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 and ActivTrades are both well-established online brokers, having been founded in 2004 and 2001, respectively. Neither company is publicly traded or operates as a bank. In terms of regulatory credentials, Trading 212 holds three Tier-1 licenses, which are highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com standards, and has a Trust Score of 80. ActivTrades, on the other hand, holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, earning a slightly higher Trust Score of 81.
Both brokers are closely matched in terms of industry trust and regulatory recognition, with slight differences in their licensing. Trading 212's advantage lies in its additional Tier-1 license, while ActivTrades is bolstered by its Tier-2 license. As they operate under similar frameworks, prospective clients can feel assured of their safety and reliability when choosing either platform for their trading needs.
| 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 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Trading 212’s CFD account advertises zero-commission trading, but you still pay the spread. Trading 212 now publishes average spread data; in April 2025 its average EUR/USD spread was 2.7 pips, which is much higher than the industry average and can make trades pricier than with low-cost rivals. The CFD account’s minimum deposit is €10 (the Invest account is €1), but this summary focuses on CFD costs.
ActivTrades keeps spreads consistent across its Individual, Professional, and Islamic accounts and does not offer active-trader pricing. Based on data provided by the broker, the average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024—slightly better than the industry average, though not the absolute cheapest. Actual costs will vary by asset and platform, and spreads can change during the trading day.
Head to head, ActivTrades comes out cheaper on spreads than Trading 212 for forex and CFDs based on the figures above. Ratings and rankings for commissions and fees: Trading 212—4 out of 5 stars, ranked 50th of 63; ActivTrades—4 out of 5 stars, ranked 29th of 63. If your top priority is tight spreads, ActivTrades has the edge; if you want a very low minimum to get started, Trading 212’s CFD account requires just €10.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2.7 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
For range of investments, Trading 212 offers far more choice than ActivTrades. Trading 212 lists 7,868 tradeable symbols and 146 forex pairs, while ActivTrades offers 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading (CFD/spot) and both provide cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy real crypto. If you want direct stock investing, Trading 212 lets you buy exchange-traded shares on U.S. and international exchanges, whereas ActivTrades offers exchange-traded shares on international markets only.
Feature-wise, ActivTrades includes copy trading, which Trading 212 does not. In independent reviews for Range of Investments, Trading 212 is rated 5 stars and ranked 16th out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com; ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks 32nd. In short, choose Trading 212 if you want the widest selection and access to U.S. stocks, and consider ActivTrades if copy trading is important to you.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7868 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
Trading 212 and ActivTrades both score 4 out of 5 stars for trading platforms and tools, but they place differently in industry rankings: Trading 212 sits at #20 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades is #32, according to ForexBrokers.com. Both brokers provide a free demo (paper) account and offer their own in-house platform, along with web-based trading and the ability to place trades directly from charts.
The key differences come down to platform range. Trading 212 does not offer a Windows desktop platform, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, or copy trading. ActivTrades, on the other hand, provides a Windows desktop platform, supports MT4 and MT5, and includes copy trading. Indicator counts and watchlist column details are not specified by either broker. If you need MetaTrader, copy trading, or a downloadable desktop app, ActivTrades fits the bill; if you prefer a streamlined, browser-based experience with a demo account and chart trading, Trading 212 covers the basics well.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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) | 54 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing the mobile trading apps from Trading 212 and ActivTrades: both offer iPhone and Android apps, support price alerts for stocks and forex, and let you draw trendlines that auto-save on charts. Each app earned 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps, and in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings out of 63 brokers, Trading 212 placed #17 while ActivTrades placed #19.
Key differences come down to syncing and charting depth. Trading 212 syncs your watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while ActivTrades does not. For technical analysis, Trading 212 includes 104 technical studies versus 30 on ActivTrades. If you want watchlist syncing and a wider set of indicators, Trading 212 has the edge; if you just need core tools and alerts on iPhone or Android, ActivTrades still fits the bill.
| 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.
Comparing market research at Trading 212 and ActivTrades: ActivTrades publishes daily market commentary, while Trading 212 does not. Both brokers stream forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, and both offer a sentiment tool showing the long/short split across instruments, plus an economic calendar. Neither platform includes third-party research suites such as Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading (Signal Centre).
For ratings, ActivTrades scores 4 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks 31st of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. Trading 212 scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 45th. If you value daily commentary, ActivTrades has the edge; if your focus is news, sentiment data, and an economic calendar, both brokers cover those core research needs.
| 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.
Comparing Trading 212 and ActivTrades for beginner education: both brokers provide at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos that explain core trading topics in plain language. ActivTrades also runs online educational client webinars at least once a month, while Trading 212 does not. If you like live sessions with Q&A, ActivTrades has the edge; if you prefer self-paced video learning, both are suitable.
According to ForexBrokers.com, Trading 212 is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #21 out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #38 out of 63. In short, ActivTrades offers frequent webinars alongside a deep video library, whereas Trading 212 delivers a large set of videos and a higher placement in the Education category rankings—giving beginners solid options either way.
| 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 #31, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
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
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 81 |
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When comparing online brokers Trading 212 vs ActivTrades, neither supports purchasing actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
For deposits and withdrawals, Trading 212 supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers, whereas ActivTrades supports bank wire transfers and Skrill but does not support 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 | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 80 | 81 | |
| 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 SCA 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) | 7868 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2.7 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | N/A | |
| 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) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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) | 54 | 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Trading 212 Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review | ActivTrades Review |
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