Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Questrade 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.
Questrade and ActivTrades are both seasoned players in the online brokerage world, with Questrade founded in 2000 and ActivTrades following closely in 2001. Neither of these brokers is a publicly traded company nor operates as a bank, but both carry recognition and trust in the financial world. Questrade, holding two Tier-1 licenses, is considered trusted according to its Trust Score of 86, as awarded by ForexBrokers.com. This places it in a high regard among regulatory bodies, reflecting its commitment to client safety and service quality.
ActivTrades, similarly established and committed to safety, holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, bolstering its regulatory clout. With a Trust Score of 81 from ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades is also rated as a trusted firm. Both brokers have demonstrated stable operations over their extensive histories, providing reliable platforms for investors looking for safe and credible trading environments.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Questrade vs ActivTrades on commissions and fees: ActivTrades tends to be cheaper for forex. On the key EUR/USD pair, Questrade’s target spread is 1.9 pips, which is high versus the industry average, while ActivTrades reported a 0.98‑pip average in May 2024—better than average, though not the very lowest. As with most brokers, actual spreads can vary by asset, platform, and time of day, and may widen during rollover.
Questrade’s higher quoted spread translates to pricier day‑to‑day trading costs for forex. Rating: 3 out of 5 stars for Commissions and Fees. Ranking: #59 out of 63 brokers (ForexBrokers.com).
ActivTrades offers one main “Individual” account (plus Professional and Islamic options), with the same spreads across account types and no separate active‑trader pricing. Its typical pricing on EUR/USD (0.98 pips average in May 2024) places it slightly better than the industry average. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars for Commissions and Fees. Ranking: #29 out of 63 brokers (ForexBrokers.com).
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $250 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Questrade and ActivTrades both offer forex trading (CFD or spot) and support crypto CFDs, though neither lets you buy actual cryptocurrency. ActivTrades lists more total tradeable symbols (1,267 vs. 641), while Questrade provides more tradeable forex pairs (110 vs. 49).
For exchange-traded securities, Questrade lets you buy U.S. and international shares directly, whereas ActivTrades offers international shares but not U.S.-listed stocks. ActivTrades also supports copy trading; Questrade does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, Questrade earns 5 stars and ranks 12th out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks 32nd. Pick Questrade if you want access to U.S. stocks and a wider choice of forex pairs; choose ActivTrades if you prefer more overall symbols and copy trading.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 641 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Questrade and ActivTrades both check key boxes for platform access: each offers a free paper trading (demo) account, an in-house proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, a web-based platform, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. Both earn 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, signaling solid experiences for most traders.
Key differences come down to platform variety and social features. ActivTrades supports copy trading and integrates MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while Questrade does not offer copy trading or MT4/MT5. In ForexBrokers.com’s 63-broker review, ActivTrades ranks #32 for Trading Platforms and Tools, ahead of Questrade at #35. If you want MT4/MT5 and copy trading, ActivTrades is the better fit; if you’re content with a broker’s own platforms and chart-based trading with a free demo, Questrade delivers the essentials.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Questrade and ActivTrades both deliver full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts and lets you draw on charts with tools like trendlines, with drawings saved automatically. Whether you trade stocks or forex, both apps cover the basics you need to monitor markets and place orders on the go.
The key differences are in charting depth and watchlists. Questrade offers 64 technical studies and syncs your watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while ActivTrades provides 30 studies and does not sync watchlists. Both earn 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps; however, ForexBrokers.com ranks ActivTrades higher at #19 out of 63 brokers, compared with Questrade at #35. Pick Questrade if you want more indicators and seamless watchlist syncing, or choose ActivTrades if the higher third-party ranking is a priority.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
In our Questrade vs ActivTrades market research comparison, ActivTrades comes out ahead overall. It earns 4 stars and ranks 31st out of 63 brokers for research, while Questrade holds 3.5 stars and ranks 52nd. ActivTrades provides daily market commentary and streams forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Questrade does not offer daily commentary, and access to top-tier forex news is not specified. Both brokers include an economic calendar, and neither offers tools from Acuity Trading.
Tool-wise, Questrade stands out for third‑party research add‑ons: it integrates Autochartist, Trading Central, and TipRanks. ActivTrades does not offer those, but it does include a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long and short positions—something Questrade lacks. If you want daily insights and live news flow, ActivTrades is stronger. If you prefer chart patterns, analyst opinions, and technical signals from well-known providers, Questrade has the edge.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing Questrade vs ActivTrades for beginner education, both brokers provide at least 10 beginner-friendly trading videos. ActivTrades adds depth with at least 10 advanced videos and hosts online educational webinars at least once per month, while Questrade does not offer monthly webinars and does not meet the advanced-video count. Based on the information provided, it’s not confirmed whether either broker offers at least 10 forex- or CFD-specific education pieces.
For quality scores, ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education, while Questrade is rated 3.5 out of 5. In ForexBrokers.com’s Education ranking of 63 brokers, Questrade is #36 and ActivTrades is #38. Choose ActivTrades if you want live webinars and more advanced material; choose Questrade if you mainly need beginner videos and prefer a slightly higher category ranking. The availability of dedicated forex and CFD education remains unspecified.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Questrade is better than ActivTrades. Questrade finished with an overall rank of #32, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
Regulated in both the U.S. and Canada, Questrade is a trusted full-service multi-asset broker now offering forex and CFDs alongside its stock trading services for active and passive investors. While its scope of educational resources and in-house research is limited, Questrade has an impressive platform lineup.
| Feature |
Questrade
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 |
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Questrade vs. ActivTrades: neither broker lets you buy actual, delivered cryptocurrencies, but both offer trading in cryptocurrency CFDs.
Questrade vs ActivTrades: neither supports ACH/SEPA or PayPal, both accept bank wires, only ActivTrades offers Skrill, and 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 | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | 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) | No | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 641 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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). |
| Cost | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $250 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Questrade | 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 | 64 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | ||
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Questrade Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Questrade | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review | ActivTrades Review |
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