and E-mini contracts: $0.89 per side

Competing Brokers:

• E*TRADE: $1.50 per futures contract
• TD Ameritrade: $2.25 per futures contract
• TradeStation: $1.75 per contract through FuturesPlus platform

For active traders executing 100 micro contracts monthly, the cost difference becomes substantial. With Plus500 Futures at $0.49 per side ($98 total for 100 round-turn contracts), compared to E*TRADE at $1.50 per contract ($300 total), traders save $202 monthly-$2,424 annually-purely, purely on commission differential.

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The Hidden Fee Problem: Platform and Data Charges

Whilst commission rates receive primary attention, platform and data fees represent a significant hidden cost at many brokers. Plus500 Futures eliminates these charges entirely, offering a transparent cost structure that is absent from competing platforms.

TradeStation's Additional Costs:

TradeStation charges a monthly real-time market data fee ($10.00/month for TradeStation Data Services, 2025), plus additional charges for international data feeds. This amounts to $120–$240 annually before trading.

Plus500 Futures charges zero data fees and zero platform fees, removing this barrier entirely. For traders monitoring multiple markets, including equity indices, energy, metals, and cryptocurrencies, this represents meaningful cost savings that competing brokers fail to match.

Inactivity Fees: The Penalty for Selective Trading

Strategic traders often wait for optimal market conditions rather than forcing positions. Several major brokers penalize this disciplined approach through monthly inactivity fees, charges that Plus500 Futures refuses to impose.

TradeStation Inactivity Penalties:

TradeStation imposes a $10 monthly inactivity fee unless traders execute 10+ trades in 90 days or maintain a $5,000 average month-end equity balance. This penalty structure can pressure small swing or position traders into unnecessary trades, potentially leading to poor market entries.

Plus500 Futures Policy:

Zero inactivity fees. Traders maintain complete freedom to enter positions according to market conditions and personal strategy without artificial pressure from monthly charges.

Account Minimum Requirements: Accessibility Matters

Capital requirements represent a fundamental barrier to market entry. Plus500 Futures' $100 minimum deposit stands in stark contrast to competitors' demanding substantially higher initial funding.

According to QuantVPS's 2025 analysis of futures brokers for small accounts:

• NinjaTrader: $400 minimum deposit requirement
• AMP (OTC:AMLTF) Futures: $500 minimum deposit
• Ironbeam: Recommends $1,000 minimum deposit for trading micro and mini futures contracts

Plus500 Futures' $100 threshold enables broader market participation whilst maintaining responsible leverage standards. For novice traders testing strategies or experienced traders opening secondary accounts, this accessibility provides meaningful advantages over brokers imposing artificial capital barriers.

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Trading with leverage comes with a high risk and may not be suitable for everyone

Platform Complexity vs. Usability

Complex professional trading platforms like TradeStation and thinkorswim frustrate retail traders with their steep learning curve and overwhelming features. Plus500 Futures targets these retail clients with a simple web and mobile platform focusing on essential functionality (order entry, monitoring, risk management). Simplified interfaces enable retail users to execute trades more quickly and with fewer errors.

Regulatory Compliance: The Level Playing Field

Market Access and Instrument Diversity

Comprehensive market access enhances portfolio diversification opportunities. Plus500 Futures provides trading across seven major asset classes through CME Group (NASDAQ:CME) exchanges:

• Equity indices (S&P 500, NASDAQ-100)
• Cryptocurrency futures (Bitcoin, Ethereum)
• Energy contracts (Crude Oil, Natural Gas)
• Metals (Gold, Silver, Copper)
• Forex futures (EUR/USD, GBP/USD)
• Agricultural commodities (Corn, Wheat, Soybeans)
• Interest rate futures (Eurodollar, Treasury futures)

This breadth matches or exceeds offerings at E*TRADE and TradeStation, providing equivalent market exposure without the associated fee burden imposed by competing platforms.

