Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs Exness, 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 Exness are both established online brokers, with ActivTrades having been founded in 2001 and Exness in 2008. Neither of these brokers is publicly traded or operates as a bank. When it comes to regulatory strength, both ActivTrades and Exness have built strong foundations, each holding two Tier-1 licenses. Tier-1 licenses are highly regarded and signify a strong level of trust for these brokers.
In addition to their Tier-1 licenses, ActivTrades has one Tier-2 license, while Exness boasts three. With a Trust Score of 81 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, both brokers are considered trusted. Their impressive regulatory standing and trust ratings make them reliable choices for individuals seeking efficient online trading platforms.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
Comparing commissions and fees, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars, but ActivTrades ranks higher at #21 of 63 in ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category, while Exness sits at #31 of 63. Your actual costs at either broker will vary by asset and account type, but the pricing models differ in important ways.
ActivTrades keeps things straightforward with its Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic options. Spreads are slightly better than the industry average, though not the very cheapest; for example, ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024. Spreads are the same across account types, there’s no special pricing for high-volume traders, and costs can change by platform and market conditions, including wider spreads around rollover. ActivTrades is rated 4/5 stars for commissions and fees and ranked #21 of 63 by ForexBrokers.com.
Exness offers more account variety, including commission-free options (Standard Cent, Standard, Pro) and two commission-based accounts aimed at lower spreads. The Pro account has tighter spreads than the Standard accounts and supports both instant and market execution. The Zero Spread account charges a per-trade commission of $0.05 with market execution, while the Raw account charges up to $7 per round turn lot ($3.5 per side) and features low spreads; margin calls trigger at 30% on these pro-style accounts. Exness is rated 4/5 stars for commissions and fees and ranked #31 of 63 by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.08 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing ActivTrades vs Exness for range of investments: ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable symbols, far more than Exness at 209. Exness, however, leads in currency choices with 96 forex pairs versus 49 at ActivTrades. Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer crypto CFDs (but not actual crypto). Copy trading is available on each platform.
For exchange-traded securities, neither broker lets you buy U.S. shares directly, but ActivTrades does provide access to certain international exchange-traded shares, while Exness does not. Reflecting this breadth, ForexBrokers.com rates ActivTrades 4 out of 5 stars and ranks it #25 of 63 for range of investments; Exness earns 3.5 stars and ranks #34.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 209 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 96 |
| 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 Exness both check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo account for practice, a proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), plus both web-based and Windows desktop platforms. Copy trading is available at both brokers, and you can place orders directly from charts. The exact counts for built-in technical indicators and watch list columns aren’t specified for either broker.
In independent testing, both earned 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. However, Exness ranks higher overall at #15 out of 63 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at #26. If you’re deciding between them, try their demo accounts to compare the feel of the platforms, charting workflow, and copy trading experience side by side.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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) | 30 | 107 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
ActivTrades and Exness both offer iPhone and Android mobile trading apps with price alerts. Neither supports watchlist symbol syncing between mobile and the web, so lists won’t update across platforms automatically. Both apps let you draw trendlines on charts.
For charting tools, Exness provides 35 technical studies versus ActivTrades’ 30. ActivTrades auto-saves chart drawings, while Exness does not—useful if you want your levels and trendlines preserved. Both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s comparison of 63 brokers, Exness ranks 18th and ActivTrades 21st. Choose Exness if you want more built-in indicators; pick ActivTrades if saved drawings are a priority.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 35 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
ActivTrades and Exness both deliver daily market commentary and stream forex news from leading sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. Each broker offers a sentiment tool that shows long vs. short positioning and an economic calendar to track key events. Neither platform includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
The main difference is Trading Central: Exness provides Trading Central analysis, while ActivTrades does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades earns 4 stars for Research and ranks #26 out of 63 brokers, whereas Exness scores 3.5 stars and ranks #31. Choose Exness if you want built-in Trading Central insights, or ActivTrades if overall research quality and rating take priority.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
ActivTrades and Exness both deliver beginner-friendly forex and CFD education with sizeable libraries that meet the 10+ piece mark, spanning articles, videos, and archived webinars. Each broker also runs client webinars at least once a month and offers at least 10 dedicated beginner videos, making it easy to learn basics like order types, charts, and risk management. As your skills grow, both brokers provide at least 10 advanced videos too, so you can keep progressing without switching learning hubs.
For quality signals, ActivTrades earns 4 stars for Education, while Exness is rated 3.5 stars. That said, in the Education category rankings from ForexBrokers.com, Exness places higher at #21 out of 63 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at #30. In short: choose ActivTrades if you prefer a slightly higher star score, or Exness if a stronger category placement matters more to you. Either way, beginners get a deep mix of videos, webinars, and written guides to start trading with more confidence.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 ActivTrades is better than Exness. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #31.
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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Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 81 |
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Comparing ActivTrades and Exness, neither broker allows you to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
ActivTrades vs Exness: both online brokers allow Skrill and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, do not support ACH/SEPA or PayPal, and Visa/Mastercard availability is 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 | ActivTrades | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | Exness | |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | Yes |
| Investments | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 209 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 96 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.08 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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 | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 107 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 35 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Exness Review |
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