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 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of Admirals and ActivTrades, Admirals distinguishes itself with competitive pricing and typical spreads of 0.8 on its Trade account. The pricing on Admirals' Zero account type is similarly appealing, providing a cost-effective trading experience. Rated at 4.5 stars by commissions and fees standards, Admirals holds the 17th position out of 63 brokers in the rankings by ForexBrokers.com.
ActivTrades, on the other hand, offers spreads that are slightly better than the industry average, though they may not match up to the lowest-cost forex brokers. Featuring a main "Individual Account" alongside Professional and Islamic accounts, ActivTrades provides options for different types of traders, but lacks a specific account for high-volume traders or distinct active trader pricing. With a 4-star rating, ActivTrades is ranked 28th out of 63 brokers in the same category by ForexBrokers.com.
In summary, whether you prioritize lower spreads or account flexibility, both Admirals and ActivTrades present distinct advantages. Admirals' cost-effectiveness stands out particularly for those focusing on economical trading, while ActivTrades offers a range of account types, albeit with similar spreads, to suit various trading needs.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.8 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to the available range of investments, Admirals offers a wider variety than ActivTrades, particularly for traders interested in a diverse selection of tradeable symbols and forex pairs. Admirals provides access to 8,702 tradeable symbols and 82 forex pairs, compared to ActivTrades' 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers accommodate forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, making them suitable for forex enthusiasts. However, Admirals outshines ActivTrades by offering exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, allowing clients to purchase shares like Apple. Both brokers offer international securities, and neither offers the option to buy actual cryptocurrencies, though they both provide access to cryptocurrency derivatives.
Aside from their extensive offerings, Admirals and ActivTrades both support copy trading, catering to investors looking to mirror the strategies of successful traders. Admirals is rated 4.5 stars for its range of investments, achieving a strong #19 rank out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In comparison, ActivTrades holds a respectable 4-star rating, placing #31 in the same category. This makes Admirals a more versatile choice, particularly for those interested in the breadth of investment options.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8702 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 82 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by Admirals and ActivTrades, both brokers provide a comprehensive suite of features that cater to traders of all levels. Admirals and ActivTrades each offer free virtual demo accounts, proprietary platforms, and support for popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Both brokers facilitate trading via web-based and Windows desktop platforms, along with providing features such as copy trading and trading directly from stock charts. However, neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
Despite being similar in many areas, the number of charting tools available does differ, with Admirals offering a remarkable 106 drawing tools compared to ActivTrades' 15. Additionally, ActivTrades provides more fields for watch lists, with 11 compared to Admirals' 7. Both brokers share a four-star rating for their trading platforms and tools, yet they are ranked differently by ForexBrokers.com, with Admirals ranked at #19 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades holds the #30 position. This ranking suggests Admirals may have a slight edge in this category.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 106 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Admirals and ActivTrades both offer user-friendly mobile trading apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices, providing traders with a seamless experience on the go. Both apps deliver essential features like stock and forex price alerts, chart drawing tools, and multiple timeframe views on charts, ensuring you can keep track of market movements and trends effectively. While both apps allow the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, they lack the functionality for syncing watchlist symbols across mobile and online platforms. Admirals and ActivTrades also impress with their charting capabilities, offering 30 different technical studies for in-depth analysis on their mobile apps.
When it comes to rankings and ratings, Admirals and ActivTrades are closely matched. Both have received four out of five stars for their mobile trading apps. However, in the ForexBrokers.com Mobile Trading Apps category, Admirals is ranked 23rd out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades ranks slightly higher at 19th. This subtle difference suggests that ActivTrades might edge out Admirals based on industry evaluations, although both provide comparable features and functionality that cater to traders’ mobile trading needs. Whether you're looking for price alerts, customizable charts, or the ability to view different timeframes, both Admirals and ActivTrades offer competitive options in the world of mobile trading.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both Admirals and ActivTrades provide strong market research offerings, including daily market commentary and access to top-tier forex news sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. Additionally, they each have a sentiment-based trading tool that displays the ratio of long and short positions on various instruments, alongside a comprehensive economic calendar for tracking global events. However, Admirals stands out by offering tools from Trading Central and Acuity Trading, as well as market research from TipRanks, which are not available with ActivTrades.
While Admirals and ActivTrades both garnered a 4-star rating for research, the differentiating features of Admirals, such as Trading Central's analytics and TipRanks insights, land it a higher position in the ForexBrokers.com ranking, coming in at 15th out of 63 brokers. ActivTrades, lacking some of these advanced tools, is ranked 30th, highlighting Admirals' slightly more comprehensive market research capabilities.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources available for beginners at Admirals and ActivTrades, both online brokers provide a solid foundation. Admirals and ActivTrades each offer over ten educational materials including articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on forex or CFDs. Each broker also hosts monthly online educational webinars which are valuable for those keen to learn. Admirals and ActivTrades both provide a range of beginner-focused videos, as well as content aimed at more experienced traders, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience.
The main difference lies in the availability of an investor dictionary; Admirals provides definitions for over 50 investing terms, a resource not offered by ActivTrades. Despite this, both brokers receive a four-star rating for their educational offerings, reflecting their overall commitment to educational quality. As ranked by ForexBrokers.com, Admirals holds a stronger position at number 12 in the Education category among 63 brokers, compared to ActivTrades at number 38. This highlights Admirals' slightly stronger edge in the educational resources they provide to their clients.
| Feature |
Admirals
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
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
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 81 |
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Both Admirals and ActivTrades provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither broker offers the ability to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency.
In comparing the online brokers Admirals and ActivTrades, Admirals offers a wider range of deposit and withdrawal options including ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas ActivTrades supports Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires but lacks ACH or SEPA and PayPal transfer options.
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.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review | ActivTrades Review |
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| 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 | No | |
| 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 | 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank 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. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | 0.8 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 11 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 106 | 15 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Admirals Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Admirals | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Admirals Review | ActivTrades Review |
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