Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Capital.com vs Plus500, 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.
When comparing online brokers Capital.com and Plus500, there are key differences in their regulatory standings and trust metrics. Founded in 2016, Capital.com remains privately owned and is not listed on any stock exchange. In terms of regulatory licenses, it holds 3 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, reflecting a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 87, which indicates a trusted status. Despite its relatively recent establishment, Capital.com offers a secure environment for trading but is not in the highest trust bracket.
On the other hand, Plus500, established in 2008, enjoys a more seasoned presence in the market and is publicly traded, adding an additional layer of transparency. It holds 6 Tier-1 licenses and 3 Tier-2 licenses, contributing to an impressive Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the highly trusted category. Both brokers are not banks, but Plus500's extensive regulatory coverage and stock market listing enhance its reputation as a reliable choice for investors.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2016 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | Yes |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 6 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Capital.com comes out cheaper than Plus500. Capital.com’s pricing is slightly better than the industry average and earns 5 stars for commissions and fees, ranking #3 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. Plus500’s pricing sits slightly above the industry average, earning 4.0 stars and ranking #24 out of 63.
On EUR/USD, Capital.com lists a dynamic spread of 0.67 pips, with a confirmed April 2024 average of 0.6712 pips—lower than the industry average and appealing for low-cost forex trading. Plus500’s EUR/USD spread averaged 1.5 pips in April 2024, which is higher than the industry average and less competitive for frequent traders.
Capital.com offers a universal account for retail clients and a professional account for those who qualify (note that professional clients do not receive the same regulatory protections as retail clients). Plus500 does not offer retail discounts, but professional clients may qualify for cash rebates similar to an active trader program.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10 | €50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.67 | 1.3 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.67 | 1.3 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to the range of investments, Capital.com lists 5,585 tradeable symbols, edging out Plus500’s 5,500. Both brokers offer forex trading (CFD or spot), though Capital.com provides a larger selection with 125 forex pairs versus Plus500’s 65. Each supports cryptocurrency trading via CFDs, but neither lets you buy and hold actual crypto.
For real shares, Plus500 has the advantage: it offers exchange-traded stocks on both U.S. and international exchanges, while Capital.com does not offer real share dealing (focusing instead on CFDs). Copy trading is not available at either broker. Both earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments on ForexBrokers.com; Plus500 ranks 22nd out of 63 brokers, with Capital.com close behind at 23rd.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5585 | 5500 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 125 | 65 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | 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). Non-CFD share trading at Plus500 is only available through the Plus500 Invest account. |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Capital.com and Plus500 both offer free demo (paper) accounts, along with their own in-house trading platforms and web-based trading. Capital.com also provides a Windows desktop platform and supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4), while Plus500 does not offer a desktop download and does not support MT4. Neither broker supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5) or copy trading. Capital.com lets you place orders directly from charts; Plus500 does not. Counts for built-in chart indicators and watch list columns were not specified.
Both brokers earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, yet ForexBrokers.com ranks Capital.com #10 out of 63 brokers and Plus500 #14. If you want MT4, a Windows desktop app, or chart-based trading, Capital.com has the edge. If you mainly plan to trade in the browser with a free demo account, either platform can meet that need.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Capital.com and Plus500 both deliver polished mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with stock and forex price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Each earns 4.5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps, though Capital.com ranks slightly higher (#11) than Plus500 (#14) out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
For charting tools, Plus500 packs in more technical studies (115 vs. Capital.com’s 30). However, Capital.com autosaves your chart drawings, while Plus500 does not. Watchlist syncing is another differentiator: Plus500 syncs watchlists across devices, whereas Capital.com does not. In short, choose Plus500 if you want more built-in indicators and synced watchlists; choose Capital.com if autosaving drawings and a streamlined toolset matter more.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 115 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research features of online brokers Capital.com and Plus500, both platforms offer daily market commentary and economic calendars to keep users informed about global news events. However, Capital.com distinguishes itself by providing forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a feature that is not available with Plus500. While both brokers have sentiment-based trading tools that show the ratio of long or short positions across currency pairs, each takes a different approach with their additional tools. Plus500 offers research tools from Trading Central, enhancing its technical analysis features, whereas Capital.com shines with market research from TipRanks, aiding fundamental analysis enthusiasts. Neither platform utilizes tools from Autochartist or Acuity Trading.
In terms of research ratings, Capital.com scores slightly higher with 4.5 out of 5 stars, compared to Plus500’s 4.0 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, Capital.com ranks 14th out of 63 brokers in the Research category, while Plus500 follows at the 19th position. This higher rating for Capital.com indicates a broader and more in-depth set of research resources, making it a potentially better choice for traders who prioritize comprehensive market insights.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing education for beginners, both Capital.com and Plus500 offer extensive video learning, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos on trading topics. The key difference is live learning: Plus500 runs monthly educational webinars, while Capital.com does not currently offer monthly webinars.
For overall quality, Capital.com earns a higher education score (4.5/5) and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers with ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 scores 4.0/5 and ranks #31. If live webinars matter most to you, Plus500 is appealing. If you want a higher-rated learning library for self-paced study, Capital.com has the edge.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Plus500. Capital.com finished with an overall rank of #10, while Plus500 finished with an overall rank of #14.
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
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 87 | 99 |
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Comparing online brokers Capital.com vs Plus500: neither allows purchasing actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFDs for trading.
Capital.com and Plus500 both support PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers for deposits and withdrawals, but neither offers ACH or SEPA transfers.
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 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Capital.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
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