Total Cost Analysis: The Real Bottom Line

Consider a typical retail trader profile:

• Trading micro E-mini S&P 500 contracts
• Executing 50 round-turn contracts monthly
• Account balance: $2,500
• Trading pattern: 8-10 trades monthly (occasional months with fewer trades)

Annual Cost Comparison:

Plus500 Futures

• Commissions: 50 contracts × $0.49 × 2 sides × 12 months = $588
• Platform fees: $0
• Data fees: $0
• Inactivity fees: $0
• Total Annual Cost: $588

TradeStation

• Commissions: 50 contracts × $1.75 × 2 sides × 12 months = $2,100
• Platform fees: $0 (waived with activity)
• Data fees: $10 × 12 months = $120
• Inactivity fees: $10 × 3 months (occasional low-activity periods) = $30
• Total Annual Cost: $2,250

E*TRADE

• Commissions: 50 contracts × $1.50 × 2 sides × 12 months = $1,800
• Platform fees: Variable
• Data fees: Variable
• Estimated Total Annual Cost: $1,800+

Plus500 Futures offers significant cost reductions, with savings of 74% compared to TradeStation and 67% compared to E*TRADE. These substantial annual savings help traders retain more capital by reducing broker fees.

Why Plus500 Futures Stands Out

Plus500 Futures emerges as the superior choice for cost-conscious retail traders by:

1. Eliminating hidden fees: Zero platform fees, zero data fees, zero inactivity charges
2. Offering competitive commissions: $0.49-$0.89 per contract, significantly undercutting major competitors
3. Removing capital barriers: $100 minimum deposit vs. $400-$1,000 at competing brokers
4. Providing intuitive platforms: Retail-focused design, avoiding the complexity trap of professional-grade interfaces
5. Maintaining regulatory standards: CFTC/NFA compliance matching industry leaders

The broker's backing by publicly traded Plus500 Ltd (London Stock Exchange: PLUS) provides financial stability and transparent reporting, which is often absent in smaller futures brokerages, as well as institutional credibility typically associated with higher-cost competitors.

Educational Resources and Support

Plus500's Trading Academy offers structured content that covers fundamental futures concepts, risk management strategies, and market analysis techniques. The 24/7 customer support infrastructure ensures assistance across all time zones, matching or exceeding the support availability of premium-priced competitors.

The demo account functionality with live quotes enables comprehensive strategy testing before capital deployment, reducing the costly trial-and-error period that typically characterises early futures trading experiences.

Conclusion

The best futures broker should be evaluated on total trading costs, not just advertised commissions. Plus500 Futures offers transparent fees with competitive per-contract pricing and zero platform, data, or inactivity fees. This structural advantage saves typical retail traders $1,500-$2,000 annually compared to traditional brokers like TradeStation, E*TRADE, and TD Ameritrade, who use multiple fee layers.

Plus500 Futures offers affordable and straightforward access to global futures markets, with a minimum deposit of just $100, while meeting the regulatory compliance standards of major competitors for added safety. For cost-conscious traders prioritizing value, transparency, and accessibility, Plus500 Futures is the optimal choice.

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FAQs

How much can I actually save by using Plus500 Futures instead of traditional brokers?

For a typical retail trader executing 50 round-turn micro contracts monthly, annual savings exceed $1,500-$2,000 compared to brokers like TradeStation ($2,250 total annual cost) and E*TRADE ($1,800+ annual cost). Plus500 Futures' total annual cost for this profile: $588.

What hidden fees does Plus500 Futures charge?

None. Plus500 Futures charges zero platform fees, zero market data fees, zero inactivity fees, and zero deposit/withdrawal fees (except for wire transfers). The only costs are transparent per-contract commissions ($0.49-$0.89) plus mandatory exchange and NFA fees.

Why do brokers like TradeStation charge inactivity fees?

TradeStation charges $10 monthly if traders don't execute at least 10 trades in 90 days or maintain a $5,000 average balance. These fees generate revenue from inactive accounts. Plus500 Futures eliminates this charge entirely, allowing traders to wait for optimal market conditions without penalty.