Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Admirals vs ActivTrades, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Admirals and ActivTrades are both reputable online brokers founded in 2001. They are not publicly traded and do not operate as banks, catering primarily to forex and CFD traders. In terms of regulatory oversight, Admirals distinguishes itself with a strong regulatory framework, holding four Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses. ActivTrades, meanwhile, holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. These licenses underscore each broker's compliance with established financial standards, yet also highlight the broader reach in Admirals' regulatory approval.
According to ForexBrokers.com, which rates brokers based on their trustworthiness, Admirals earns an impressive Trust Score of 93, placing it in the highly trusted category. On the other hand, ActivTrades receives a Trust Score of 81, rendering it a trusted option but with a slightly lower standing compared to Admirals. Both brokers offer substantial reliability, but for those prioritizing regulated assurance, Admirals might present an edge in perceived trust and authority in the trading sector.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Admirals generally edges out ActivTrades on headline spreads. Admirals earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #18 of 63 for Commissions & Fees at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds 4/5 stars and ranks #29 of 63. Admirals lists typical spreads around 0.8 pips on its Trade account, with similar pricing on its Zero account type. ActivTrades’ pricing is slightly better than the industry average, but not as sharp as the lowest-cost forex brokers; its average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024.
Admirals: If you’re cost-focused, the typical 0.8‑pip spread on the Trade account is appealing for major pairs, and the Zero account shows comparable pricing. This consistency makes Admirals attractive for traders who prioritize straightforward, low spreads.
ActivTrades: The broker uses a single main “Individual” account, plus Professional and Islamic options, with spreads that stay the same across account types (Professional mainly alters margin requirements). There’s no special pricing for high-volume traders and no active trader program. Actual costs can vary by platform and asset, and spreads can widen at rollover—common across brokers. Overall, ActivTrades’ fees are competitive versus the average, but trail the top tier on raw spread pricing.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.8 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Admirals offers a wider range of investments than ActivTrades, with 8,702 tradeable symbols compared to 1,267 and 82 forex pairs versus 49. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot and include copy trading, but Admirals provides far more markets to explore.
For shares, Admirals lets you buy exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges (including companies like Apple and Vodafone), while ActivTrades supports international shares but not U.S.-listed stocks. Neither broker offers real crypto, though both provide cryptocurrency CFDs. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments ratings, Admirals scores 4.5 out of 5 and ranks #20 of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades scores 4 out of 5 and ranks #32.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Admirals and ActivTrades offer very similar trading platforms and tools. Both provide a free demo (paper) account, their own proprietary platform, and access to MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade on a Windows desktop download or through a web-based platform, use copy trading, and place orders directly from charts. This lineup covers key needs for beginners testing strategies and experienced traders who want familiar MT4/MT5 workflows alongside a broker’s in-house platform.
When it comes to evaluations, both brokers earn 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools from ForexBrokers.com. That said, Admirals ranks higher in the category at 19th out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades sits at 32nd. If ratings and industry placement influence your choice, Admirals gets the slight edge. If you simply want MT4/MT5 plus a proprietary option with web and desktop access, either broker should meet your platform and tool expectations.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Admirals and ActivTrades both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports forex and stock price alerts, offers 30 built-in technical indicators, and provides charting tools like trendline drawing that auto-saves your work. One limitation is that watchlists do not sync between the mobile app and the online account for either broker, so changes you make on one device won’t appear on the other.
In independent tests by ForexBrokers.com, both apps earned 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps, with ActivTrades ranked #19 and Admirals ranked #23 out of 63 brokers. If you want similar tools and alerts on the go, either app will do the job, but ActivTrades holds a slight edge in overall ranking while Admirals remains close behind.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Admirals and ActivTrades both cover the basics well for market research: each provides daily market commentary, an economic calendar, sentiment tools showing long/short ratios, and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Neither integrates Autochartist. Where Admirals pulls ahead is in third-party add-ons, offering Trading Central for technical and fundamental insights, TipRanks for stock research, and Acuity Trading’s tools (including Signal Centre). ActivTrades does not include these extras.
Both brokers earn 4 stars for research, yet their standings differ: Admirals is ranked #15 out of 63 brokers for Research by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades sits at #31. If you want a wider set of research add-ons and signal tools, Admirals is the stronger choice; if you mainly need daily commentary, reliable news, sentiment data, and a clear calendar, either broker will do the job.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Admirals and ActivTrades both deliver beginner-friendly forex and CFD education with 10+ learning pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Each broker also hosts ongoing client webinars at least once a month. For newcomers, both offer at least 10 starter videos that explain core topics like how trading works, order types, charts, and risk management. As your skills grow, each brand also provides 10+ advanced videos for experienced traders, covering strategies, indicators, and market analysis.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Education, yet Admirals ranks higher in the category on ForexBrokers.com (#12 of 63) compared to ActivTrades (#38 of 63). If you want a more comprehensive learning path with a higher overall ranking, Admirals may have an edge. That said, ActivTrades remains a good pick thanks to its sizeable video catalog and regular webinars. Your choice may come down to details like content style, language options, and webinar times.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Admirals is better than ActivTrades. Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
Traders choose Admirals for its excellent investor education and advanced MetaTrader features – such as the Supreme add-ons – alongside an extensive range of shares, forex and CFD markets, and premium research content.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 93 | 81 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Comparing online brokers Admirals vs ActivTrades: neither supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading.
In a head-to-head look at deposit and withdrawal methods, Admirals supports ACH/SEPA transfers (not offered by ActivTrades), while ActivTrades provides Skrill and bank wire funding but does not support PayPal.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 93 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes | No |
| Investments | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.8 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Admirals Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 93 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review | ActivTrades Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill