Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Barclays vs Capital.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Alongside the cost per trade, most UK online brokers also charge a monthly, quarterly, or annual management fee, which varies based on the account type and balance. Based on our thorough review, Barclays offers better pricing than Capital.com for share dealing.
Assuming a £30,000 portfolio size, here are the total annual costs for share dealing with both brokers, given different monthly activity scenarios.
5 trades per year - Barclays would cost £105 per year, while Capital.com would cost N/A per year.
12 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £147 per year, while Capital.com would cost N/A per year.
36 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £291 per year, while Capital.com would cost N/A per year.
120 trades per year - Barclays would cost £75 or £795 per year, while Capital.com would cost N/A per year.
3 fund trades per year - Barclays would cost £0 per year, while Capital.com would cost £20 per year.
What type of trader are you?
New to the world of investing? See our picks for the Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners. More experienced traders should read our guide to the Best UK Trading Platforms for Active Traders.
For UK investors, Barclays and Capital.com present a wide contrast in investment choices. Barclays excels with a variety of options, including share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds, and investment trusts. Furthermore, they offer advisor services to guide your investment journey. Rated 5 stars for investment choices by UK.StockBrokers.com and ranked #9 out of 18 brokers, Barclays stands out as an ideal choice for comprehensive financial investments.
On the other hand, Capital.com focuses on CFD trading, catering to those interested in derivatives rather than traditional share trading or funds. With no access to share, ETF, or bond trading, Capital.com's offerings are limited for those seeking a broad investment portfolio. Consequently, it holds a 2.5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for investment choices. Investors should consider their specific needs and preferences between these two platforms when deciding where to invest.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For UK investors comparing trading tools, Barclays and Capital.com offer different experiences. While both provide browser-based trading platforms and offer stock price alerts, their charting tools significantly differ. Barclays does not support corporate event displays, drawing tools, technical indicators, or notes on charts. Conversely, Capital.com shines by offering 18 drawing tools, 77 technical indicators, and the ability to add notes, although neither supports displaying corporate events or chart overlays.
Real-time market data is another area of contrast. Barclays does not offer this feature, potentially causing delays in decision-making for traders needing up-to-the-minute updates. In contrast, Capital.com provides real-time market data, assisting traders in making informed decisions quickly. These differences make Capital.com more feature-rich in terms of comprehensive trading tools, while Barclays offers a more straightforward platform.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 77 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 18 |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing online brokers Barclays and Capital.com for UK investors focused on retirement planning, Barclays stands out by offering both Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). This provides a convenient option for those looking to manage both tax-efficient savings and retirement funds in one place. In contrast, Capital.com does not offer ISAs or SIPPs, which might limit its appeal for investors seeking comprehensive retirement account options. Therefore, for UK residents interested in utilizing tax advantages in their retirement savings, Barclays presents more inclusive choices.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing mobile app offerings from online brokers Barclays and Capital.com, both provide applications for iPhone and Android users, catering to UK investors on the go. However, there is a significant difference in user satisfaction and rankings. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, Barclays' mobile app has a user rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars and is ranked 21st among 18 brokers, indicating room for improvement. In contrast, Capital.com's app shines with a 4.5-star rating, showcasing its popularity and effectiveness, although not ranked in this particular list. This suggests that Capital.com may offer a more user-friendly and efficient mobile experience for trading enthusiasts in the UK.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK residents looking to dive into investing, comparing Barclays and Capital.com for beginner educational resources reveals some key differences. Barclays shines by offering comprehensive educational materials in share trading, funds, and retirement, making it a solid choice for new investors wanting to build a well-rounded understanding of these financial topics. In contrast, Capital.com does not provide educational content in these specific areas. Neither platform offers live or archived educational webinars, so direct live learning opportunities are absent. Rated at 4.5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, Barclays holds a commendable #10 rank out of 18 brokers for its beginner education, suggesting a higher user satisfaction compared to Capital.com, which scores a lower 3.5-star rating.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing market research features for UK investors, Barclays and Capital.com offer distinct advantages. Barclays provides comprehensive research tools, plus detailed reports on shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds, making it ideal for those interested in traditional investment options. It also gives insights into your portfolio allocation by asset class, helping you manage your investments effectively. In contrast, Capital.com excels with its focus on CFDs research, which is beneficial for those looking to explore this specific market, although it lacks reports on funds, shares, ETFs, and bonds. Both platforms allow users to view portfolio allocation, supporting informed decisions based on asset distribution. However, Barclays stands out for investors seeking broader market research resources beyond CFDs.
| Feature |
Barclays
|
Capital.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Barclays or Capital.com? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Barclays to be a better trading platform overall.
Barclays Smart Investor offers a wide range of investments and accounts and is a good value for those with a midsize portolio who like flat fees. On the downside, it can be complicated to open an account as a non-Barclays bank customer, and you can’t buy or sell investments through the app if you don’t have a Barclays bank account.
| Feature |
Barclays
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Capital.com
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Both Barclays and Capital.com are online brokers that do not offer crypto trading options, making them similar choices for investors not seeking cryptocurrency services.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Barclays | Capital.com | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Capital.com Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Barclays | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | No | |
| SIPP | Yes | No | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No |
| Trading Fees | Barclays | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £20 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £6 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £6 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £6 | N/A | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £105 | N/A | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £147 | N/A | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £291 | N/A | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 or £795 | N/A | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £75 | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 - £525 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £525 - £650 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £650 - £850 | £0 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £850 and up | £0 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £6 | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £6 | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | £6 | N/A | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £6 | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Barclays | Capital.com | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Barclays | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 77 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 18 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Barclays | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Barclays | Capital.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | No |
| Overall Summary | Barclays | Capital.com | |
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| Review | Barclays Review | Capital.com Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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