Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Tickmill 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.
Tickmill and ActivTrades are dynamic players in the online brokerage market, each showcasing robust regulatory frameworks to ensure trader confidence. Founded in 2014, Tickmill is a relatively new entrant, whereas ActivTrades has been established since 2001. Both brokers are not publicly traded nor operate as banks, providing similar market opportunities without the complications of bank-backed pressures. Trust plays a pivotal role when choosing a broker; Tickmill holds an impressive ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 86, while ActivTrades is not far behind with a score of 81, placing both in the trusted category.
Delving into their regulatory setups, Tickmill and ActivTrades each possess two Tier-1 licenses, a testament to their commitment to securing high trust from their clientele. While Tickmill boasts two Tier-2 licenses, ActivTrades maintains one, still aligning itself with trusted standards. These licenses underpin each broker's focus on safeguarding trader interests, ensuring that both newcomers and experienced traders can navigate their platforms with confidence.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
Tickmill earns 5/5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades scores 4/5 stars and ranks #21 out of 63. The key difference: Tickmill’s pricing caters to cost-conscious, active traders via its Raw account, whereas ActivTrades keeps pricing simple with spread-only costs across its account types.
Tickmill offers two accounts. Classic is commission-free but has higher average spreads (about 1.76 pips on EUR/USD as of August 2023). The Raw account (which replaced Pro) charges $3 per side per 100,000 units ($6 per standard lot) and keeps spreads very low. Tickmill lists a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips (October 2023); after the updated commission equivalent of 0.60 pips, the all-in cost comes to about 0.71 pips. The Raw account’s $100 minimum makes its low all-in costs accessible to most traders.
ActivTrades uses spread-based pricing for its Individual, Professional, and Islamic accounts, with no separate active-trader discounts. Average EUR/USD spreads were 0.98 pips in May 2024, and spreads can vary during the trading day (including rollover). In a like-for-like comparison on EUR/USD, Tickmill’s Raw account (about 0.71 pips all-in) is generally cheaper than ActivTrades (0.98 pips), while ActivTrades is cheaper than Tickmill’s Classic account. Choose Tickmill Raw if you want lower all-in costs and trade frequently; choose ActivTrades if you prefer straightforward, spread-only pricing without commissions.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Tickmill vs ActivTrades: For overall market variety, ActivTrades comes out ahead with 1,267 tradeable symbols compared to Tickmill’s 637. If your priority is forex, Tickmill lists more currency pairs (63 vs 49). Both brokers support forex trading (via CFDs or spot, depending on your region and platform), offer copy trading, and provide cryptocurrency exposure through CFDs; neither lets you buy actual crypto.
When it comes to exchange-traded shares, neither broker offers direct access to U.S.-listed stocks, but ActivTrades does let you trade certain international exchange-traded securities, whereas Tickmill does not. Independent ratings echo the breadth difference: Tickmill earns 3.5/5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks 30th out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades scores 4/5 stars and ranks 25th. In short, pick Tickmill if you want a deeper set of forex pairs, and choose ActivTrades if you want a wider overall selection and access to some international exchanges.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 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.
Tickmill and ActivTrades both cover the essentials for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo (paper) trading account, a Windows desktop platform, and a web-based platform. Both support MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), offer copy trading, and let you place trades directly from charts. The key difference is that ActivTrades adds its own proprietary platform, while Tickmill focuses on third-party platforms like MetaTrader.
In testing by ForexBrokers.com, both brokers earned 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, with Tickmill ranked #24 out of 63 and ActivTrades ranked #26. If you want a broker’s in-house platform alongside MT4 and MT5, ActivTrades is a good match. If you prefer a straightforward MetaTrader-only setup across desktop and web, Tickmill fits well. Specific counts for chart indicators and watchlist fields were not provided.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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) | 91 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Tickmill and ActivTrades both deliver capable mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports forex price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, trendline drawing, and auto-saving of chart annotations—useful for staying on top of setups while on the go. The feature sets are closely matched, making either app a practical choice for traders who want alerts and solid in-app charting tools.
Neither broker currently offers watchlist symbol syncing between mobile and web/desktop, which may matter if you switch devices often. Both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps, according to ForexBrokers.com, with ActivTrades ranked slightly higher at #21 out of 63 brokers, compared with Tickmill at #25. If editorial ranking is important to you, ActivTrades has a small edge; otherwise, the day-to-day mobile experience is very similar.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
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.
Tickmill and ActivTrades both cover the basics traders expect from market research. Each provides daily market commentary, top-tier forex news from outlets such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, a sentiment tool showing long vs. short positioning, and an economic calendar. Neither broker includes Autochartist, Trading Central, or TipRanks at this time.
The key difference is that Tickmill adds Acuity Trading tools (including Signal Centre), while ActivTrades does not. Both earn 4 stars for research, but ForexBrokers.com ranks Tickmill higher (#19 of 63) than ActivTrades (#26 of 63). If you want extra trade ideas and headlines powered by Acuity, Tickmill has an edge. If you mainly need daily commentary, reliable news, and sentiment data, either broker will do the job.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Tickmill and ActivTrades both make it easier for new traders to learn. Each broker runs client webinars at least once a month and offers a catalog of beginner videos with 10 or more sessions, plus 10 or more advanced videos for when you’re ready to progress. That mix of live webinars and on-demand lessons gives beginners practical ways to build skills for trading forex and CFDs.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for education, but Tickmill holds a higher industry rank (#14 of 63) than ActivTrades (#30 of 63) in the Education category. If overall standing matters to you, Tickmill has the edge; if you simply want regular webinars and plenty of beginner-friendly videos, either broker can work well.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
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 Tickmill is better than ActivTrades. Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
Tickmill is a run-of-the-mill MetaTrader broker that offers a limited selection of tradeable securities. The broker does offer very competitive commission-based pricing for professionals through its VIP and Pro accounts.
| Feature |
Tickmill
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 |
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Comparing online brokers Tickmill vs ActivTrades for crypto trading: neither offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both provide cryptocurrency CFDs for speculative trading.
Tickmill vs ActivTrades: for deposits and withdrawals, neither supports ACH or SEPA transfers, both provide Skrill and bank wire, Tickmill adds PayPal while ActivTrades does not, 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 | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 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 | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 91 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Tickmill | 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 | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Tickmill Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | ActivTrades Review |
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