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 |
Looking at commissions and fees, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars, but ActivTrades ranks higher (#21 of 63) than Trading 212 (#27 of 63) with ForexBrokers.com. The key difference comes down to spreads: Trading 212 markets zero-commission CFD and forex trading but typically has wider spreads, while ActivTrades tends to be cheaper on major pairs.
Trading 212’s CFD account has a €10 minimum deposit. You won’t pay a per-trade commission, but you will pay the spread. The broker now publishes average spread data; for April 2025, EUR/USD averaged 2.7 pips—well above the industry average, which can make active trading more expensive despite the “zero-commission” label. Commissions and fees rating: 4/5 stars; category ranking: #27 of 63.
ActivTrades uses spread-only pricing for most trades and keeps the same spreads across its Individual, Professional (lower margin requirements), and Islamic accounts. There’s no special pricing for high-volume traders, and spreads can vary by platform and time of day. Based on data provided to us, the average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024—slightly better than the industry average, though not the very lowest available. Commissions and fees rating: 4/5 stars; category ranking: #21 of 63.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 2.7 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Trading 212 vs ActivTrades: for sheer range of investments, Trading 212 takes the lead. It lists about 13,000 tradeable symbols and 180 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or as spot. In the Range of Investments category on ForexBrokers.com, Trading 212 is rated 5/5 stars and ranks 15th out of 63, while ActivTrades scores 4/5 stars and ranks 25th.
Asset access differs, too. Trading 212 offers exchange-traded U.S. stocks and international shares (not CFDs), plus both actual cryptocurrency (not a CFD) and crypto CFDs. ActivTrades provides exchange-traded international shares (not CFDs) but not U.S. stocks, and it offers crypto CFDs but not actual crypto. If you want the biggest catalog with U.S. shares and the option to buy real crypto, Trading 212 stands out; if copy trading matters most, ActivTrades is the one that offers it.
| 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 are online brokers that both let you practice with a free paper trading demo and both provide a web-based platform where you can trade directly from charts. Trading 212 does not offer an in-house proprietary platform or a Windows desktop app, while ActivTrades does provide its own platform along with a Windows download. ActivTrades also offers copy trading, which Trading 212 does not.
Platform tools differ as well: ActivTrades supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Trading 212 does not. The number of built-in technical indicators and watch list columns isn’t specified for either broker. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both earned 4 stars; Trading 212 ranked 19th out of 63 brokers and ActivTrades ranked 26th. Pick ActivTrades if you want a desktop app, copy trading, or MetaTrader; pick Trading 212 if a browser platform and a demo account fit your needs.
| 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 check the basics for mobile trading: each offers an iPhone app and an Android app, plus price alerts to keep you on top of market moves. Charting features are strong on both, with the ability to draw trendlines and have your drawings saved automatically, so your work is there the next time you open the app.
The key differences show up in tools and syncing. Trading 212 includes watchlist syncing between the app and your online account, while ActivTrades does not. For chart analysis, Trading 212 packs in 104 technical studies (indicators), compared with 30 on ActivTrades. Despite these contrasts, both earn 4 out of 5 stars for their mobile apps. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 63 brokers, Trading 212 places 17th for Mobile Trading Apps, while ActivTrades comes in 21st. If you want deeper analysis tools and synced watchlists, Trading 212 has the edge; if you just need the essentials, ActivTrades still covers the core features.
| 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 Trading 212 vs ActivTrades for market research: both brokers deliver forex news from top sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, offer a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, and include an economic calendar. Neither broker provides tools from Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
The main difference is daily market commentary: ActivTrades offers it, while Trading 212 does not. That gap aligns with the scores—ActivTrades earns 4/5 stars for research and ranks 26th out of 63, while Trading 212 holds 3.5/5 stars and ranks 32nd. If you want headline news, sentiment data, and calendars, both fit the bill; if daily insights matter, ActivTrades has the edge.
| 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.
New traders will find strong video-based learning at both Trading 212 and ActivTrades. Each offers at least 10 beginner videos that explain core trading ideas in simple terms, and both also provide 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. If live learning matters, ActivTrades runs monthly client webinars, while Trading 212 does not currently host regular educational webinars.
For quality, ForexBrokers.com rates Trading 212’s education 3.5 out of 5 stars and ActivTrades 4 out of 5. Interestingly, Trading 212 ranks higher overall in the Education category (#20 of 63) than ActivTrades (#30 of 63). Choose ActivTrades if you want live webinars alongside a video library; pick Trading 212 if you’re happy with on-demand videos and prefer a provider that places slightly higher in the category rankings.
| 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.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal options, Trading 212 supports ACH/SEPA and bank wires but not PayPal or Skrill, while ActivTrades offers bank wires and Skrill but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal (Visa/Mastercard availability not specified for either).
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 | |
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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) - Standard account | 2.7 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 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 | Yes | 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 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 | 82 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trading 212 Review | ActivTrades Review |
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