BrokerCue

Broker Comparison

Alpaca Trading vs Capital.com

Compare Alpaca Trading and Capital.com side by side: fees, regulation, platforms.

Alpaca Trading

Alpaca Trading

API-driven and algorithmic traders

Alpaca Trading is a US API-first broker offering commission-free stocks, ETFs, options and crypto trading wit…

VS
Capital.com

Capital.com

CFD traders seeking broad market access

Capital.com is a CFD and spread betting broker offering 5,500+ markets across forex, stocks, indices, commodi…

Head-to-head comparison

Alpaca Trading vs Capital.com
Feature Alpaca Trading Capital.com
Minimum deposit - -
Stock trading fee Commission: Free for self-directed retail API accounts; SEC fee and FINRA TAF pass-through on sell transactions Commission-free CFD trading on 4,000+ shares; spread applies
Regulators FINRA, SIPC, FinCEN CySEC, FCA, ASIC, SCA, SCB
Best for API-driven and algorithmic traders CFD traders seeking broad market access
Markets & account
Stocks
ETFs
Forex
-
CFDs
-
Crypto
Options
-
Fractional Shares
-
Margin
Demo Account
Spread Betting
-

Pros & cons

Alpaca Trading

Alpaca Trading

Pros

  • Commission-free stocks, ETFs and options for self-directed retail API accounts
  • Paper trading environment available at no cost
  • Fractional shares supported
  • 24/5 extended trading hours on 100+ US stocks
  • Multi-leg options strategies supported
  • FINRA/SIPC member with up to $500,000 SIPC protection
  • Margin available at 4x intraday and 2x overnight
  • Securities lending program with potential income for shareholders

Cons

  • Platform is primarily API-driven; web and mobile apps are available but offer fewer features than conventional retail brokerage interfaces
  • Crypto accounts are not protected by FDIC or SIPC
  • Domestic wire withdrawals cost $25; international wires cost $50
  • Outbound ACATS transfer costs $100
  • Not suited for investors who prefer a full-featured retail brokerage app
  • Commission-free status may not apply to accounts opened through business partners
Capital.com

Capital.com

Pros

  • No trading commissions on CFDs
  • No deposit, withdrawal or inactivity fees
  • 5,500+ tradeable instruments including 400+ cryptocurrency CFDs
  • Access to MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView and proprietary platform
  • Regulated by FCA, CySEC and ASIC
  • Free demo account available
  • Investmate educational app included
  • Fast execution with average speed around 25 milliseconds

Cons

  • All products are CFDs or spread bets - no direct share ownership
  • Not available to US clients
  • No copy trading or social investing features
  • Spread betting restricted to UK clients only
  • Currency conversion fee of 0.70% for retail clients applies on cross-currency trades
  • No commission-based account option for active traders
  • High proportion of retail clients lose money trading CFDs
Alpaca Trading

Alpaca Trading

Alpaca Trading is a US API-first broker offering commission-free stocks, ETFs, options and crypto trading with a paper trading environment and margin accounts.

Visit Alpaca Trading Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Capital.com

Capital.com

Capital.com is a CFD and spread betting broker offering 5,500+ markets across forex, stocks, indices, commodities and crypto, accessible via a proprietary platform, MetaTrader 4/5 and TradingView.

Visit Capital.com Read review

Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply.

Not the right match?

Line up any two brokers side by side, or browse the full list to find your next platform.

Compare another broker Browse all brokers