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 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, BlackBull Markets comes out ahead of ActivTrades for traders who want lower all-in trading costs. BlackBull Markets earns 4.5 stars and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees at ForexBrokers.com. Its pricing depends on the account you choose: the commission-free Standard account is simpler, but the Prime account offers tighter spreads, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.16 pips in March 2024 and an all-in cost of about 0.76 pips after commission. The ECN Institutional account is aimed at larger-volume traders and has even lower commissions, but it requires a much higher minimum deposit.
ActivTrades is still competitive, but its fees are less attractive overall than BlackBull Markets. It is rated 4 stars and ranks #22 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. ActivTrades mainly offers one standard account type, plus Professional and Islamic account options, with spreads that stay the same across account types. Based on direct data from May 2024, its average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips. While that is reasonable, it is not as low as the best-priced brokers, and ActivTrades does not offer special active-trader pricing.
In simple terms, BlackBull Markets is the better pick if keeping trading costs down is your top priority, especially on its Prime or ECN accounts. ActivTrades may still appeal to traders who want straightforward account choices and a familiar setup, but BlackBull Markets offers the stronger value on commissions and fees overall.
| 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 | Yes | 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 has the wider range of investments when compared with ActivTrades. Both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but BlackBull Markets gives traders access to far more markets overall, with about 26,000 tradeable symbols and 72 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. BlackBull Markets also stands out for offering exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while ActivTrades offers shares on international exchanges only.
For investors looking for broader choice, BlackBull Markets comes out ahead in this category. It earns 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and is ranked #7 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #26. Neither broker lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, so both focus on crypto CFDs rather than direct ownership.
| 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 and ActivTrades both give traders a strong choice of platforms and tools, with free demo accounts, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. Both brokers also let users place trades directly from charts, which is helpful for active traders who want quick order entry. In short, each broker covers the main platform needs most traders look for, whether they prefer to trade in a browser or on a desktop app.
The main difference is that ActivTrades offers a proprietary platform built in-house, while BlackBull Markets does not. Even so, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, and both are well regarded in this area. On ForexBrokers.com, BlackBull Markets ranks slightly higher at #25 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at #27, making BlackBull Markets the better pick by a small margin for platform and tool offering.
| 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 make it easy to trade on the go with iPhone and Android apps, plus stock and forex price alerts. Each app also offers 30 technical studies, lets users draw trendlines on charts, and saves those drawings automatically, which helps traders keep track of their analysis from one session to the next. Both brokers earn a 4-star rating for mobile trading apps, so they deliver a similar overall experience for everyday mobile traders.
The main difference is watchlist syncing: BlackBull Markets lets watchlists stay in sync between the mobile app and the online account, while ActivTrades does not. That can matter for traders who want updates to carry over right away between devices. Even so, ActivTrades ranks slightly higher in ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps category at #21 out of 36 brokers, compared with BlackBull Markets at #28.
| 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 give traders daily market commentary, a sentiment tool, and an economic calendar, so each broker covers the basics well for following news and market moves. BlackBull Markets also stands out for including Autochartist, which can help with technical and fundamental ideas, while ActivTrades does not offer that tool. On the other hand, ActivTrades has an edge for news coverage because it provides forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, which BlackBull Markets does not.
Overall, BlackBull Markets has the stronger research offering, with a 4.5-star Research rating and a #17 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com. ActivTrades is still solid, but it trails slightly with a 4-star Research rating and a #27 ranking. For traders who want more third-party news and broad market updates, ActivTrades may be appealing, while BlackBull Markets may suit those who value Autochartist and a higher overall research score.
| 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.
When it comes to learning support for beginners, both BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades give new traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers forex and CFD education, monthly online client webinars, and at least 10 beginner-friendly videos, as well as 10 advanced videos for traders who want to build on the basics. In simple terms, both platforms provide a good mix of articles, videos, and live learning sessions that can help beginners get started and keep growing over time.
That said, BlackBull Markets has a slight edge for education overall. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #24 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #30 out of 36. For beginners looking for a broker with a bit more educational depth and a stronger overall score, BlackBull Markets comes out ahead, though ActivTrades still offers a solid range of learning resources.
| 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 deposit and withdrawal methods, BlackBull Markets supports ACH/SEPA, Skrill, and bank wires (no PayPal), while ActivTrades offers Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability for both brokers was 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 | Yes | 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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