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 (founded 2014) and ActivTrades (founded 2001) are not publicly traded and are not banks. ForexBrokers.com rates Tickmill at 85/99 and ActivTrades at 80/99—both in the “trusted” range (90–99 highly trusted; 80–89 trusted; 70–79 average risk; 60–69 high risk; 59 or lower not trusted).
Both brokers hold two Tier-1 licenses, which ForexBrokers.com considers highly trusted. Tickmill also holds two Tier-2 licenses versus one for ActivTrades, giving Tickmill a slightly broader set of trusted regulatory approvals.
| 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 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Tickmill has the edge over ActivTrades for low-cost trading. Tickmill offers two account choices: the commission-free Classic account and the Raw account, which charges $3 per side per standard lot. Even with that commission increase, Tickmill still keeps costs competitive thanks to its tight spreads, and its Raw account can be opened with just $100. Tickmill is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #10 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
ActivTrades is also priced fairly well, but it does not match Tickmill for overall trading costs. The broker offers a main Individual Account plus Professional and Islamic account options, but there is no special pricing for active traders. Its spreads are slightly better than average, though not as low as the best discount forex brokers. For example, ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024. ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and is ranked #22 out of 36 brokers.
In simple terms, Tickmill is the better pick if your main goal is lower trading fees, especially on its Raw account. ActivTrades is still a solid choice, but its pricing structure is less competitive for traders who want the lowest possible costs.
| 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 and ActivTrades both let traders access forex as a CFD or spot contract, and both also support copy trading and crypto CFDs. Neither broker offers direct share dealing on U.S. exchanges or the option to buy actual cryptocurrency, so if you want to own Apple shares or Bitcoin itself, neither platform fits that need. In terms of forex choice, Tickmill offers 62 currency pairs, while ActivTrades offers 49.
Where ActivTrades pulls ahead is in overall market range. It lists 1,267 tradeable symbols versus 637 at Tickmill, and it is the only one of the two that offers exchange-traded securities on international markets, such as shares listed outside the U.S. This broader selection is reflected in third-party ratings too: ActivTrades scores 4 out of 5 stars for range of investments and ranks 26th out of 36 brokers, compared with Tickmill’s 3.5 stars and 31st-place ranking.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 62 | 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 give traders access to a good mix of platform options, including free demo accounts, web-based trading, Windows desktop downloads, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, copy trading, and the ability to trade directly from charts. In everyday use, that means either broker can suit beginners who want to practice first, as well as active traders who prefer familiar third-party platforms and chart-based order entry.
The biggest difference is that ActivTrades also offers its own in-house trading platform, while Tickmill does not. Even so, both brokers earn the same 4-star rating for Trading Platforms and Tools, though Tickmill places higher in ForexBrokers.com’s ranking for this category at #24 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at #27. For traders comparing platform choice and tools, both brokers are solid picks, with ActivTrades standing out for its proprietary platform and Tickmill edging ahead in the ranking.
| 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) | 97 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Tickmill and ActivTrades both make it easy to trade on the go with iPhone and Android apps, and each earns a 4-star rating for mobile trading apps. ActivTrades has a slight edge for traders who want price alerts and automatic saving of chart drawings, while Tickmill stands out for watchlist syncing between its mobile app and online account. That means changes you make to a watchlist on Tickmill will carry over across devices, which can be handy if you move between your phone and desktop.
When it comes to chart tools, Tickmill offers 97 technical studies in its mobile app, far more than ActivTrades’ 30. Both brokers let you draw trendlines on charts, but Tickmill does not auto-save those drawings, while ActivTrades does. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, ActivTrades places higher at #21 out of 36 brokers, compared with Tickmill at #25, so the better choice may depend on whether you value more chart options or more built-in mobile features like alerts and saved drawings.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Tickmill and ActivTrades both cover the basics well for market research, offering daily market commentary and an economic calendar to help traders keep track of key events. Both brokers also earn 4 out of 5 stars for Research, showing a solid level of support for traders who want regular market updates and a simple way to follow upcoming news.
ActivTrades has the edge when it comes to research extras, since it includes forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus a sentiment tool that shows whether traders are mostly buying or selling. Tickmill, on the other hand, does not offer those features but does provide Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre. Neither broker includes Autochartist, Trading Central, or TipRanks. In ForexBrokers.com’s Research ranking, Tickmill places higher at #19 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades comes in at #27.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to learning support for beginners, both Tickmill and ActivTrades give new traders a wide range of educational material. Each broker offers forex and CFD education, along with online client webinars at least once a month, plus at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos. In simple terms, both platforms give users plenty of ways to build knowledge, whether they are just starting out or looking to improve their trading skills.
That said, Tickmill has the edge in overall education quality. Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education, but Tickmill is ranked #14 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades sits at #30. For beginners comparing the two, this suggests that although both are helpful, Tickmill is generally seen as the stronger choice for educational resources.
| 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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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 85 | 80 |
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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 | 85 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 85 | 80 | |
| 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 CMA 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) | 62 | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | Tickmill | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | 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 | 85 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | ActivTrades Review |
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