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 | 1 |
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 | 0.98 | 1.0 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.76 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
ActivTrades and Eightcap both support forex trading offered as CFDs or spot contracts (availability can vary by region), and each provides copy trading plus access to cryptocurrency derivatives; neither broker lets you buy actual crypto. ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable symbols versus Eightcap’s 800. When it comes to forex pairs, Eightcap edges ahead with 56 compared to ActivTrades’ 49. For direct share dealing (not CFDs), neither broker offers U.S.-listed stocks, but ActivTrades does provide access to international exchange-traded shares, while Eightcap does not.
For range of investments, ForexBrokers.com rates ActivTrades at 4 stars (ranked 32 of 63) and Eightcap at 3.5 stars (ranked 41 of 63). In simple terms: choose ActivTrades if you want more total instruments and the option to buy international shares, while Eightcap can be attractive if your priority is a slightly larger list of forex pairs alongside CFD and crypto-derivative trading.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 800 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 56 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | 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.
ActivTrades and Eightcap both make it easy to get started with a free demo account for paper trading, and each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) on Windows desktop and in a web browser. ActivTrades also offers its own proprietary platform, while Eightcap focuses on third‑party platforms. Copy trading is available at both brokers, and neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. For charting, each provides 15 drawing tools and the ability to place trades directly from charts. Watch lists are a bit more customizable at ActivTrades (11 columns) compared with Eightcap (7 columns).
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. According to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades ranks #32 out of 63, while Eightcap ranks #39. If you prefer having an in-house platform and more watch list fields, ActivTrades may suit you; if you mainly want MT4/MT5 with copy trading across desktop and web, Eightcap remains a solid alternative.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
ActivTrades and Eightcap both offer full-featured mobile trading on iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts for forex or stocks, real-time quote watchlists, and strong charting with 30 technical studies, trendline tools, multiple time frames (intraday to weekly), and auto-saved drawings. If you want consistent tools and charts on the go, either app will cover the essentials.
The key difference is watchlist syncing: Eightcap syncs symbols between the mobile app and your online account, while ActivTrades does not. Both earn 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, but ActivTrades holds a higher category ranking from ForexBrokers.com—#19 out of 63 brokers versus Eightcap’s #39. Pick ActivTrades if overall standing matters more, or choose Eightcap if cross-device watchlist syncing is a priority.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
ActivTrades and Eightcap both deliver daily market commentary and an easy-to-use economic calendar, plus sentiment tools that show the ratio of long vs. short positions across markets. The big difference is news coverage: ActivTrades includes forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while Eightcap does not. Neither broker integrates Autochartist or Trading Central, and neither offers research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading.
For overall research quality, ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks 31 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Eightcap earns 3.5 stars and ranks 40 out of 63. Traders who want premium news alongside commentary and sentiment will likely prefer ActivTrades, whereas Eightcap suits those who just need core features like daily updates, an economic calendar, and market sentiment.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources available to beginners, both ActivTrades and Eightcap provide a solid foundation with a range of materials including articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on forex and CFD education. ActivTrades stands out by offering regular online educational webinars monthly, a feature not available with Eightcap. Both brokers maintain searchable archives of their past webinars, making it easy for beginners to access and learn at their own pace. ActivTrades is notable for its comprehensive collection of beginner educational videos, as well as providing content for more advanced traders, something Eightcap lacks, offering no advanced videos.
ActivTrades is rated higher overall for its educational offerings with 4 out of 5 stars compared to Eightcap's 3.5 stars. Furthermore, Eightcap provides a valuable investor dictionary that comes in handy for those new to trading, a feature not available with ActivTrades. In rankings by ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades is placed slightly higher at #38 out of 63 brokers in the Education category, while Eightcap follows closely at #40. This indicates that while both brokers cater to beginner traders, ActivTrades may offer a broader range of educational tools, especially for those looking to progress to advanced levels of trading.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
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
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 85 |
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Both ActivTrades and Eightcap provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither platform supports the purchase of actual (delivered) cryptocurrency.
When comparing online brokers ActivTrades and Eightcap regarding deposit and withdrawal options, neither offers ACH or SEPA transfers, but while Eightcap supports PayPal, ActivTrades does not; both brokers, however, provide the convenience of using Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires for transactions.
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 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 800 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 56 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | 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 | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 1.0 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.76 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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