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 cost-conscious forex traders. Tickmill earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 36 for Commissions and Fees. It offers a commission-free Classic account, but its spreads are wider there. The better value is usually the Raw account, which now charges $3 per side per standard lot (or $6 round turn), while still keeping spreads very low; for example, its typical EUR/USD spread has been listed at 0.11 pips, with an all-in cost that is still competitive even after the commission increase.
ActivTrades is a solid option, but it is generally not as cheap as Tickmill for active forex trading. It scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #21 out of 36 in the Commissions and Fees category. ActivTrades uses a simpler account setup, with an Individual Account, Professional Account, and Islamic Account, and it does not offer special active-trader pricing. Its fees depend on the asset being traded, and while spreads are usually a bit better than the industry average, they are not among the lowest-cost levels in the market.
In plain terms, Tickmill is the better pick if your main goal is lower trading costs, especially on forex pairs like EUR/USD. ActivTrades remains competitive, but its spread pricing is less attractive for frequent traders. If keeping commissions and fees as low as possible matters most, Tickmill is the stronger choice overall.
| 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.
When it comes to range of investments, ActivTrades offers a wider selection overall than Tickmill. ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable symbols, compared with 637 at Tickmill, and it also gives clients access to international exchange-traded shares, which Tickmill does not. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, offer copy trading, and let clients trade cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither allows the purchase of actual, delivered crypto or U.S.-listed exchange-traded shares outside of CFDs. Tickmill does have a slight edge in forex pairs, with 62 available versus 49 at ActivTrades.
Based on these differences, ActivTrades earns a stronger score for range of investments, with 4 out of 5 stars and a #25 ranking out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Tickmill is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #30 out of 36. For traders who want more market choice and access to international stocks, ActivTrades may be the better fit, while Tickmill may appeal more to those focused mainly on forex pairs.
| 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 a strong set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, copy trading, and access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each also lets users place trades directly from a chart, making it easier to act on market moves without extra steps. Based on Trading Platforms and Tools, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, with Tickmill ranked #24 out of 36 and ActivTrades ranked #26 out of 36 by ForexBrokers.com.
The main difference is that ActivTrades offers its own in-house trading platform, while Tickmill does not. That may matter to traders who want a broker-built platform with a different look and feel from MetaTrader. For most other platform and tool needs, though, the two brokers are closely matched, so the better choice may come down to whether you prefer a proprietary platform or are happy using the same well-known third-party tools on both sides.
| 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 give traders daily market commentary and an economic calendar, so each platform covers the basics well for keeping up with market events. Both brokers also earn 4 out of 5 stars for research, but Tickmill ranks higher overall in ForexBrokers.com’s Research category at #19 out of 36 brokers, compared with #26 for ActivTrades.
The main difference is in the extra research tools and news flow. ActivTrades stands out for offering forex news from top-tier sources like Reuters and Bloomberg, plus a sentiment tool that shows how traders are positioned. Tickmill, on the other hand, does not offer top-tier news or sentiment data, but it does provide research tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre. Neither broker offers Autochartist, Trading Central, or TipRanks.
| 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
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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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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| 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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