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 | 2.7 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Trading 212 offers a wider range of investments than ActivTrades, with 7,868 tradeable symbols compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267. Forex coverage is also broader on Trading 212, featuring 146 currency pairs versus 49 on ActivTrades, and both brokers support forex trading. Each broker lets you trade cryptocurrency as a derivative, while neither allows you to buy actual crypto.
For stocks, Trading 212 stands out by offering exchange-traded shares on both U.S. and international markets; ActivTrades supports international shares but not U.S.-listed stocks. ActivTrades does offer copy trading, while Trading 212 does not. Reflecting their product lineups, Trading 212 earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #16 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #32.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7868 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | 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.
Trading 212 and ActivTrades both provide free demo accounts and their own proprietary platforms, along with web-based trading. If you need a Windows desktop download, ActivTrades has one, while Trading 212 does not. MetaTrader users will favor ActivTrades, which supports both MT4 and MT5; Trading 212 supports neither. Copy trading is available at ActivTrades but not at Trading 212. Neither broker offers DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
For charting, Trading 212 includes 20 drawing tools versus 15 at ActivTrades; the number of technical indicators isn’t specified for either. Both brokers let you place trades directly from charts. Watchlists are more detailed at ActivTrades (11 columns) compared to Trading 212 (5 columns). Each earns 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, with Trading 212 ranked #20 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com and ActivTrades ranked #32.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Trading 212 and ActivTrades offer fully functional mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, making them accessible for trading on the go. Both apps provide crucial features like real-time stock and forex price alerts and the capability to draw trendlines on charts. While users can enjoy a diverse range of time frames on both platforms, Trading 212 edges ahead with watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring consistency between mobile and online accounts—a feature ActivTrades does not currently provide.
When it comes to technical studies offered for chart analysis, Trading 212 provides a significantly larger selection with 104 studies, compared to ActivTrades' 30. Both apps perform well in allowing users to create watchlists with real-time quotes and ensuring charting drawings are auto-saved for ease of use. Despite these differences, the two apps are evenly matched in their overall ratings, each earning 4 out of 5 stars from users. In the ForexBrokers.com rankings, Trading 212 is slightly ahead at #17, while ActivTrades is ranked #19 among 63 brokers, indicating a small preference for Trading 212 in the realm of mobile trading apps.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | 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 | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both Trading 212 and ActivTrades give beginner traders a solid start with forex and CFD education. Each offers at least 10 educational pieces and more than 10 beginner and advanced videos, plus a searchable archive of recorded webinars for on-demand learning. A key difference is the glossary: Trading 212 includes an investor dictionary with 50+ terms, while ActivTrades does not, which may matter if you’re still learning trading jargon.
If live learning is a priority, ActivTrades stands out with ongoing monthly educational webinars, whereas Trading 212 doesn’t host them regularly. According to ForexBrokers.com, Trading 212 is rated 3.5 stars for Education and ranks #21 of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks #38 of 63. In short, choose ActivTrades for frequent live sessions, or Trading 212 if you value a handy glossary alongside a wide library of videos and archived webinars.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
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
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 81 |
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Both Trading 212 and ActivTrades provide users with the opportunity to invest in cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither platform offers the ability to purchase actual, delivered cryptocurrencies.
Trading 212 and ActivTrades both support Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires for deposits and withdrawals, but Trading 212 uniquely offers ACH, SEPA, and PayPal options, whereas ActivTrades exclusively provides Skrill for these transactions.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| 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). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 7868 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 146 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | 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 | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 2.7 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 2.7 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | €1 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 5 | 11 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 54 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Trading 212 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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