Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Capital.com vs ActivTrades, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Capital.com vs ActivTrades: Capital.com was founded in 2016, while ActivTrades dates back to 2001. Neither broker is publicly traded or a bank. According to ForexBrokers.com, Capital.com has a Trust Score of 89 and ActivTrades scores 80—both sit in the “trusted” band of 80–89 (with 90–99 highly trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 not trusted).
On regulation, Capital.com holds three Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and three Tier-2 licenses (trusted). ActivTrades holds two Tier-1 and one Tier-2 license. In plain terms, Capital.com carries a broader mix of top-tier and mid-tier regulatory approvals, while ActivTrades still maintains solid oversight with multiple high-quality licenses.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2016 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Capital.com comes out ahead of ActivTrades. Capital.com is rated 5 out of 5 stars and is ranked #2 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category. Its pricing is slightly better than the industry average, and its average EUR/USD spread was just 0.6712 pips in April 2024, which makes it a strong option for low-cost forex trading.
ActivTrades is also fairly competitive on price, but it does not match Capital.com’s low trading costs. It earned 4 out of 5 stars and is ranked #23 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024, which is slightly better than the industry average but not among the cheapest choices. Its costs can also vary more depending on the asset and platform used.
Both brokers offer account choices for different types of traders, but Capital.com has the edge for overall value and lower forex spreads. ActivTrades offers an Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic account options, while Capital.com provides a retail account and a professional account for eligible traders. If your main goal is keeping trading fees as low as possible, Capital.com is the better pick in this comparison.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $20 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.7 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing Capital.com and ActivTrades for range of investments, Capital.com comes out ahead overall. It offers 5,585 tradable symbols and 125 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both let clients trade cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither allows buying actual cryptocurrency or U.S.-listed exchange traded securities.
There are a few key differences that may matter to some traders. ActivTrades offers exchange traded securities on international markets, such as shares listed on the London Stock Exchange, and it also includes copy trading, while Capital.com does not. Even so, Capital.com is rated higher for range of investments at 4.5 out of 5 stars and is ranked #18 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, ahead of ActivTrades, which is rated 4 stars and ranked #26.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5585 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 125 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Capital.com and ActivTrades both give traders a strong mix of platform choices, including a free demo account, a proprietary platform, web-based trading, Windows desktop access, and support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which is helpful for quick order placement and chart-based analysis. In terms of overall platform quality, Capital.com is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #28.
The main difference is copy trading: ActivTrades offers it, while Capital.com does not. For traders who want to follow and mirror other investors, that may make ActivTrades the more appealing choice. For those focused on a wider trading platform experience and stronger third-party recognition in this category, Capital.com has the edge overall.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Capital.com and ActivTrades both make it easy to trade on the go, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts for stocks or forex, and chart tools that include 30 technical studies plus trendline drawing. Each app also saves your drawings automatically, which helps if you switch between sessions. One shared limitation is that watchlists do not sync between the mobile app and the online account, so changes made in one place will not appear in the other.
Where they differ is in user ratings and ranking. Capital.com scores higher for mobile trading apps, with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #11 out of 36 brokers. ActivTrades is still a solid option, but it comes in lower at 4 out of 5 stars and #21 out of 36. For traders who want a slightly better-rated mobile experience, Capital.com has the edge.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Capital.com and ActivTrades both give traders a solid set of market research tools. Each one offers daily market commentary, forex news from leading sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar with upcoming global events. Neither broker includes research from Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading, so their research offering is built more around core market updates and trader sentiment than third-party analysis tools.
Where they differ is in overall research quality and ranking. Capital.com is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Research and is ranked #14 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranked #28. For traders looking for better-rated market research, Capital.com has the edge, though both brokers cover the main essentials in a clear, easy-to-use way.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking at educational resources, Capital.com and ActivTrades both give traders plenty of material to learn from, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos on trading topics. Both brokers also offer forex or CFDs education with 10 or more pieces focused on those markets, making each one a useful place to start if you want to learn the basics and build on them over time. Capital.com stands out a bit more for overall education, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars and a #8 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #32.
The main difference for newer traders is that ActivTrades offers monthly online educational client webinars, while Capital.com does not. That can matter if you prefer live teaching and the chance to follow along with market ideas in real time. If you want a wider mix of beginner and advanced videos, both brokers are well matched, but Capital.com has the edge in education ratings and ranking, while ActivTrades may be the better pick for learners who value regular webinars.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Capital.com is better than ActivTrades. Capital.com finished with an overall rank of #13, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
Capital.com stands out for its quality research, strong educational content, and innovative web platform. Capital.com holds fewer regulatory licenses and offers a narrower range of markets than some of the best brokers, but still significantly outperforms the industry average.
| Feature |
Capital.com
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 80 |
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Capital.com vs ActivTrades: neither online broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency trading via CFDs.
Capital.com offers a broader range of funding options than ActivTrades, including ACH/SEPA transfers and PayPal for deposits and withdrawals, while both brokers support Skrill and bank wire transfers, and neither is shown as offering Visa or Mastercard payment methods.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 89 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2016 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5585 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 125 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.7 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $20 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Capital.com Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Capital.com | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 89 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | ActivTrades Review |
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