Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs LegacyFX, 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 in 2001, is an online broker that provides financial trading services but is neither publicly traded nor a bank. The broker holds two Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of trust, and one Tier-2 license, further demonstrating its reliability. With a Trust Score of 81 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades is considered a trusted broker by industry standards.
On the other hand, LegacyFX started operations in 2012 and shares similar non-publicly traded and non-banking traits with ActivTrades. However, LegacyFX holds one Tier-1 license, and no Tier-2 licenses, giving it a Trust Score of 67 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, placing it in a higher risk category than ActivTrades. This comparison highlights ActivTrades as a more trusted option for traders seeking regulated and reliable broker services.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2012 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, ActivTrades offers spreads that are slightly better than the industry average, though they don’t quite match up to the top-tier low-cost forex brokers. With its Individual Account, Professional Account, and Islamic Account, ActivTrades covers diverse needs but lacks specialized pricing for high-volume traders. Notably, the spreads for the EUR/USD average 0.98 pips. ActivTrades is well-rounded but doesn't provide explicit pricing advantages for active traders. It has received a commendable 4-star rating and is ranked 28th in the Commissions and Fees category by ForexBrokers.com, out of 63 brokers.
LegacyFX, on the other hand, has various account types that change depending on whether you're under their EU-regulated entity or the international entity in Vanuatu. In the EU, they offer a Silver, Gold, and Platinum account, with minimum spreads at their lowest in the Platinum account. For international clients, LegacyFX extends to seven different account types, impacting client support and access to trading tools. Unfortunately, specific average spreads are unavailable, making it harder to gauge true trading costs. With a 3.5-star rating, LegacyFX ranks 57th in the same category according to ForexBrokers.com.
Both brokers present a range of options, but ActivTrades edges out in terms of overall rating and rank for commissions and fees. Traders might prefer ActivTrades for its generally lower spreads, while LegacyFX provides more account variety, though at a generally higher cost.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
ActivTrades and LegacyFX both provide forex trading options, allowing clients to trade forex as CFDs. However, when it comes to the number of tradeable symbols, ActivTrades takes the lead with 1,267 options compared to LegacyFX's 425. In terms of forex pairs, ActivTrades also offers a broader selection with 49 pairs, slightly surpassing LegacyFX's 44 pairs. While neither broker allows the purchase of securities listed on U.S. exchanges, ActivTrades does offer the advantage of accessing international exchange securities, unlike LegacyFX.
Both online brokers facilitate copy trading and allow trading in cryptocurrency derivatives, though neither offers actual cryptocurrency purchases. These factors contribute to ActivTrades receiving a slightly higher rating of 4 stars for its range of investments, compared to LegacyFX's 3.5 stars. Accordingly, ForexBrokers.com ranks ActivTrades at #31 for Range of Investments, while LegacyFX is positioned at #48 out of 63 brokers. This ranking highlights the slight edge ActivTrades holds over LegacyFX in the variety of investment options offered to their users.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 425 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 44 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of ActivTrades and LegacyFX, both brokers provide a virtual demo account option, allowing traders to practice without financial risk. ActivTrades stands out with its proprietary platform, alongside support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, offering flexibility and choice in trading software. In contrast, LegacyFX offers MetaTrader 5 but lacks a proprietary platform and the popular MT4. Both brokers accommodate traders with Windows-based desktop and web-based platforms, ensuring accessibility across various devices. Additionally, each supports copy trading, though neither offers DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, which might interest those looking to engage in social trading networks.
Trading functionalities at ActivTrades include 15 drawing tools for charting and the ability to trade directly from stock charts, matching LegacyFX's offerings in these aspects. However, ActivTrades provides more comprehensive watch lists, offering 11 columns versus LegacyFX’s 7. Such features contribute to ActivTrades' higher rating of four stars for trading platforms and tools, compared to LegacyFX's 3.5 stars. ActivTrades ranks 30th out of 63 brokers in this category, showcasing its competitive edge, while LegacyFX trails behind at the 60th position. These distinctions make ActivTrades a slightly more appealing choice for traders focused on versatile and comprehensive platform features.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both ActivTrades and LegacyFX offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users. These apps provide a range of features that enhance the trading experience for stock and forex enthusiasts. Users of both apps can receive stock and forex price alerts, as well as create watchlists with real-time quotes. Each platform allows users to view different time frames on charts – whether daily, weekly, or intraday – and supports chart analysis with 30 technical studies. Trendlines can be drawn on charts in both apps, and any drawings are automatically saved for future reference. However, neither app supports watchlist symbol syncing, meaning changes made to watchlists on the mobile app do not sync with the online account.
When it comes to user ratings and industry rankings, there is a notable difference between ActivTrades and LegacyFX. ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars, while LegacyFX has a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars. In the category of Mobile Trading Apps, ForexBrokers.com ranks ActivTrades at #19 out of 63 brokers, placing it well above LegacyFX, which holds the #61 position. This suggests that users generally find ActivTrades to be a slightly more favorable choice for mobile trading, despite the similar feature set offered by both platforms.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both ActivTrades and LegacyFX provide valuable daily market commentary and access to forex news from leading sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, aiding traders in staying informed about market movements. However, when it comes to technical analysis tools, the two brokers differ. LegacyFX outshines ActivTrades by offering resources from Autochartist, while neither broker depends on Trading Central's analytics. For traders who value a sentiment-based tool indicating long and short positions across different instruments, ActivTrades holds the advantage as LegacyFX does not offer this feature.
In terms of additional market research tools from companies like TipRanks and Acuity Trading, both brokers appear on equal footing by not providing such options. They do however offer economic calendars to help traders track upcoming global events. When it comes to research ratings, ActivTrades earns four stars while LegacyFX garners 3.5 stars, according to the ForexBrokers.com ranking. Additionally, ActivTrades is ranked higher at 30 out of 63 brokers, compared to LegacyFX's position at number 46. For those prioritizing comprehensive research capabilities, ActivTrades might be the more favorable choice between the two.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for trading beginners, both ActivTrades and LegacyFX provide a rich selection of materials designed to help newcomers understand the complexities of forex and CFD trading. Each platform offers a variety of at least 10 educational resources, including articles, videos, and access to archived webinars. For those who enjoy interactive learning, both brokers host monthly educational webinars. Additionally, they each maintain a searchable archive of past sessions, so users can replay sessions whenever it's convenient for them. Videos specifically targeted at both beginner and advanced traders are abundant on both platforms, facilitating learning at any level. However, ActivTrades distinguishes itself slightly by offering a more comprehensive range of basic and advanced trading videos compared to LegacyFX.
ActivTrades and LegacyFX differ slightly in their additional educational offerings. LegacyFX provides an investor dictionary with definitions for over 50 investing terms, a feature that is absent from ActivTrades. Despite this, ActivTrades holds a slight edge with a 4-star education rating compared to LegacyFX's 3.5 stars. Interestingly, ForexBrokers.com ranks LegacyFX slightly higher than ActivTrades—35th out of 63 brokers, as opposed to ActivTrades' 38th place in the education category. This shows that both brokers are solid choices for beginners seeking a comprehensive educational experience, with unique features that cater to different learning preferences.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
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 LegacyFX. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while LegacyFX finished with an overall rank of #63.
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
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 81 | 67 |
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Both ActivTrades and LegacyFX do not offer the ability to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do allow trading of cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both ActivTrades and LegacyFX allow funding and withdrawals through Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, but neither supports ACH, SEPA transfers, or 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 | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 67 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | LegacyFX Review |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 67 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2012 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 425 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 44 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | ActivTrades Review | LegacyFX Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 67 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | LegacyFX Review |
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