Capital.com is a multi-asset spread betting broker with over 500,000 clients and growing thanks to its services. I’ve used my live account to test its trading costs, conditions, and services to see how it stacks up against the rest of the industry.
Capital.com Summary
Capital.com is a top multi-asset broker with some of the lowest spread betting spreads I’ve tested, achieving average spreads of 1.00 pips on EUR/USD. Along with low spreads, I found its trading conditions reliable with fast executions, and I experienced no slippage or requotes during my time with the broker. I think both factors are fundamental to choosing a top spread betting broker.
Furthermore, Capital.com also delivers multiple trading platforms (including MT4 and TradingView) and over 2,500 markets, covering an impressive 120 currency pairs. Combining these factors, I think Capital.com is a top spread betting broker if you are looking for a low-cost, reliable service with access to popular markets and advanced trading platforms.
71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider.
Capital.com spread bet account has no commissions with the fee primarily made through the spread. When I compared their published average spreads in 2024 and compared them to competing brokers I found they have the second lowest fees. The only cheapest UK spread betting platform was Pepperstone.
|
Spread Bet Spreads
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1.00 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.00 | 1.80 |
|
0.80 | 1.10 | 1.40 | 1.00 | 1.40 |
|
0.90 | 1.20 | 1.40 | 1.10 | 1.80 |
|
1.00 | 1.10 | 1.50 | 1.20 | 1.50 |
|
0.85 | 1.40 | 1.40 | 0.82 | 1.77 |
|
1.10 | 1.30 | 1.60 | 1.20 | 1.60 |
|
1.20 | 1.30 | 1.30 | 1.20 | 1.70 |
|
1.00 | 1.30 | 1.60 | 1.30 | 1.50 |
|
1.30 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.50 |
|
0.90 | 1.40 | 1.40 | 1.30 | 2.20 |
|
0.90 | 1.20 | 1.60 | 1.50 | 1.80 |
|
1.10 | 1.50 | 1.40 | 1.40 | 1.70 |
|
1.20 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.40 | 1.80 |
|
1.90 | 1.20 | 2.00 | 1.00 | 1.70 |
|
1.40 | 1.70 | 1.60 | 1.40 | 1.80 |
|
1.40 | 1.40 | 1.70 | 1.90 | 1.70 |
Avg. spreads are taken from each broker's website and updated monthly. Last update on 20/09/2024
As an example, their average spread on the EUR/USD was 1.00 compared to the industry average of 1.12 pips, making Capital.com one of the more competitive brokers for spreads.
| Capital.com Average Spread | Average Industry Spread | |
|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | 1.0 | 1.12 |
| AUD/USD | 1.0 | 1.26 |
| EUR/GBP | 1.5 | 1.35 |
| GBP/USD | 1.5 | 1.53 |
| USD/JPY | 1.2 | 1.26 |
| AUD/JPY | 1.5 | 1.86 |
| EUR/JPY | 1.9 | 1.85 |
| USD/CAD | 1.8 | 1.69 |
| USD/SGD | 3.0 | 2.81 |
To help calculate how spreads impact trading fees, use the fee calculator I created to compare Capital.com with their main competitors.
Calculate Your Cost To Spread Bet
Total Cost of Spread Bet
Total Cost of Spread Bet
Total Cost of Spread Bet
Total Cost of Spread Bet
I was equally impressed with the competitive spreads on other financial markets, with the FTSE 100 at 1 point and gold at 0.30 points, both in line with the rest of the industry. It consistently showed a solid range of low spreads across multiple markets. As for Shares, their fees are slightly higher than the industry average, save for the US.
| Share Category | Capital.com Spread | Industry Average |
|---|---|---|
| UK Shares | 8pt | 5.19pt |
| US Shares | 0.15% | 0.16% |
| Geman Shares | 0.20% | 0.15% |
| Hong Kong Shares | 0.25% | 0.20% |
| Australian Shares | 0.20% | 0.17% |
I found Captial.com’s spreads to be amongst the most competitive I’ve tested, with spreads averaging 1.00 pips on EUR/USD but also tight on its other markets like indices and gold. The tighter spreads will significantly reduce your spread betting costs, which is why I think Capital.com is a top contender as a low-cost spread betting broker.
Capital.com stands out as one of the few spread betting brokers offering multiple platforms. The broker provides both MT4 and TradingView, giving traders access to two of the most advanced retail platforms for spread betting.
I was happy to find that Capital.com offers the MetaTrader 4 (MT4) platform, as not all spread betting brokers provide this option. MT4 is a solid platform that comes with a wide range of 30+ technical indicators, such as Moving Averages, RSI, and MACD, as well as excellent drawing tools for technical analysis.
