Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Pepperstone 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.
Pepperstone and ActivTrades are two established online brokers, with Pepperstone founded in 2010 and ActivTrades in 2001. Neither company is publicly traded or operates as a bank, ensuring they focus entirely on providing quality trading services. Both brokers are licensed, adhering to strict international standards. Pepperstone holds three Tier-1 licenses, affirming a high level of trust, while ActivTrades holds two, signaling a strong compliance record as well.
When it comes to trustworthiness, Pepperstone scores an impressive 95 out of 99 on ForexBrokers.com's Trust Score, indicating it is highly trusted. ActivTrades also fares well with a Trust Score of 81, placing it in the trusted category. Additionally, Pepperstone has two Tier-2 licenses compared to ActivTrades' one, further showcasing its commitment to maintaining trusted regulatory practices. Both brokers are poised as reliable choices for those venturing into online trading.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
Pepperstone earns 4.5/5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #11 of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades scores 4/5 stars and ranks #29 of 63. Both are competitively priced, but Pepperstone’s best pricing is tied to its Razor account and Active Trader rebates, whereas ActivTrades offers simple, one-tier pricing without discounts for high-volume traders.
Pepperstone’s Razor account uses commissions plus tight spreads and is available on TradingView, MetaTrader (MT4/MT5), and cTrader. As of July 2024, the EUR/USD averaged 0.10 pips; adding the commission-equivalent of 0.70 pips brings the all-in cost to about 0.80 pips. The commission-free Standard account averaged 1.1 pips on EUR/USD, making it pricier than Razor. Active Trader rebates can further cut costs for professionals: in the U.K./EU, forex spread rebates start at 15% per lot for at least £20 million in monthly volume and rise to 25% above £200 million; in Australia, Tier One starts at a 10% discount after 100 lots over three months, and Tier Three reaches a 30% reduction above 3001 lots per month.
ActivTrades’ fees are straightforward across its Individual, Professional, and Islamic accounts, with no special pricing for heavy trading. Spreads are the same across account types and will vary by asset and platform; the average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024, and spreads can widen during rollover. Bottom line: Pepperstone’s Razor all-in cost of about 0.80 pips on EUR/USD (before any rebates) is lower than ActivTrades’ 0.98 pips, though Pepperstone’s Standard account is higher than both.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) [DELETED] | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Pepperstone and ActivTrades both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts. Pepperstone offers the larger lineup, with 1,726 tradeable symbols and 65 currency pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 pairs. Both brokers support copy trading and let you speculate on cryptocurrencies via derivatives, but neither allows buying actual crypto.
When it comes to exchange-traded securities, neither broker offers direct access to U.S.-listed stocks. ActivTrades does provide access to certain international shares (not CFDs), while Pepperstone does not. For Range of Investments, both earn 4 stars; Pepperstone ranks 27th out of 63 brokers, and ActivTrades ranks 32nd. If you want more symbols and forex pairs, Pepperstone has the edge; if you need direct international share dealing, ActivTrades is the better fit.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| 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.
Pepperstone vs ActivTrades is a close match on trading platforms and tools. Both brokers provide a free demo account for simulated (paper) trading, offer their own proprietary platform, and support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade in a web-based browser platform or via a Windows desktop download, place orders directly from charts, and use copy trading to mirror other traders.
Both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools from ForexBrokers.com. Pepperstone ranks higher in this category—22nd out of 63 brokers—while ActivTrades is 32nd. If you want similar platform coverage with a slightly stronger category ranking, Pepperstone has the edge; if you’re focused on core features like MT4/MT5, web and desktop access, and a free demo, either broker fits the bill.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 15 | 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.
Pepperstone vs ActivTrades for mobile trading: both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps and earn 4-star ratings for their mobile trading experience. According to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades ranks 19th out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while Pepperstone ranks 21st.
On features, both apps include forex/CFD price alerts, real-time quote watchlists, and charting with 30 technical indicators, trendline drawing, and auto‑saved annotations. The main difference is watchlist syncing: Pepperstone syncs your watchlist between the mobile app and your online account, so changes carry across devices, whereas ActivTrades does not sync watchlists. If cross‑device continuity matters, Pepperstone has the edge; if rankings sway you, ActivTrades holds a slight lead.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | ||
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Pepperstone and ActivTrades both cover the essentials for market research: daily market commentary, forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, and a clear economic calendar. Neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. The key difference is tools: Pepperstone offers Autochartist for pattern recognition and trade ideas, while ActivTrades does not.
On quality scores, Pepperstone is rated 4.5/5 for Research and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds a 4/5 rating and ranks #31. If you want broader built-in analysis features, Pepperstone has the edge; if you mainly need daily insights and reliable news, both brokers deliver.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginner traders comparing education, both Pepperstone and ActivTrades offer frequent learning opportunities. Each broker runs online client webinars at least once a month and provides 10+ beginner video lessons, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. These video resources help you learn core forex and CFD concepts, platform basics, and trading strategies at your own pace.
Independent ratings tip the scales toward Pepperstone: it earns 4.5/5 for Education and ranks #17 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades scores 4/5 and ranks #38. Details weren’t specified about whether either broker has a searchable archive of past webinars or an investor dictionary with 50+ terms. If you value live webinars and sizable video libraries for beginners, both are good picks; if rankings and overall education scores matter most, Pepperstone has the edge.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | ||
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | ||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Pepperstone is better than ActivTrades. Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
Pepperstone offers a growing range of tradeable markets, good-quality research, and support for multiple social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 81 |
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Neither Pepperstone nor ActivTrades offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Pepperstone vs ActivTrades: for deposits and withdrawals, Pepperstone supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires, while ActivTrades supports Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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 | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.00 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Pepperstone | 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 | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | 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 | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Pepperstone Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | ActivTrades Review |
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