Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs Trade Nation, 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.
ActivTrades, established in 2001, and Trade Nation, founded in 2014, are both online brokers that prioritize client protection and regulatory compliance. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank. Both firms hold two Tier-1 licenses, which indicates a highly trustworthy status according to ForexBrokers.com standards. They also each possess one Tier-2 license, reflecting a trusted level of security and operations.
While both brokers demonstrate a commitment to safety through their regulatory credentials, Trade Nation edges out slightly in reliability with a Trust Score of 85 out of 99, compared to ActivTrades' Trust Score of 81. This places both brokers in the "trusted" category, offering customers confidence in their service integrity while providing a secure environment for trading activities.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
If you’re comparing commissions and fees, ActivTrades delivers spreads that are slightly better than the industry average, though not the absolute lowest. Its EUR/USD averaged 0.98 pips in May 2024. Spreads can widen during the daily rollover, and actual costs depend on the asset and platform you use. Trade Nation takes a different path with fixed spreads on its TN Trader platform: EUR/USD is quoted at 0.6 pips most of the day, widening to about 1.4 pips for roughly an hour at rollover, which puts the effective average near 1 pip.
Account choices also shape pricing. ActivTrades has one main Individual Account plus Professional and Islamic options; spreads are the same across them, and there’s no special pricing for high‑volume traders. Trade Nation offers three setups: a MetaTrader commission‑free account, a MetaTrader Raw Spread account that charges $3.50 per side ($7 round‑trip) per standard lot, and its TN Trader account, which typically delivers the lowest all‑in costs among its offerings.
Bottom line on costs: Trade Nation generally comes out ahead for commissions and fees, especially for those who value fixed‑spread clarity on TN Trader, while ActivTrades remains competitive with slightly-better-than‑average pricing. Ratings reflect this gap: ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #29 of 63 for Commissions and Fees on ForexBrokers.com; Trade Nation earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #7 of 63.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 0.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.6 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
ActivTrades vs Trade Nation: both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts and both support copy trading. ActivTrades provides a wider lineup, with 1,267 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs, compared with Trade Nation’s 1,000 symbols and 46 pairs. A standout difference is share dealing: ActivTrades lets you buy certain international exchange‑listed shares (not CFDs), such as stocks on the London Stock Exchange, while neither broker allows you to buy U.S.-listed shares outright. For crypto, both offer cryptocurrency derivatives but do not provide direct ownership of coins.
For Range of Investments, ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks 32nd out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com; Trade Nation scores 3.5 stars and ranks 39th. Choose ActivTrades if you want a larger selection and access to some real international shares; pick Trade Nation if you’re comfortable with a slightly smaller menu that still covers key markets, copy trading, and crypto derivatives.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
ActivTrades and Trade Nation both tick the key boxes for trading platforms and tools: they offer free demo (paper) accounts, proprietary platforms, Windows-based desktop downloads, and web-based (browser) trading. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and provides copy trading. The main differences are that ActivTrades also supports MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and lets you place trades directly from a chart, while Trade Nation does not offer MT5 and does not support chart trading. If you want MT5 features or prefer trading straight from charts, ActivTrades has the edge; if you’re fine with MT4 and a simple web or desktop setup, either broker works.
In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both earn 4 stars, but ActivTrades ranks #32 out of 63 brokers, ahead of Trade Nation at #45. That gap aligns with ActivTrades’ MT5 access and chart-trading capability. If those are must-haves, choose ActivTrades; if not, both brokers deliver MT4, web and desktop access, copy trading, and a free virtual demo to practice before you risk real money.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 115 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing ActivTrades vs Trade Nation for mobile trading, both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps with price alerts, real-time watchlists, trendline drawing, and auto-saved chart annotations. Each earns a 4-star Mobile Trading Apps rating from ForexBrokers.com, making them solid choices for trading on the go.
Key differences come down to chart depth and syncing. ActivTrades provides 30 technical studies, while Trade Nation offers 99. Trade Nation also syncs watchlists across mobile and web, whereas ActivTrades does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps rankings, ActivTrades sits higher at #19 out of 63 brokers, compared with Trade Nation at #46. If you want more indicators and synced watchlists, Trade Nation has the edge. If industry ranking matters more, ActivTrades may be the better fit.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 99 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
ActivTrades and Trade Nation both cover the basics for market research: you’ll get daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and a helpful sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long and short positions. Neither broker includes Autochartist, Trading Central, or TipRanks. The key differences are tools and utilities: Trade Nation adds Acuity Trading’s tools (e.g., Signal Centre) for trade ideas, while ActivTrades provides an integrated economic calendar to track upcoming events—something Trade Nation lacks.
In independent testing, ActivTrades earns 4 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks 31st out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Trade Nation scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 43rd. If you want an in-platform calendar alongside sentiment and daily commentary, ActivTrades has the edge. If you value access to Acuity Trading’s idea-generation tools, Trade Nation is worth a look.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing ActivTrades vs Trade Nation for beginner trading education, ActivTrades has a slight edge. It earns 4 stars for Education (ranked #38 out of 63 by ForexBrokers.com), while Trade Nation scores 3.5 stars (#41). Both brokers provide at least 10 beginner-friendly videos and also offer more advanced video lessons, so you can progress as you learn. ActivTrades runs monthly client webinars, whereas Trade Nation does not. It isn’t specified whether either broker maintains a searchable archive of past webinars, an investor dictionary with 50+ terms, or meets the threshold of at least 10 forex/CFD-focused education pieces.
If live learning appeals to you, ActivTrades’ ongoing webinars can help you get real-time tips and answers. If you prefer self-paced study, both brokers give you plenty of videos to start with. Overall, ActivTrades is the better pick for beginners who value live sessions and slightly higher education marks, while Trade Nation remains a solid video-first option.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| 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 ActivTrades is better than Trade Nation. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while Trade Nation finished with an overall rank of #34.
ActivTrades is a long-standing brand that offers a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, and support for the award-winning TradingView and MetaTrader (MT4 and MT5) platforms. ActivTrades also delivers a selection of custom add-ons, indicators, and trading tools for traders who prefer to use MetaTrader. Drawbacks for trading with ActivTrades include a smaller selection of tradeable symbols and fewer educational resources than what’s available from the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
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Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 81 | 85 |
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Both ActivTrades and Trade Nation do not provide the option to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives, rather than the actual cryptocurrency itself.
Both ActivTrades and Trade Nation support deposits and withdrawals via Skrill and bank wire transfers, but do not accept ACH/SEPA or PayPal.
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 | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Trade Nation Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 0.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.6 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 115 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 99 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Education | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Trade Nation Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Trade Nation Review |
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