Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Fineco 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.
Fineco and ActivTrades are both well-established online brokers, with Fineco being founded in 1999 and ActivTrades in 2001. Fineco is publicly traded and functions as a bank, which might offer an added layer of assurance for some investors. In terms of regulatory trust, both brokers hold two Tier-1 licenses, signifying a high level of trust. However, Fineco enjoys a superior Trust Score of 94 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, compared to ActivTrades' Trust Score of 81.
While both brokers offer a trusted experience, ActivTrades falls slightly behind in regulatory strength with one additional Tier-2 license. This, coupled with the company's privately held status and non-bank operation, might make it less attractive to investors prioritizing regulatory backing. In contrast, Fineco's standing as a public entity and a bank, alongside its higher Trust Score, might appeal to those seeking high transparency and security.
| Feature |
Fineco
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, ActivTrades comes out ahead for forex costs thanks to clearer pricing and slightly tighter typical spreads, while Fineco’s true costs are harder to pin down. ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #29 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees, versus Fineco’s 3.5 stars and #52 ranking.
Fineco does not publish average spread data for forex and CFD trading, making cost comparisons tricky. It advertises EUR/USD spreads of 1.0 pip and 0.8 pips, but neither figure is confirmed as an average or tied to a date range—so real trading costs may differ. Fineco’s index CFD spreads appear more competitive. Overall rating for Commissions and Fees: 3.5 stars (ranked #52/63).
ActivTrades lists target spreads and confirmed that its average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024—slightly better than the industry average, though not among the very lowest. Pricing depends on the assets you trade and the platform, and spreads can widen during rollover. Spreads are the same across its Individual, Professional, and Islamic accounts, and there’s no special active-trader pricing. Overall rating for Commissions and Fees: 4 stars (ranked #29/63).
| Feature |
Fineco
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Fineco vs ActivTrades for range of investments: both let you trade forex as either a CFD or a spot contract. Fineco delivers far more choice, with 9,770 tradeable symbols and 54 forex pairs, plus direct share dealing on both U.S. exchanges (you can buy Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL)) and international markets. ActivTrades offers 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs; it supports international share dealing but not U.S. shares.
Feature-wise, ActivTrades includes copy trading and offers cryptocurrency CFDs, while Fineco does not provide copy trading or crypto CFDs. Neither broker offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency. For range of investments, Fineco is rated 4.5 stars and ranked #17 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds 4 stars and ranks #32.
| Feature |
Fineco
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 9770 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 54 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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.
Fineco and ActivTrades both offer their own (in-house) trading platforms, with options to trade on a Windows desktop download or in a web browser. ActivTrades also supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Fineco does not. Each broker earns 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools from ForexBrokers.com, though Fineco is ranked higher (#18 of 63) than ActivTrades (#32 of 63).
For extra tools, ActivTrades stands out with a free demo (paper) account, copy trading, and the ability to place orders directly from charts. Fineco does not currently offer paper trading, copy trading, or chart trading. Exact counts for chart indicators and watch list fields were not specified. If you want MetaTrader, paper trading, or copy trading, ActivTrades is the better fit; if you’re fine using a broker’s own platform without those extras, Fineco could work.
| Feature |
Fineco
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | No | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 37 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Fineco and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so you can trade on the go. Each app supports stock and forex price alerts to help you track moves. However, neither app syncs watchlists between mobile and the online account, so changes you make in one place won’t appear in the other.
For charting, ActivTrades offers more built-in studies (30 vs 6 with Fineco), plus the ability to draw trendlines; it also auto-saves your drawings. Fineco lacks trendline drawing and does not save drawings. Despite these differences, both apps earned 4 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, ActivTrades ranks #19 out of 63 brokers, while Fineco ranks #43.
| Feature |
Fineco
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 6 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
For market research, ActivTrades has an edge if you want in-house insights: it provides daily market commentary and a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long and short positions, while Fineco offers neither. Both brokers deliver forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, and each includes an economic calendar covering global events. Neither Fineco nor ActivTrades integrates Autochartist or Trading Central tools. Availability of TipRanks or Acuity Trading research for Fineco isn’t specified, while ActivTrades does not offer either provider.
In ratings, both brokers earn 4.0 stars for Research. However, ActivTrades holds a better placement in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings at #31 out of 63, compared with Fineco at #34. If you prioritize daily commentary and sentiment data, ActivTrades may suit you better; if your needs center on headline news and an economic calendar, both platforms are comparable.
| Feature |
Fineco
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Acuity Trading | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginner traders comparing Fineco and ActivTrades, both brokers make it easy to start learning. Each offers at least 10 beginner-focused trading videos and hosts educational webinars every month, giving newcomers consistent, structured lessons to build core skills.
The key difference appears as you progress: ActivTrades also provides at least 10 advanced trading videos, while Fineco does not meet that mark. Both earn 4 out of 5 stars for education, yet in ForexBrokers.com’s Education ranking ActivTrades sits at #38 of 63, compared with Fineco at #49. If you want a straightforward way to get started, either broker fits; if you plan to grow into more advanced topics with the same provider, ActivTrades has the edge.
| Feature |
Fineco
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Fineco is better than ActivTrades. Fineco finished with an overall rank of #25, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
FinecoBank is a trusted multi-asset broker offering forex and CFDs across its brands regulated in the U.K. and Italy. However, unless you visit a physical branch as a citizen of the EU – or you are a resident of Italy or the U.K. – you will not be permitted to open an online account with FinecoBank.
| Feature |
Fineco
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ActivTrades
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| Trust Score | 94 | 81 |
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In a head-to-head comparison of Fineco vs ActivTrades for crypto trading, neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but only ActivTrades offers cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas Fineco does not.
Fineco vs ActivTrades: Fineco supports ACH/SEPA transfers for account deposits and withdrawals (which ActivTrades does not), whereas ActivTrades offers Skrill and bank wire funding but not PayPal; other payment methods were not specified in the provided details.
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 | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Fineco Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 94 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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) | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 9770 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 54 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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 | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | No | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 37 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 6 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Fineco Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Fineco | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Fineco Review | ActivTrades Review |
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