Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FP Markets 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.
FP Markets (founded 2005) and ActivTrades (founded 2001) are online brokers that are privately held and not banks. Each holds two Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and one Tier-2 license (trusted), signaling a strong regulatory footprint for both.
Per ForexBrokers.com’s scale—90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted—FP Markets earns a 90/99 Trust Score (highly trusted), while ActivTrades scores 80/99 (trusted). In simple terms, both are well regulated, with FP Markets edging ahead on trust rating and ActivTrades offering a comparable, slightly lower-rated alternative.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, FP Markets generally comes out cheaper for active forex traders, while ActivTrades sits slightly above the industry average but below the deepest discount brokers. FP Markets holds a 4.5/5 stars rating and ranks #11 of 63 for Commissions and Fees (Best in Class, 2024), versus ActivTrades at 4/5 stars and #21 of 63. In practical terms, FP Markets’ commission-based Raw ECN pricing can deliver lower all-in costs than ActivTrades’ spread-only setup, especially if you trade standard lots frequently.
FP Markets offers two main choices on MetaTrader and cTrader: the Standard account (spread-only) and the Raw ECN account (commission-based). The Raw ECN averaged 0.1 pips on EUR/USD as of October 2023, about 0.8 pips all-in after a $6 round-turn commission per standard lot; the Standard account averaged 1.1 pips. FP Markets also provides DMA share CFDs on its Iress platform, but the ViewPoint accounts can carry platform and data fees unless you qualify for Premier or generate at least AUD 150 in monthly commissions. The Iress Investor option is cheaper but has limitations like no default streaming data.
ActivTrades keeps pricing simple with its Individual Account (plus Professional and Islamic options), but there’s no separate tier for high-volume traders and no active-trader discounts. Spreads are the same across account types and depend on the asset and platform; ActivTrades reported an average 0.98 pips on EUR/USD in May 2024. That places ActivTrades slightly better than the industry average, while FP Markets’ Raw ECN remains the more aggressive choice for traders seeking the lowest possible forex trading costs.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FP Markets and ActivTrades both support forex trading (as CFDs or spot, depending on the market), offer copy trading, and let you speculate on cryptocurrencies via crypto CFDs (neither broker sells actual crypto). FP Markets stands out for breadth, with about 10,000 tradeable symbols and 71 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs.
When it comes to exchange-traded shares, neither broker offers U.S.-listed stocks, but ActivTrades does provide access to some international shares listed on overseas exchanges, while FP Markets does not. For range of investments, FP Markets is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 16th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com; ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 25th. Choose FP Markets if you want more markets and currency pairs; pick ActivTrades if you value access to certain international exchange-traded shares alongside a solid CFD lineup.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| 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.
FP Markets and ActivTrades both check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo account for practice, a proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and platform access on Windows desktop and the web. You’ll also find copy trading and the ability to place orders directly from price charts, making it easier to go from analysis to execution.
In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, both brokers earned 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, with FP Markets ranked #22 of 63 brokers and ActivTrades close behind at #26. If you’re comparing platform choice, paper trading, MT4/MT5 support, and chart-based trading, these two online brokers offer a very similar toolkit.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FP Markets and ActivTrades both check the core boxes for mobile trading: iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving of chart drawings. Neither app syncs watchlists between mobile and the web, so list changes won’t carry over automatically.
For charting, FP Markets relies on MetaTrader’s default set of indicators, while ActivTrades lists 30 technical studies in its app. Each broker earns 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, FP Markets sits at #20 of 63 and ActivTrades at #21, making them very close contenders. If you prefer the MetaTrader experience, FP Markets may appeal; if you want a defined set of 30 studies within the app, ActivTrades is a solid match.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | MetaTrader (Default) | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FP Markets vs ActivTrades: both brokers deliver daily market commentary and stream forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Each also provides a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning and an economic calendar to track upcoming events, making them solid choices for traders who want timely insights and market context.
The key difference is the depth of third‑party analysis: FP Markets includes Autochartist and Trading Central, while ActivTrades does not offer either suite. Neither broker features TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools. Both earn a 4-star research rating, yet FP Markets ranks higher at #22 out of 63 brokers for research on ForexBrokers.com, compared with ActivTrades at #26.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | 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.
FP Markets and ActivTrades both deliver beginner-friendly forex and CFD education that clears the bar of at least 10 learning pieces. Each broker runs ongoing client webinars (at least monthly) and provides 10 or more beginner videos that explain trading basics in plain language, helping newcomers get up to speed with platforms, charts, and common order types.
As you progress, both brokers also include 10+ advanced videos to deepen your skills. According to ForexBrokers.com, each earns 4 out of 5 stars for Education, with FP Markets ranked 22nd out of 63 brokers and ActivTrades ranked 30th. That slight gap gives FP Markets a small edge on paper, but either is a solid pick if you want a broker with a well-stocked learning center for beginners.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
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 FP Markets is better than ActivTrades. FP Markets finished with an overall rank of #19, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
FP Markets shines as a low-cost broker for trading forex and CFDs – as long as you use the MetaTrader platform. The Iress platform suite offers well over 10,000 tradeable symbols, but it’s mostly a share trading platform – and is generally a much pricier option.
| Feature |
FP Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 90 | 80 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
FP Markets vs ActivTrades: both online brokers do not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but each offers trading in cryptocurrency CFDs.
Comparing FP Markets vs ActivTrades for deposits and withdrawals: neither supports ACH or SEPA transfers, both support Skrill and bank wire transfers, FP Markets supports PayPal while ActivTrades does not, and 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 | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 90 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 90 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2005 | 2001 | |
| 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 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FP Markets | 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) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | 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) | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 AUD | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FP Markets | 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 | MetaTrader (Default) | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FP Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | FP Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 90 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FP Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill