Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG 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 it comes to the Trust Score ratings from ForexBrokers.com, IG and ActivTrades differ in their levels of assurance. IG, founded in 1974, boasts a Trust Score of 99 out of 99, making it highly trusted. It stands out as a publicly traded company and operates as a bank, offering a solid reputation in the financial market. Moreover, IG holds 8 Tier-1 licenses, indicating its high level of trustworthiness, along with 2 Tier-2 licenses, reinforcing its credibility.
By comparison, ActivTrades, which began operations in 2001, holds a Trust Score of 81, placing it in the trusted category. Although it is not publicly traded and does not operate as a bank, the broker manages to maintain an authoritative presence in the market. ActivTrades is backed by 2 Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a commendable level of trust, and 1 Tier-2 license, further substantiating its reliability.
| Feature |
IG
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
IG edges out ActivTrades on commissions and fees for most active forex traders. IG earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #7 of 63 brokers for this category on ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #21. In short, IG offers more ways to reduce your trading costs if you trade higher volumes, whereas ActivTrades is simpler but has fewer pricing breaks.
IG provides two main pricing paths. Its spread-only CFD account saw typical EUR/USD spreads around 0.69 pips during peak trading hours in July 2023 (spreads may widen in quieter periods), with a global monthly average of 0.98 pips. Qualified professional clients can tap a three-tier rebate program that cuts spreads by 10% to 20% at high volumes (for example, a 20% rebate can bring an all-in cost near 0.60 pips in some scenarios). For deeper discounts, IG’s DMA Forex Direct account uses raw spreads that averaged 0.62 pips on EUR/USD in July 2023, plus a commission. Commissions range from $60 to $20 per million (round-turn) based on monthly volume; at the best tier, the effective all-in cost is about 0.82 pips. The DMA account has a £1,000 minimum.
ActivTrades keeps pricing straightforward with one main Individual Account (plus Professional and Islamic options, which use the same spreads). There’s no special high-volume pricing and no active trader rebates. ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips for May 2024, and—like most brokers—spreads can widen during rollover and other low-liquidity times. Bottom line: casual traders may see similar day‑to‑day costs between the two, but high-volume or DMA users are more likely to find lower all-in pricing at IG.
| Feature |
IG
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IG and ActivTrades both let you trade forex (via CFD or spot), but IG offers a much wider selection overall. IG lists 19,537 tradeable symbols and 97 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers provide cryptocurrency CFDs, while only IG also lets you buy actual crypto.
For stocks, IG supports exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, whereas ActivTrades offers exchange-traded securities only on international exchanges. ActivTrades includes copy trading, which IG does not. Reflecting these differences, IG earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments on ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds 4 stars and ranks #25.
| Feature |
IG
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
In the IG vs ActivTrades platform comparison, both online brokers provide a free demo (paper trading) account and offer their own proprietary platform alongside Windows desktop and web-based platforms. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and lets you place trades directly from a chart. The key difference is copy trading: ActivTrades offers copy trading, while IG does not.
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates IG at 5 stars and ranks it #1 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #26. If you want the highest-rated overall platform lineup, IG leads; if copy trading is essential, ActivTrades could be the better fit.
| Feature |
IG
|
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) | 33 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IG and ActivTrades both offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts included. The biggest day-to-day difference is watchlist syncing: IG syncs watchlists between its mobile app and the web platform, so changes carry over automatically, while ActivTrades does not. If you like to manage your portfolio across devices, that syncing can be a time-saver.
For charting on the go, IG offers 33 technical studies versus ActivTrades’ 30, and both apps let you draw trendlines and auto-save your drawings. Independent ratings favor IG: it earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds 4 stars and ranks #21. In short, IG stands out for cross-device convenience and indicator depth, while ActivTrades remains a capable choice with strong mobile charting and alerts.
| Feature |
IG
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IG and ActivTrades both deliver daily market commentary, an economic calendar, and forex news from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. Each also provides a sentiment tool showing the balance of long and short positions. Where they differ is in extra research add-ons: IG includes Autochartist, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading (Signal Centre), while ActivTrades does not offer these. Neither broker provides Trading Central.
For research quality, IG earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its wider set of tools and third‑party integrations. ActivTrades scores 4 stars and ranks #26, delivering solid essentials but fewer advanced research extras compared with IG.
| Feature |
IG
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
IG and ActivTrades both deliver beginner-friendly trading education. Each broker runs client webinars at least once a month and offers a library with 10+ beginner videos to explain core trading ideas, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. That makes it easy to start with the basics and continue learning without switching providers.
For overall quality, IG stands out: it earns 5 stars for Education and ranks 7th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds 4 stars and ranks 30th. If you want the highest-rated path for new traders, IG is the stronger pick; if you simply need steady webinars and a solid video lineup, ActivTrades remains a capable option.
| Feature |
IG
|
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 IG is better than ActivTrades. IG finished with an overall rank of #1, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
IG offers the ultimate comprehensive trading package, featuring excellent trading and research tools, industry-leading education, and an extensive range of tradeable markets.
| Feature |
IG
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ActivTrades
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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IG allows you to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas ActivTrades does not support buying actual (delivered) crypto and only offers cryptocurrency CFDs.
IG vs ActivTrades: IG supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire deposits and withdrawals but not Skrill, while ActivTrades offers Skrill and bank wires but lacks ACH/SEPA and PayPal.
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 | IG | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | IG | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 1974 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IG | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IG | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | IG | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 19537 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 97 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | IG | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.91 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.82 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IG | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | IG | 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 | IG | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 33 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IG | 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 | 33 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IG | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | IG Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | IG | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IG Review | ActivTrades Review |
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