Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs Spreadex, 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.
In this ActivTrades vs Spreadex comparison, both brokers are privately held and not banks. ActivTrades, founded in 2001, holds two Tier‑1 licenses and one Tier‑2 license, while Spreadex, founded in 1999, holds one Tier‑1 license and no Tier‑2 licenses. According to ForexBrokers.com, Tier‑1 licenses are considered highly trusted and Tier‑2 licenses are considered trusted.
Based on ForexBrokers.com’s 99‑point Trust Score, ActivTrades scores 80 (trusted), whereas Spreadex scores 70 (average risk). If regulatory coverage and third‑party trust ratings are priorities, ActivTrades has the edge in this matchup.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 1999 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, ActivTrades and Spreadex are both rated 4 out of 5 stars, but ActivTrades ranks higher overall in this category. ForexBrokers.com places ActivTrades at #23 out of 36 brokers, while Spreadex sits at #27 out of 36. For everyday traders, that means both brokers are reasonably competitive on pricing, though neither is the cheapest option in the market.
ActivTrades spreads are slightly better than the industry average, but not as low as the best low-cost forex brokers. It offers a standard Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic account options, along with a demo account. There is no special pricing for high-volume traders, and spreads are generally the same across account types. ActivTrades lists target spreads by asset, and actual costs can change during the trading day; its average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024.
Spreadex also offers competitive pricing, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.81 pips in January 2024 and a minimum spread of 0.6 pips available 60% of the time that month. In simple terms, Spreadex can be a little cheaper on this popular currency pair, while ActivTrades has the better category ranking overall. Your final costs with either broker will still depend on the assets you trade and how often market spreads widen.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.08 | 0.81 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.92 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, Spreadex offers the wider selection overall, with around 10,000 tradeable symbols compared with 1,267 at ActivTrades. Spreadex also lists slightly more forex pairs, with 52 versus ActivTrades’ 49, and both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts. Each also offers cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither allows you to buy actual crypto. Based on ForexBrokers.com, Spreadex is rated 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #13 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks #26.
ActivTrades does have one clear advantage for investors who want to buy real shares: it offers exchange traded securities on international exchanges, such as London-listed stocks, while Spreadex does not. ActivTrades also supports copy trading, which Spreadex does not. However, neither broker offers exchange traded securities on U.S. exchanges, so you cannot buy U.S. stocks like Apple as delivered shares through either platform.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 52 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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.
ActivTrades and Spreadex both give traders a choice of demo accounts, a proprietary platform, and web-based trading, so each broker makes it easy to get started online. Both also let users trade directly from charts, which is handy for placing orders quickly while reviewing price action. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, showing that each offers a solid trading setup for everyday users.
Where ActivTrades stands out is in platform variety and added features: it offers a Windows desktop platform, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading, while Spreadex does not offer those options. That gives ActivTrades a wider choice for traders who want desktop software, popular third-party platforms, or social-style trading. This broader selection is reflected in its stronger ForexBrokers.com ranking of #28 out of 36 brokers, compared with Spreadex at #37 out of 36 in the same category.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 58 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
ActivTrades and Spreadex both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each includes stock or forex price alerts plus the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Both brokers are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps. That said, ActivTrades has the edge for charting tools, with 30 technical studies in its app, while Spreadex does not list technical studies for its mobile charts.
One key difference is that ActivTrades automatically saves chart drawings in its mobile app, which can make it easier to pick up where you left off. Neither broker offers watchlist symbol syncing between the app and online account, so watchlists do not update across devices. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, ActivTrades places #21 out of 36 brokers, while Spreadex sits at #36, giving ActivTrades the stronger overall mobile app showing.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, ActivTrades and Spreadex are closely matched. Both brokers provide daily market commentary, forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus a sentiment tool that shows whether traders are mostly long or short on certain currency pairs or other instruments. Each also includes an economic calendar to help users track key global events that may affect the markets.
The main difference is that Spreadex adds Autochartist, a tool that can help spot trading patterns and possible opportunities, while ActivTrades does not offer it. Neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools. Overall, both are rated 4 out of 5 stars for research, though ActivTrades is ranked slightly higher by ForexBrokers.com at #28 out of 36, compared with Spreadex at #29.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| 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 for trading education, ActivTrades and Spreadex both provide some useful material, but ActivTrades offers a wider learning path overall. ActivTrades appears to give traders forex and CFDs education with at least 10 related pieces, plus online educational webinars each month, which can be especially helpful for new users who want regular guidance. It also offers at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so learners can continue past the basics as they gain confidence. Spreadex also offers at least 10 beginner videos, but it does not appear to provide monthly educational webinars, and it does not offer the same level of advanced video content.
In terms of third-party ratings, both brokers are listed at 4 out of 5 stars for Education, but their overall category rankings tell a different story. ActivTrades is ranked #32 out of 36 brokers for Education by ForexBrokers.com, while Spreadex is ranked #36 out of 36. For beginners who want more frequent learning support and a broader mix of video content, ActivTrades is the stronger choice between the two.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than Spreadex. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28, while Spreadex finished with an overall rank of #33.
ActivTrades is a long-standing brand that offers a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, and support for the award-winning TradingView and MetaTrader (MT4 and MT5) platforms. ActivTrades also delivers a selection of custom add-ons, indicators, and trading tools for traders who prefer to use MetaTrader. Drawbacks for trading with ActivTrades include a smaller selection of tradeable symbols and fewer educational resources than what’s available from the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
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Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 70 |
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Online brokers ActivTrades and Spreadex do not allow buying actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
In the ActivTrades vs Spreadex comparison of deposit and withdrawal methods, both support bank wire transfers but neither supports ACH/SEPA or PayPal; only ActivTrades offers Skrill, 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 | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Spreadex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 80 | 70 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | 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). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 52 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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 | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.08 | 0.81 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.92 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 58 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Spreadex Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Spreadex Review |
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