Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs BDSwiss, 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.
ActivTrades and BDSwiss are both online brokers catering to those interested in trading various financial instruments. ActivTrades, established in 2001, holds two highly trusted Tier-1 licenses and an additional Tier-2 license, indicating a strong regulatory standing. This reflects in its Trust Score of 81 out of 99 on ForexBrokers.com, placing it in the "trusted" category. Despite not being publicly traded or a bank, ActivTrades has established itself as a reliable choice for traders over the years.
On the other hand, BDSwiss was founded in 2012 and has secured a single highly trusted Tier-1 license but lacks any Tier-2 licenses. With a Trust Score of 73 out of 99, BDSwiss falls into the "average risk" category according to ForexBrokers.com. Like ActivTrades, it is neither publicly traded nor a bank. While BDSwiss has attracted a significant user base, its regulatory profile suggests a moderate level of trust compared to ActivTrades.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2012 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of ActivTrades and BDSwiss, both brokers have unique offerings that cater to different types of traders. ActivTrades, with a 4-star rating, provides slightly better than average spreads compared to industry standards but doesn't reach the levels of the most competitive forex brokers. With an average spread of 0.98 pips for EUR/USD in May 2024, ActivTrades falls short of offering specialized account types for high-volume traders and lacks active trader pricing. Its various account options include an Individual Account, as well as Professional and Islamic Accounts. Nevertheless, spreads remain consistent across all account types, and fees can fluctuate based on the chosen assets.
In contrast, BDSwiss, also rated at 4 stars, presents strong order execution but its spreads are not as competitive as industry frontrunners. The Classic account has a spread of 1.5 pips on EUR/USD, whereas the Raw account incorporates a 0.3 pip spread paired with a $5 commission per side, resulting in a total spread of 1.3 pips. Their VIP account offers a slightly reduced spread at 1.2 pips. Despite this structure, BDSwiss ranks at #30 out of 63 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category according to ForexBrokers.com.
Both ActivTrades and BDSwiss showcase their strengths and weaknesses in terms of cost. ActivTrades secures the #28 spot out of 63 brokers, primarily due to its consistent spreads and diverse account options. Alternatively, while BDSwiss stands slightly lower in ranking, its array of account tiers and solid execution statistics may cater to specific trading strategies despite higher spreads. For traders prioritizing cost, exploring each broker’s account specifics and available trading assets will be key in determining the most cost-effective choice.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10-$5000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.3 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | 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 comparing ActivTrades and BDSwiss, both brokers offer a broad selection of investment opportunities, making them attractive choices for online trading. ActivTrades takes a slight lead with 1,267 tradeable symbols, compared to BDSwiss's 1,081. Forex enthusiasts will find both brokers accommodating, as ActivTrades and BDSwiss offer forex trading as CFDs, with BDSwiss providing 53 tradeable forex pairs, just edging out ActivTrades' 49 pairs. Furthermore, both brokers provide options for cryptocurrency derivatives, though neither offers the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. For those interested in exploring new trading styles, both platforms support copy trading, enabling users to mirror the trades of top-performing investors.
In terms of unique offerings, ActivTrades provides access to exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, something that sets it apart from BDSwiss, which does not offer this feature. This might appeal to traders eager to invest in global companies like Vodafone, listed on the London Stock Exchange. Despite these differences, both ActivTrades and BDSwiss receive commendable ratings of four out of five stars for their range of investments. According to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades holds a slightly higher rank at #31, compared to BDSwiss's #34 out of 63 brokers. This information signals a close competition, with each platform offering unique advantages tailored to different investor needs.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 1081 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 53 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| 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.
ActivTrades and BDSwiss both offer comprehensive trading experiences with a variety of platforms and tools aimed at enhancing user engagement. Each broker provides a proprietary platform that showcases their individual features and tools. Alongside these, users can access popular options like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which are available on both Windows-based desktop downloads and web-based platforms for convenient trading. Investors interested in simulated trading can take advantage of the free virtual demo accounts offered by both brokers, allowing them to practice trading strategies without financial risk.
