Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Capital.com vs FXCM, 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 and FXCM are prominent online brokers offering investment services. Capital.com, established in 2016, operates as a privately held company and is not listed on any stock exchange. FXCM, a veteran in the trading industry founded in 1999, is a publicly traded entity, providing an additional layer of transparency to potential investors. Both brokers are not banks, but they hold multiple licenses that reflect their commitment to regulatory compliance. Capital.com holds three valuable Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, whereas FXCM boasts four Tier-1 licenses, along with two Tier-2 licenses, indicating a stronger regulatory foundation.
In terms of trustworthiness, ForexBrokers.com assigns Capital.com a Trust Score of 87, categorizing it as trusted. On the other hand, FXCM receives an impressive Trust Score of 95, placing it in the highly trusted bracket. This suggests that while both platforms are reputable, FXCM might offer a slight edge in terms of perceived reliability according to industry standards. When choosing between these two brokers, potential users may consider FXCM's longer market presence and its status as a publicly traded company as indicators of stability and trust. However, with strong regulatory credentials, Capital.com remains a solid choice for traders seeking a secure platform.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2016 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
When it comes to trading costs, Capital.com outshines many competitors with a pricing structure that is slightly more favorable than the industry norm. Offering a universal account for retail traders and specialized accounts for elective professionals, it provides flexibility in trading choices. The standout feature is its average spread of 0.67 pips on the EUR/USD, confirmed for April 2024, positioning Capital.com as an excellent choice for those seeking low-cost forex trading. Capital.com earns a perfect 5-star rating for its commissions and fees, ranking it 3rd among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
FXCM, on the other hand, presents a slightly pricier option for forex traders compared to the industry average. It offers an average spread of 0.78 pips for the EUR/USD in its EU, U.K., and Australia offerings, with the spread reaching up to 1.38 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Their commission-based accounts, however, offer a more competitive spread of 0.28 pips, excluding commissions. Moreover, FXCM provides active trader discounts through its rebate program, which, although beneficial, is outmatched by the offers from brokers like Tickmill and FP Markets. Despite these dynamics, FXCM holds a respectable 4-star rating and is ranked 25th out of 63 by ForexBrokers.com for its commissions and fees.
In essence, while both Capital.com and FXCM bring unique offerings to the table, Capital.com comes ahead with its lower trading costs and higher ratings. Traders looking for cost efficiency may find Capital.com's competitive spreads particularly attractive, while those interested in active trading programs might explore the volume-based discounts available at FXCM.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10 | Starts from $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.64 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.67 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Capital.com vs FXCM: For range of investments, Capital.com offers far more markets with 5,585 tradeable symbols and 125 forex pairs, compared with FXCM’s 440 symbols and 46 forex pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot and offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither allows you to buy actual cryptocurrencies or real exchange-traded shares on U.S. or international stock exchanges.
On ratings, Capital.com scores 4.5/5 stars and ranks 23rd out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments on ForexBrokers.com, while FXCM scores 3.5/5 stars and ranks 48th. FXCM does offer copy trading, which Capital.com does not. If you want the widest selection of markets and currency pairs, Capital.com has the edge; if copy trading is important, FXCM is the better fit.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5585 | 440 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 125 | 46 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | No |
| 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 FXCM both make it easy to get started with a free demo account and each offers its own proprietary trading platform, plus a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform. Both brokers support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) but not MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can place trades directly from charts with either broker, and both include technical indicators and watchlists to track markets.
For trading platforms and tools, FXCM earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers with ForexBrokers.com, while Capital.com scores 4.5 stars and ranks #10. A key difference is copy trading: FXCM supports it, whereas Capital.com does not. If copy trading and higher-rated tools matter most, FXCM has the edge; if you want an in-house platform with MT4 access and a free demo, Capital.com is also a solid choice.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Capital.com vs FXCM: both brokers deliver strong mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts to help you stay on top of market moves. Each app earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps rankings out of 63 brokers, Capital.com places higher at #11, while FXCM comes in at #16.
If syncing your watchlists across devices matters, FXCM has an edge—its mobile watchlists sync with your online account, while Capital.com’s do not. For charting, both apps let you draw trendlines and will auto-save your drawings, but FXCM offers more technical studies (59 vs Capital.com’s 30), which may appeal to traders who rely on a wider range of indicators. Overall, both apps are capable choices; pick FXCM for watchlist syncing and more indicators, or Capital.com for a highly rated experience with simpler charting needs.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 59 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both Capital.com and FXCM provide users with valuable daily market commentary and forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. They both include sentiment-based trading tools, offering insights into long or short positions across various currency pairs. Additionally, each platform provides market research from TipRanks and offers an economic calendar detailing global news events. While these features align closely, a key difference lies in their use of research tools from Trading Central. FXCM offers tools from Trading Central, whereas Capital.com does not include such resources from this provider.
When it comes to rankings and ratings, both brokers attain an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars for their research offerings. However, FXCM is positioned slightly higher at number 11 compared to Capital.com's rank of 14 in the Research category by ForexBrokers.com. This subtle distinction indicates a slight edge in FXCM’s offerings, potentially due to the inclusion of Trading Central tools, which might cater better to traders seeking more diverse research tools.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing Capital.com vs FXCM for beginner education, both brokers offer plenty of on‑demand learning. Each provides at least 10 beginner videos to help you grasp trading basics, along with 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. They’re evenly matched on quality with 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, Capital.com places #8 out of 63 brokers, while FXCM comes in at #14.
The key difference is live training. Capital.com does not host monthly educational webinars, whereas FXCM offers at least one live webinar each month. If you prefer scheduled lessons and the chance to ask questions in real time, FXCM is the better fit. If you’d rather learn at your own pace through videos, Capital.com holds strong. Either way, beginners get a clear path from introductory content to more advanced topics.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 FXCM. Capital.com finished with an overall rank of #10, while FXCM finished with an overall rank of #15.
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
|
FXCM
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 87 | 95 |
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In our Capital.com vs FXCM comparison, neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both allow trading cryptocurrency via CFDs.
Capital.com vs FXCM funding comparison: FXCM supports ACH/SEPA transfers while Capital.com does not; both brokers accept PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire deposits/withdrawals, with Visa/Mastercard availability 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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| Trust Score | 87 | 95 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | FXCM Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Capital.com | FXCM | |
|---|---|---|---|
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