The Complete Guide to capital.com fees

You use or consider capital.com for CFDs, forex, stocks, or crypto. You care about the true cost of trading. This guide breaks down every fee you can expect on capital.com. Read it to compare brokers, forecast trading costs, and pick the right account and strategy. It covers fixed fees, variable spreads, overnight financing, inactivity charges, deposit and withdrawal rules, currency conversion, and ways to reduce costs. Use the Quick Answer for an immediate verdict. Use the detailed sections to model costs with examples and calculations. Follow the closing decision tree to choose the best approach for your trading style.

Quick Answer / TL;DR

If you scalp forex frequently → focus on spreads. Typical EUR/USD spreads often start near 0.6 pips on standard accounts. Use Standard if you prefer no per-trade commission. If you want transparent per-share pricing on stocks → expect commissions on some share CFDs, commonly around 0.1%–0.2%. If you hold positions overnight → expect financing charges typically from about 0.01% to 0.15% of position value per night. If you trade infrequently → avoid accounts that charge inactivity fees, often after 6 months with a fee like $10 per month. Model monthly costs before you fund an account.

Overview of capital.com fees — 6 fee categories

You will watch six fee categories. They are:
– Spreads
– Commissions
– Overnight/financing
– Inactivity fees
– Deposit and withdrawal fees plus currency conversion
– Non-standard charges (market data, regulatory, margin close-out)

Two quick numbers to keep in mind:
– Number of fee categories: 6.
– Typical account components to monitor: spread + financing often make up more than 90% of trading cost for active CFD traders.

Why each category matters:
– Scalpers care about spreads. A 0.6-pip difference matters when you trade 100+ times per month.
– Swing traders care about financing. A 0.05% nightly charge on a $10,000 position costs $5 per night.
– Long-term investors care about inactivity and conversion. A 0.5% conversion fee on a $100,000 balance costs $500.

Small worked example:
– You open a $10,000 EUR/USD long.
– Spread: 0.6 pips. Pip value on a 100,000-unit position is $10 per pip. For a $10,000 position with 10:1 leverage, pip value scales; assume a notional $10,000 equals 0.1 lot, so 0.6 pips ≈ $0.60 per round trip. For clarity, show rough cost math using a full 100,000 unit lot: 0.6 pips × $10 = $6.
– Financing: 0.02% per night on $10,000 for 10 nights = $0.0002 × $10,000 × 10 = $20.
– Combined: spread $6 + financing $20 = $26 for the period in that example.

Watch out for:
– Hidden rounding on pip calculations.
– Currency conversion that increases costs by roughly 0.5%–1.5% when your account currency differs from the traded instrument.

Spreads and commission mechanics — 3 spread/commission models

Define the basics:
– Spread = ask minus bid. It is a variable cost quoted in pips for forex and in percentage or points for stocks.
– Commission = a fixed or percentage fee charged per executed trade.

capital.com commonly uses these models:
1. Spread-only model (no commission) on many CFD and forex instruments.
2. Spread + commission for some share CFDs and specific account types.
3. Raw-spread or pro-like model where raw spreads are lower but commission applies.

Two concrete numbers on spreads and commissions:
– Example forex spread: EUR/USD from about 0.6 pips on standard accounts.
– Example stock CFD spread: typical spreads from 0.05% to 0.3% and commissions commonly around 0.1%–0.2% on some share CFDs.

How to calculate cost per trade:
– Formula: Trade cost = (spread in pips × pip value × lots) + commission (percentage × trade value).
– Example 1 (forex micro trade): 0.6 pips on a 100,000-unit lot. Pip value for 100k on USD-pair = $10 per pip. Cost ≈ 0.6 × $10 = $6 per round trip.
– Example 2 (stock CFD): 0.15% commission on a $5,000 trade → $5,000 × 0.0015 = $7.50 commission.

Market-condition effects:
– Spreads widen during news or low liquidity.
– Expect spreads to jump 2x–10x during major announcements or off-hours.
– Liquidity windows: active forex sessions can reduce spreads by 20%–70% versus thin sessions.

Watch out for:
– Promotional “zero commission” language that shifts costs into wider spreads. Zero commission may show 0% fee but spread might be 0.8–2.0 pips instead of 0.1–0.2 pips.

Overnight and financing charges — 3 financing examples and rates

Define overnight financing:
– Financing (swap) is the cost of holding leveraged positions past the daily close.
– Brokers express it as an APR or nightly percentage.
– It applies to leveraged CFDs and sometimes to short positions on shares.

