Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Capital.com vs Trading 212, 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 Trading 212 are popular online brokers, each with unique strengths in the financial market. Founded in 2016, Capital.com holds three Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, giving it a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 87 out of 99, which places it in the trusted category. Although not a public company or a bank, Capital.com is regarded favorably due to its strong regulatory standing and commitment to security.
Trading 212, established in 2004, also holds three Tier-1 licenses, but no Tier-2 licenses, resulting in a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 80. This score still categorizes it as a trusted broker. Like Capital.com, Trading 212 is privately owned and not a banking institution. Both platforms offer clients a secure trading environment, though Capital.com's additional licensing could offer a slightly higher sense of assurance in risk management for users.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2016 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
When comparing Capital.com and Trading 212 based on their commissions and fees, Capital.com emerges slightly ahead with a pricing structure that is better than the industry average. Capital.com offers a universal account option for retail traders and a professional account for those who qualify, although professional clients do not receive the same regulatory protection. With an average spread of 0.67 pips for the EUR/USD pair in April 2024, Capital.com stands out as a cost-effective choice for forex trading. Recognized for its competitive pricing, Capital.com receives a top rating of 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category according to ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, Trading 212 offers two main account types, the Invest account for trading shares and the CFD account for trading CFDs. The CFD account involves trading with zero-commission but includes a spread as part of the costs, which for April 2025 averaged 2.7 pips for the EUR/USD pair. This is notably higher than the industry average, placing Trading 212 at a competitive disadvantage in the CFD and forex trading landscape. Trading 212's effort to publish its average spread data is a positive stride towards transparency. Despite these factors, Trading 212 earns a respectable 4-star rating and is ranked #49 for commissions and fees by ForexBrokers.com.
In conclusion, while both brokers offer distinct benefits, Capital.com is positioned more favorably due to its lower average spreads, making it a more appealing option for cost-conscious traders. Trading 212, with its zero-commission trading, still provides value yet falls short in the cost competitiveness of its spreads. Both platforms cater to different trading preferences, with Capital.com being more advantageous for forex traders prioritizing low costs.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10 | €1 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.67 | 2.7 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.67 | 2.7 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing Capital.com and Trading 212 for their range of investment offerings, both brokers provide forex trading through CFDs. However, Trading 212 offers a wider selection of tradeable symbols with 7,868 available, compared to Capital.com's 5,585. In terms of forex pairs, Trading 212 also has an edge with 146 pairs, while Capital.com offers 125. For those interested in exchange-traded securities, Trading 212 provides access to both U.S. and international exchanges, allowing clients to directly purchase shares like Apple and Vodafone. In contrast, Capital.com does not offer direct access to such securities, focusing instead on CFDs and derivatives.
Neither Capital.com nor Trading 212 supports copy trading or the ability to buy delivered cryptocurrency, though both offer cryptocurrency derivatives. Trading 212 receives a higher rating of 5 stars for Range of Investments, compared to Capital.com's 4.5 stars. In a ranking by ForexBrokers.com, Trading 212 is positioned at #15 for its range of investments among 63 brokers, surpassing Capital.com, which ranks at #21. This comparison highlights Trading 212's broader scope of investable assets and more extensive market access.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5585 | 7868 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 125 | 146 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of Capital.com and Trading 212, both brokers offer simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, providing an excellent way for beginners to practice without financial risk. Each has developed an in-house proprietary platform, but Capital.com offers an additional layer of flexibility with a Windows-based desktop application, unlike Trading 212, whose focus is on web-based platforms. Both brokers provide web-based trading access, facilitating trading directly from a browser. While neither broker supports copy trading, Capital.com distinguishes itself by offering MetaTrader 4, an industry-standard, which Trading 212 does not. However, both brokers are missing MetaTrader 5, DupliTrade, and ZuluTrade capabilities.
