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 comparing commissions and fees, BlackBull Markets comes out ahead of ActivTrades for many forex traders, especially those looking for lower all-in trading costs on its Prime account. BlackBull’s pricing depends on the account you pick: the commission-free Standard account has wider spreads, while the Prime account offers tighter pricing with a $2,000 minimum deposit and a $3 per-side commission. On EUR/USD, BlackBull’s Prime account showed an average spread of 0.16 pips in March 2024, which works out to an estimated all-in cost of 0.76 pips after commission. BlackBull Markets is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #9 out of 36 for Commissions and Fees.
ActivTrades also keeps costs fairly competitive, with spreads that are slightly better than the industry average overall, but not as low as the cheapest forex brokers. It offers an Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic Account options, but it does not have a special pricing model for high-volume traders. Spreads are generally the same across account types, and costs can vary by asset and platform. For EUR/USD, ActivTrades reported an average spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024. ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranked #21 out of 36 for Commissions and Fees.
In simple terms, BlackBull Markets is the better choice if lower forex trading costs are your main goal, while ActivTrades may still appeal to traders who want straightforward account options and decent overall pricing. If you want the lower-cost option on EUR/USD specifically, BlackBull’s Prime account is the more competitive pick.
| 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.
When it comes to range of investments, BlackBull Markets offers more choice than ActivTrades. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both include copy trading plus cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy delivered crypto. BlackBull Markets stands out with 26,000 tradeable symbols and 72 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs, giving traders a much wider selection to explore.
BlackBull Markets also lets clients buy exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while ActivTrades only offers exchange traded securities on international markets. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments category, BlackBull Markets earns 5 stars and ranks 7th out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades receives 4 stars and ranks 25th, making BlackBull Markets the stronger pick for traders who want more market access and investment variety.
| 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 plenty of ways to get started, with free demo accounts, web-based platforms, Windows desktop downloads, copy trading, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets you place trades directly from charts, which is helpful for traders who want a quick and simple way to manage orders. In short, both platforms cover the basics well and offer tools that suit beginners and more active traders alike.
The main difference is that ActivTrades offers its own in-house trading platform, while BlackBull Markets does not. That may matter to traders who want a broker-built platform alongside MetaTrader. Still, the two brokers are closely matched overall, with each earning 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. On ForexBrokers.com, BlackBull Markets ranks slightly higher in this category at #25 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at #26.
| 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 offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. In this area, the two brokers are closely matched, and both receive a 4-star rating for Mobile Trading Apps.
The main difference is watchlist syncing: BlackBull Markets lets users sync watchlists between the mobile app and their online account, while ActivTrades does not. Even so, ActivTrades ranks higher in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, placing #21 out of 36 brokers compared with BlackBull Markets at #27.
| 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.
When it comes to market research, both BlackBull Markets and ActivTrades give traders daily market commentary, a sentiment tool for viewing long and short positioning, and an economic calendar with upcoming global events. Each broker also earns a solid reputation for research overall, with BlackBull Markets rated 4.5 out of 5 and ranked #17 out of 36 by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 and ranked #26.
The main difference is in news and research extras. ActivTrades provides forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, which BlackBull Markets does not. BlackBull Markets, on the other hand, offers Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental analysis, while ActivTrades does not. Neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools, so the choice may come down to whether you value premium news coverage or Autochartist research support more.
| 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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