Two regulated forex brokers face off on trust, costs, and platform options. The tension arises from differing platform ecosystems and minimum deposits.
ActivTrades and Capital.com remain closely matched in overall offering. ActivTrades provides phone support, whereas Capital.com does not.
Find out which broker best suits your trader profile.
Choose ActivTrades if…
Choose ActivTrades if you want MT4/MT5 access and phone support.
Choose Capital.com if…
Choose Capital.com if you want zero commission trades and a $20 minimum deposit.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
ActivTrades offers tighter spreads from 0.50 pips vs 0.60 pips for Capital.com, reducing trading costs.
| Editorial score | 4.3/ 5 | 4.3/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.5 / 5▲ | 4.3 / 5 |
Pros
FCA regulated with supplemental insurance up to GBP 1,000,000 per client
ActivTrader's volatility protection feature is a genuine risk management differentiator
No minimum deposit
Strong southern European presence, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese support
Client funds held in segregated accounts
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | ActivTrades | Capital.com |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Pass | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Pass | Pass |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS) | Pass | Pass |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Fail | Fail |
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Pass | Pass |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Fail |
| Proprietary platform | Pass | Pass |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Pass |
| Phone support | Pass | Fail |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Pass |
ActivTrades and Capital.com share the same editorial score of 4.3/5. One concrete differentiator: ActivTrades requires a lower minimum deposit.
ActivTrades starts from 0.5 pips, tighter than Capital.com's 0.6 pips. Tighter spreads lower the cost per trade, which matters most for high-frequency and scalping strategies.
ActivTrades has no minimum deposit, while Capital.com requires at least $20. This makes ActivTrades more accessible for traders with limited starting capital.
Both ActivTrades and Capital.com hold licences from top-tier regulators, indicating a high standard of regulatory oversight. Check each broker's specific regulatory bodies to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.
For beginners, two factors stand out: ActivTrades has no minimum deposit, removing the capital barrier entirely, and both brokers provide negative balance protection. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources before deciding.
ActivTrades lists maximum leverage of 400:1, while Capital.com lists up to 30:1. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
ActivTrades supports MetaTrader 4, ActivTrader, while Capital.com supports Proprietary Web/Mobile. ActivTrades has exclusive access to MetaTrader 4 and ActivTrader. Capital.com has exclusive access to Proprietary Web/Mobile.
Capital.com wins safety & regulation due to multiple regulators (FCA, ASIC, CySEC, MAS, CMA).
ActivTrades wins for active traders with MT4/MT5 access and higher leverage (400:1).
ActivTrades is better suited for scalpers: tighter spreads from 0.50 pips.
Capital.com wins platform choice due to higher tools score and AI-powered features.
ActivTrades wins for beginners with $0 min deposit and strong protection features.
Capital.com wins instrument variety with 6300 instruments versus ActivTrades 1000.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.2 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.3 / 5 | 4.5 / 5▲ |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.3 / 5▲ | 4.2 / 5 |
|---|
| Founded | 2001 | 2016 |
|---|
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom | London, United Kingdom |
|---|
| Min Deposit | No minimum▼ lower | $20 |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.5 pips▼ lower | 0.6 pips |
|---|
| Commission / lot | N/A | N/A |
|---|
| Max Leverage | 400:1▲ higher | 30:1 |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | None | $10/month (after 3 months) |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardPayPal | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardSkrillNetellerPayPalApple PayGoogle Pay |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit card | Bank transferCredit cardSkrillNeteller |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | FCA CMVM SCB | FCA ASIC MAS CySEC CMA |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4 ActivTrader | Proprietary Web/Mobile |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Proprietary trading platform available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Pros
Very low $20 minimum deposit
AI-powered pattern recognition built into proprietary platform
Zero commission on all trades
FCA, ASIC, CySEC, and MAS regulation
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
Mobile trading app available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Multilingual customer support
Cons
Product range narrower than IG or Saxo
No cTrader or raw ECN account option
Less known outside Europe compared to global competitors
Cons
Proprietary platform only, no MT4 or MT5
Limited product range for advanced traders
No phone support
No raw spread account option
No MetaTrader support
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4.3 / 5
Score 4.3 / 5
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