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.
When choosing a trading platform, understanding the level of trust and security a broker offers is crucial. FOREX.com, established in 1999, stands out with its impressive ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, indicating it's highly trusted. The company is publicly traded, which often adds a layer of transparency, and it holds 7 Tier-1 licenses, the highest number in the industry, showcasing its strong regulatory standing. Although it’s not a bank, the platform is considered a secure choice for online trading.
In contrast, ActivTrades, founded in 2001, has a Trust Score rating of 81, placing it in the trusted category. Although not publicly traded, ActivTrades holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, providing a solid regulatory framework, though not as extensive as FOREX.com. Like its counterpart, ActivTrades is not a bank, but it remains a viable option for traders looking for a platform with a trusted track record.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, FOREX.com and ActivTrades both offer competitive pricing, but they target slightly different traders. FOREX.com earns 4.5/5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #14 of 63 at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades scores 4/5 stars and ranks #29 of 63. In short, ActivTrades’ spreads are slightly better than average but not the lowest, and FOREX.com can be pricier on its Standard account in the U.S., unless you use its commission-based RAW pricing or you trade outside the U.S.
FOREX.com’s Standard account is spread-only and typically averages 1.4 pips on EUR/USD in the U.S. (July 2023), though outside the U.S. the EUR/USD averaged 0.74 pips in July 2023. Its RAW account targets 0.13-pip spreads on EUR/USD (Feb 2024) plus a $7 commission per standard lot ($3.50 per side), which equates to about 0.83 pips all-in for a 1-lot trade. Active traders can earn volume rebates (up to $9 per million), and very high monthly volume can drive costs even lower; however, if you trade under about $50 million per month, the all-in pricing for the Commission/RAW setup tends to land close to the Standard account for U.S. residents.
ActivTrades keeps things simple with one main account (Individual), plus Professional and Islamic options, and no separate active-trader pricing. EUR/USD averaged 0.98 pips in May 2024, and spreads remain the same across account types; costs can vary by platform and can widen during rollover. Bottom line: ActivTrades offers straightforward, spread-based pricing without high-volume discounts, while FOREX.com gives you a choice between a wider-spread Standard model and a commission-based RAW plan that can be cheaper if you trade enough volume.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.4 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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.
Looking at the range of investments, FOREX.com offers far more choice with about 5,500 tradeable symbols, compared with 1,267 at ActivTrades. FOREX.com also lists 80 forex pairs versus 49 at ActivTrades. Both brokers let you trade forex as a CFD or spot contract, and both offer cryptocurrency via CFDs (neither lets you buy actual crypto). Neither broker provides direct access to exchange-traded U.S. stocks like Apple.
A key difference is stock market access outside the U.S.: ActivTrades offers exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, while FOREX.com does not. ActivTrades also supports copy trading; FOREX.com does not. For range-of-investments ratings from ForexBrokers.com, FOREX.com earns 5 stars and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #32. In short, choose FOREX.com for sheer variety and forex depth, or ActivTrades if you want international shares and copy trading in your toolkit.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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 vs ActivTrades: both brokers check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo account for practice, an in-house platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. They also support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), plus the ability to place trades directly from charts. A notable difference is copy trading: ActivTrades offers it, while FOREX.com does not. Indicator counts for charting and the number of watchlist columns are not specified and can vary by platform layout.
For ratings, FOREX.com earns 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #32. In short, choose FOREX.com if you want a top-rated platform experience; pick ActivTrades if copy trading is important to you. Both let you test-drive with a free demo before committing real funds.
| 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) | 88 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FOREX.com and ActivTrades both offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, trendline drawing on charts, and auto-saving of your chart annotations. One key difference is watchlists: FOREX.com syncs your watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while ActivTrades does not, which can matter if you switch devices often.
For charting depth, FOREX.com includes 88 technical studies compared with 30 on ActivTrades. That added toolkit, plus synced watchlists, helps explain why ForexBrokers.com rates FOREX.com at 5 stars and ranks it #3 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and a #19 ranking. If you want more indicators and seamless watchlist syncing, FOREX.com is the stronger choice; if you need the basics with alerts and drawing tools, ActivTrades gets the job done.
| 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 | 88 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both FOREX.com and ActivTrades cover the basics traders look for in market research. Each offers daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, and an economic calendar for global events. Neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools.
The main difference is that FOREX.com adds Trading Central, giving traders extra technical and fundamental analysis tools that ActivTrades does not provide. That gap is reflected in independent ratings: FOREX.com earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #31. If you want Trading Central alongside daily commentary and top-tier news, FOREX.com has the advantage; if your needs are simpler, both brokers deliver core research features.
| 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.
Comparing FOREX.com vs ActivTrades for beginner education, both brokers make it easy to start learning forex and CFD trading. Each offers ongoing client webinars (at least one per month) and more than 10 beginner-focused videos that explain trading basics step by step. As you progress, both also provide 10+ advanced videos, giving you a clear path from newcomer to experienced trader without switching platforms.
Where they differ is in overall quality and recognition. FOREX.com earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its strong depth and structure for learners. ActivTrades also delivers helpful education, earning 4 out of 5 stars, but ranks #38 out of 63. If you want the most highly rated beginner education with frequent webinars and extensive video lessons, FOREX.com has the edge, while ActivTrades remains a solid alternative.
| 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 #5, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
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
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| 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 | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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) - Standard account | 1.4 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A | |
| 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 | 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) | 88 | 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | ActivTrades Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill