Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of AvaTrade 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.
AvaTrade and ActivTrades are both private brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. AvaTrade was founded in 2006, while ActivTrades has been around since 2001. In terms of trust, ForexBrokers.com gives AvaTrade a score of 96 out of 99, which places it in the highly trusted range, while ActivTrades scores 80 out of 99, which is still trusted but lower than AvaTrade.
Regulation is a key difference between the two. AvaTrade holds 4 Tier-1 licenses and 4 Tier-2 licenses, showing a wider set of top-tier approvals from regulators. ActivTrades holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license. For traders comparing online brokers, AvaTrade has the stronger regulatory profile and higher Trust Score, while ActivTrades offers a more modest level of oversight.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
AvaTrade and ActivTrades both offer pricing that is fairly close to the industry norm, but AvaTrade comes out ahead on overall commissions and fees. AvaTrade’s spreads are just under 1 pip on its standard account, with EUR/USD at 0.9 pips as of June 2024, while its Professional account can go lower at 0.6 pips for eligible traders. For commissions and fees, AvaTrade is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #14 out of 36 brokers.
ActivTrades also keeps costs near the market average, with spreads that are slightly better than average overall, though not as low as the cheapest forex brokers. Its quoted EUR/USD average spread was 0.98 pips for May 2024, and spreads can change during the trading day. ActivTrades offers Individual, Professional, Islamic, and demo accounts, but it does not have a special pricing plan for active traders. ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #22 out of 36 brokers.
In simple terms, AvaTrade appears a bit more competitive for fees and spreads, especially for traders who qualify for its Professional account. ActivTrades is still a solid mid-cost option, but its pricing is a little less attractive overall. If low trading costs are your main focus, AvaTrade has the edge in this comparison.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.93 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.61 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
AvaTrade and ActivTrades both give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, along with copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. In terms of size, AvaTrade offers 1,260 tradeable symbols and 53 forex pairs, while ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs. Neither broker lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, and neither offers U.S.-listed exchange traded securities outside CFDs.
The main difference in their range of investments is that ActivTrades does offer exchange traded securities on international markets, such as shares listed outside the U.S., while AvaTrade does not. Even so, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments. On ForexBrokers.com, AvaTrade is ranked #27 out of 36 brokers in this category, just behind ActivTrades at #26.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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.
AvaTrade and ActivTrades both give traders a wide set of platform choices, including a free demo account, a proprietary trading platform, Windows desktop software, web-based access, copy trading, and the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can be helpful for faster decision-making. In short, both are well equipped for beginners and more active traders who want flexibility across devices.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, AvaTrade has a slight edge overall. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #13 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #27. That makes AvaTrade the stronger pick on paper, though both brokers offer many of the same core features and solid platform support.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
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) | 80 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
AvaTrade and ActivTrades both make mobile trading easy with iPhone and Android apps, plus price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. That means either broker can suit traders who want to follow the markets and place trades from a phone or tablet. In mobile app ratings, AvaTrade comes out ahead with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a rank of #13 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades holds a solid 4-star rating and ranks #21.
The main differences show up in charting and account syncing. AvaTrade offers watchlist syncing across mobile and web, so changes stay matched on both sides, and it provides 73 technical studies in its app versus 30 at ActivTrades. On the other hand, ActivTrades can auto-save chart drawings, which AvaTrade does not. Overall, AvaTrade has the edge for features and app quality, while ActivTrades still covers the mobile trading basics well.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
AvaTrade and ActivTrades both give traders access to market news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, along with a useful economic calendar and a sentiment tool that shows whether traders are mostly long or short on a pair or instrument. Both brokers also earn a 4-star rating for research, so each offers a solid base for staying on top of market moves.
The main difference is that ActivTrades includes daily market commentary, while AvaTrade does not. AvaTrade, on the other hand, stands out for offering Trading Central research tools, which ActivTrades does not provide. Neither broker offers Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools. In ForexBrokers.com’s research rankings, ActivTrades places slightly higher at #28 out of 36 brokers, compared with AvaTrade at #30.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing AvaTrade and ActivTrades for beginner education, both brokers make it easy for new traders to get started. Each offers forex and CFDs learning materials, monthly client webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos, so beginners have plenty of ways to learn the basics and move into more detailed topics over time. Both brokers also earn 4 out of 5 stars for Education, which suggests a strong focus on teaching traders how the markets work.
The main difference shows up in third-party rankings. AvaTrade is ranked #2 out of 36 brokers for Education by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is ranked #31. That means AvaTrade stands out more as an educational choice overall, even though ActivTrades still provides a solid range of learning content for beginners. If education is a top priority, AvaTrade has the edge in outside rankings, while ActivTrades remains a capable option with many of the same core learning tools.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
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 AvaTrade is better than ActivTrades. AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
AvaTrade is a trusted global brand best known for offering an extensive selection of trading platforms for forex and CFD traders, along with strong educational resources and copy trading support.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 80 |
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AvaTrade vs ActivTrades: neither broker offers the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
AvaTrade vs ActivTrades: both brokers do not support ACH or SEPA transfers, both offer bank wire and Skrill for deposits and withdrawals, only AvaTrade supports PayPal, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2006 | 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 | 4 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | 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) | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1260 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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 | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.93 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.61 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | AvaTrade | 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 | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 80 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 73 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | ActivTrades Review |
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