Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs Markets4you, 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 and Markets4you are both reputable names in the online brokerage industry, each established to provide a wide range of services for traders. ActivTrades, founded in 2001, has built its presence with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 81, categorizing it as a trusted broker. The company is a private entity, not listed on any stock exchange, and does not operate as a bank. ActivTrades stands out with its regulatory protection, boasting two Tier-1 licenses, considered the most trusted by ForexBrokers.com, as well as one Tier-2 license.
In contrast, Markets4you began its operations in 2007 and has garnered a Trust Score of 61, placing it in the high-risk category. Like ActivTrades, Markets4you is not publicly traded and is not a bank. However, it does not hold any Tier-1 or Tier-2 licenses, highlighting a notable difference in regulatory standing. While both brokers serve traders with diverse offerings, ActivTrades' higher trust score and regulatory licenses underscore its stronger position in terms of safety and reliability.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2007 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of online brokers ActivTrades and Markets4you, traders will find a few key differences. ActivTrades stands out with slightly better spreads than the industry average, though it might not match the lowest-cost forex brokers. Offering an Individual Account along with Professional and Islamic accounts, ActivTrades provides a range of options without dedicated account types for high-volume traders or special pricing for active traders. Its average spread for the EUR/USD is around 0.98 pips. On the downside, the actual spreads can fluctuate during trading sessions, especially during rollover periods.
Markets4you, however, does not provide specific average spread data, making it somewhat challenging to compare directly. Despite this, Markets4you is recognized for its straightforward fee structure. Both brokers allow traders to use demo accounts to practice risk-free trading. Although ActivTrades doesn't offer specialized pricing structures for frequent traders, it remains compliant with Sharia law through its Islamic account offering.
In terms of ratings, ActivTrades secures a 4-star rating for commissions and fees, coming in at 28th out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Markets4you has a 3.5-star rating, ranking 54th. These rankings highlight ActivTrades as a more appealing option in terms of competitive pricing and fee transparency.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| 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 | No |
| 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 Markets4you both offer a platform for forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, catering to traders interested in currency pair investments. When considering the variety of tradeable symbols, ActivTrades presents a significantly broader array with 1,267 options compared to Markets4you's 150. In terms of specifically forex pairs, ActivTrades again leads with 49 available pairs, slightly outpacing Markets4you's 43 pairs. Neither platform provides clients the opportunity to buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges such as Apple shares, but ActivTrades distinguishes itself by allowing access to international securities like Vodafone shares, which is not offered by Markets4you. Both platforms support copy trading, allowing users to replicate the trades of others to potentially enhance their trading strategies.
For cryptocurrency enthusiasts, ActivTrades and Markets4you do not facilitate the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies but do offer cryptocurrency derivatives. Overall, ActivTrades garners a stronger rating for its range of investments, earning 4 out of 5 stars, whereas Markets4you receives 3.5 stars. Reflecting these sentiments, ForexBrokers.com ranks ActivTrades at #31 out of 63 brokers for range of investments, while Markets4you trails behind at #58. This ranking suggests that ActivTrades might be the preferable choice for those prioritizing a more diverse and expansive set of investment options.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 43 |
| 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 Markets4you, both brokers shine with impressive features tailored to various trading styles. Each offers a proprietary platform developed in-house, alongside the widely-used MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms. Traders can access their accounts not only through a Windows-based desktop platform but also via a web-based interface, enabling flexible trading across multiple devices. The inclusion of copy trading on both platforms further broadens opportunities for novice and expert traders alike. Although neither broker provides access to DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, their platforms remain equipped for comprehensive trading experiences.
Regarding features specific to charting, both ActivTrades and Markets4you offer an equal number of drawing tools, numbering 15, which support detailed technical analysis. ActivTrades, however, distinguishes itself slightly with its watch list capabilities, offering more customizable columns than Markets4you. Both brokers facilitate trading directly from stock charts, enhancing the convenience of executing trades. With a rating of 4 stars each for their platforms and tools, these brokers successfully cater to a variety of trading preferences. Nonetheless, ActivTrades holds a higher ranking, positioned at #30 compared to Markets4you’s #52, showcasing its broader appeal and slightly superior platform functionality.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Markets4you provide fully functional mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, offering a seamless experience for trading on the go. These apps come equipped with key features like stock and forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines, and view multiple time frames on charts. Both platforms support 30 technical studies for charting, allowing traders to analyze market trends effectively. Furthermore, each app allows users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, although they lack the option for syncing watchlist symbols with an online account.
Despite offering similar features, ActivTrades has a slight edge in the market, earning a 4-star rating compared to Markets4you and securing the 19th spot in the Mobile Trading Apps category according to ForexBrokers.com rankings. In contrast, Markets4you shares the same 4-star rating for app performance but trails behind in market ranking at position 50 out of 63 brokers. This makes ActivTrades a marginally preferred choice for those keen on a higher-ranked mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
ActivTrades and Markets4you both offer daily market commentary and provide forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, making them strong options for traders seeking timely insights. While both brokers ensure access to economic calendars highlighting global news events, they differ significantly in their research tool offerings. Markets4you takes the lead with technical analysis tools from Autochartist and Trading Central that cater to traders who rely on detailed market data. In contrast, ActivTrades compensates by offering a sentiment-based trading tool that provides ratios of long and short positions across various instruments, which Markets4you lacks.
While both companies offer a range of market research features, ActivTrades generally scores higher in evaluations, earning a 4-star rating compared to Markets4you's 3.5 stars. Additionally, ActivTrades is ranked #30 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com for research, outperforming Markets4you, which is ranked at #47. Traders prioritizing a broader array of analytical tools might favor Markets4you, while those interested in sentiment analysis and higher-rated research could find ActivTrades more appealing.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| 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 beginners, ActivTrades stands out with a diverse range of options designed to help newcomers understand the intricacies of forex and CFDs trading. The platform offers more than 10 educational pieces that cover these topics extensively, ensuring a well-rounded learning experience. New traders can benefit from regular online educational webinars, hosted at least once a month, where they can interact with experts and gain valuable insights. Additionally, ActivTrades provides a searchable archive of recorded webinars and a series of beginner-focused videos, making it easier for users to reinforce their learning at their own pace. This comprehensive approach is reflected in its 4-star education rating.
In contrast, Markets4you, although offering a solid foundation of educational content with more than 10 pieces on forex and CFDs, lacks regular live webinars that facilitate real-time learning. While users can access a searchable archive of webinars, the platform does not provide a robust selection of beginner-focused or advanced educational videos, limiting the depth of learning available for new and seasoned traders. Despite these limitations, Markets4you manages to secure a 3.5-star rating for its educational offerings, thanks to its informative articles and other resources. According to ForexBrokers.com, Markets4you ranks higher for education at #26 compared to ActivTrades' #38, suggesting a broader accessibility or appeal in certain areas despite fewer features for beginners.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | 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 Markets4you. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while Markets4you finished with an overall rank of #56.
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
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 61 |
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Both ActivTrades and Markets4you provide the functionality to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither offers the option to purchase actual, delivered cryptocurrency.
Both ActivTrades and Markets4you provide similar funding options, allowing clients to use Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals, 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 | Markets4you | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 61 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 61 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2007 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 43 | |
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | No | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | No | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | No | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | No | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | No | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | No | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | No | |
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 61 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
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