Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of BlackBull Markets 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.
BlackBull Markets (founded 2014) and ActivTrades (founded 2001) are both online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. According to ForexBrokers.com, BlackBull Markets has a Trust Score of 77/99 (considered average risk on the 70–79 range), while ActivTrades scores 80/99 (considered trusted on the 80–89 range).
On regulation, BlackBull Markets holds 1 Tier-1 license and 0 Tier-2 licenses. ActivTrades holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license. Tier-1 regulators are viewed as highly trusted and Tier-2 as trusted by ForexBrokers.com. In short, ActivTrades has wider top-tier oversight, while BlackBull Markets maintains high-tier authorization but with fewer licenses.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, BlackBull Markets generally offers lower potential costs on major forex pairs if you choose its Prime account, while ActivTrades keeps pricing straightforward but doesn’t cater to high-volume discounts. For this category, BlackBull Markets is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #9 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com; ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranked #21 out of 63.
BlackBull Markets has three account types. The Standard account is commission-free with no minimum deposit but carries higher spreads. The Prime account requires a $2,000 minimum deposit and charges a $3 per side commission ($6 round turn per lot), delivering lower spreads; in March 2024 the EUR/USD averaged 0.16 pips on Prime, with an all-in cost of about 0.76 pips after commissions. For very active traders, the ECN Institutional account requires $20,000 and reduces commissions to $2 per side ($4 round turn).
ActivTrades uses one main Individual account, plus Professional and Islamic options; spreads are the same across account types and there’s no active-trader pricing. Costs vary by asset and platform, but for forex the spread is the key driver. The average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024, which is slightly better than the industry average but not among the very lowest. For commissions and fees, ActivTrades holds a 4-star rating and ranks #21 out of 63 with ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.16 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.76 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
BlackBull Markets offers a much wider range of investments than ActivTrades, with 26,000 tradeable symbols versus 1,267. Forex traders also get more choice at BlackBull, with 72 currency pairs compared to 49 at ActivTrades. Both brokers support forex trading (via CFDs and/or spot), provide copy trading, and offer cryptocurrency CFDs, though neither lets you buy actual crypto.
If you want real shares, BlackBull Markets lets you buy exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while ActivTrades supports real shares on international markets only (not U.S.). Reflecting this broader lineup, BlackBull Markets earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and is ranked #7 out of 63 brokers, whereas ActivTrades holds 4 stars and is ranked #25.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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.
BlackBull Markets vs ActivTrades: both online brokers deliver versatile trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo for paper trading, Windows desktop and web platforms, copy trading, and the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can also place orders straight from charts, which helps speed up trade execution and strategy testing.
The main difference is that ActivTrades adds its own proprietary platform, while BlackBull Markets focuses on third‑party platforms like MT4 and MT5. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both earn 4 stars, with BlackBull Markets ranked #25 of 63 and ActivTrades close behind at #26. Choose ActivTrades if you want a broker-built platform option alongside MT4/MT5, or go with BlackBull Markets if you prefer sticking with MetaTrader and other third-party tools.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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) | 109 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades both check the key boxes for modern mobile trading apps. Each offers an iPhone app and Android app, plus price alerts to help you track forex and stock markets on the go. Their charting features are also comparable: both provide 30 technical studies, support drawing trendlines, and auto-save your chart annotations so you don’t lose your work between sessions.
The main difference is watchlist syncing. BlackBull Markets syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while ActivTrades does not. Both apps earned 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading, but their ForexBrokers.com rankings differ: ActivTrades sits at #21 out of 63 brokers, and BlackBull Markets is #27. If seamless watchlist syncing matters, BlackBull Markets may suit you; if third‑party rankings weigh more, ActivTrades holds a slight edge.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades both support everyday market research with daily commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, and a handy economic calendar. The big split is in news and tools: ActivTrades streams forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while BlackBull Markets does not. On the flip side, BlackBull Markets includes Autochartist for technical pattern and signal ideas, which ActivTrades lacks. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
According to ForexBrokers.com, BlackBull Markets earns 4.5 stars for Research and ranks #16 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #26. In short, pick BlackBull Markets if you want Autochartist-driven technical ideas alongside daily commentary; choose ActivTrades if integrated premium forex news is your priority. Both provide the sentiment data and calendar tools you need to plan trades.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades cater well to beginner traders with forex and CFD education that meets the 10+ piece threshold. Each broker runs online educational webinars at least once a month and offers deep video libraries that include 10+ beginner-focused lessons as well as 10+ advanced videos to help you grow from the basics to more complex topics.
When comparing overall learning quality, BlackBull Markets has a slight edge: it holds a 4.5-star Education rating and ranks #24 out of 63 brokers for Education on ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks #30. In short, beginners will find structured, ongoing content at either broker, but BlackBull’s higher rating and placement suggest a small advantage if education is your top priority.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
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 BlackBull Markets is better than ActivTrades. BlackBull Markets finished with an overall rank of #22, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
BlackBull Markets is a growing broker best known for its broad platform support, including MetaTrader, cTrader, TradingView, and copy trading tools, along with a large range of tradeable instruments.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 77 | 80 |
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In this comparison of online brokers, BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades do not allow buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both provide access to trade cryptocurrency CFDs.
Comparing online brokers BlackBull Markets vs ActivTrades for deposit and withdrawal options: neither offers ACH/SEPA or PayPal, both support Skrill and bank wire transfers, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 77 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 77 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | 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) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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 | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.16 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.76 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 109 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | BlackBull Markets | 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 | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 77 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
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