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 you compare commissions and fees, ActivTrades stands out for posting slightly-better-than-industry-average spreads, though it’s not the lowest-cost option on the market. For example, ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024. Actual costs can vary by asset and platform, and spreads may widen during rollover. In contrast, Markets4you does not provide average spread data, making it harder to benchmark its day-to-day pricing against competitors.
ActivTrades offers an Individual Account as its main option, plus Professional and Islamic accounts; spreads are the same across these account types, while the Professional tier mainly changes margin requirements. There’s no dedicated pricing for high-volume or active traders. Traders can also practice with a demo account. Comparable detail on account pricing from Markets4you isn’t available from the source data provided.
Ratings and rankings: ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks 29th out of 63 brokers with ForexBrokers.com. Markets4you earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 55th out of 63. If you want clearer insight into expected spreads, ActivTrades may be the easier pick; if you’re considering Markets4you, verify its current pricing directly before you trade.
| 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 [DELETED] | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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 support forex trading via CFDs/spot contracts, along with copy trading and crypto derivatives (but not actual delivered crypto). Where they differ is breadth: ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs, while Markets4you offers 150 symbols and 43 forex pairs. That makes ActivTrades a better fit if you want more markets and instruments to choose from.
Stock access also varies. Neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares outright (non-CFD), but ActivTrades does offer access to international exchange-traded shares, whereas Markets4you does not. Reflecting these differences, ForexBrokers.com rates ActivTrades 4 stars for Range of Investments and ranks it #32 out of 63 brokers; Markets4you earns 3.5 stars and ranks #59. In short, ActivTrades provides a wider lineup with international shares, while Markets4you covers the basics with a smaller catalog.
| 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.
ActivTrades and Markets4you both check the key boxes for traders who want choice and flexibility. Each broker offers a free demo account for practice, a proprietary in-house platform, and both Windows desktop and web-based platforms. They also support copy trading and provide MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), so you can use popular tools and automated strategies. For charting convenience, both brokers let you place trades directly from the chart.
When it comes to quality scores, both earn 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. However, ForexBrokers.com ranks ActivTrades higher at #32 out of 63 brokers, compared to Markets4you at #53. Details weren’t provided for DupliTrade, ZuluTrade, the number of built-in indicators, drawing tools, or watch list fields, so it’s worth checking each broker’s site for the latest platform specs if those features matter to you.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading 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 [DELETED] | ||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing ActivTrades vs Markets4you for mobile trading, both brokers check the key boxes. Each offers an iPhone and Android app with real-time watchlists, price alerts, and charting that includes 30 technical studies, trendline drawing, and multiple time frames (intraday to weekly). Drawings auto-save on both. One notable gap is the same for each: watchlist symbol syncing with the web platform is not available.
In terms of quality scores, both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. However, ForexBrokers.com ranks ActivTrades higher in the category—#19 out of 63 brokers—while Markets4you sits at #51. If rankings influence your choice, ActivTrades has the edge; if you’re already with Markets4you, its mobile app still delivers the core tools traders expect.
| 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.
Both ActivTrades and Markets4you cover the essentials for market research: daily market commentary, top‑tier forex news (from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, Dow Jones, or similar), and a global economic calendar. The main differences come down to tools. Markets4you includes third‑party technical analysis from Autochartist and Trading Central, while ActivTrades does not. On the other hand, ActivTrades offers a sentiment‑based trading tool that shows long/short ratios across instruments, which Markets4you does not provide. ActivTrades does not offer TipRanks or Acuity Trading (e.g., Signal Centre); for Markets4you, TipRanks and Acuity Trading are not specified in the provided data.
Ratings reflect these trade‑offs: ActivTrades earns 4 stars for Research and ranks #31 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Markets4you is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #48. If you want built‑in third‑party technical analysis, Markets4you is the better fit; if sentiment data is important to you—along with daily commentary, premium news, and an economic calendar available at both—ActivTrades has the edge.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing ActivTrades vs Markets4you for beginner trading education shows a mixed picture. ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars for Education but is ranked #38 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. Markets4you scores 3.5 stars yet ranks higher at #26. Whether either broker offers a full forex/CFD education library of at least 10 pieces isn’t confirmed from the available details.
For hands-on learning, ActivTrades stands out: it runs monthly client webinars and provides at least 10 beginner videos plus 10+ advanced videos on trading topics. Markets4you does not offer monthly webinars and does not meet the 10‑video threshold for beginner or advanced content. It’s unclear if either broker has a searchable archive of past webinars or an investor dictionary with 50+ terms. If you want structured videos and regular live sessions, ActivTrades is the stronger choice for new traders; if overall category ranking matters more, Markets4you’s placement may appeal.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Markets4you
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | ||
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | ||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| 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 [DELETED] | |||
| 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 | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading 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 [DELETED] | |||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] | |||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | |||
| 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 | ||
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | Markets4you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | |||
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | |||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
| 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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