Both ActivTrades and BDSwiss enable direct trading from stock charts and provide 15 drawing tools to aid in technical analysis. However, when it comes to customizing watch lists, ActivTrades allows more flexibility with 11 columns compared to BDSwiss's 7 columns. While neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, they both offer copy trading options for users who prefer social trading experiences. Rated 4 stars each for their trading platforms and tools, ActivTrades is ranked #30 while BDSwiss claims a slightly higher position at #24 among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to compared features, both ActivTrades and BDSwiss offer excellent mobile trading apps available on iPhone and Android. They both provide essential functions like stock and forex price alerts, and give users the option to draw trendlines on charts while offering the ability to switch between multiple time frames. Importantly, each app enables users to create watchlists with real-time quotes and automatically saves chart drawings, though neither supports syncing watchlists between the mobile app and online accounts. For those who rely on technical analysis, both platforms offer 30 technical studies for charting within their mobile apps.
While both ActivTrades and BDSwiss have earned a solid rating of 4 out of 5 stars for their mobile trading apps, slight differences in rankings exist. ActivTrades is placed 19th out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while BDSwiss is ranked 24th. These rankings suggest that while both apps are well-rated, ActivTrades holds a slight edge in overall user satisfaction and feature offering within its mobile trading platform. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced trader, both platforms provide comprehensive mobile solutions to facilitate convenient and effective trading on the go.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 ActivTrades and BDSwiss provide daily market commentary, ensuring their clients stay informed about the latest market developments. However, when it comes to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg or Reuters, ActivTrades holds an edge over BDSwiss, as BDSwiss does not offer such news. For traders interested in technical analysis tools, BDSwiss may be the preferable option since it provides tools from specialists like Autochartist and Trading Central, while ActivTrades does not. Instead, ActivTrades focuses on offering a sentiment-based trading tool, which is not available with BDSwiss, to assist traders with market insights.
Both brokers furnish clients with economic calendars that display global news events, ensuring traders have access to key economic developments. Despite these offerings, neither broker includes research tools from TipRanks or Acuity Trading. In terms of research quality, both ActivTrades and BDSwiss receive a solid four stars. However, BDSwiss ranks higher, positioned at #24 compared to ActivTrades at #30, among 63 brokers reviewed by ForexBrokers.com in the Research category.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing educational resources for beginners at ActivTrades and BDSwiss, both online brokers provide extensive learning materials on forex and CFDs. They each offer a minimum of ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars, ensuring that new traders have ample resources to start with. Monthly online client webinars are also available from both brokers, accompanied by searchable archives for those who wish to revisit past sessions.
ActivTrades and BDSwiss cater to all levels of traders with specific beginner and advanced educational videos, offering at least ten for each category. While both platforms score 4 out of 5 stars for their educational offerings, a notable advantage of BDSwiss is its investor dictionary with definitions of over 50 investing terms, which could be particularly useful for beginners unfamiliar with trading jargon. Furthermore, in rankings by ForexBrokers.com, BDSwiss leads in educational resources at rank 19 compared to ActivTrades at rank 38 among 63 brokers, indicating slightly better educational support for new investors.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than BDSwiss. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36.
ActivTrades is a long-standing brand that offers a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, and support for the award-winning TradingView and MetaTrader (MT4 and MT5) platforms. ActivTrades also delivers a selection of custom add-ons, indicators, and trading tools for traders who prefer to use MetaTrader. Drawbacks for trading with ActivTrades include a smaller selection of tradeable symbols and fewer educational resources than what’s available from the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 73 |
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Neither ActivTrades nor BDSwiss offers the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both platforms provide options to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers ActivTrades and BDSwiss, both offer Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options for depositing or withdrawing funds, but BDSwiss additionally provides ACH or SEPA transfers, whereas neither broker supports PayPal transactions.
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 | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2012 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | 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). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 1081 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.3 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10-$5000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ActivTrades Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | BDSwiss Review |
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