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 |
ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #21 of 63 brokers. It keeps pricing simple with one main Individual account, plus Professional and Islamic options. Spreads are slightly better than the industry average but not among the very cheapest. Spreads do not change by account type, and there’s no dedicated active-trader pricing. Actual costs depend on what you trade and market conditions; for example, the average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024, and spreads can widen during rollover.
IUX scores 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #19 of 63 for commissions and fees. Pricing varies by account: Standard and Standard+ need only a $10 minimum deposit, with Standard+ offering bonuses but wider spreads. For lower costs, active traders can opt for the Pro or Raw accounts (each $500 minimum). Pro is spread-only with an average EUR/USD spread near 0.7 pips, while Standard averages about 0.9 pips. The Raw account posts the tightest spreads and adds a $6 per-lot commission; the effective all-in cost for EUR/USD is around 0.6 pips once that commission is converted to a pip equivalent.
In a head-to-head look at fees, IUX generally edges ActivTrades on potential all-in pricing—especially with its Pro and Raw accounts—though ActivTrades remains competitive for a straightforward, spread-only setup across accounts and offers an Islamic option. If you want the lowest possible costs and can meet the higher $500 minimum, IUX Pro or Raw can be more attractive than ActivTrades’ typical 0.98-pip EUR/USD average. If you prefer a simple structure with no commissions and minimal account complexity, ActivTrades may suit you better. Always compare spreads, commissions, and deposit requirements, and remember that spreads can vary with market conditions.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
IUX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | 10 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.08 | 0.86 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 0.6 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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.
ActivTrades vs IUX: For range of investments, ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs, while IUX offers 152 symbols and 34 pairs. Both let you trade forex as contracts (CFDs/spot) and support crypto via CFDs, but neither sells actual, delivered crypto. You can access international exchange-traded shares at both brokers, yet neither provides direct trading on U.S. exchanges like NASDAQ or NYSE.
Extras may sway your choice: ActivTrades includes copy trading, whereas IUX does not. Reflecting the wider lineup, ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #25 out of 63 for Range of Investments at ForexBrokers.com, compared with IUX at 3.5 stars and #35. If you value more symbols and pairs plus copy trading, ActivTrades stands out; if your needs are simpler, IUX may still fit.
| 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.
Comparing ActivTrades vs IUX for trading platforms and tools, both brokers cover the essentials: free demo (paper) accounts, proprietary in-house platforms, web-based platforms, and downloadable Windows desktop apps. Each also supports MT5 and lets you place trades directly from charts. Key differences: ActivTrades adds MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and offers copy trading, while IUX does not. If you want MT4 or social-style copy trading, ActivTrades stands out; if you only need MT5 plus a broker-built platform, IUX has you covered.
According to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks 26th out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while IUX is rated 3.5 stars and ranks 35th. In short, both deliver strong platform coverage, with ActivTrades earning a slightly higher overall score for tools.
| 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.
Both ActivTrades and IUX offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. ActivTrades supports price alerts for stocks and forex, while IUX does not. Neither app syncs watchlists with the web platform, but both will auto-save your chart drawings. For drawing tools, ActivTrades lets you place and keep trendlines on charts; IUX does not support trendline drawing.
When it comes to charting studies, IUX lists 106 built-in indicators versus 30 at ActivTrades. Even so, ActivTrades earned higher marks overall: 4 stars and #21 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, compared with IUX at 3.5 stars and #35, according to ForexBrokers.com. Choose ActivTrades if you rely on price alerts and trendlines; pick IUX if you want a larger indicator library and can live without alerts and trendline tools.
| 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.
Comparing market research at ActivTrades vs IUX, ActivTrades delivers more built-in insights. It offers daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while IUX does not provide these features. Both brokers lack Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading tools. ActivTrades also includes a sentiment-based trading tool showing long/short ratios across instruments, which IUX does not. Both provide an economic calendar with current and upcoming global events.
These differences are reflected in third-party ratings: ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #26 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while IUX holds 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #35. If you want built-in news, commentary, and sentiment data, ActivTrades is the stronger pick; if a simple calendar is enough, IUX can cover the basics.
| 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.
For beginners seeking forex and CFD education, both ActivTrades and IUX offer a solid starting point with at least 10 beginner-focused trading videos. The big difference is live learning: ActivTrades runs online client webinars at least once a month, giving new traders a chance to learn in real time and stay engaged. IUX does not host monthly educational webinars, so its learning path leans more on on-demand videos rather than live sessions.
As you progress, ActivTrades also provides at least 10 advanced trading videos for experienced traders, while IUX doesn’t match that depth. Reflecting these differences, ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks 30th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with IUX at 3 stars and 35th. If you want beginner videos plus ongoing webinars and room to grow, ActivTrades is the stronger pick; if you only need basic video lessons, IUX covers the essentials.
| 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 #35.
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
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IUX
|
|---|---|---|
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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 | |
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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) - Standard account | 1.08 | 0.86 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 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 | 10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| 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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