Typical rates and concrete numbers:
– Typical financing ranges from about 0.01% to 0.15% per night depending on the instrument and direction.
– Example rate: 0.05% per night on a $10,000 CFD → $10,000 × 0.0005 = $5 per night.

Financing formula:
– Financing = position value × financing rate × nights held.
– Example A: Long EUR/USD with 50:1 leverage, $10,000 exposure, 0.02% nightly → $10,000 × 0.0002 = $2 per night.
– Example B: Short stock CFD, $2,000 exposure, 0.08% nightly → $2,000 × 0.0008 = $1.60 per night.

Compounded effect:
– Holding for 30 nights multiplies cost: $2 per night × 30 nights = $60.
– Holding a $20,000 position at 0.05% per night for 30 nights costs $20,000 × 0.0005 × 30 = $300.

Credits versus debits:
– Sometimes you earn financing (a credit) if your position direction benefits from the funding spread. This is rare for retail accounts.
– Typical outcome: retail traders pay a debit on leveraged long or short positions.

Other rules to watch:
– Weekend rollovers often charge 3 nights’ financing on a single midweek rollover day. For forex, expect triple nights on a specific rollover day, increasing cost by roughly 3× the nightly rate.
– Promotional exceptions sometimes reduce or remove financing on certain assets. Confirm before relying on them.

Watch out for:
– Large leveraged positions magnify nightly charges. A $100,000 exposure at 0.05% nightly costs $50 per night, or $1,500 over 30 nights.

Non-trading fees and operational costs — 4 common non-trading fees

Common non-trading fees and numbers:
– Inactivity fee: typically charged after 6 months inactivity, often $10 per month.
– Deposit fees: often free via card or bank transfer, but can be up to 2.5% with some processors.
– Withdrawal fees: can range from $0 to $25 depending on method and region.
– Currency conversion spreads: typically 0.5%–1.5% when converting between currencies.

Concrete examples and calculations:
– Deposit example: deposit $1,000 by card with a 1.5% fee → $1,000 × 0.015 = $15 lost up-front.
– Inactivity example: go inactive for 7 months and get charged $10/month after month 6 → you pay $10 in month 7, $10 in month 8, etc. Total $10 × number of inactive months.
– Withdrawal example: one wire withdrawal with a $20 fee costs $20; do 4 withdrawals per year and pay $80.
– Conversion example: trade a US-listed stock with account currency EUR and conversion spread 1.0% on $10,000 → cost ≈ $100.

Processing times and cost effects:
– Bank transfer: 1–5 business days in many cases. Slow transfers can cause missed trades and opportunity cost.
– Card deposits: instant in most cases. Faster access avoids slippage costs worth several pips or percent on volatile assets.
– Withdrawal times vary: card refunds 3–7 business days, bank wires 1–5 days.

Other operational charges:
– Market data fees for certain exchanges may apply to real-time pricing.
– Wire reimbursement thresholds: some brokers require minimum withdrawal amounts to avoid fees.
– AML verification delays can temporarily lock funds for days.

Watch out for:
– Hidden currency conversion on withdrawals that may apply both on deposit and on withdrawal, effectively doubling conversion cost to 1.0%–3.0% on round trips.

Account types and fee differences — 3 account examples and differences

Describe main account variants and fee implications:
– Standard account (spread-only): spreads from about 0.6 pips on major forex pairs, no per-trade commission. Minimums often low or none.
– Pro/Raw account: raw spreads from 0.0–0.2 pips, plus commission typically $3–$7 per standard lot or a percentage like 0.1% on stock CFDs.
– Demo account: identical execution simulation, $0 live funding, no financing. Use it for cost modeling.

Concrete comparisons and numbers:
– Standard: EUR/USD spread 0.6–1.0 pips. No commission means a per-trade spread cost of $6–$10 per 100k-sized trade.
– Pro/Raw: raw spread 0.0–0.2 pips + commission $3–$7 per lot. For a 100k lot at 0.1 pip, spread cost ≈ $1; plus $5 commission = $6 total.
– Demo: zero real fees, but does not reflect slippage or execution for funded accounts.

Side-by-side cost calculation example:
– Notional forex trade: $50,000 exposure (half a standard lot = 0.5 lot on 100k standard).
– Standard account: spread 0.8 pips → pip value for 100k = $10, so cost = 0.8 × $10 × 0.5 = $4.
– Pro/Raw account: spread 0.1 pips + $5 commission per lot. Spread cost = 0.1 × $10 × 0.5 = $0.50. Commission for 0.5 lot if $5 per lot = $2.50. Total = $3.00.
– Difference: Standard cost $4.00 vs Pro/Raw $3.00 → save $1.00 per trade at this size.

