Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Vantage 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.
Vantage (founded 2009) and ActivTrades (founded 2001) are online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. Each holds two Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and one Tier-2 license (considered trusted), signaling solid regulatory oversight for both.
Vantage has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 91/99, placing it in the highly trusted range (90–99). ActivTrades scores 80/99, which is in the trusted range (80–89). For context, ForexBrokers.com classifies 70–79 as average risk, 60–69 high risk, and 59 or below not trusted. If you want the highest trust tier, Vantage edges ahead; if a trusted rating suffices, ActivTrades fits the bill.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2001 |
| 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 | 3 | 2 |
Vantage has a strong edge over ActivTrades for traders who care most about commission costs and account choice. Vantage offers three main pricing models: a spread-only Standard STP account, plus commission-based RAW ECN and PRO ECN accounts. Its Standard account had typical EUR/USD spreads of 1.30 pips, while the RAW account showed average spreads of 0.15 pips plus a $3 commission per side ($6 round turn), bringing the total to about 0.75 pips. The PRO account is Vantage’s lowest-cost option, with just a $2 commission per side ($4 round turn), though it has stricter eligibility rules. Vantage is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #12 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com.
ActivTrades is simpler, with one main Individual Account plus Professional and Islamic Account options, but it does not offer a special pricing tier for active traders. Its spreads are generally a little better than the industry average, though not as low as the cheapest forex brokers. ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024, and pricing can vary depending on the asset and trading session. Like Vantage, spreads are the same across account types, with the main differences found in margin and leverage conditions rather than trading costs. ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #23 out of 36 brokers.
In short, Vantage is the better pick for traders focused on lower overall trading costs, especially if they qualify for the PRO ECN account or use the active trader rebate program. ActivTrades is still competitive, but its pricing is more straightforward and less tailored for high-volume traders. For commissions and fees alone, Vantage comes out ahead.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.4 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.72 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to range of investments, both Vantage and ActivTrades give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency or exchange-traded securities on U.S. markets, such as Apple shares. Vantage offers 1,028 tradeable symbols and 61 forex pairs, while ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable symbols but only 49 forex pairs. In simple terms, Vantage has a wider choice of forex pairs, while ActivTrades offers a larger overall list of markets.
ActivTrades has the edge for investment variety because it also offers exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, such as Vodafone shares, which Vantage does not. That broader product mix helps explain why ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranked #26 out of 36 by ForexBrokers.com, compared with Vantage’s 3.5 stars and #34 ranking. If you want more international share access, ActivTrades stands out; if your focus is forex pairs, Vantage has the stronger offering.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1028 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
Vantage and ActivTrades both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including free demo accounts for practice, proprietary platforms, desktop downloads for Windows, web-based trading, copy trading, and support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, making it easier to place orders while analyzing the market. For everyday traders, this means both firms cover the main platform features people often look for when comparing online brokers.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, but Vantage holds a higher ForexBrokers.com ranking at #20 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades is ranked #28. That gap suggests Vantage has a slight edge overall in this category, even though both brokers offer many of the same platform options and trading tools.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Vantage and ActivTrades both make mobile trading easy with iPhone and Android apps, plus stock and forex price alerts for traders who want to stay on top of the market while on the move. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on charts and saves those drawings automatically, which is helpful for tracking ideas over time. Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, showing a similar overall user experience.
The main difference is in watchlist syncing and chart tools. Vantage lets watchlists sync between its mobile app and online account, so updates carry over across devices, while ActivTrades does not offer that feature. On the other hand, ActivTrades provides more technical studies in its mobile charts, with 30 compared with Vantage’s 14. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, ActivTrades comes in slightly higher at #21 out of 36 brokers, while Vantage is ranked #24.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Vantage and ActivTrades both give traders useful market research basics, including daily market commentary, sentiment tools that show long-versus-short positioning, and an economic calendar for tracking key global events. Each broker also earns a 4-star rating for Research from ForexBrokers.com, which puts them on similar footing for everyday market updates and planning.
The main difference is in the depth of outside news and analysis. ActivTrades offers forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, while Vantage does not. Vantage, however, includes Trading Central tools such as Technical Analytics, which ActivTrades does not. Neither broker offers Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools, and in ForexBrokers.com’s Research rankings, Vantage places higher at #20 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at #28.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to learning support for beginners, both Vantage and ActivTrades offer a solid range of educational tools. Each broker provides forex and CFDs education with at least 10 learning pieces, monthly online webinars, and more than 10 beginner videos as well as more than 10 advanced videos. Both are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education, so either platform gives new traders plenty of ways to build knowledge at their own pace.
The main difference is in overall education ranking. Vantage places higher with a #24 ranking out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades comes in at #32. That suggests Vantage has a slight edge in this area, even though both brokers deliver a similar amount of beginner-friendly content and regular webinars.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | 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 Vantage is better than ActivTrades. Vantage finished with an overall rank of #24, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
Vantage rounds out its MetaTrader platform suite offering with support for multiple social trading platforms, content powered by Trading Central and a proprietary mobile app. However, Vantage trails industry leaders in key areas such as research and education.
| Feature |
Vantage
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 91 | 80 |
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Vantage vs ActivTrades: neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading for investors seeking crypto exposure without owning the underlying asset.
Comparing online brokers Vantage and ActivTrades for deposit and withdrawal methods: neither supports ACH/SEPA, both support bank wires and Skrill, only Vantage offers PayPal, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 91 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Vantage Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 91 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2001 | |
| 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 | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | 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). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1028 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.4 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.72 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 14 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Vantage Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 91 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Vantage Review | ActivTrades Review |
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