What I like most about MT4 is its customisation options, allowing you to create bespoke technical indicators and fine-tune your strategies that default indicators cannot provide.
Another standout feature of MT4 is the ability to automate your spread betting strategies through expert advisors (EAs). I find this useful as EAs can handle 100% of the trade, from identifying opportunities to managing risk and executing trades based on your predefined rules.
From using all of the trading platforms, only MT4 allows automated trading, so if you plan to automate your bets, then MT4 is your only choice on Capital.com. However, it’s worth noting that MT4 doesn’t provide markets for equities.
TradingView, being web-based, offers the convenience of not requiring any downloads like the MetaTrader 4 platform. I found its advanced charting capabilities to be the best in my opinion, with an extensive library of 110+ indicators and drawing tools that surpass most other platforms I’ve used.
One feature I liked is the market screener. It lets you scan multiple markets for new opportunities based on your filter setting, such as candlestick patterns, moving average crossovers, or price action settings like breaking yesterday’s low price.
I’ve used it to semi-automate my spread betting process, significantly speeding up my market analysis. This feature feeds me alerts whenever a market meets my criteria. So, if you trade various financial markets, this feature makes it easier to analyse several assets without loading multiple charts.
Like MT4, TradingView allows for custom indicator creation, which I’ve found helpful as I could tailor my indicators to work outside the default settings on TradingView. However, it lacks the ability to automate your trades, which is a bit of a letdown as this would make TradingView the best platform, hands down.
I found Capital.com’s web platform to be an excellent option for beginners. The intuitive interface makes it easy to find markets and use charting tools to execute trades and manage risk. I liked that you can set stop losses and take profits in monetary values rather than points. This feature makes risk management more straightforward—if I want to risk £20, I simply input £20 as the stop loss.
The charting is a basic version of TradingView’s, offering access to 75 indicators, which is more than most other proprietary platforms. You’ll find the most popular indicators, such as Bollinger Bands and Ichimoku Clouds, are easily accessible without downloading custom indicators. Plus, the ability to visually move your stop loss and take profit orders on the chart is a helpful quality-of-life feature, especially if you’re new to spread betting.
Another advantage I found with the web platform is the risk management tools, such as guaranteed stop-loss orders, which can protect you from slippage when market volatility is high. I found adding a guaranteed stop-loss order easy
Capital.com offers a mobile app for spread betting, allowing you to analyse and place bets on the go. The app is available on both iOS and Android devices and gives you access to all of the broker’s 2,900+ markets with the same advanced charting you’d find on its web platform, ensuring you can maintain your workflow between devices.
One of the main bonuses I found is that you can have price alerts pushed directly to your device, ensuring you never miss an opportunity. The user-friendly design makes it easy to access the charts and be ready to place a trade, providing a seamless trading experience.
If you choose TradingView or MT4 as your main platform, both have their trading apps.
During my testing, I didn’t experience any issues with execution speeds or orders getting rejected on any of the three platforms. Capital.com states they have an average execution time of 0.032 seconds, which is crucial for ensuring your stop-loss orders and bets get filled.
Capital.com achieves these speeds through a market maker execution model, meaning you place bets directly with the broker rather than another seller or buyer, providing solid market conditions.
Verdict On Capital.com Trading Platforms
With options of MetaTrader 4, TradingView, and even its own Capital.com Web Platform, the broker offers a decent selection of trading platforms to tailor your experience with the broker. So whether you automate your bets, scalp the markets, or rely on technical analysis, Capital.com gives you the best platforms for the job.
Yes, Capital.com is safe and is one of the fast-growing spread betting brokers regulated by the FCA, with over 500,000 clients since launching in 2016.
Capital.com is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) who is a respected Tier-1 regulator that provides oversight and protection for UK spread bettors. One of the protections in place that you’ll benefit from is the Negative Balance Protection (so you’ll never lose more than your deposit).
Alongside the FCA, I like it when other authorities regulate a broker, as this shows that the broker meets the high standards and requirements of multiple frameworks, reinforcing its safety. Capital.com is also authorised by other Tier-1 authorities such as:
Over 500,000 traders have used Capital.com’s services since 2016, which I think is a strong signal that the broker has a solid reputation. Plus, the broker recorded an annual client trading volume of $1.2 trillion in 2023, showing that traders trust the broker with their trades. Maintaining such a large, satisfied user base would be difficult if the broker wasn’t delivering a quality spread betting experience.
I like to see how other customers feel about Capital.com, so using TrustPilot can indicate the broker’s reputation. Capital.com scores an impressive 4.3/5 “Excellent” rating on Trustpilot, based on 10,875 UK reviews.
While a high rating is great, I’m more encouraged by the volume of positive feedback. Having over 10,000 customers willing to praise Capital.com publicly is a strong indicator of the broker’s excellent reputation and suggests they are doing many things right.
Verdict On Capital.com’s Trustworthiness
It’s clear that Capital.com is a trusted company, supported by its 10,000+ positive reviews on TrustPilot and its acquisition of over 500,000 traders. The broker is also fully regulated by the FCA, which is one of the strongest signals of trustworthiness, thanks to the regulator’s strict frameworks and protection of UK traders.
Capital.com offers standard deposit methods like debit cards and bank transfers, but also includes ApplePay and Truelayer. This is a great addition, providing you with a secure and convenient option for funding their accounts.
Capital.com has a minimum deposit of £20 for every deposit option except bank transfer, which requires a minimum of £50. This low entry point allows you to start trading with a smaller budget without forcing you to meet a larger minimum (like £500), which is a positive in my book.
However, I’d strongly recommend depositing more than the minimum. In my experience, £20 is barely enough to open a single spread bet, limiting your trading flexibility – you should try at least £100-500.
You can fund your spread betting account using different base currencies with Capital.com.
While GBP is the most common currency for UK-based traders, I think it’s great that Capital.com allows you to open accounts in USD or EUR. This can be particularly beneficial if you’re earning in a different currency, helping you avoid unnecessary conversion fees.
Capital.com offers more choices than many brokers I’ve reviewed, including standard methods like bank transfers and debit cards and modern options like ApplePay and Truelayer.
In my testing, I found debit card deposits to be instant, ideal if you want to enter the market quickly. For e-wallets, confirming the completed transaction can take up to 48 hours. I used the bank transfer service, which typically takes the longest (up to 3 business days), but I was able to start trading within one day.
It’s worth noting that the broker does not charge you to deposit your funds, which is a great benefit.
I found the withdrawal process at Capital.com simple, with funds going directly back to the same method used for the initial deposit. When I made my withdrawal, it was approved and sent back to me within 12 hours, which I consider to be fast.
It’s free to withdraw for each method, but the minimum withdrawal requirement is £20. If you wish to withdraw anything less, the broker will make you withdraw your full balance.
Opening an account with Capital.com is an online application process, which I found convenient as there was no delay in sending applications via post or fax. The application asks standard questions about market knowledge, risk tolerance, and financial/employment details – all necessary due to FCA regulations.
I completed the application in about 5 minutes and was approved within a few hours after submitting my proof of ID and address. With this speed and the use of a debit card for funding, you could get set up within the same business day, which is an excellent turnaround in my opinion.
Verdict On Capital.com Funding
I’m impressed with the broker’s variety of deposit methods, which combine traditional and digital methods to help make faster and more secure payments online. The £20 minimum deposit makes starting with the broker more accessible if you have a lower budget. While the £20 minimum withdrawal might be inconvenient for some, I believe the overall funding experience with Capital.com is solid.
Capital.com is a multi-asset spread betting broker offering an impressive 2,500 financial spread betting markets ranging from forex to commodities.
When it comes to forex spread betting, Capital.com stands out with its impressive selection of 120 currency pairs, which is one of the largest I’ve seen among UK brokers. I found the broker covers all the major and minor currency pairs as well as a comprehensive choice of exotic pairs like the ZAR/JPY.
Capital.com also impressed with over 50 commodity markets to spread bet on, which is almost four times the amount of products compared to most brokers. You can trade precious metals (like gold) and oil, as well as soft commodities such as cocoa and wheat, so you can bet on seasonal trends across multiple commodities.
For indices, Capital.com doesn’t disappoint with 32 indices markets, including the VIX indices, which is normally left out for spread betting markets with other brokers. I had access to all the major global stock indices like S&P 500, Dow Jones, DAX 40, and FTSE 100. What I appreciate about this range of indices is that it allows you to gain exposure to entire markets or sectors without having to pick individual stocks.
Capital.com’s share trading offering is extensive, with access to 2,500 stocks from major stock exchanges. I was able to bet on shares from top US exchanges like NYSE and NASDAQ, as well as UK exchanges like the London Stock Exchange.
What I like is the ability to spread bet on popular stocks like Apple and NVIDIA in GBP. This eliminates the need to pay conversion fees when trading US stocks, which can eat into profits. Furthermore, it removes the exposure to currency fluctuations from buying foreign stocks directly.
