Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com 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.
FOREX.com vs ActivTrades: FOREX.com was founded in 1999, while ActivTrades started in 2001. FOREX.com is publicly traded, ActivTrades is not, and neither broker is a bank. On ForexBrokers.com’s 0–99 Trust Score (90–99 highly trusted; 80–89 trusted; 70–79 average risk; 60–69 high risk; below 59 not trusted), FOREX.com scores 99 (highly trusted) and ActivTrades scores 80 (trusted).
Regulation matters in this comparison. FOREX.com holds seven Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and two Tier-2 licenses (trusted). ActivTrades holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. The larger set of top-tier licenses helps explain FOREX.com’s higher Trust Score, while ActivTrades maintains a trusted standing.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, FOREX.com comes out a bit ahead of ActivTrades. FOREX.com earns a 4.5-star rating and ranks #15 out of 36 brokers for this category, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #23 out of 36. FOREX.com can be pricier than the industry average for some U.S. traders, especially on its Standard account, but its RAW account offers tighter pricing with commission-based trading. Outside the U.S., spreads can be lower, and active traders may also qualify for volume-based rebates.
ActivTrades has slightly better-than-average pricing overall, but it does not match the lowest-cost brokers. It earns 4 stars and ranks #23 out of 36 for commissions and fees. The broker mainly offers one standard account type, plus professional and Islamic account options, with no special pricing for high-volume traders. Its average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024, which is reasonable but not as competitive as FOREX.com’s RAW account for many active traders.
In simple terms, FOREX.com is usually the better pick if you want more account choices and the chance for lower trading costs through its commission-based setup, especially if you trade often. ActivTrades may still suit traders who want straightforward pricing and fewer account options, but its fees are generally less competitive than FOREX.com’s best rates.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.00 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.13 | 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, FOREX.com offers more to choose from than ActivTrades. FOREX.com supports forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, and it lists 7,000 tradeable symbols and 55 forex pairs. It also gives clients access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, plus cryptocurrency CFDs. In ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments category, FOREX.com earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers.
ActivTrades also offers forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, along with 1,267 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs. It provides exchange-traded securities on international exchanges and supports copy trading, which FOREX.com does not. ActivTrades also offers cryptocurrency CFDs, but not actual crypto ownership or U.S.-listed shares. For range of investments, ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks #26 out of 36 brokers.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 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) | 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.
FOREX.com and ActivTrades both give traders a wide choice of platform options, including a free demo account for practice, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, a web-based platform, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can make placing orders faster and easier for active traders. In short, both brokers cover the main trading platform needs well for beginners and more experienced users alike.
The main difference is that ActivTrades offers copy trading, while FOREX.com does not. FOREX.com also stands out in third-party reviews, earning 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranking #5 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with ActivTrades at 4 out of 5 stars and #28 out of 36. If you want a broker with the stronger overall platform rating, FOREX.com has the edge, while ActivTrades may appeal more to traders who want copy trading as part of their setup.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 90 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FOREX.com and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts for stocks or forex. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on charts and saves those drawings automatically, which makes it easier to track trading ideas on the go. For traders who want a smooth experience between devices, FOREX.com has an added advantage because its watchlists sync with the online account, while ActivTrades does not offer watchlist syncing in its mobile app.
When it comes to charting tools, FOREX.com stands out with 90 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 30 at ActivTrades. That difference helps give FOREX.com an edge for traders who want more ways to analyze price action from a phone or tablet. This stronger mobile trading experience is reflected in ratings as well: FOREX.com earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks #21.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 90 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FOREX.com and ActivTrades both give traders useful market research features, including daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a sentiment tool that shows long-versus-short positioning, and an economic calendar for tracking global events. Neither broker offers Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools. The main difference is that FOREX.com also includes Trading Central’s technical analysis tools, while ActivTrades does not.
Overall, FOREX.com has the edge for market research. It earns a 5-star Research rating and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Research category, compared with ActivTrades, which is rated 4 stars and ranks #28. For traders who want a wider set of research tools, FOREX.com stands out as the stronger choice.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to beginner-friendly learning tools, both FOREX.com and ActivTrades offer a solid range of forex and CFD education. Each broker provides at least 10 educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs, regular online client webinars, and plenty of beginner and advanced videos to help traders build skills at different levels. That means new traders can find lessons on basic concepts, while more experienced users can also access content on more advanced trading topics.
Even so, FOREX.com stands out more clearly for education. It earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers for the Education category, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #32. For beginners looking for a broker with more highly rated learning resources, FOREX.com has the stronger edge, although ActivTrades still gives traders access to useful educational material and regular webinars.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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 FOREX.com is better than ActivTrades. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #4, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 |
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In the FOREX.com vs ActivTrades comparison, neither online broker offers the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both allow cryptocurrency trading via CFDs.
Compared to ActivTrades, FOREX.com stands out by supporting ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires, 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 | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | 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 | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 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) | 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 | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.00 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.13 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $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 | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 90 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 90 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | FOREX.com Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | ActivTrades Review |
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