Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 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.
Trading 212 vs ActivTrades: Trading 212 (founded 2004) and ActivTrades (founded 2001) are both online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. Per ForexBrokers.com, Trading 212 holds 3 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 0 Tier-2 licenses, earning a Trust Score of 82/99. ActivTrades holds 2 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, with a Trust Score of 80/99.
On ForexBrokers.com’s scale, scores of 80–89 are “trusted” (90–99 highly trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, below 59 not trusted). Both brokers land in the trusted range, with Trading 212 showing a slight edge in Tier-1 licensing and overall score, while ActivTrades complements its Tier-1 coverage with one Tier-2 license.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When comparing commissions and fees, both Trading 212 and ActivTrades earn 4 out of 5 stars, but ActivTrades places a bit higher overall, ranking #23 out of 36 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category, versus #29 out of 36 for Trading 212. Trading 212’s CFD account advertises zero-commission trading, but traders still pay the spread, and its published April 2025 average spread for EUR/USD was 2.7 pips, which is notably above the industry average. That makes Trading 212 a less competitive choice for cost-conscious CFD and forex traders.
ActivTrades also charges through spreads rather than commission for most traders, and its pricing is generally better than average, though not among the very cheapest brokers in the market. The broker offers an Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic Account options, with spreads staying the same across account types. For EUR/USD, ActivTrades reported an average spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024, which is much closer to low-cost broker pricing than Trading 212’s figure.
In simple terms, both brokers keep fees straightforward, but ActivTrades is the better pick for lower spread costs. Trading 212 may appeal to traders who like its zero-commission message, but its wider spreads can still make trading more expensive in practice. ActivTrades offers more competitive pricing overall, especially for forex and CFD traders who want tighter spreads.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 2.7 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 2.7 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, Trading 212 gives everyday investors more choice than ActivTrades. Trading 212 offers about 13,000 tradeable symbols, including 180 forex pairs, plus access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges. It also stands out for letting clients buy actual cryptocurrency, not just crypto CFDs. ActivTrades also offers forex trading, international shares, and crypto CFDs, but its overall lineup is smaller, with around 1,267 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs, and it does not offer U.S.-listed exchange-traded shares or real cryptocurrency.
For extra features, ActivTrades includes copy trading, while Trading 212 does not. Still, Trading 212 is rated higher for range of investments, earning 5 out of 5 stars and ranking #14 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. ActivTrades receives 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #26 out of 36, making Trading 212 the stronger option for traders and investors who want a wider mix of markets and products.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 180 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
Trading 212 and ActivTrades both give traders a web-based platform and a free demo account, so each broker makes it easy to practice and trade online without downloading software. Both also let you place trades straight from a chart and earn a 4-star rating for Trading Platforms and Tools. On ForexBrokers.com, Trading 212 ranks higher in this category at #19 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades sits at #28.
The bigger difference is in platform choice and extra tools. Trading 212 does not offer a desktop app, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, or MetaTrader 5, and it does not use a proprietary platform. ActivTrades, by contrast, offers its own in-house platform, a Windows desktop download, copy trading, and both MT4 and MT5, giving it more options for traders who want familiar software or more advanced trading features.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 102 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Trading 212 and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, so traders can manage accounts on the go with either broker. Each app also supports stock or forex price alerts, trendline drawing on charts, and auto-saving those drawings, making it easier to track trades and review market moves from a phone or tablet. Both apps are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading.
The bigger difference is in charting and watchlist syncing. Trading 212 gives mobile users 104 technical studies, compared with 30 at ActivTrades, which may matter more to active chart watchers. Trading 212 also syncs watchlists between the mobile app and online account, while ActivTrades does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps ranking, Trading 212 places #17 out of 36 brokers, ahead of ActivTrades at #21.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, ActivTrades has a slight edge over Trading 212. ActivTrades offers daily market commentary, while Trading 212 does not, which may make ActivTrades more useful for traders who want regular updates and analysis. That said, both brokers provide forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, along with a sentiment tool that shows the balance of long and short positions. Both also include an economic calendar for tracking key global events.
In other research areas, the two brokers are very similar. Neither Trading 212 nor ActivTrades offers tools from Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Still, ActivTrades is rated a little higher for research, with 4 out of 5 stars compared with Trading 212’s 3.5 stars. It also ranks better in ForexBrokers.com’s research category, placing #28 out of 36 brokers versus Trading 212 at #31 out of 36.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | 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 | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for learning support, Trading 212 and ActivTrades both offer a good mix of educational videos, with each providing at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos for more experienced traders. Trading 212 also has forex or CFDs education, but it does not offer online educational client webinars on a monthly basis. ActivTrades, on the other hand, does offer monthly educational webinars, which can be helpful for new traders who want live guidance and the chance to ask questions.
In overall education quality, ActivTrades is rated slightly higher at 4 stars, while Trading 212 holds a 3.5-star rating. That said, Trading 212 places better in ForexBrokers.com’s education ranking, coming in at #23 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at #32. For beginners, this means Trading 212 may offer a stronger all-around education score, while ActivTrades stands out more for live webinar access and slightly higher star ratings.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | 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 Trading 212 is better than ActivTrades. Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #25, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
Best known for its mobile trading app, Trading 212 offers an easy-to-use trading platform suite for CFD and share trading, as well as a large variety of forex pairs. However, despite its well-designed platform and wide range of symbols, its lack of advanced trading tools and flat research offerings hamper Trading 212’s bid to be considered a top broker.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 82 | 80 |
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Trading 212 vs ActivTrades: Trading 212 supports buying real (delivered) cryptocurrencies and crypto CFDs, whereas ActivTrades offers crypto CFDs only and does not provide access to real cryptocurrencies.
When comparing Trading 212 vs ActivTrades, both brokers support bank wire transfers, neither offers PayPal, and ActivTrades supports Skrill while Trading 212 does not, with ACH/SEPA and card funding details not clearly specified for Trading 212 and not available for ActivTrades.
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 | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 82 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 82 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2004 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Trading 212 | 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) | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 13000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 180 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 2.7 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 2.7 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No |
| Trading Platforms | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 102 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | 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 | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Trading 212 Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 82 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review | ActivTrades Review |
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