Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of OANDA vs ActivTrades, 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.
Comparing OANDA and ActivTrades: OANDA launched in 1996, while ActivTrades started in 2001. Neither broker is publicly traded or a bank. On ForexBrokers.com’s 99-point Trust Score, OANDA earns 92 (highly trusted, 90–99), and ActivTrades scores 80 (trusted, 80–89).
Regulation helps explain the difference. OANDA holds seven Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses. ActivTrades holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. Tier-1 regulators are considered highly trusted, and Tier-2 regulators are considered trusted by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
When comparing OANDA vs. ActivTrades on commissions and fees, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars, but ActivTrades comes out ahead on price. OANDA ranks #31 out of 36 brokers for this category, while ActivTrades ranks #22 out of 36. In simple terms, OANDA’s trading costs are usually higher, especially on standard forex pricing, though it stands out for easy-to-use execution and very small trade sizes.
OANDA’s fees are mainly built into the spread, and its average EUR/USD spread on non-core pricing was 1.61 pips in July 2024. It also offers a core pricing option with tighter spreads plus a commission of $5 per side per $100,000 traded, but this requires a $10,000 minimum deposit. OANDA also has rebates for very active traders in some regions, but overall it is not known as a low-cost broker.
ActivTrades has slightly better pricing on average, with a reported EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024. It offers an Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic account options, but it does not have a special pricing tier for high-volume traders. Overall, ActivTrades is the better pick for traders focused on lower commissions and fees, while OANDA may appeal more to those who value its flexible trade sizes and execution model.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.68 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
OANDA offers a wider range of investments than ActivTrades overall. It lists 4,172 tradeable symbols and 69 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer copy trading as well as cryptocurrency CFDs.
Where OANDA stands out further is in stock and crypto access. OANDA lets clients buy actual shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, while ActivTrades only offers exchange-traded securities on international markets. OANDA also allows the purchase of actual cryptocurrency, which ActivTrades does not. Reflecting this broader selection, OANDA is rated 4.5 out of 5 for Range of Investments and ranks #20 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 and ranks #26.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
OANDA and ActivTrades both give traders a wide range of platform choices, making either broker a solid fit for beginners and experienced users alike. Each offers a free demo account for practice, plus its own proprietary platform, a Windows desktop app, and a web-based platform for trading from a browser. Both brokers also support copy trading, MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and trading directly from charts, which can make order entry quicker and easier.
In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both OANDA and ActivTrades are rated 4 out of 5 stars, but OANDA is ranked higher overall at #16 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades is ranked #27. That suggests OANDA has a slight edge in this area, even though both brokers offer a very similar set of platform and trading tools.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
OANDA and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so traders can manage accounts and trade on the go with either broker. Each app includes stock and forex price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, trendline drawing, and auto-saving of chart drawings. One drawback for both is that watchlists do not sync between the mobile app and the online account, so updates made in one place will not carry over to the other.
When it comes to overall mobile app quality, OANDA has the edge. It earns a 5-star rating for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds a 4-star rating and ranks #21. If mobile charting and app experience are a priority, OANDA stands out as the stronger choice, though ActivTrades still covers the key features most traders need.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
OANDA and ActivTrades both do well for market research, with each offering daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for global events. This means traders at either broker can follow the news, check market mood, and stay on top of key data releases without needing outside tools.
Where OANDA pulls ahead is in extra research support. It includes Autochartist, which can help spot technical patterns and trading ideas, while ActivTrades does not offer this tool. That edge is reflected in their ratings and rankings as well: OANDA earns 5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #27 out of 36.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to learn forex or CFD trading, OANDA and ActivTrades both provide a wide range of helpful education. Each broker offers at least 10 pieces of forex or CFD learning content, monthly online client webinars, and plenty of beginner-focused videos, along with advanced videos for traders who want to go further. That means either platform can give new traders a solid starting point with lessons, videos, and live learning sessions.
That said, OANDA comes out ahead overall on education. It earns a 5-star education rating and ranks #18 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds a 4-star rating and ranks #30. For beginners who want more highly rated learning support, OANDA has the edge, though ActivTrades still offers a useful mix of educational tools.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 OANDA is better than ActivTrades. OANDA finished with an overall rank of #13, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
A trusted global brand, OANDA stands out for its reputation and quality market research. Its regulatory track record is strong, and its support for third-party features bolsters its overall offering.
| Feature |
OANDA
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ActivTrades
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 92 | 80 |
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OANDA vs ActivTrades: OANDA lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas ActivTrades offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not support delivered crypto purchases.
Comparing online brokers OANDA vs ActivTrades for deposits and withdrawals: OANDA supports ACH/SEPA transfers and PayPal (both unavailable at ActivTrades); both brokers offer Skrill and bank wire transfers, while Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.68 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | OANDA Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | OANDA | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | ActivTrades Review |
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