Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote 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.
Online broker Swissquote, founded in 1996, is a publicly traded company and a bank. ActivTrades, founded in 2001, is privately held and not a bank.
In terms of regulation, ForexBrokers.com data shows Swissquote holds 5 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses and has a Trust Score of 99, placing it in the highly trusted 90–99 range. ActivTrades holds 2 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 licenses with a Trust Score of 80, which falls into the trusted 80–89 range.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When comparing commissions and fees, ActivTrades comes out ahead of Swissquote for most retail traders. ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranked #22 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees, while Swissquote earns 3.5 stars and ranks #36 out of 36. In simple terms, ActivTrades tends to offer lower overall trading costs, with average EUR/USD spreads of 0.98 pips reported for May 2024, although costs can still vary by market conditions and the asset you trade.
Swissquote, by contrast, is a pricier choice, especially if you want the appeal of banking with a Swiss financial group. Its fees depend on which Swissquote entity you use. The U.K. branch generally has the lower-cost accounts, including the Elite account for active traders with a $10,000 deposit and a $5 round-turn commission, plus tighter spreads. Other Swissquote accounts can be more expensive, with EUR/USD spreads starting from 1.3 pips on Standard in the U.K., 1.5 pips in Luxembourg, and 1.7 pips in Switzerland.
ActivTrades also keeps things simpler with one main Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic account options, and it does not offer special pricing for high-volume traders. Swissquote offers more account variety across its U.K., Luxembourg, and Swiss entities, but that flexibility comes with higher starting costs and larger minimum deposits on some plans. If low fees are your top priority, ActivTrades is the stronger pick; if you value Swiss banking branding and broader account choices, Swissquote may still appeal despite the higher price.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing Swissquote and ActivTrades for range of investments, Swissquote comes out ahead overall. Both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, plus copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. However, Swissquote gives traders access to more than just derivatives: it offers exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international markets, along with the ability to buy actual cryptocurrency. ActivTrades also supports international exchange traded securities, but it does not offer U.S.-listed shares or delivered crypto.
In terms of choice, ActivTrades lists more tradeable symbols overall, with 1,267 compared with Swissquote’s 472, but Swissquote offers more forex pairs, with 80 versus 49. That wider mix of markets helps explain why Swissquote is rated 5 stars for range of investments and ranked #2 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds a 4-star rating and ranks #26. For investors looking for a broader spread of asset types, Swissquote has the stronger offering.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
Swissquote and ActivTrades both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including a free demo account, a proprietary platform, Windows desktop software, web-based trading, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can make it easier to place orders while watching price action. For traders who want flexibility across devices and styles, both brokers cover the main platform basics well.
Where they differ is in third-party ratings and overall standing for trading platforms and tools. Swissquote earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #12 out of 36 brokers in this category at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds a 4-star rating and ranks #27 out of 36. If you are comparing the two mainly on platform quality and trading tools, Swissquote has the stronger overall score, though ActivTrades still offers a solid set of features for everyday trading.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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) | 86 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Swissquote and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so traders can manage accounts and place trades on the go with either broker. Each app includes stock and forex price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, trendline drawing, and auto-saving for chart drawings. One key limitation for both is that watchlists do not sync between the mobile app and the online account, so changes made in one place will not appear in the other.
Where the two brokers differ is in overall mobile app quality and ranking. Swissquote is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps and is ranked #12 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #21. For traders who want a slightly higher-rated mobile experience, Swissquote has the edge, though both brokers offer many of the same core mobile features.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | 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.
Swissquote and ActivTrades both give traders daily market commentary, forex news from well-known sources, and an economic calendar to help track important global events. Swissquote also stands out by including Autochartist, a tool that can help spot chart patterns and trading ideas, while ActivTrades does not offer this feature. ActivTrades, on the other hand, provides a sentiment tool that shows whether more traders are long or short on a pair or other instrument, which Swissquote does not have.
In overall research quality, Swissquote comes out ahead with a 4.5-star rating and a rank of #15 out of 36 brokers for Research at ForexBrokers.com. ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #27 out of 36. For traders comparing market research tools, Swissquote offers a slightly wider range of features, while ActivTrades still covers the basics well and adds useful sentiment data.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking to learn trading, both Swissquote and ActivTrades offer a wide range of educational support. Each broker provides at least 10 pieces of forex or CFDs education, monthly online client webinars, and more than 10 beginner videos, plus more than 10 advanced videos for traders who want to build on their skills. That means both platforms give new traders plenty of material to start with and room to keep learning over time.
Even so, Swissquote comes out ahead in the education category. It earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #19 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #30. In simple terms, both brokers are helpful for education, but Swissquote is the stronger pick if you want the better-rated learning experience.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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 Swissquote is better than ActivTrades. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
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ActivTrades
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 |
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In the Swissquote vs ActivTrades online broker comparison for crypto, Swissquote allows buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies and trading cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas ActivTrades offers cryptocurrency CFDs only and does not provide delivered coins.
Swissquote vs ActivTrades: For deposits and withdrawals, Swissquote supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers, while ActivTrades supports Skrill and bank wire 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 | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | 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) | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $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 | Swissquote | 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 | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | 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 | Swissquote | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Swissquote Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | ActivTrades Review |
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