Which account suits which trader:
– Scalpers and high-volume traders: prefer raw/pro to cut 0.5–0.8 pips per trade even after $3–$7 commission.
– Occasional traders: prefer Standard to avoid per-trade commission and keep costs predictable.
– Long-term holders: check financing rates instead of raw spreads; lower financing wins for multi-day holds.

Watch out for:
– Minimum deposit or monthly volume thresholds that change pricing tier eligibility. Check the fine print for minimum notional volume to qualify for Pro rates.

Strategies to reduce capital.com fees — 6 practical steps with numbers

Use these six steps with worked examples and estimated savings.

1) Choose the right account
– Example: switching to raw/pro cuts spread by about 0.5 pips but adds $3–$7 commission per lot.
– If you trade 200 lots per month, 0.5 pip reduction × $10 pip value × 200 lots = $1,000 saved. Commission cost at $5 per lot × 200 = $1,000. Net = $0 break-even. Scale matters.
– Estimated annual saving: depends on volume; for 1,000 lots/year you might save $5,000 or pay $5,000 more. Test with your volume.

2) Trade during peak liquidity
– Spreads shrink by around 20%–70% in main sessions.
– Example: EUR/USD spread falls from 0.6 to 0.3 pips during London/New York overlap. Save 0.3 pips × $10 pip value = $3 per 100k trade.
– If you do 300 such trades yearly, save $900.

3) Avoid overnight holding when financing is high
– Financing 0.05% nightly costs 0.05% × 30 nights ≈ 1.5% per month.
– Example: $10,000 position at 0.05% nightly = $50 per night? Correction: $10,000 × 0.0005 = $5 per night. For 30 nights = $150 or 1.5% of $10,000.
– Avoid or reduce position size if you do not want to pay $150 per month on that position.

4) Consolidate withdrawals
– Withdrawal fee example: $15 per wire.
– Make quarterly withdrawals instead of monthly: 4 × $15 = $60 per year vs 12 × $15 = $180. Save $120 per year.

5) Match account currency
– Conversion hit 0.5%–1% each time currency exchanged.
– Example: trade USD stocks from an EUR account with 1% conversion on $20,000 = $200 per trade in conversion cost both ways maybe $400.
– Convert once and save repeated conversions. Annual saving might be $200–$1,000 depending on activity.

6) Use limit orders to reduce slippage
– Slippage can add 0.1%–0.5% to trade cost on volatile moves.
– Example: $5,000 trade with 0.2% slippage costs $10.
– Avoid market orders during illiquid hours to save these amounts. If you prevent 100 occurrences a year, save $1,000.

For each step:
– Test the math with your trading size.
– Sum small savings across steps to find annual benefit.
– Example combined: trading during peak liquidity and matching currency might save $900 + $200 = $1,100 per year for an active trader.

Watch out for:
– Over-optimization increases execution risk. Chasing the best spread may cause missed fills and opportunity cost.

Comparison table section

Compare the main fee lines side-by-side so you can scan the typical ranges and when each fee applies.

Spreads and financing drive most of your ongoing cost. Commissions and non-trading fees matter for specific instruments and behaviors.

Closing — How to Choose / Bottom Line

Pick raw/pro if you scalp frequently and do 50+ trades per month. You will accept $3–$7 commission per lot to save on spreads of 0.5–0.8 pips. Pick Standard if you trade occasionally or hold positions short-term. You will avoid per-trade commission and focus on matching account currency to save 0.5%–1.5% per conversion. If you hold positions overnight or longer, prioritize low financing rates and avoid triple-roll weekends for forex. Calculate expected monthly financing: financing rate (e.g., 0.05%) × position value × nights held. If unsure, run a 1-month cost simulation. Track spreads, commissions, financing, and non-trading fees on your planned trades. Compare totals in dollars. Pick the account and approach that yields the lowest total cost while giving acceptable execution.

Final tip: always model costs in absolute dollars, not only in pips or percentages. Track sample trades with your typical sizes: 0.1 lot, 0.5 lot, and 1.0 lot. Use those numbers to estimate monthly and annual costs. Make a decision based on real numbers: spreads, commissions, financing, inactivity, and conversion fees.