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 in 2014, operates as a private online brokerage but is not listed on any stock exchange. While it is not a bank, the broker holds one Tier-1 license, marking it as highly trusted within the industry. However, with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 78, BlackBull Markets falls in the average risk category. This might be an important consideration for traders looking for a more secure platform, especially since the company does not possess any Tier-2 licenses.
Established in 2001, ActivTrades is likewise a private operating online broker and is not publicly traded or a bank. The company stands out with two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, reflecting a significant trust level within the industry. Boasting a Trust Score of 81 on ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades is classified as a trusted broker, offering traders additional assurance. This comparison shows that, while both brokers are not publicly listed or banks, ActivTrades holds a slight edge in trustworthiness based on license holdings and trust score.
| 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 tends to be cheaper on EUR/USD if you choose its commission-based Prime account, while ActivTrades keeps pricing simple with spread-only trading. In our data points, BlackBull’s EUR/USD all-in cost on the Prime account averaged 0.76 pips (March 2024), versus ActivTrades’ 0.98 pips (May 2024). For this category, BlackBull Markets is rated 4.5/5 stars and ranked #19 of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com; ActivTrades is rated 4/5 stars and ranked #29 of 63.
BlackBull Markets offers 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 $3 per side ($6 round turn) per lot, in exchange for lower spreads; its EUR/USD averaged 0.16 pips before commission, translating to 0.76 pips all-in. For high-volume traders, the ECN Institutional account requires $20,000 and cuts commissions to $2 per side ($4 round turn). Overall costs at BlackBull are around the industry average, but the Prime and Institutional tiers can materially reduce spreads.
ActivTrades centers on one main “Individual” account, plus Professional and Islamic options. Spreads are the same across account types, there’s no dedicated active-trader pricing, and fees depend on the asset and platform you use. ActivTrades reports target spreads and notes they can vary during the session; its average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024. That makes ActivTrades slightly better than the industry average, but not the lowest-cost choice compared with BlackBull’s Prime account.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.71 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.71 | N/A |
| 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.
Comparing the range of investments, BlackBull Markets offers far more choice than ActivTrades. BlackBull lists about 26,000 tradeable symbols versus ActivTrades’ 1,267, and 72 forex pairs compared with 49 at ActivTrades. Both brokers support forex trading (CFD or spot), provide copy trading, and let you trade cryptocurrency derivatives; neither broker lets you buy actual crypto.
For exchange-traded securities, BlackBull Markets lets clients buy U.S. stocks as well as shares on international exchanges, while ActivTrades provides exchange-traded access to international markets but not U.S. shares. Reflecting this breadth, BlackBull Markets earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com; ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #32. If you want the widest selection, especially including U.S. shares alongside forex and crypto derivatives, BlackBull Markets is the stronger pick, while ActivTrades still covers many essentials with a smaller lineup.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | 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.
BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades both check the key boxes for everyday traders: each offers a free demo (paper) account, web and Windows desktop platforms, and full support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both also include copy trading and let you place trades directly from charts, which makes it easier to move from analysis to execution. The main difference is platform choice: ActivTrades adds a proprietary, in-house platform alongside MetaTrader, while BlackBull Markets focuses on third‑party platforms only.
When it comes to recognition, each broker earned 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, according to ForexBrokers.com. In the category ranking of 63 brokers, BlackBull Markets placed #31 and ActivTrades came in at #32. If you want an extra, broker-built platform option, ActivTrades may appeal. If you prefer sticking with the familiar MetaTrader experience, BlackBull Markets is a strong match. In either case, you can test drive features risk‑free with their demo accounts before committing.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 |
| 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 offer iPhone and Android trading apps with price alerts, real-time watchlists, and 30 built-in technical studies for charting. You can draw trendlines and your chart drawings auto-save on both apps. One key difference is watchlist syncing: BlackBull syncs your symbols between the mobile app and your online account, while ActivTrades does not. Details on multi-timeframe views were not specified for either app.
For overall quality, each app earned 4 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s 63-broker comparison, ActivTrades ranks #19, ahead of BlackBull Markets at #33. If cross-device watchlist syncing is important, BlackBull has the edge; if third-party rankings matter more, ActivTrades scores higher, while both deliver the core tools traders expect on mobile.
| 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 |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades both deliver daily market commentary, a sentiment tool that shows long versus short positioning, and an easy-to-use economic calendar. Their lineups diverge in a few key areas: ActivTrades integrates forex news from top-tier sources (think Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones), while BlackBull does not. On the flip side, BlackBull includes Autochartist for trading ideas and pattern recognition, which ActivTrades lacks. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
Ratings are tied at 4 out of 5 stars for Research, yet ForexBrokers.com ranks BlackBull Markets higher (#18 of 63) than ActivTrades (#31 of 63). Choose ActivTrades if integrated professional news is your priority; pick BlackBull Markets if you want Autochartist’s scanning and alerts. Both are solid choices for daily commentary, market sentiment, and tracking key economic events.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades both support beginner traders with ongoing education. Each broker hosts client webinars at least once a month and offers at least 10 beginner video lessons, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. Details weren’t provided about whether either broker meets the broader threshold of 10+ total forex/CFD education pieces across articles, videos, or archived webinars, whether they keep a searchable archive of past webinars, or whether they offer an investor dictionary with 50+ terms.
Both brokers earn 4 stars for Education from ForexBrokers.com. In the Education category, BlackBull Markets ranks 29th out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades ranks 38th out of 63. For beginners comparing these two, that slight ranking edge may tilt toward BlackBull Markets, but either broker can be a good fit if you value frequent webinars and a sizable set of beginner-friendly videos.
| 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 #24, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
BlackBull Markets is a plain-vanilla MetaTrader broker with a growing range of products and support for a handful of third-party social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
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ActivTrades
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 78 | 81 |
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Both BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades enable the purchase of cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither platform offers the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency.
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 | 78 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 78 | 81 | |
| 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 | ||
| 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) | No | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | 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 | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.71 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.71 | N/A | |
| 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 | |
| Social Trading / 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 | 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 | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | 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 | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | BlackBull Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 78 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
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