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 |
Comparing commissions and fees, ActivTrades and BDSwiss both earn 4 out of 5 stars in this category. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees rankings, ActivTrades places 29th out of 63 brokers, while BDSwiss is 31st out of 63. Both are competitive, but their pricing structures differ in ways that may matter depending on how you trade.
ActivTrades’ pricing centers on its Individual Account (with Professional and Islamic options), and spreads are the same across account types. There’s no active-trader or high-volume pricing tier. ActivTrades’ spreads are a bit better than the industry average; for example, the average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024. As with any broker, actual spreads can move with market conditions and during rollover.
BDSwiss offers tiered choices: the Classic account shows about 1.5 pips on EUR/USD, the VIP account about 1.2 pips, and the Raw account quotes 0.3 pips plus a $5 commission per side (about 1.3 pips effective). On EUR/USD specifically, ActivTrades’ 0.98-pip average undercuts all three BDSwiss options, but BDSwiss gives traders the flexibility of commission-based or spread-only pricing.
| 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.
ActivTrades vs BDSwiss: both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot, along with copy trading and crypto derivatives (but not direct, delivered crypto). ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable symbols and 49 currency pairs, while BDSwiss offers 1,081 symbols and 53 pairs. In our data set, each earns 4 stars for range of investments; ActivTrades ranks 32nd out of 63 brokers, and BDSwiss ranks 35th.
For exchange-traded securities, neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares directly. However, ActivTrades does provide access to real shares on select international exchanges, whereas BDSwiss does not. If you value a larger overall catalog and the option to buy certain international stocks outright, ActivTrades has the edge. If your focus is slightly more forex pairs within a CFD or spot setup, BDSwiss may appeal. Both are strong choices for copy trading and for trading crypto via derivatives.
| 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 check the key boxes for platform choice and ease of use. Each broker offers a free demo (paper) account, a proprietary platform, and support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade on the web or via a Windows desktop download at either broker, and both support copy trading. Chart trading is available on both, and while neither connects to DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, traders still get a flexible, multi-platform setup across web, desktop, and MT4/MT5.
For charting, ActivTrades and BDSwiss each include 15 drawing tools and a selection of built-in indicators. Watchlists are more detailed at ActivTrades (11 columns) compared to BDSwiss (7 columns). In independent testing, both earned 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools; however, BDSwiss ranked #24 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades ranked #32. If you want more watchlist customization, ActivTrades stands out; if overall platform-category ranking matters more, BDSwiss has the edge.
| 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.
ActivTrades and BDSwiss both deliver daily market commentary and an economic calendar. ActivTrades stands out with forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and it includes a sentiment tool that shows the long/short split across instruments. BDSwiss doesn’t provide premium news or a sentiment gauge, but it adds well-known third-party research: Autochartist for pattern recognition and Trading Central for technical analysis. Neither broker offers TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for research. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, BDSwiss is #24 of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades is #31. In short: choose ActivTrades if timely news headlines and crowd sentiment are key; pick BDSwiss if you prefer automated chart patterns and independent technical analysis from Autochartist and Trading Central.
| 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.
For beginner traders comparing ActivTrades to BDSwiss, both brokers deliver solid forex and CFD education. Each offers at least 10 pieces of learning content focused on forex/CFDs, runs monthly live client webinars, and provides a searchable archive of recorded sessions. You’ll also find beginner-friendly video series at both brokers (10+ videos), giving newcomers plenty of material to start learning how trading works.
The key difference is that BDSwiss includes an investor dictionary with 50+ terms, which can make decoding trading jargon easier; ActivTrades does not provide this feature. Both also supply 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. While each earns 4 out of 5 stars for Education, ForexBrokers.com ranks BDSwiss higher (#22 of 63) than ActivTrades (#38 of 63). If a built-in glossary matters to you, BDSwiss has an edge; if you mainly want webinars and video lessons, either broker fits the bill.
| 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). | 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 | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| 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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