Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs Eightcap, 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.
ActivTrades and Eightcap are two reputable online brokers with distinct regulatory profiles. ActivTrades, established in 2001, holds two Tier-1 licenses, which indicates a high level of trust according to ForexBrokers.com. Additionally, they possess one Tier-2 license, classifying them as trusted. Their Trust Score is 81 out of 99, placing them in the trusted category. Although they are not publicly traded nor operate as a bank, they remain a solid choice for those seeking a reliable trading platform.
Founded in 2009, Eightcap boasts a robust regulatory framework with three Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a high level of trust. Unlike ActivTrades, Eightcap does not hold any Tier-2 licenses but still earns a superior Trust Score of 85 out of 99, placing them higher on the trust scale. Similar to ActivTrades, Eightcap is neither publicly traded nor a banking institution, yet offers a secure environment for online traders.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Eightcap edges ActivTrades on headline pricing for popular forex pairs, though both earn 4/5 stars. Eightcap is ranked #27 of 63 for Commissions & Fees by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades sits at #29 of 63. In practice, Eightcap’s commission-based Raw account averages an all-in cost around 0.76 pips on EUR/USD, versus ActivTrades’ reported 0.98-pip average for May 2024. Both are competitive, but neither is the absolute cheapest in the market.
ActivTrades keeps things simple with one main Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic options, and a demo account for practice. There’s no special pricing for high-volume traders, and spreads are the same across account types; the Professional tier mainly affects margin and leverage. Actual spreads can vary by platform and time of day, and may widen during rollover. Overall, ActivTrades’ spreads tend to be a bit better than the industry average, but not as low as the most aggressive discount brokers. Rating: 4/5 stars; Ranking: #29 of 63 for Commissions & Fees.
Eightcap offers two choices: the spread-only Standard account or the commission-based Raw account. On the Raw account, Eightcap lists a 0.06-pip average spread on EUR/USD; once you add the $3.50 per-side commission, the all-in cost is roughly 0.76 pips—just under the 0.8-pip industry average. The Standard account folds costs into the spread. Overall, Eightcap is priced well but still a touch higher than the very lowest-cost brokers. Rating: 4/5 stars; Ranking: #27 of 63 for Commissions & Fees.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | 1.0 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.76 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing the range of investments, ActivTrades offers a wider selection with 1,267 tradeable symbols versus Eightcap’s 803. In forex, Eightcap lists 55 currency pairs while ActivTrades has 49; both support forex trading through CFDs/spot contracts. If overall market coverage matters most, ActivTrades provides more instruments to choose from.
Access to shares differs: neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed stocks directly (non-CFD), but ActivTrades does provide direct access to international exchange-traded securities, which Eightcap does not. Both brokers offer copy trading. For crypto, neither sells actual coins, yet both offer cryptocurrency CFDs. According to ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments scores, ActivTrades is rated 4 stars (ranked 32 of 63), while Eightcap is rated 3.5 stars (ranked 41 of 63).
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 803 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 55 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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.
ActivTrades and Eightcap both check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers simulated (paper) trading with a free demo account, Windows desktop and web-based platforms, copy trading, and the popular MetaTrader suites — MT4 and MT5. A notable difference is that ActivTrades provides its own proprietary platform in addition to MetaTrader, while Eightcap focuses on third-party platforms only. Both brokers also let you place trades directly from charts, which is handy for quick execution.
In independent testing of trading platforms and tools, both ActivTrades and Eightcap earned 4 out of 5 stars. However, ActivTrades ranks slightly higher — 32nd out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com — compared with Eightcap at 39th. If you want access to a proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader, ActivTrades has the edge. If you’re happy using MT4/MT5 with copy trading on desktop or web, either broker can fit the bill.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| 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) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing ActivTrades vs Eightcap for mobile trading, both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps with stock and forex price alerts. Their charting is evenly matched: each provides 30 technical studies, lets you draw trendlines, and auto-saves your annotations—handy for reviewing setups on the go.
The standout difference is watchlist syncing. Eightcap syncs symbols between your mobile app and online account, while ActivTrades does not. Both earn 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, but ForexBrokers.com ranks ActivTrades higher (#19 out of 63) than Eightcap (#39). If seamless watchlists across devices matter most, Eightcap has the edge; if industry ranking is your tie-breaker, ActivTrades may appeal. Either way, both cover the essentials for trading from your phone.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing ActivTrades vs. Eightcap for market research: both brokers provide daily market commentary, an economic calendar, and sentiment tools that show long/short positioning. The key difference is news coverage—ActivTrades streams forex headlines from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, while Eightcap does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 31st of 63 brokers for Research; Eightcap scores 3.5 stars and ranks 40th.
On third-party tools, both lack Autochartist, Trading Central, and TipRanks. Eightcap does include Acuity Trading (Signal Centre), which adds trading ideas and headlines, whereas ActivTrades does not. If premium news feeds matter most, ActivTrades is the better pick; if you want Acuity-powered insights built in, Eightcap has the edge.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
ActivTrades and Eightcap both deliver beginner-friendly forex and CFD education. Each broker offers at least 10 educational pieces, including 10+ beginner videos that cover core trading topics in plain language. Both also host online client webinars at least once a month, giving newcomers a steady stream of live learning opportunities.
Where they differ is depth for seasoned learners. ActivTrades provides 10+ advanced videos, while Eightcap falls short on advanced lessons. Reflecting this, ActivTrades earns 4 stars for Education and ranks #38 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Eightcap’s 3.5 stars and #40 ranking. In short, both are solid for starting out, but ActivTrades makes it easier to keep building skills over time.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than Eightcap. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while Eightcap finished with an overall rank of #38.
ActivTrades is a long-standing brand that offers a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, and support for the award-winning TradingView and MetaTrader (MT4 and MT5) platforms. ActivTrades also delivers a selection of custom add-ons, indicators, and trading tools for traders who prefer to use MetaTrader. Drawbacks for trading with ActivTrades include a smaller selection of tradeable symbols and fewer educational resources than what’s available from the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
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Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 81 | 85 |
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ActivTrades vs Eightcap: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFDs (not the underlying coins).
Comparing online brokers ActivTrades vs Eightcap for deposit and withdrawal methods: neither supports ACH or SEPA transfers, both offer Skrill and bank wire funding, and only Eightcap supports PayPal.
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 | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Eightcap Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2009 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 803 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 55 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | 1.0 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.76 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| 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 | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Eightcap Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Eightcap Review |
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