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 | 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.
Capital.com and Plus500 both support forex trading via CFDs and provide thousands of instruments. Capital.com lists about 5,585 tradeable symbols versus roughly 5,500 at Plus500. Forex enthusiasts get more choice at Capital.com with 125 currency pairs, while Plus500 offers 65. Neither platform offers copy trading, and neither lets you buy actual cryptocurrency; however, both provide crypto derivatives for trading.
For stocks, the difference is clear: Capital.com does not provide direct, exchange-traded shares in the U.S. or abroad, while Plus500 offers access to listed shares on both U.S. and international exchanges (in addition to CFDs). In independent ratings focused on range of investments, both score 4.5 out of 5 stars, with Plus500 ranked 22nd out of 63 brokers and 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. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 paper trading (demo) accounts and run their own proprietary platforms that work in a web browser. Key differences: Capital.com also provides a Windows desktop platform, supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4), and lets you place trades directly from charts. Plus500 does not offer a Windows download, does not support MT4 or MT5, and does not include trading from charts. Neither broker offers copy trading, and neither supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5).
For Trading Platforms and Tools, both are rated 4.5 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s 2024 rankings out of 63 brokers, Capital.com is placed #10, while Plus500 is #14. If you want MT4 access, a Windows desktop app, and chart-based trading, Capital.com fits better. If you prefer a simple, proprietary web platform with a free demo, Plus500 is also a solid pick.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Plus500
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / 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 offer well-made mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, complete with price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. For charting tools, Capital.com includes 30 technical studies, while Plus500 packs in 115. Plus500 also syncs watchlists between the app and your online account, which Capital.com does not. On the flip side, Capital.com auto-saves your chart drawings, whereas Plus500 does not.
Both apps earn 4.5 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings out of 63 brokers, Capital.com sits at #11 and Plus500 at #14. Choose Capital.com if saving chart annotations matters to you; pick Plus500 if you want a wider range of technical indicators and seamless watchlist syncing across devices.
| 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 |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
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 | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Capital.com vs Plus500 for beginner education: Both brokers provide plenty of video learning, including at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos covering trading topics. Based on independent reviews, Capital.com stands out overall for education with a 4.5/5 score and a #8 ranking out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Plus500 scores 4.0/5 and ranks #31. This makes Capital.com the stronger pick if you want highly rated, on‑demand learning for forex and CFD trading.
If live instruction matters to you, Plus500 runs educational webinars at least once a month, while Capital.com does not. That gives Plus500 an edge for real‑time sessions and Q&A, whereas Capital.com leans on its video library and higher education rating. Details about webinar archives, investor dictionaries, and broader article libraries were not specified.
| 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
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 87 | 99 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Both Capital.com and Plus500 do not provide the option to purchase actual cryptocurrencies, instead, they offer the ability to buy cryptocurrency derivatives.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Capital.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 87 | 99 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | Plus500 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Capital.com | Plus500 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill