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 |
ActivTrades keeps pricing straightforward. It has one main Individual Account (plus Professional and Islamic options), with the same spreads across account types, no special high‑volume account, and no active‑trader pricing. Overall, its spreads are slightly better than the industry average but not the very lowest. Costs vary by asset and platform, and spreads can widen at rollover. ActivTrades provided an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips for May 2024. Commissions and Fees rating: 4 out of 5 stars; ForexBrokers.com ranking: #29 of 63.
LegacyFX’s costs depend on the entity and account tier. In the EU (CySEC), there are Silver ($500 min), Gold ($5,000), and Platinum ($25,000) accounts; Platinum advertises the lowest spreads, while Silver can be much higher (minimum EUR/USD spread as high as 1.6 pips). Internationally (Vanuatu), there are seven tiers from Standard ($500) up to VIP ($50,000), with more tools and support at higher levels. LegacyFX does not publish average spreads, making true cost comparisons harder. Commissions and Fees rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars; ForexBrokers.com ranking: #58 of 63.
Bottom line: ActivTrades generally looks cheaper on headline spreads—backed by a published 0.98‑pip average on EUR/USD—while LegacyFX can be costlier on lower tiers and lacks average spread data. If you prize simple pricing and competitive spreads, ActivTrades may be the better fit; if you want tiered service and are willing to make a larger deposit, LegacyFX’s higher‑level accounts may appeal.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
ActivTrades offers a wider range of investments than LegacyFX. You’ll find 1,267 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs at ActivTrades, compared with 425 symbols and 44 pairs at LegacyFX. Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts, and both provide copy trading. Neither broker lets you buy U.S. exchange-traded shares directly, but ActivTrades does allow direct investing in international exchange-traded shares, while LegacyFX does not. For crypto, both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither supports buying actual coins.
In independent assessments of range of investments, ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 32nd out of 63 brokers, while LegacyFX scores 3.5 stars and ranks 49th. If you want more markets to choose from—including access to international exchange-traded shares—ActivTrades has the edge. If you prefer a simpler lineup and still want forex, crypto CFDs, and copy trading, LegacyFX covers the basics.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 425 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 44 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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.
Both ActivTrades and LegacyFX offer free demo (paper) accounts to practice trading. Each provides a web-based platform and a downloadable Windows platform, plus copy trading and the ability to place orders directly from charts. ActivTrades also delivers its own proprietary platform and supports both MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while LegacyFX does not offer a proprietary platform and supports MT5 only (no MT4).
For trading platforms and tools, ForexBrokers.com rates ActivTrades 4 stars and ranks it #32 out of 63 brokers. LegacyFX earns 3.5 stars and ranks #61. If you want MT4 alongside MT5 and access to a broker-built platform, ActivTrades has the edge; if MT5 with copy trading meets your needs, LegacyFX is a straightforward choice.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| 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.
Both ActivTrades and LegacyFX offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app includes stock and forex price alerts, 30 built-in technical studies, and tools to draw trendlines on charts, with drawings saved automatically. One shared limitation is watchlist syncing: changes made in the mobile app do not sync with the online account watchlist for either broker.
For overall app quality, ActivTrades holds an edge. It earns 4 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks #19 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while LegacyFX scores 3.5 stars and ranks #62. If you want similar charting features but higher-rated mobile performance, ActivTrades is the stronger pick; LegacyFX covers the essentials but trails in rankings.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Comparing market research at ActivTrades and LegacyFX, both brokers provide daily market commentary, top-tier forex news (from sources like Bloomberg or Reuters), and an economic calendar. The main differences are in extra tools: LegacyFX offers Autochartist for pattern and signal ideas, while ActivTrades does not. ActivTrades includes a sentiment tool that shows how many traders are long or short, which LegacyFX does not provide. Neither broker includes Trading Central. ActivTrades does not offer TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools; LegacyFX does not list TipRanks or Acuity Trading availability.
For overall research quality, ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks #31 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while LegacyFX is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #47. If you want Autochartist, LegacyFX has the edge. If you prefer a built-in sentiment gauge and higher third-party ratings, ActivTrades may be the better fit.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Acuity Trading | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
ActivTrades and LegacyFX both deliver beginner-friendly forex and CFD education with plenty of content to get you started. Each broker hosts client webinars at least once a month and offers a video library that includes at least 10 beginner videos, plus at least 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. That mix of live sessions and on-demand lessons makes it easy for newcomers to learn core concepts and then explore more complex strategies over time.
In our education ratings, ActivTrades scores 4 stars while LegacyFX earns 3.5 stars. That said, in ForexBrokers.com’s Education category rankings out of 63 brokers, LegacyFX sits slightly higher at #35 compared to ActivTrades at #38. Bottom line: pick ActivTrades if you want a slightly higher star-rated learning path, or choose LegacyFX if you value a marginally higher placement in the peer rankings—both are solid choices for beginners seeking webinars and a deep library of trading videos.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 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
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LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 81 | 67 |
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ActivTrades vs LegacyFX: neither broker supports buying actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but both provide access to cryptocurrency CFDs.
In comparing online brokers ActivTrades vs LegacyFX: both do not support ACH/SEPA transfers, ActivTrades also does not support PayPal but does offer Skrill and bank wire transfers (card support not specified), while LegacyFX has no disclosed details on PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, or bank wire options.
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 |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
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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). | 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 | ||
| 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). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 425 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 44 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $500 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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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