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, two prominent online brokerage firms, come with distinct regulatory credentials. AvaTrade, established in 2006, boasts a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 94, indicating a high level of trust. This score is backed by AvaTrade's possession of four Tier-1 licenses, which are seen as highly trusted, and three Tier-2 licenses. Despite not being publicly traded or operating as a bank, AvaTrade is well-regarded for its regulatory compliance and secure trading environment.
In contrast, ActivTrades, founded in 2001, holds a Trust Score of 81 on ForexBrokers.com, marking it as trusted but slightly below AvaTrade. ActivTrades has two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, ensuring a solid regulatory framework. Like AvaTrade, ActivTrades is neither publicly traded nor functions as a bank, but its regulatory setup provides a dependable trading option for users. Both brokers offer secure options for trading, though AvaTrade holds a slight edge in trustworthiness and the number of high-tier licenses.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
AvaTrade’s pricing sits near the market average, with EUR/USD spreads around 0.9 pips as of June 2024—slightly higher than the entry-level pricing you might find at CMC Markets or Tickmill. If you qualify as an elected professional trader, AvaTrade’s Professional account tightens spreads to about 0.6 pips, comparable to FP Markets. ActivTrades, meanwhile, tested slightly better than the industry average, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024, though it doesn’t undercut the very cheapest brokers.
At ActivTrades, fees depend on the assets you trade and the platform you choose, and spreads can widen during quieter or rollover periods. It offers one main Individual account plus Professional and Islamic options; spreads are the same across these account types, with the Professional tier mainly affecting margin (and thus leverage). There’s no dedicated high‑volume pricing or active trader program. AvaTrade’s setup is simpler: standard spreads are near 0.9 pips, with lower pricing available only if you qualify for the Professional account.
Ratings and rankings: AvaTrade earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #13 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #29 out of 63. If you can access AvaTrade’s Professional pricing, it tends to be cheaper on headline spreads; otherwise, both brokers land close to the market average, with small differences based on what and when you trade.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.93 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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 support forex trading (CFD/spot) and offer large product lineups. ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable symbols versus 1,260 at AvaTrade. If your focus is currencies, AvaTrade provides 53 tradeable forex pairs compared with 49 at ActivTrades. Both brokers also provide copy trading. For digital assets, neither broker offers delivered cryptocurrency, but both let you trade crypto via CFDs. In terms of real shares, neither provides U.S.-listed stocks; only ActivTrades offers access to some international exchanges (for example, London-listed names), while AvaTrade does not offer exchange-traded securities.
On Range of Investments, both score 4 out of 5 stars from ForexBrokers.com, with ActivTrades ranked #32 out of 63 brokers and AvaTrade close behind at #33. In short, choose ActivTrades if you want a slightly larger overall instrument list and access to some international stocks, or pick AvaTrade if you want a few more forex pairs.
| 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 check key boxes for traders who want choice and convenience. Each broker offers a free demo account for practice, a proprietary platform built in-house, and support for Windows desktop downloads and web-based trading. Both also integrate MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), enable copy trading, and let you place orders directly from price charts. While both provide a range of technical indicators and customizable watch lists, exact counts weren’t specified.
When it comes to ratings, AvaTrade has the edge for trading platforms and tools with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a #13 ranking out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. ActivTrades is solid too, earning 4 out of 5 stars and a #32 ranking. If platform quality and built-in tools are top priorities, AvaTrade may appeal more, while ActivTrades remains a capable alternative with similar core features.
| 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 offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. For charting tools, AvaTrade includes 73 technical studies, while ActivTrades offers 30. AvaTrade also syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, but ActivTrades does not. In contrast, ActivTrades auto-saves chart drawings, whereas AvaTrade does not.
According to ForexBrokers.com, AvaTrade scores higher for mobile trading apps with 4.5 stars and a rank of 13 out of 63 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at 4 stars and a rank of 19. Choose AvaTrade if you want more indicators and cross-device watchlist syncing; pick ActivTrades if automatic saving of chart annotations is a priority.
| 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 deliver strong market research features, each earning 4 stars. ActivTrades edges ahead in the ForexBrokers.com rankings at #31 versus AvaTrade at #35 (out of 63). Both brokers provide forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, along with a handy economic calendar and sentiment tools that show long/short positioning. A key difference: ActivTrades publishes daily market commentary, while AvaTrade does not.
When it comes to third-party research tools, neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. However, AvaTrade stands out by offering Trading Central, which adds extra technical and fundamental insights that ActivTrades lacks. Choose AvaTrade if you want Trading Central’s analysis built in; pick ActivTrades if daily in-house commentary is a must. Either way, both brokers cover the essentials for news and analysis-driven trading.
| 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.
For beginners, both AvaTrade and ActivTrades deliver forex and CFD education that meets the mark: each provides well over 10 learning pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars. New traders will find 10+ beginner-focused videos at both brokers, plus live online webinars at least once a month. As you progress, both also offer 10+ advanced videos to help you keep building skills.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Education, but their standings differ: AvaTrade is ranked #2 out of 63 brokers for Education by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is ranked #38. If you want the most expansive learning path from day one, AvaTrade has the edge, though ActivTrades still provides a solid starting toolkit for new traders.
| 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 #13, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
AvaTrade is a trusted global brand best known for offering an extensive selection of trading platforms for forex and CFD traders, as well as exceptional educational content that helped it nab Best in Class honors for Beginners in the ForexBrokers.com 2025 Annual Awards.
| Feature |
AvaTrade
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ActivTrades
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 94 | 81 |
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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 | 94 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | AvaTrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 94 | 81 | |
| 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 | 3 | 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 (SFC 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) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA 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) - Standard account | 0.93 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.61 | N/A | |
| 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 | 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 | 94 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | AvaTrade Review | ActivTrades Review |
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