Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Capital.com vs CFI
Capital.com vs CFI: the differences
| Compare |  Capital.com |  CFI |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £20 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto, Bonds, Spread bettingCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto |
| Regulators | FCA, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, FCA |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 65% | 66% |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free deposits and withdrawals | No deposit fees |
| Platforms | Web platform, Mobile app, MT4, TradingView | MT5, TradingView, CFI Multi Asset, CFI Trading App |
| Stock trade fee | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Account fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Inactivity fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | 1:30 | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- CFI scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 9.3.
- Regulators: only Capital.com offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
- Regulators: only CFI offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Founded is lower at CFI: 1998 vs 2016.
- Markets: only Capital.com offers Bonds, Spread betting.
- Platforms: only Capital.com offers Web platform, Mobile app, MT4.
- Platforms: only CFI offers MT5, CFI Multi Asset, CFI Trading App.
- Pricing model: only Capital.com offers Low fees.
Our verdict on each
Capital.com
Capital.com suits traders who want one account across shares, forex, CFDs, crypto and bonds without a monthly or inactivity charge. UK clients sit under FCA regulation with FSCS protection of FSCS up to GBP 85,000. The minimum deposit of £20 is the only cost barrier, above CFI at $0.
CFI
CFI suits traders who want one account covering stocks, etfs and forex on a commission-free model commission free, with a minimum deposit of $0 and a Cyprus entity licensed by Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA. Note that 66% of retail accounts lose money, and protection under the EU scheme is limited.
Score breakdown
| Area | Capital.com | CFI |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Account fee of £0, stock trade fee of $0 and no inactivity charge, with free deposits and withdrawals. | 9.7Higher |
| Offer | 9.5 | 9.6Higher |
| Trust | 9.1 | 9.4Higher |
Pick Capital.com if, pick CFI if
Pick Capital.com if markets matter most.
Pick CFI if cost and trust matter most.
Availability and regulation
| Country | Capital.com | CFI |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | CySEC HE 354252 Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 984500C46B3B7B69Y904 | |
| United Kingdom | FCA 793714 |
Feature by feature
| Markets | Capital.com | CFI |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Spread betting | Yes | No |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Capital.com | CFI |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 65 of 471 | 43 of 471 |
| Forex brokers | 28 of 147 | 15 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 26 of 145 | 13 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 22 of 122 | 13 of 122 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Capital.com | CFI |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app | Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free, Low feesCovers more | Commission free |
| Legal entity | CAPITAL VAULT LTD | Credit Financier Invest (CFI) Ltd |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2016 | 1998Lower |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Capital.com | CFI | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | $0at the median | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Account fee | £0at the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 65%lowest quarter | 66%lowest quarter | 72.05% |
Median across 91 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Capital.com
Pros
- No account fee at all, which puts it joint first on that measure in our data (£0).
- No inactivity charge, also joint first in our data, so an unused balance is not quietly billed (£0).
- Stock trades cost $0 under a commission-free model.
Cons
- The minimum deposit of £20 is far higher than CFI, which asks for $0.
- Support runs on chat and help centre, so there is no phone line for questions about a leveraged position.
- Retail accounts lose 65% of money, and the market is open around the clock.
CFI
Pros
- No minimum deposit, at $0, and No deposit fees, so funding does not cost a fee and the account can open at any size.
- Regulated on both sides of Europe: Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA, with the Cyprus entity named as Credit Financier Invest (CFI) Ltd.
- A single account covers stocks, etfs and forex rather than forcing separate apps per asset class.
Cons
- Protection caps out at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 on the Cyprus entity, so balances above that sit outside the scheme.
- 66% of retail accounts lose money, which is the risk that matters most for anyone sizing a position.
- Leverage sits alongside shares and ETFs in stocks, etfs and forex, so a single account mixes instruments with very different risk levels.
Who each suits
Capital.com
Who it suits
- Traders who want shares, forex, CFDs, crypto and bonds in one account
- UK residents who want FSCS protection alongside a CySEC regulated entity
- People who keep a balance and would otherwise pay inactivity fees
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro, if you want a social platform with copy trading
- Vantage, if you would rather start from a smaller deposit of $5
CFI
Who it suits
- People who want stocks, etfs and forex held in one place instead of several broker accounts.
- Traders who prefer the commission-free model commission free and a minimum deposit of $0 over a larger entry threshold.
- Savers who want a Cyprus or UK regulated option, given Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA and the Cyprus licence 179/12.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone wanting a wider asset list, since stocks, etfs and forex runs to futures as well and CFI's list is stocks, etfs and forex.
- EU traders who want a rival with a low entry point, such as XTB at €0.
- Traders put off by losses in the retail book, where 66% lose money and the median here is 70.15%.
Questions about each
Capital.com
What is the minimum deposit at Capital.com?+
The minimum deposit is £20 in the UK. That is higher than CFI at $0 and Vantage at $5. Clients who want a smaller opening balance may prefer a rival on that measure.
What does it cost to open and hold an account?+
There is no account fee, so the account costs £0. There is also no inactivity charge, at £0. Both rank the brand joint first on our data, so an unused balance is not billed.
CFI
What is the minimum deposit to open a CFI account?+
The minimum deposit is $0, so an account can be opened at any size and a first deposit does not have to clear a threshold. For comparison, Vantage lists $5 and XTB €0. The median minimum across the brands ranked is €4.64, and the highest reaches €26,308.87. CFI places 1 of 213 on that measure.
Does CFI charge commission on trades?+
CFI trades on a commission-free model, commission free, so positions are opened without a per-trade commission charge. The cost of a trade therefore sits in the spread and the market rather than in a commission line. Commission-free models are common in the field, appearing for 69.8% of the brands compared. Low-fee models sit alongside them at 40.5%.
Other options to compare
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