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 and ActivTrades offer distinct experiences regarding commissions and fees, catering to different types of traders. Pepperstone, rated 4.5 stars and ranked #10 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, is particularly attractive for high-volume traders through its Razor account, which operates on a commission-based pricing structure. With an average spread of 0.10 pips for the EUR/USD (as of July 2024), costs with commissions reach around 0.80 pips, aligning with the industry average. For standard account users, the commission-free option yields higher costs, with an average spread of 1.1 pips. Pepperstone also provides an Active Trader program, allowing eligible UK, EU, and Australian professionals to receive rebates based on their trading volume.
In contrast, ActivTrades, earning a 4-star rating and positioned at #28, is known for competitive spreads slightly better than the industry average, as evidenced by a EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024. Primarily, ActivTrades provides an Individual Account with no special provisions like active trader pricing for frequent traders. Instead, it features other options such as Professional and Islamic Accounts, where the main variations lie in margin requirements rather than spread costs. Spreads can vary across assets, often widening during trading sessions, reflective of broader market dynamics and typical broker models.
| 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 | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | 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.
If you're comparing Pepperstone and ActivTrades in terms of their range of investments, both platforms provide forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. Pepperstone has a diverse offering with 1,726 tradeable symbols, standing out with 65 forex pairs. In comparison, ActivTrades offers 1,267 tradeable symbols with 49 forex pairs. While neither platform allows direct trading of exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, ActivTrades does provide access to international exchange-traded securities, such as shares on the London Stock Exchange, which Pepperstone currently does not.
Both Pepperstone and ActivTrades support copy trading and offer cryptocurrency derivatives rather than actual cryptocurrencies. When it comes to ratings, Pepperstone and ActivTrades each received a commendable four out of five stars for their range of investments. Furthermore, in the rankings by ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone is positioned at #26 while ActivTrades is slightly lower at #31, indicating solid but not top-tier offerings in this category for both brokers.
| 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 and ActivTrades both provide comprehensive trading experiences, as each offers virtual demo accounts and employs proprietary trading platforms. On top of their own systems, both brokers extend access to popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 and 5, and each provides a Windows-based desktop platform alongside a web-based option. Both brokers also support copy trading, with Pepperstone offering DupliTrade while both lack support for ZuluTrade. When it comes to indicators, Pepperstone and ActivTrades are comparable in technical tools, though Pepperstone stands out with a wider array of 30 drawing tools compared to ActivTrades' 15.
For traders looking to customize their experience, watch lists are a notable feature. ActivTrades excels with 11 columns for fields compared to Pepperstone's seven, catering to those who want more data at their fingertips. Both brokers allow direct trading from stock charts, ensuring a seamless trading process. Rated four stars each for their platforms and tools, Pepperstone and ActivTrades are well-regarded, though in the ForexBrokers.com rankings, Pepperstone claims a higher position at #22 out of 63 compared to ActivTrades’ #30. Ultimately, both provide solid platforms and tools, though they differ slightly in their offerings and rank.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Pepperstone and ActivTrades both provide comprehensive mobile trading apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices. Both platforms feature stock and forex price alerts, a selection of 30 technical studies for charting, support for multiple time frames, and trendline drawing tools. Additionally, they allow the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes. However, one notable difference is that Pepperstone offers syncing capabilities for watchlist symbols between its mobile app and online account, while ActivTrades does not.
While both apps auto save chart drawings and are well-regarded, with each earning 4 out of 5 stars for their mobile trading experiences, there is a slight variation in their ForexBrokers.com rankings. ActivTrades is ranked slightly higher at 19th, compared to Pepperstone’s 21st position out of 63 brokers. This highlights a minor preference for ActivTrades based on ForexBrokers.com's review, though both platforms remain strong choices for users looking for advanced mobile trading features.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | 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.
Pepperstone and ActivTrades both offer strong market research features, providing daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. Additionally, both brokers include a sentiment-based trading tool that displays the ratio of long or short positions across currency pairs and offer economic calendars showcasing global news events. However, Pepperstone holds an edge with its integration of Autochartist, a popular technical analysis and research tool, which ActivTrades does not provide.
In terms of research quality, Pepperstone slightly outshines ActivTrades, earning a 4.5-star rating compared to ActivTrades' 4-star rating. According to ForexBrokers.com rankings, Pepperstone is positioned at #12 out of 63 brokers, reflecting its comprehensive research offerings. Meanwhile, ActivTrades is ranked #30, indicating a solid performance but slightly less extensive than its competitor. Neither broker offers tools from Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading, which might be a consideration for more specialized research needs.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both Pepperstone and ActivTrades present an array of educational resources for those eager to dive into forex and CFD trading. For beginners, each platform provides over ten educational materials including articles, videos, and archived webinars. They also ensure continuous learning by hosting at least one webinar every month and maintaining a searchable archive of recorded sessions. Where Pepperstone makes a distinguishing mark is in its investor dictionary, delivering definitions for over 50 investing terms, a feature not matched by ActivTrades.
When it comes to video content, both brokers cater to different proficiency levels with more than ten beginner and advanced educational videos available. Pepperstone, however, edges out in educational value by earning a 4.5-star rating and securing the 17th position in the Education category as per ForexBrokers.com. In comparison, ActivTrades holds a 4-star rating and ranks 38th. For traders prioritizing educational tools to enhance their trading knowledge, both brokers provide strong offerings, with Pepperstone slightly leading in breadth and ranking.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
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
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 95 | 81 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Commissions & Fees |
|
|
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
Neither Pepperstone nor ActivTrades offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Pepperstone provides a versatile range of deposit and withdrawal options, including ACH, SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas ActivTrades offers more limited options, supporting only Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but lacks ACH, SEPA, and PayPal capabilities.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 95 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Research Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| |
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| 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 | No | |
| 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 | 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 | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| 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 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| 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 | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | No | |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 11 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 30 | 15 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | 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 | 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 | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Commissions & Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 95 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | ActivTrades Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Plus500
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill