Capital.com vs Trading 212: Which Broker Suits You?
Capital.com scores 3.0 and Trading 212 3.2 out of 5 on our published methodology. Capital.com leads on Platform & Tools; Trading 212 leads on Costs & Fees and Regulation & Trust, and they tie on Asset Range and Account Access & Support. Both accept clients in the UK and the EU.
Overall score
Capital.com
3.0/5
Best for: CFD trading with AI-driven insights
Read the full Capital.com review →Higher overall score
Trading 212
3.2/5
Best for: Beginner-friendly UK investing
Read the full Trading 212 review →Score by score
Each category is scored 1–5 using our published methodology. The overall score is the plain average of the first five; ease of use is shown separately.
Key facts side by side
| Capital.com | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|
| What you own | CFDs only | Real assets |
| Available assets | CFDs on shares, indices, forex and commodities | Shares, ETFs and investment trusts |
| Regulated by | FCA, CySEC, ASIC and others | FCA in the UK; CySEC or BaFin for EU clients |
| Stands out for | An app that actively surfaces behavioural feedback on your trading | Pies and AutoInvest, with a £1 minimum to start |
| Watch out for | CFDs only, and a shorter track record than the older names | No mutual funds, bonds, desktop platform or phone support |
| Accepts clients in | The UK, the EU and other countries | The UK and the EU |
Is Capital.com cheaper than Trading 212?
On our Costs & Fees score, Trading 212 rates 4/5 against Capital.com’s 3/5, so it is generally the cheaper of the two for the costs we assess: commissions, spreads, currency conversion and account fees. Fees differ by country and account type and change often, so check both brokers’ current price lists before you choose.
Which is safer, Capital.com or Trading 212?
Capital.com is regulated by FCA, CySEC, ASIC and others; Trading 212 by FCA in the UK; CySEC or BaFin for EU clients. Trading 212 scores higher on our Regulation & Trust measure (4/5 against 3/5). Which company holds your account, and which investor compensation scheme covers it, depends on where you live. Compensation schemes cover a broker failing, never investment losses.
Which is better for beginners?
On ease of use for a beginner, which sits outside the overall score, Capital.com scores 3/5 and Trading 212 5/5. Trading 212 is the gentler place to start. Beginners should know that CFDs are leveraged derivatives rather than ownership, and that most retail accounts trading them lose money.
Who each one tends to suit
Capital.com
- Tends to suit
- CFD trading with AI-driven insights
- Stands out for
- An app that actively surfaces behavioural feedback on your trading
- Watch out for
- CFDs only, and a shorter track record than the older names
Trading 212
- Tends to suit
- Beginner-friendly UK investing
- Stands out for
- Pies and AutoInvest, with a £1 minimum to start
- Watch out for
- No mutual funds, bonds, desktop platform or phone support
More head-to-heads
Scores and facts come from our own reviews as of September 2026 and follow one published methodology. Plain Investor has no commercial relationship with either broker. This is general education, not personal financial advice. Fees, features and regulation change, so confirm current terms with each broker before opening an account.