Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of eToro 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.
eToro vs. ActivTrades: eToro, founded in 2007, is publicly traded and not a bank. It earns a 97/99 ForexBrokers.com Trust Score, which falls in the “highly trusted” range (90–99). eToro also holds four Tier-1 licenses (the most stringent) and one Tier-2 license. ActivTrades, founded in 2001, is not publicly traded and is not a bank. It has an 80/99 Trust Score—classified as “trusted” (80–89)—with two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license.
In plain terms, both brokers are regulated, but eToro shows wider top-tier oversight and a higher trust rating, while ActivTrades remains trusted with fewer top-tier approvals. Always check which specific license covers your country before opening an account.
| Feature |
eToro
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, eToro and ActivTrades are both rated 4 out of 5 stars, and their costs are fairly close. eToro is a market-maker broker with a typical variable spread of 1 pip on EUR/USD, which is a little above the industry average. That means it is usually not the cheapest pick for trading costs, but many traders use eToro for its social copy trading features instead. eToro is ranked #24 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees by ForexBrokers.com.
ActivTrades also earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks slightly higher at #23 out of 36. Its spreads are generally a bit better than the industry average, and the broker reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024. While that is a little lower than eToro’s typical spread, ActivTrades still is not among the very lowest-cost forex brokers. Its pricing can also vary depending on the asset you trade and the platform you use.
In simple terms, eToro may appeal more to traders who want copy trading and social tools, while ActivTrades may suit those who care more about slightly tighter spreads. Both brokers offer different account types, but neither is built around special low-cost pricing for active traders.
| Feature |
eToro
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | 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, eToro gives traders more choice than ActivTrades. eToro offers 7,441 tradeable symbols, including 65 forex pairs, and lets clients buy real shares on both U.S. and international exchanges. It also supports copy trading and the purchase of actual cryptocurrency, as well as crypto CFDs, which may appeal to investors who want access to a wide mix of markets in one place.
ActivTrades also covers the basics well, with forex trading available as a CFD or spot contract, 1,267 tradeable symbols, and 49 forex pairs. It offers international exchange-traded shares, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but it does not support buying real U.S.-listed shares or actual crypto. Based on this broader selection, eToro earns a 5-star rating for Range of Investments and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades scores 4 stars and ranks #26.
| Feature |
eToro
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
eToro and ActivTrades both give traders a free demo account, a web-based platform, a built-in proprietary platform, copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. That makes both brokers a good fit for beginners who want to practice first and for active traders who like simple, browser-based access. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, eToro scores higher, with 4.5 out of 5 stars and an overall rank of #8 out of 36 brokers.
The biggest difference is that ActivTrades also offers a Windows desktop download and support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while eToro does not. This may appeal to traders who want more familiar desktop software and a wider range of platform choices. ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars in this category and ranks #28 out of 36, so while it has strong platform options, eToro edges it out overall for trading platforms and tools.
| Feature |
eToro
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
eToro and ActivTrades both make it easy to trade on the go with iPhone and Android apps, plus stock and forex price alerts. Both mobile apps also let you draw trendlines on charts. Where eToro stands out is in watchlist syncing, which lets changes made in the app and online account stay in sync, while ActivTrades does not offer this feature. eToro also provides a much wider set of charting tools, with 104 technical studies compared with 30 at ActivTrades.
In overall mobile app quality, eToro has the edge with a 4.5-star rating and a #10 ranking out of 36 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks #21. ActivTrades does have one helpful advantage: its app auto-saves chart drawings, which eToro does not. For traders who want stronger charting, synced watchlists, and a higher-rated app, eToro is the better pick, while ActivTrades still offers the basics needed for trading from a phone.
| Feature |
eToro
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
eToro and ActivTrades both give traders useful market research features, including daily market commentary, news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar with major global events. Neither broker includes Autochartist, Trading Central, or Acuity Trading tools, so their research offerings are similar in those areas.
The main difference is that eToro also offers market research from TipRanks, while ActivTrades does not. That extra edge helps eToro earn a higher research rating of 4.5 stars and a better ForexBrokers.com rank of #12 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at 4 stars and #28 out of 36.
| Feature |
eToro
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to learn about forex and CFD trading, both eToro and ActivTrades provide a wide range of helpful educational content. Each broker offers at least 10 pieces of forex or CFD-focused education, runs online client webinars at least once a month, and provides 10 or more beginner videos as well as 10 or more advanced videos. This means new traders can find basic lessons to help them start, while more experienced users can still access content that goes deeper into trading topics.
That said, eToro comes out ahead in overall education quality. It earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #32. So although both brokers give beginners plenty of learning material, eToro appears to offer the stronger education experience overall.
| Feature |
eToro
|
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 eToro is better than ActivTrades. eToro finished with an overall rank of #9, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
eToro is a winner for its easy-to-use copy-trading platform, where traders can copy the trades of experienced investors – or receive exclusive perks for sharing their own trading strategies.
| Feature |
eToro
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 80 |
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In the eToro vs ActivTrades comparison for crypto trading, eToro allows buying both actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas ActivTrades offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not provide delivered crypto.
In the eToro vs ActivTrades comparison, eToro supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers, while ActivTrades supports Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | eToro | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | eToro | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 97 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | 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) | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7441 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50-$10,000 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 106 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | eToro | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | eToro Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | eToro | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 97 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | eToro Review | ActivTrades Review |
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