For traders who rely on technical analysis, Capital.com offers a more comprehensive suite with 60 drawing tools compared to Trading 212's 20. Both platforms allow trading directly from stock charts, enhancing the trading experience. On the watch lists front, Capital.com stands out by providing 11 customizable columns compared to Trading 212's five, offering more extensive options for tracking market movements. These differences are reflected in their ratings, with Capital.com scoring 4.5 stars and Trading 212 earning 4 stars for trading platforms and tools. According to ForexBrokers.com, Capital.com holds the 10th rank, showcasing its edge in features over Trading 212, which is ranked 20th among 63 brokers.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary 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 |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 54 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 60 | 20 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 5 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Capital.com and Trading 212, both platforms stand out for offering a broad array of features available on both iPhone and Android devices. Each provides easy access to real-time stock and forex price alerts. Yet, a notable distinction is in their watchlist capabilities. Capital.com lacks watchlist symbol syncing between their mobile app and online account, whereas Trading 212 ensures seamless synchronization, allowing users to easily manage their investments across different devices.
Charting tools also vary between the two, with Capital.com offering 30 technical studies and Trading 212 providing a more extensive selection of 104. Both apps support drawing trendlines and viewing multiple time frames, and they efficiently auto-save your chart drawings. Users of both services can craft personalized watchlists with live quotes. In terms of ratings, Capital.com edges ahead with 4.5 stars compared to Trading 212's 4 stars, reflecting their respective rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where Capital.com is placed at #11 and Trading 212 at #17 among 63 brokers.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing Capital.com and Trading 212 for market research resources, several distinctions emerge. Capital.com provides daily market commentary, offering traders regular insights and updates on market movements, whereas Trading 212 does not. Both platforms supply forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders stay informed with reliable information. While neither broker offers tools from Autochartist or Trading Central, each provides sentiment-based trading tools showing the long or short positions across various instruments. Furthermore, Capital.com enriches its research offering with market analysis from TipRanks, a feature missing in Trading 212’s lineup.
Both Capital.com and Trading 212 include economic calendars for tracking current and upcoming global events. However, Capital.com stands out in detailed market research features, earning it a 4.5-star rating for research, in contrast to Trading 212’s 3.5 stars. This emphasis on thorough research earns Capital.com a higher ranking, positioned at #14 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared to Trading 212’s #44 ranking. These comparisons highlight Capital.com as a more resource-rich option for those seeking comprehensive market research tools.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources tailored for beginners, both Capital.com and Trading 212 offer a wealth of materials to get you started in the world of trading. Each platform provides a variety of educational pieces, including articles and videos centered on forex and CFDs. They both also provide an archive of previously recorded webinars, making it easy for users to access information at their convenience. For those new to trading, both brokers offer a series of beginner-focused educational videos, helping newcomers build a solid foundation in trading topics.
In addition to beginner resources, both Capital.com and Trading 212 cater to advanced traders, offering a collection of videos for those looking to deepen their expertise. Both brokers also feature investor dictionaries with extensive definitions covering numerous investing terms, aiding users in understanding the trading landscape. However, Capital.com edges out Trading 212 in terms of educational offerings, receiving a higher education rating of 4.5 stars compared to Trading 212's 3.5 stars. This is further reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, with Capital.com placed at #8, while Trading 212 ranks #20 out of 63 brokers in the Education category.
| Feature |
Capital.com
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 Trading 212. Capital.com finished with an overall rank of #10, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31.
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
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 87 | 80 |
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Both Capital.com and Trading 212 do not support the purchase of actual cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, providing users with options for engaging in crypto markets without owning the actual digital coins.
When comparing online brokers Capital.com and Trading 212, it's important to note that while both platforms support popular deposit and withdrawal methods such as PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, only Trading 212 offers ACH or SEPA transfers, whereas Capital.com uniquely supports Skrill.
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 | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 87 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 87 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2016 | 2004 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5585 | 7868 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 125 | 146 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | 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). |
| Cost | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.67 | 2.7 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.67 | 2.7 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10 | €1 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary 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 | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 5 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 54 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 60 | 20 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Capital.com Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 87 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Capital.com Review | Trading 212 Review |
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