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 online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. ActivTrades was founded in 2001 and holds a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 80/99, which is considered trusted. Eightcap, founded in 2009, scores 87/99, also in the trusted range according to ForexBrokers.com.
Looking at regulation, Eightcap holds three Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted), while ActivTrades holds two. Both brokers have one Tier-2 license (trusted). In plain terms, both are viewed as trusted choices, with Eightcap showing a slight edge in top-tier regulatory coverage.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2009 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
ActivTrades’ commissions and fees lean on spreads that are slightly better than the industry average but not among the very cheapest. It offers one main Individual account plus Professional and Islamic options (spreads are the same across account types; the Pro account mainly affects margin/leverage, and the Islamic account is Sharia-compliant). Pricing can vary by asset and platform, and spreads may widen at rollover. For reference, ActivTrades reported a 0.98-pip average spread on EUR/USD in May 2024. Rating: 4/5 stars; Ranking for Commissions and Fees: #21 of 63 (ForexBrokers.com).
Eightcap has two pricing paths across its global entities: a spread-only Standard account and a commission-based Raw account. The Raw account lists a 0.06-pip average spread; after adding the $3.50 per-side commission, the estimated all-in cost is about 0.76 pips—just under the 0.8-pip industry average—though still not the absolute lowest on the market. Rating: 4.5/5 stars; Ranking for Commissions and Fees: #20 of 63 (ForexBrokers.com).
Head-to-head, Eightcap’s Raw account can edge out ActivTrades for EUR/USD (about 0.76 pips all-in vs. ActivTrades’ 0.98-pip average), while ActivTrades keeps things straightforward with one core account but no active-trader discounts. Your actual costs will depend on the instruments you trade, the account type you choose, and changing market conditions.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.08 | 1.0 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 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 ActivTrades vs Eightcap for range of investments: ActivTrades offers 1,267 tradeable instruments, while Eightcap lists 803. For forex, Eightcap has a slight edge in currency pair count (55 vs 49), and both brokers support forex trading. Crypto exposure is available at both via cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual, delivered crypto. Copy trading is offered by both.
Key differences appear with shares: neither broker provides direct access to U.S.-listed stocks, but ActivTrades does offer certain exchange‑traded securities on international markets (not CFDs), whereas Eightcap does not. Reflecting this breadth, ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks 25th out of 63 for Range of Investments; Eightcap scores 3.5 stars and ranks 29th.
| 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 cover the essentials for platform access and tools. Each broker offers a free demo (paper) trading account, Windows desktop and web-based platforms, copy trading, and the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can place trades directly from charts with both, which helps speed up execution and testing ideas.
The main difference is platform choice: ActivTrades adds a proprietary, in-house platform alongside MT4/MT5, while Eightcap sticks to the MetaTrader suite. According to ForexBrokers.com, both brokers earn 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools; ActivTrades ranks #26 out of 63 brokers, and Eightcap ranks #31. If you want an extra broker-built platform to try in addition to MetaTrader, ActivTrades may appeal; if you’re focused on MT4/MT5 alone, either broker fits 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.
ActivTrades and Eightcap both deliver capable mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each platform includes price alerts, 30 built-in technical studies for charting, the ability to draw trendlines, and auto-saving for your drawings—handy for picking up analysis where you left off.
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 apps, but ActivTrades holds a higher placement in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps ranking (#21 of 63) than Eightcap (#31 of 63). If synced watchlists matter, Eightcap is the better fit; if you care more about overall standing, ActivTrades has the edge.
| 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.
Both ActivTrades and Eightcap deliver the essentials for market research: daily market commentary, a handy economic calendar, and sentiment tools that show the ratio of long vs. short positions. A key difference is news: ActivTrades streams forex news from top-tier outlets like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while Eightcap does not. Neither broker includes Autochartist, Trading Central, or TipRanks. Eightcap counters with research from Acuity Trading (e.g., Signal Centre), which ActivTrades does not provide.
In our ratings, ActivTrades scores 4 out of 5 stars for Research (ranked 26th of 63 brokers), while Eightcap earns 3.5 out of 5 stars (33rd of 63). Choose ActivTrades if integrated, premium news coverage is important; pick Eightcap if you value Acuity Trading signals alongside solid day-to-day commentary, sentiment, and an economic calendar.
| 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.
For beginners, both ActivTrades and Eightcap offer plenty of forex and CFD education. Each runs at least one educational webinar per month and provides 10+ beginner-friendly video lessons that cover trading basics, making it easier to learn at your own pace with a mix of live sessions and on-demand content.
If you plan to progress beyond the basics, ActivTrades has an edge thanks to its library of 10+ advanced videos, while Eightcap does not meet that mark. That difference shows up in independent scores: ActivTrades earns 4 stars for Education and ranks 30th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, whereas Eightcap holds 3.5 stars and ranks 31st. Both are good for getting started, but ActivTrades offers a clearer path as your skills grow.
| 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 #28, while Eightcap finished with an overall rank of #30.
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
|
Eightcap
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 87 |
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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 | 80 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Eightcap Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Eightcap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 80 | 87 | |
| 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 | 1 | |
| 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 (FSA 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 CMA 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 | 1.08 | 1.0 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 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 | 80 | 87 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Eightcap Review |
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