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 stars and ranked #3 out of 36 brokers for this category, with pricing that is slightly better than the industry average. Its EUR/USD spread averaged 0.6712 pips in April 2024, which is a low-cost option for forex traders. Capital.com also offers a standard retail account and a professional account for eligible traders, though professional clients may not have the same level of regulatory protection as retail clients.
ActivTrades is still reasonably priced, but not as competitive as Capital.com. It has a 4-star rating and is ranked #22 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. The broker’s spreads are slightly better than average overall, but they are not as low as the best discount forex brokers. ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips for May 2024. It offers Individual, Professional, Islamic, and demo accounts, with spreads staying the same across account types and no special pricing for active traders.
In simple terms, Capital.com is the stronger pick for traders focused on keeping forex costs low, while ActivTrades offers fair pricing with a wider set of account options. Fees will still depend on the markets you trade, but for overall value in commissions and spreads, Capital.com has the edge.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $20 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.7 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.67 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | 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 plenty of ways to get started, including free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, desktop software for Windows, web-based trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. Both brokers also let users trade directly from charts, which can make placing orders quicker and easier. In everyday use, this means each broker offers a familiar mix of tools for beginners and more active traders alike.
The main difference is that ActivTrades adds copy trading, while Capital.com does not. Capital.com also edges ahead overall in this category, with a 4.5-star rating and a #10 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at 4 stars and #27. For traders focused on platform quality and built-in tools, Capital.com appears to have the stronger setup, though ActivTrades may appeal more to those who want copy trading alongside the same core platform choices.
| 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 similar set of market research tools. Each broker provides daily market commentary, forex news from top sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar covering major global events. Neither broker includes research from Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading, so their research offering is more focused on core market updates than on third-party analysis tools.
Where they differ is in overall ratings and rankings. Capital.com is scored higher for research, with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of #14 out of 36 brokers. ActivTrades follows closely with 4 out of 5 stars and a ranking of #27. For traders comparing online brokers, Capital.com appears to have the edge in market research, while ActivTrades still delivers many of the same useful day-to-day research features.
| 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 for learning tools, both Capital.com and ActivTrades offer a good range of video content. Each broker has at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so traders can find material whether they are just starting out or want to build on existing knowledge. Capital.com also earns a higher Education rating at 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers for Education, which points to a stronger overall learning experience. ActivTrades, while still offering useful beginner and advanced videos, is rated 4 stars and ranks #30 out of 36 in the same category.
Where the two brokers differ more clearly is in live learning support. ActivTrades offers online educational client webinars at least once a month, giving beginners a chance to learn in a more interactive setting. Capital.com does not offer monthly educational webinars, but it does provide forex or CFDs education, and it still gives users plenty of self-paced learning content. In short, Capital.com appears to be the better choice for overall education quality, while ActivTrades may appeal more to traders who want regular live webinar access.
| 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 #12, 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.
Comparing online brokers Capital.com and ActivTrades for deposits and withdrawals: both lack ACH or SEPA transfers, both support Skrill and bank wire, Capital.com offers PayPal while ActivTrades does not, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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) | No | 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) - Standard account | 0.7 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.67 | 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 | No | 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| 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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