Capital.com vs tastytrade
Capital.com and tastytrade are both commission-free platforms available to Australians, but they operate in completely different worlds. Capital.com offers CFDs only — you never own the underlying asset — while tastytrade is a genuine US broker that lets you buy and sell real US shares, ETFs and options. That single difference dictates everything else about which one you should pick.
- ›You want to trade leveraged positions on indices, commodities, forex or crypto via CFDs — not just shares
- ›You need a platform that accepts instant deposits via PayID, debit card or even PayPal
- ›You want 24/7 customer support in English and a Melbourne-based phone line during AEST hours
- ›You want to trade a wide range of global markets (US, UK, EU, HK, JP, DE, FR, AU) from one account
- ›You're comfortable with the cost being embedded in the spread and FX conversion (0.7%) rather than a visible brokerage fee
- ›You want to buy and hold real US shares and ETFs in your own name (custodial, not CFD)
- ›You trade US options — tastytrade is built for options and offers zero commission on most option trades
- ›You want a platform that integrates with Sharesight or Navexa for Australian tax reporting
- ›You want to hold USD directly and avoid ongoing FX conversion costs on every trade
- ›You're comfortable depositing via international wire transfer and don't need AU business-hours support
Where they differ
| Fact | Capital.com | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| What you actually trade | CFDs only (contracts for difference) | Real US shares, ETFs and options |
| ASX trading | Not supported (CFDs on ASX-listed stocks via synthetic instruments) | Not supported at all |
| USD account / FX cost | No USD account — 0.7% FX spread on every AUD/USD conversion | Holds USD — no ongoing FX cost once funded |
| Deposit methods | PayID, bank transfer, debit/credit card, Apple Pay, PayPal | International wire (USD), ACH (US only), cheque (US only) |
| Australian tax / reporting tools | No CGT report, no Sharesight integration | CGT calculator built in; Sharesight and Navexa integration |
Pick Capital.com for leveraged CFD trading on global markets; pick tastytrade for owning real US stocks and options.
Common questions
How do Capital.com and tastytrade compare on what you actually trade?
Capital.com: CFDs only (contracts for difference). tastytrade: Real US shares, ETFs and options. Capital.com never gives you ownership; tastytrade settles real securities in your account.
How do Capital.com and tastytrade compare on asx trading?
Capital.com: Not supported (CFDs on ASX-listed stocks via synthetic instruments). tastytrade: Not supported at all. Neither platform offers true ASX share trading.
How do Capital.com and tastytrade compare on usd account / fx cost?
Capital.com: No USD account — 0.7% FX spread on every AUD/USD conversion. tastytrade: Holds USD — no ongoing FX cost once funded. tastytrade avoids the recurring FX drag that Capital.com applies on every trade.
When is Capital.com the better choice over tastytrade?
Pick Capital.com if you want to trade leveraged positions on indices, commodities, forex or crypto via CFDs — not just shares; you need a platform that accepts instant deposits via PayID, debit card or even PayPal; you want 24/7 customer support in English and a Melbourne-based phone line during AEST hours; or you want to trade a wide range of global markets (US, UK, EU, HK, JP, DE, FR, AU) from one account.
When is tastytrade the better choice over Capital.com?
Pick tastytrade if you want to buy and hold real US shares and ETFs in your own name (custodial, not CFD); you trade US options — tastytrade is built for options and offers zero commission on most option trades; you want a platform that integrates with Sharesight or Navexa for Australian tax reporting; or you want to hold USD directly and avoid ongoing FX conversion costs on every trade.
Capital.com or tastytrade — what's the verdict?
Pick Capital.com for leveraged CFD trading on global markets; pick tastytrade for owning real US stocks and options.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Capital.com | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | — | custodian |
| Individual HIN | — | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | No | Yes |
| SMSF account | No | No |
| Kids / minor account | No | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | No | No |
| ASX ETFs supported | No | No |
| US shares supported | No | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| Other markets supported | US, UK, EU, HK, JP, DE, FR, AU | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | Yes |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 70% | — |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 70% | — |
| Holds USD account | No | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | No | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | Not applicable — Capital.com offers CFDs only, not real shares. There are no corporate-action fees because clients do not hold underlying securities; dividend adjustments on share CFDs are passed through automatically (credited on long positions, debited on short positions) without an explicit fee. | Standard US corporate action processing applies (dividends, splits, mergers). Mandatory corporate actions are processed at no fee; voluntary corporate actions (e.g. tender offers) may incur a fee per tastytrade's fee schedule. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX free trade conditions | — | Not applicable — tastytrade does not offer ASX trading. |
| US brokerage minimum | — | US$0 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 0% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Capital Com Australia Pty Ltd | tastytrade, Inc. |
| AFSL number | 513,393 | — |
| Year founded | 2,021 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | Capital.com Group (founded by Viktor Prokopenya, backed by VP Capital); ultimate AU operator is Capital Com Australia Pty Ltd, part of the Cyprus-headquartered Capital.com group with multiple regulated entities globally | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | US |
| Public company status | private | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $20 | $0 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $20 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | PayID, bank transfer, debit card, credit card, Apple Pay, PayPal | international wire (USD), ACH (US only), check (US only) |
| Settlement period | N/A (CFDs are not settled — positions are open contracts marked-to-market continuously) | T+1 (US equities/ETFs, from May 2024) |
| Withdrawal time | Within 1 business day for PayID and bank transfer; 3-5 business days for card/Apple Pay/PayPal. 91% of withdrawals processed within 5 minutes. | International wire withdrawals to AU typically 3-5 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | Yes |
| Demo account | Yes | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat, WhatsApp | phone, email, live chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24/7 English live chat and email; Melbourne-based phone support during AEST business hours | Monday-Friday, approx. 7am-5pm US Central Time = approx. 10pm-8am AET (next day). Weekend support limited. No AU business-hours coverage. |
| Education content | video + courses | video + courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | No | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| CGT calculator / report | No | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | No | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |