Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IC 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.
IC Markets vs ActivTrades: IC Markets was founded in 2007, while ActivTrades started in 2001. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank.
Regulation and safety: Both brokers hold two Tier-1 licenses. IC Markets holds no Tier-2 licenses, while ActivTrades holds one. On the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score (0–99, where 90–99 = highly trusted, 80–89 = trusted, 70–79 = average risk, 60–69 = high risk, and under 59 = not trusted), IC Markets scores 83 and ActivTrades scores 80. That places both in the trusted range, with IC Markets slightly higher.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
IC Markets comes out ahead of ActivTrades for commissions and fees, especially for traders who want very low forex trading costs. IC Markets offers a commission-free Standard account plus Raw Spread and cTrader Raw Spread accounts with tight pricing; its average EUR/USD spread has been listed at 0.02 pips, with all-in costs around 0.62 pips on cTrader and 0.72 pips on MetaTrader after commissions. It also offers active trader discounts for those who trade more than 100 standard lots per month. IC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranked #4 out of 36 brokers for Commissions & Fees.
ActivTrades is still reasonably priced, but its costs are not as low as IC Markets. It mainly offers one standard Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic account options, and it does not have a special pricing plan for high-volume traders. ActivTrades lists target spreads by asset, and its average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024, which is slightly above what the cheapest forex brokers typically charge. ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranked #23 out of 36 for Commissions & Fees.
In simple terms, IC Markets is the better pick if keeping trading costs down is your top priority, while ActivTrades may suit traders who want a straightforward account setup and are comfortable with slightly higher spreads. For commissions and fees alone, IC Markets offers the better value overall.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.8 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.72 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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.
When it comes to range of investments, IC Markets has the edge over ActivTrades. Both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, plus copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, but IC Markets lists far more tradable symbols overall, with 7,435 compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267. IC Markets also offers 61 forex pairs, while ActivTrades offers 49, giving IC Markets a slightly wider choice for currency traders.
The main difference is that ActivTrades offers exchange-traded securities on international markets, while IC Markets does not offer these shares. Neither broker lets clients buy U.S.-listed shares or actual cryptocurrency. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s ratings, IC Markets scores 4.5 out of 5 for Range of Investments and ranks #22 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades scores 4 out of 5 and ranks #26.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7435 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 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.
IC Markets and ActivTrades both give traders plenty of ways to get started, including free demo accounts for practice, Windows desktop apps, web-based platforms, copy trading, and support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both brokers also let you place trades straight from a chart, which is helpful for active traders who want to move quickly. In short, each broker offers the main tools most beginners and experienced traders look for in a trading setup.
The biggest difference is that ActivTrades includes its own in-house platform, while IC Markets does not offer a proprietary platform. Still, IC Markets edges ahead overall in ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, ranking #17 out of 36 brokers compared with ActivTrades at #28. Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, so the choice may come down to whether you want an extra built-in platform option or prefer to stick with the standard platforms both brokers support.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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) | 32 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IC Markets and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, making it easy for traders to manage accounts and watch markets on the go. Each app also supports price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving chart drawings, which helps with quick analysis from a phone or tablet. One limitation for both brokers is that watchlists do not sync between the mobile app and the online account, so changes made in one place will not carry over to the other.
When it comes to charting tools, IC Markets has a slight edge with 32 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with 30 for ActivTrades. Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, but ActivTrades ranks a little higher overall in ForexBrokers.com’s mobile category at #21 out of 36, while IC Markets sits at #22. For mobile traders, the two are very close, with IC Markets standing out slightly for charting depth and ActivTrades edging ahead in ranking.
| Feature |
IC 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 | 32 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IC Markets and ActivTrades both give traders a solid range of market research tools. Each broker offers daily market commentary, news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for tracking upcoming events. Both are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for research, which places them among the better options for traders who want regular updates and simple ways to follow the market.
The main difference is that IC Markets offers more research depth overall. It includes Trading Central and TipRanks, while ActivTrades does not offer either of these tools. Neither broker provides Autochartist or Acuity Trading. In ForexBrokers.com’s research rankings, IC Markets sits higher at #21 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at #28, making IC Markets the stronger pick for market research.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
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 | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for trading help, both IC Markets and ActivTrades offer a wide mix of learning materials. Each broker provides forex and CFD education with at least 10 pieces of content, plus monthly online client webinars. They also both have at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so new traders and more experienced users can find useful lessons in either place. In short, both brokers give beginners access to a solid set of educational tools.
When it comes to overall education quality, IC Markets has the edge. Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education, but IC Markets is ranked #16 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades sits at #32. That suggests IC Markets may offer a slightly better learning experience overall, even though ActivTrades still provides plenty of helpful beginner-friendly education.
| Feature |
IC 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 IC Markets is better than ActivTrades. IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #21, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
IC Markets’ competitive pricing and scalable execution make it an excellent option for algorithmic traders. Though it supports an impressive range of third-party tools and plugins, IC Markets’ research and education offerings are not as impressive as those offered by industry leaders.
| Feature |
IC Markets
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 80 |
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IC Markets vs ActivTrades: neither broker offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide cryptocurrency CFDs for trading price movements.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal options, IC Markets and ActivTrades both support Skrill and bank wire transfers and do not offer ACH or SEPA transfers, but only IC Markets supports PayPal, while 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 | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 83 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 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 | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IC 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) | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7435 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 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 | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 0.8 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.72 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 32 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IC 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 | 32 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | IC Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
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