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 on commissions and fees for most traders. IC Markets offers three account types: a commission-free Standard account and two commission-based Raw Spread options, with pricing that can be especially low for active traders. Its cTrader Raw Spread account charges about $3.00 per side per 100,000 units, while the MT4/MT5 Raw Spread account charges about $3.50 per side. With average EUR/USD pricing as low as 0.62 pips on cTrader and 0.72 pips on MetaTrader, IC Markets is one of the more affordable forex brokers in this comparison. It also earned 5 stars and ranked #5 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
ActivTrades is still reasonably priced, but it does not match IC Markets for low-cost trading. The broker mainly offers one standard Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic Account options, and it does not have special pricing for high-volume traders. ActivTrades’ costs depend on the market you trade, and its average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024. That puts it slightly above average overall, though still competitive for many casual traders. ActivTrades earned 4 stars and ranked #22 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
In simple terms, IC Markets is the better pick if your main goal is keeping trading costs down, especially for forex and frequent trading. ActivTrades may still appeal to traders who want a straightforward account setup, but its spreads are generally higher than IC Markets and there are fewer pricing perks for active users.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.62 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 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.
When it comes to range of investments, IC Markets has the wider offering overall. Both IC Markets and ActivTrades let clients trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, offer copy trading, and provide access to cryptocurrency CFDs rather than real crypto. Neither broker offers exchange-traded U.S. shares such as Apple, but both do give access to exchange-traded securities on international markets, such as Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange.
IC Markets stands out with 3,583 tradeable symbols and 61 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. That broader choice is reflected in its better ratings too: 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. For traders looking for more markets to choose from, IC Markets has the edge.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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 a solid set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, desktop downloads for Windows, web-based trading, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, copy trading, and the ability to place trades straight from charts. For traders who want to practice first or switch between devices, each broker covers the basics well and offers the tools most people look for in everyday trading.
The biggest difference is that ActivTrades also offers its own in-house platform, while IC Markets does not. Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for trading platforms and tools, but IC Markets ranks higher in ForexBrokers.com’s category list at #17 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at #27. That makes IC Markets the stronger pick on overall platform and tool standing, while ActivTrades may appeal more to traders who want a broker-developed platform alongside the standard third-party options.
| 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) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IC Markets and ActivTrades both give mobile traders a very similar experience. Each broker offers iPhone and Android apps, price alerts for stocks or forex, and chart tools that include 30 technical studies. You can also draw trend lines in both apps, and any drawings you make are saved automatically, which is helpful if you switch back to a chart later.
There are a couple of limits on both sides. Neither IC Markets nor ActivTrades offers watchlist symbol syncing, so watchlists in the mobile app do not carry over to the web platform. In overall mobile trading app ratings, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars. ForexBrokers.com ranks ActivTrades slightly higher at #21 out of 36 brokers, while IC Markets comes in at #22, so ActivTrades has a small edge, but the two are otherwise very close for mobile use.
| 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 | 30 | 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 set of market research tools, including daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for upcoming global events. Each broker is also rated 4 out of 5 stars for research, so both should meet the needs of many everyday traders looking to stay informed.
Where IC Markets pulls ahead is in its extra research features. It offers Autochartist and Trading Central, which can help traders spot patterns and get technical or fundamental ideas, while ActivTrades does not include these tools. That added coverage helps explain why IC Markets ranks higher for research at #21 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at #27.
| Feature |
IC 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.
For beginners looking for learning support, both IC Markets and ActivTrades offer a solid range of forex and CFD education. Each broker provides at least 10 educational pieces on trading topics, along with monthly online webinars, plus 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos. In simple terms, that means both brokers give new traders plenty of material to start with and room to keep learning as their skills grow.
That said, IC Markets appears to have the edge overall in education. Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education, but IC Markets ranks #16 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category, while ActivTrades ranks #30. So if you want a broker with a slightly stronger education standing, IC Markets comes out ahead, even though ActivTrades still offers a useful set of beginner-friendly resources.
| 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
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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) | 3583 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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) - Standard account | 0.62 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | 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 | 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) | 30 | 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 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 | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| 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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