Verdict On Capital.com Trading Products
I’m impressed with Capital.com’s selection of 2,500 markets which is slightly above the industry average when it comes to trading products (typically 2,000). Interestingly, the broker stands out for its 120 forex markets which is one of the largest selections I’ve tested. Alongside forex, the broker offers a decent choice of indices, commodities, and shares giving you a true multi-asset broker experience.
The broker offers 24/7 Live Chat support, which is helpful if you encounter any issues with your positions or have general questions about your trading account. I also found that it provides a comprehensive knowledge database that covers a wide range of topics, from using your Capital.com spread betting account to navigating the MT4 platform.
This self-help resource is a valuable tool for getting started and finding answers to common questions instantly. I like this approach because you can type in your question, and it’ll find the relevant answer, saving you time queuing for live chat or making a phone call.
In addition to Live Chat, Capital.com offers a direct phone number for customer support. I find this option useful when you need immediate assistance or prefer to discuss more complex issues with customer support. The ability to speak with someone directly can help resolve matters more efficiently and can be explained better over the phone than by live chat.
Alternatively, you can email Capital.com’s customer service, which is useful if you don’t have the time for a live chat and the request isn’t urgent. I think having multiple channels for support is vital for a spread betting broker, as it gives you the best chance of getting answers through your preferred method.
Verdict On Capital.com Customer Service
I appreciate that Capital.com provides several channels for support, ensuring you find the most convenient and fastest route for help. With access to phone support and live chat (both 24/7), you get access to human agents fast, which helps when it comes to complicated or urgent questions.
Capital.com offers a solid range of market analysis from their in-house analysts covering market news and bet ideas. Additionally, the broker provides new bettors with a foundation to learn how to spread bet.
Capital.com Market Analysis
I found Capital.com’s in-house market analysis to be comprehensive, especially considering they cover multiple markets throughout the trading day. The key topics they covered were the latest market news and data releases, which I think is great to be kept informed about. The analysts offer in-depth commentary supported by charting and data tables, making their analysis easier to understand.
Capital.com Educational Resources
I was pleased to see that Capital.com caters to both beginner and advanced traders in their educational offerings. This approach shows they haven’t neglected more experienced traders, which I find commendable.
For beginners, the material is basic and easy to pick up, which is great if you’re just starting out. However, I noticed a lack of videos and practical examples, and some lessons were just walls of text, which I found a bit tedious to read through.
On the other hand, the advanced courses covering technical analysis and trading psychology were much better. They demonstrated using indicators and trading patterns like candlesticks, providing useful content that I found more valuable.
Capital.com Demo Account
Capital.com’s demo account provides £1,000 in virtual funds, which I think is a decent amount to practice with as it is more realistic starting capital. I like that the account won’t expire unless you become inactive by not placing any bets, so you can test and learn at your own pace.
Verdict On Capital.com Research and Education
I like how Capital.com has taken the initiative to produce in-house market analysis through its own analysts, which gives you a unique perspective on the markets. The broker’s educational materials are in-depth and useful for new and advanced bettors. However, I felt the content could be more engaging and improved using videos.
Capital.com as a whole provides a decent spread betting experience. The broker’s spreads across multiple markets are some of the lowest I’ve tested, with EUR/USD being the standout at 1.00 pips.
I found that the broker offers a solid range of markets and trading platforms, including MT4 and TradingView, which are rare options for spread betting brokers. Capital.com doesn’t offer the best range of third-party services, but they do deliver by providing an excellent in-house market analysis and educational resources that target new and advanced traders.
If you want a low-cost spread betting broker with a decent range of markets and a choice of platforms, Capital.com is one of my top picks.
71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider.
Capital.com offers spread betting leverage up to 30:1 for major forex pairs, 20:1 for minor pairs, indices and commodities, and 5:1 for stocks. This allows you to control larger positions with a smaller account balance. Elective professional traders who have met the FCA’s requirements can acquire higher leverage up to 300:1 on forex pairs.
Spread betting can be profitable, offering high returns from small price movements thanks to leverage. However, to generate consistent returns, you must have solid market knowledge, a trading strategy, and the ability to manage risk.
Spread betting is a derivative product where you can speculate on the price direction of a financial instrument without owning the underlying market. You bet a fixed amount per point the market moves, and you can bet on both long and short directions. One of its key advantages is that the derivative is tax-free in the UK, meaning you do not pay capital gains tax on your profits or stamp duty.
CFD (Contract for Difference) trading is a derivative product that allows you to trade a financial instrument without owning the underlying asset. Like spread betting, you can trade CFDs with leverage and the ability to go long or short. However, CFDs are subject to capital gains tax in the UK.
Ask an Expert