Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs IUX, 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.
ActivTrades (founded 2001) and IUX (founded 2016) are online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. This comparison looks at their regulatory status and trust signals to help traders gauge safety.
ForexBrokers.com rates Trust Scores as follows: 90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and under 59 not trusted. ActivTrades holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license with a Trust Score of 80, placing it in the trusted bracket. IUX holds one Tier-1 and one Tier-2 license with a Trust Score of 76, indicating average risk. Both have regulatory oversight, but ActivTrades edges ahead on licensing depth and overall trust rating.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2016 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing commissions and fees, ActivTrades and IUX both offer pricing that can work well for everyday traders, but IUX has the edge overall. ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #23 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees on ForexBrokers.com. Its spreads are a little better than the industry average, with EUR/USD averaging 0.98 pips in May 2024, but it does not match the lowest-cost forex brokers. Pricing also depends on the asset you trade, and ActivTrades does not offer special low-cost pricing for high-volume traders.
IUX rates higher at 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #19 out of 36, making it the stronger choice on paper for fees. Its account options give traders more flexibility: Standard and Standard+ accounts start with a $10 minimum deposit, while the Raw and Pro accounts are aimed at more active traders and require $500. The Raw account charges a $6 commission per 100,000 units, but offers very tight pricing, while the Pro account is spread-only and posts competitive average EUR/USD spreads around 0.7 pips.
In simple terms, ActivTrades may suit traders who want straightforward account choices and decent spreads, while IUX offers more account variety and slightly better overall pricing. If your top priority is lower trading costs, IUX has the stronger commissions-and-fees profile; if you prefer a broker with simpler pricing and no commission on standard-style accounts, ActivTrades is still a solid option.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.08 | 0.86 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.92 | 0.6 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | 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, ActivTrades offers more choice than IUX. ActivTrades supports forex trading as a CFD or spot contract and gives access to 1,267 tradeable symbols, including 49 forex pairs. IUX also offers forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, but with a smaller lineup of 152 tradeable symbols and 34 forex pairs. Both brokers let clients trade international exchange-listed securities, but neither offers U.S.-listed shares as exchange traded securities.
Both brokers also provide cryptocurrency CFDs, though neither supports buying actual cryptocurrency. A key difference is copy trading, which is available with ActivTrades but not with IUX. Reflecting this wider selection, ActivTrades earns a 4-star rating for Range of Investments and ranks #26 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IUX is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #38.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 152 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 34 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
ActivTrades and IUX both give traders a range of platform choices, including a free demo account, a proprietary platform, Windows desktop software, a web-based platform, and MetaTrader 5. Both also let users trade directly from charts, which can make it easier to place orders while watching price movements. In this area, the two brokers are fairly similar overall, though ActivTrades stands out by also supporting MetaTrader 4 and copy trading, features IUX does not offer.
For trading tools and platform experience, ActivTrades holds a slight edge. It earns 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #28 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IUX scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #38. Based on this comparison, ActivTrades may appeal more to traders who want more platform choices and added tools, while IUX still covers the basics well for those focused on MT5 and a simple multi-platform setup.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
ActivTrades and IUX both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so traders can manage accounts on the go with either broker. ActivTrades stands out for mobile trading alerts, since it offers stock and forex price alerts while IUX does not. ActivTrades also lets users draw trendlines in the app and auto-saves those drawings, which can make chart work easier for active traders.
When it comes to charting, IUX offers more technical studies in its mobile app, with 106 compared with ActivTrades’ 30. However, both brokers do not provide watchlist symbol syncing between the mobile app and online account. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, ActivTrades has the edge overall with a 4-star rating and a #21 ranking out of 36 brokers, while IUX is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #38.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 106 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
ActivTrades comes out ahead of IUX for market research. It offers daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a sentiment tool that shows whether traders are mostly long or short, and an economic calendar for tracking important global events. IUX also provides an economic calendar, but it does not include daily commentary, top-tier forex news, or a sentiment tool. Neither broker offers research tools from Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
That extra research support helps explain the difference in ratings and rankings. ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #28 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IUX is rated 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #37. For traders who want more market insight built into the platform, ActivTrades offers the stronger research package overall.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, ActivTrades has the edge over IUX. ActivTrades offers forex and CFD learning content, including at least 10 educational pieces focused on these markets, plus online client webinars held at least once a month. It also provides at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, making it a better fit for traders who want to start small and keep learning as they gain experience. This is reflected in its 4-star Education rating and its #32 ranking out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
IUX also gives beginners a useful starting point, with at least 10 beginner trading videos available. However, it falls behind ActivTrades in a few important areas because it does not offer monthly educational webinars, does not appear to provide the same level of forex or CFD education, and does not have at least 10 advanced educational videos for more experienced traders. Its Education rating is 3 stars, and it ranks #38 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, which suggests less depth overall for learners who want more support as they progress.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than IUX. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28, while IUX finished with an overall rank of #38.
ActivTrades is a long-standing brand that offers a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, and support for the award-winning TradingView and MetaTrader (MT4 and MT5) platforms. ActivTrades also delivers a selection of custom add-ons, indicators, and trading tools for traders who prefer to use MetaTrader. Drawbacks for trading with ActivTrades include a smaller selection of tradeable symbols and fewer educational resources than what’s available from the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 76 |
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ActivTrades vs IUX: both online brokers let you trade cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither allows buying and taking delivery of actual cryptocurrencies.
In a head-to-head comparison of deposit and withdrawal methods, both ActivTrades and IUX do not support ACH/SEPA or PayPal, both support Skrill and bank wire transfers, 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.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | ActivTrades | IUX | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 76 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | IUX Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 80 | 76 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2016 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 152 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 34 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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). |
| Cost | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.08 | 0.86 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.92 | 0.6 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $50 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 106 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 106 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | IUX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | ActivTrades Review | IUX Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | IUX | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 76 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | IUX Review |
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