Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC Markets vs Capital.com, 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.
CMC Markets, founded in 1989, is a well-established online broker that stands out for its high level of trustworthiness. As a publicly traded entity, CMC Markets enjoys a top-tier reputation, boasting six Tier-1 licenses that reflect its commitment to security and reliability. With an impeccable Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, customers can have confidence in its operations. Although it is not a bank, CMC Markets leverages its extensive experience in the financial markets to offer reputable services.
Founded in 2016, Capital.com offers a compelling alternative for those seeking a reliable online broker. While not publicly traded, the platform is still recognized for its dedication to trust and safety, holding three Tier-1 licenses that are a testament to its dependable services. With a Trust Score of 87, Capital.com earns a 'trusted' rating, making it a solid choice for those looking to trade online. Like CMC Markets, it is not a bank, but it effectively integrates technology to provide a user-friendly trading experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2016 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
CMC Markets and Capital.com both deliver low trading costs and each earns 5/5 stars for commissions and fees. In ForexBrokers.com’s 2025 category rankings, Capital.com is #3 of 63 brokers, while CMC Markets is #4 of 63. On the flagship EUR/USD pair, CMC Markets’ typical spread was 0.61 pips (August 2023), and Capital.com’s average spread was 0.67 pips (April 2024), placing both below the industry average. When comparing brokers, it’s best to focus on average spreads; CMC Markets’ averages have historically stayed close to its quoted minimums.
CMC Markets offers two main pricing paths. Its spread-only account is already competitive, and its FX Active commission plan charges $2.50 per side with minimum spreads from 0.0, delivering a 0.5‑pip all‑in cost on EUR/USD (and five other majors) using August 2023 data. Example: NZD/USD is 1.5 pips on the standard account but falls to a 0.5‑pip all‑in cost with FX Active. High-volume traders can lower costs further through the Price Plus Scheme: you earn two Trading Points per standard lot (100,000 units), and reaching 1,250 lots in a month unlocks a 20% spread discount at Tier 4. FX Active is available in select regions (including Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the U.K.) on both MT4 and the Next Generation platform.
Capital.com keeps pricing simple with a universal retail account and an elective professional account (note: professional clients do not receive the same regulatory protections as retail clients). Its dynamic EUR/USD spread averaged 0.6712 pips in April 2024, which is slightly better than the industry average and makes Capital.com a strong pick for low-cost forex trading. Summary: Capital.com — 5/5 stars, ranked #3 of 63; CMC Markets — 5/5 stars, ranked #4 of 63.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $20 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 0.64 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 0.67 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
CMC Markets and Capital.com both support forex trading as CFDs and spot, but their range of investments differs notably. CMC Markets lists 12,029 tradable instruments with 141 forex pairs, while Capital.com offers 5,585 instruments and 125 forex pairs. Stock access is another key divider: CMC Markets lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges (for example, Apple on NASDAQ and Vodafone in London), whereas Capital.com does not offer real share dealing. Both brokers provide cryptocurrency CFDs but do not offer delivered crypto. CMC Markets also includes copy trading; Capital.com does not.
For Range of Investments, ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets at 5 stars and ranks it #9 out of 63 brokers. Capital.com earns 4.5 stars and ranks #18. In short, CMC Markets suits traders seeking the widest selection, including real shares and copy trading, while Capital.com remains a strong choice for CFD-focused traders who still want access to many markets and forex pairs.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 5585 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 125 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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.
CMC Markets and Capital.com both make it easy to get started with a free demo account and each offers its own proprietary platform alongside web-based and Windows desktop platforms. You can place trades directly from charts on both. If you use MetaTrader, both brokers support MT4, while only CMC Markets also supports MT5. Another key difference is copy trading: CMC Markets offers it, whereas Capital.com does not.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets at 5 out of 5 stars (ranked 6th out of 63 brokers), compared with Capital.com at 4.5 out of 5 stars (ranked 10th). In short, CMC Markets stands out for platform variety and extras like MT5 and copy trading, while Capital.com remains a strong choice for traders who want MT4 plus an easy-to-use web and desktop experience.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 97 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets vs Capital.com: both mobile trading apps are available for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, drawing trendlines on charts, and auto-saving your drawings. For technical studies, Capital.com edges ahead with 30 indicators, while CMC Markets includes 29.
Where they differ most is watchlist syncing: CMC Markets syncs watchlists between the app and your web account, while Capital.com does not. In third-party reviews, ForexBrokers.com rates CMC Markets’ mobile app 5 stars and ranks it #5 out of 63 brokers; Capital.com earns 4.5 stars and ranks #11. Choose Capital.com if you want the slightly larger indicator set, and choose CMC Markets if synced watchlists and a higher rating and ranking matter more.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 29 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
CMC Markets and Capital.com both provide daily market commentary and forex news from reputable sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders stay informed about the latest market trends. While both platforms offer sentiment-based trading tools, CMC Markets takes a slight edge in technical analysis by incorporating tools from Autochartist, which Capital.com lacks. On the other hand, Capital.com diversifies its research offerings by including market insights from TipRanks, a feature not available on CMC Markets' platform.
Both brokers support traders with economic calendars that display crucial upcoming global news events. Despite their similarities, CMC Markets is rated higher for research with five stars and ranked #6 by ForexBrokers.com compared to Capital.com's 4.5-star rating and #14 ranking. This distinction positions CMC Markets slightly ahead in terms of research excellence and comprehensive tool offerings.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners comparing CMC Markets education vs Capital.com education, both brokers make it easy to start learning with sizable video libraries. Each offers at least 10 beginner-friendly videos, plus 10 or more advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. The lessons cover core trading topics that include forex and CFDs, helping you learn at your own pace with on-demand content. Neither broker runs monthly live educational webinars, so if you prefer live classes, you’ll need to look elsewhere; if you’re fine with self-guided videos, both are solid options.
In terms of quality signals, CMC Markets earns a 5-star education rating and is ranked #10 out of 63 brokers for Education by ForexBrokers.com. Capital.com earns 4.5 stars and ranks slightly higher at #8 out of 63. That means CMC Markets edges ahead on the star rating, while Capital.com places better in the category ranking. Beginners should feel confident with either choice: pick CMC Markets if you value a top-tier rating, or go with Capital.com if the higher category position matters more to you.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | No |
| 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 CMC Markets is better than Capital.com. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while Capital.com finished with an overall rank of #12.
CMC Markets is well-trusted across the globe, and delivers a terrific trading experience thanks to its excellent pricing and selection of over 12,000 tradeable instruments.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 87 |
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In the CMC Markets vs Capital.com comparison, neither online broker allows you to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing online brokers CMC Markets vs Capital.com for deposits and withdrawals: CMC Markets supports ACH/SEPA and bank wire transfers, offers PayPal but not Skrill, while Capital.com does not support ACH/SEPA, does support bank wires, PayPal, and Skrill; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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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| Trust Score | 99 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Capital.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Capital.com | |
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