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 |
For commissions and fees, Tickmill generally comes out cheaper than ActivTrades, especially for frequent traders. Tickmill earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #10 of 63 for Commissions and Fees, while ActivTrades earns 4/5 stars and ranks #21 of 63. In short: Tickmill’s pricing is geared toward low costs when you factor in its commission-based Raw account, whereas ActivTrades offers decent spreads but no special pricing for high-volume traders.
Tickmill’s Raw account charges a $3 per side commission per 100,000 units ($6 round turn) and lists a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips; the estimated all-in cost comes to about 0.71 pips after commission. The Classic account is commission-free but carries much wider average spreads (about 1.76 pips). The Raw account’s $100 minimum helps keep the entry barrier low, and Tickmill publishes typical spreads during normal market conditions.
ActivTrades centers its pricing on spreads that are the same across its Individual, Professional, and Islamic accounts, and it does not offer active-trader discounts. Average EUR/USD spreads were 0.98 pips in May 2024, though spreads can vary during the session and widen around rollover. Overall costs at ActivTrades depend on which assets you trade and the platform you choose.
| 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 comparing Tickmill and ActivTrades for range of investments, ActivTrades comes out ahead overall. Both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets clients buy actual crypto. Tickmill provides 637 tradeable symbols and 62 forex pairs, while ActivTrades offers a larger total list of 1,267 tradeable symbols, though with fewer forex pairs at 49.
The biggest difference is in shares and market access. Neither broker offers exchange-traded U.S. securities, but ActivTrades does provide exchange-traded international shares, such as stocks listed outside the U.S., while Tickmill does not. That wider selection helps ActivTrades earn a 4-star rating for Range of Investments and a #25 ranking out of 63 brokers, compared with Tickmill’s 3.5 stars and #30 rank.
| 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 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) | 97 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Tickmill and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and both earn a 4-star rating for mobile trading apps from ForexBrokers.com. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on charts, making it easier to track market moves on the go. In short, both brokers give traders a workable mobile setup for managing trades from a phone or tablet.
That said, there are some clear differences. Tickmill stands out for charting, offering 97 technical studies in its mobile app compared with 30 at ActivTrades, and it also syncs watchlists between the app and online account. ActivTrades, on the other hand, supports price alerts and automatically saves chart drawings, while Tickmill does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, ActivTrades places slightly higher at #21 out of 63 brokers, while Tickmill comes in at #25.
| 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, and each scores 4 out of 5 stars for research. Where ActivTrades stands out is in its access to top-tier forex news from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus a sentiment tool that shows whether traders are mostly long or short on a pair. Tickmill does not offer those features, but it does include research tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre.
Neither broker offers research from Autochartist, Trading Central, or TipRanks. In ForexBrokers.com’s research ranking, Tickmill places higher at #19 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades comes in at #26. Overall, both brokers cover the basics well, but ActivTrades has the edge for news and sentiment, while Tickmill offers Acuity Trading tools and a slightly better ranking.
| 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.
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 | 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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