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 #6 of 63. Its Razor account uses commission-based pricing on TradingView, MetaTrader (MT4/MT5), and cTrader, and posted an average EUR/USD spread of 0.10 pips as of July 2024; once you add the commission-equivalent of 0.70 pips, the all-in cost is about 0.80 pips, roughly near the industry average. The commission-free Standard account averaged 1.1 pips on EUR/USD, making it pricier than Razor. High-volume traders can lower costs through the Active Trader program, with spread rebates that can reach up to 25% in the U.K./EU and up to 30% in Australia for top tiers.
ActivTrades earns 4/5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #21 of 63. It offers one primary Individual account, plus Professional and Islamic options, and does not provide active-trader pricing. Spreads are the same across its account types, and fees vary by asset and platform. For May 2024, ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips, which is a touch better than the industry average but not as low as the cheapest providers; spreads can widen during rollover and volatile periods.
Comparing the two: Pepperstone’s Razor all-in EUR/USD cost of about 0.80 pips (July 2024) undercuts ActivTrades’ 0.98 pips (May 2024), and Pepperstone’s rebates can reduce costs further for high-volume traders. By contrast, ActivTrades keeps pricing straightforward without volume tiers but lacks additional discounts. Keep in mind that spreads are variable and your actual costs will depend on what you trade, when you trade, and the platform you use.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.1 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Pepperstone edges ActivTrades for overall range of investments, with 1,726 tradeable instruments versus 1,267. In forex, Pepperstone lists 65 currency pairs compared with 49 at ActivTrades, and both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs/spot. Each platform supports copy trading, giving you the option to mirror strategies from other traders.
When it comes to asset types, neither broker offers direct U.S. share dealing, and neither lets you buy actual crypto; however, both provide cryptocurrency CFDs. ActivTrades has one extra avenue: it offers exchange-traded securities on select international markets, while Pepperstone does not. Ratings for range are equal at 4 out of 5 stars, with Pepperstone ranked 23rd out of 63 brokers and ActivTrades 25th, according to ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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.
Pepperstone and ActivTrades both check the big boxes for platform choice and ease of access. Each broker offers a free demo account for paper trading, a proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), plus both Windows desktop and web-based trading. You can place trades straight from charts and tap into copy trading on either broker, which makes it simple to mirror strategies or test ideas before going live.
For platform quality, both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, according to ForexBrokers.com, with Pepperstone ranked #21 and ActivTrades #26 out of 63 brokers. Exact counts for built-in technical indicators and watchlist fields aren’t specified and may vary by platform configuration, but the overall feature sets are comparable. Choose Pepperstone if a slightly higher independent ranking matters to you, or go with either based on whether you prefer their proprietary platform or the MT4/MT5 ecosystem.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
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) | 15 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Pepperstone and ActivTrades both deliver capable mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each supports price alerts and offers strong charting with 30 technical studies, trendline drawing, and auto‑saved annotations, so your chart work stays intact between sessions. If you want a familiar experience across devices, both apps check the core boxes for active traders and casual investors alike.
The main difference is watchlist syncing: Pepperstone syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while ActivTrades does not. As for recognition, both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings out of 63 brokers, Pepperstone sits at #19 and ActivTrades at #21, giving Pepperstone a slight edge for mobile trading app performance.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | 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.
Pepperstone vs ActivTrades: both brokers deliver daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus a clear economic calendar and sentiment tools that show the ratio of long and short positions. These shared features make it easy for traders to track events, gauge market mood, and stay informed without leaving their platform.
The key difference is tools: Pepperstone adds Autochartist for automated technical ideas, while ActivTrades does not. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. According to ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone earns 4.5 stars for Research and ranks 12th out of 63 brokers, whereas ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks 26th. If you value built-in technical setups alongside daily news and sentiment data, Pepperstone has a slight edge; if you only need the essentials, ActivTrades still covers the bases well.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
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.
Pepperstone and ActivTrades both deliver forex and CFD education that meets the 10+ piece threshold, spanning articles, videos, and archived webinars. Each broker runs at least one client webinar per month and offers large video libraries with 10 or more beginner lessons as well as 10 or more advanced lessons. For new traders, that means step‑by‑step videos and live sessions are easy to find, whether you’re learning the basics or moving into more complex topics.
The key difference is quality and recognition. Pepperstone’s education is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #15 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #30. If you want the higher‑rated learning experience, Pepperstone has the edge. If you’re happy with a solid library that still includes frequent webinars and many beginner and advanced videos, ActivTrades remains a good pick.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
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 Pepperstone is better than ActivTrades. Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #17, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
Pepperstone offers a growing range of tradeable markets, good-quality research, and support for multiple social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 95 | 81 |
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Pepperstone vs ActivTrades: neither broker offers the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both provide access to cryptocurrency CFDs for trading.
In the Pepperstone vs ActivTrades comparison of deposit and withdrawal methods, Pepperstone offers ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, whereas ActivTrades offers Skrill and bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA 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 | 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 | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | 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 |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | 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 | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.1 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | 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 | |
| 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 [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - 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 (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 | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Pepperstone | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| 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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