menuclose
Back to Main Menu
ForexBrokers.com is committed to the highest ethical standards and reviews services independently. Learn How We Make Money

BlackBull Markets vs ActivTrades 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

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.

BlackBull Markets
4.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 78
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 26000
ActivTrades
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 81
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1267

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.

Regulation

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 logoBlackBull Markets
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Year Founded info 2014 2001
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Tier-1 Licenses info 1 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 2

Fees

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 logoBlackBull Markets
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.16 info 1.08 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.76 info 0.92 info
Non-wire bank transfer info No No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

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 logoBlackBull Markets
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 26000 1267
Forex Pairs (Total) info 72 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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.

Trading platforms and tools

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 logoBlackBull Markets
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 109 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

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 logoBlackBull Markets
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades both cover the basics of market research well, offering daily market commentary, an economic calendar, and sentiment tools that show the ratio of long vs. short positions. The main differences come down to news and analysis add-ons: ActivTrades includes forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg or Reuters, while BlackBull Markets does not. On the flip side, BlackBull Markets offers Autochartist for technical and fundamental ideas, whereas ActivTrades does not. Neither broker provides Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.

Both brokers earn 4 stars for Research, but BlackBull Markets ranks higher overall, coming in at #16 out of 63 brokers compared with ActivTrades at #26. If premium, built-in news is your priority, ActivTrades stands out; if automated chart setups and trade ideas from Autochartist are important, BlackBull Markets is the better fit. Either way, traders get steady commentary, a handy calendar, and sentiment data to guide decisions.

Feature BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info No Yes
Autochartist info Yes No
Trading Central info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

For beginner traders, both BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades provide solid forex and CFD education. Each has well over 10 educational pieces across formats like articles, videos, and archived webinars, and both run monthly live webinars. You’ll also find at least 10 beginner-focused videos at each broker to help you learn the basics, along with 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper.

Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Education. According to ForexBrokers.com, BlackBull Markets ranks a bit higher (#24 of 63) than ActivTrades (#30 of 63). If you want a slight edge in overall education ranking, BlackBull Markets may appeal; if you’re looking for comparable depth with frequent webinars and a large video library, ActivTrades is also a strong choice.

Feature BlackBull Markets logoBlackBull Markets
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

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 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 logoBlackBull Markets
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 78 81
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with BlackBull Markets or ActivTrades?

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.

What funding options does each broker offer?

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.

More Comparisons

BlackBull Markets vs FXCM BlackBull Markets vs ActivTrades BlackBull Markets vs CMC Markets BlackBull Markets vs Trading 212 BlackBull Markets vs FxPro BlackBull Markets vs Swissquote ActivTrades vs IG ActivTrades vs IUX ActivTrades vs eToro ActivTrades vs IC Markets ActivTrades vs HFM ActivTrades vs HYCM (Henyep Capital Markets)

Show all



announcementPlease 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.

Select Brokers

↓×
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxActivTrades
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAvaTrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBlackBull Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCharles Schwab
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCity Index
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCMC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxEightcap
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeToro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxExness
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFOREX.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFP Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFXCM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFxPro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHFM
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxHYCM (Henyep Capital Markets)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIFC Markets
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIG
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxInteractive Brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxIUX
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOANDA
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxOcta
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPepperstone
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPlus500
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxQuestrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSaxo
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSpreadex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSwissquote
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTickmill
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTrading 212
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVantage
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXM Group
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxXTB

Compare

0 of 5
× BlackBull Markets
× ActivTrades
Sponsored

+ Add Broker

Close Menu ×

navigate_before navigate_next
Overall Rating BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 78 81
Winner check_circle
Review BlackBull Markets Review ActivTrades Review
Broker Screenshots BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
BlackBull Markets MT5 mobile trading app BlackBull Markets MetaTrader 5 MT5 desktop platform. BlackBull Markets economic calendar. BlackBull Markets Trading Podcasts playlist.
ActivTrades ActivTrader mobile app watchlist light mode. ActivTrader platform web. ActivTrader research weekly outlook articles. ActivTrades educational articles macro analysis.
Regulation BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Trust Score info 78 81
Year Founded info 2014 2001
Publicly Traded (Listed) info No No
Bank info No No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info No info
Tier-1 Licenses info 1 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 1 2
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info No No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info No No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info No No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info No No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info No
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info No Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info No No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info Yes No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info No info
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info No
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info No No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info No
Investments BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 26000 1267
Forex Pairs (Total) info 72 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info 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 info 1.16 info 1.08 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 0.76 info 0.92 info
Inactivity Fee info No Yes
Order execution: Agency info No No
Order execution: Market Maker info Yes Yes
Funding BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info No No
Trading Platforms BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info No Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes Yes
cTrader info Yes No
Trading Tools BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 109 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 30 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info No Yes
Autochartist info Yes No
Trading Central info No No
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info Yes Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review BlackBull Markets Review ActivTrades Review
Overall BlackBull Markets ActivTrades
Overall Rating info 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 78 81
Winner check_circle
Review BlackBull Markets Review ActivTrades Review
arrow_upward

close
navigate_before navigate_next