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 and ActivTrades are both well-established online brokers, with Vantage having been founded in 2009 and ActivTrades in 2001. Neither company is publicly traded nor operates as a bank. When it comes to regulatory credentials, both Vantage and ActivTrades hold two Tier-1 licenses, marking them as highly trusted according to ForexBrokers.com. They also each hold a Tier-2 license, which further supports their reliability.
In terms of Trust Score ratings from ForexBrokers.com, Vantage stands out with a score of 90, placing it in the highly trusted category. Meanwhile, ActivTrades holds a score of 81, ranking it as a trusted broker. These scores reflect the companies' compliance with regulatory standards and their history in the financial industry, making them both solid choices for investors seeking reliability and security in online trading.
| 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 |
Looking at commissions and fees, Vantage earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #20 of 63 for this category at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades scores 4/5 stars and ranks #29 of 63. Costs at both brokers vary by account type and what you trade. Based on disclosed data, Vantage’s Standard account listed a typical EUR/USD spread of 1.30 pips (March 2023), whereas ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips (May 2024). That means ActivTrades’ headline spread was slightly tighter in that snapshot, though Vantage can be cheaper if you use its commission-based ECN accounts.
Vantage offers three account types: Standard STP (spread-only), plus RAW ECN and PRO ECN (both charge commissions). The RAW ECN account averaged 0.15 pips on EUR/USD with a $3 per side commission ($6 round turn), for about 0.75 pips all-in during March 2023. The PRO ECN drops the commission to $2 per side ($4 round turn) but has eligibility requirements (for example, wholesale-client status in Australia or a $10,000 minimum under its Cayman entity). An active trader program pays rebates of $2–$8 per standard lot based on balance and volume, but it applies only to the Standard account, which has the widest spreads. Overall, Vantage’s pricing sits near the industry average, with its PRO ECN offering the most competitive all-in costs for those who qualify.
ActivTrades keeps things simpler with one main “Individual” account alongside Professional and Islamic options; spreads are the same across account types, and there’s no separate active trader or volume-based pricing. The broker lists target spreads by asset and confirmed an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips for May 2024. Fees will depend on the instruments and platform you choose, and while ActivTrades’ spreads are slightly better than the industry average, they’re not as low as the very cheapest brokers. Star rating: 4/5; Commissions and Fees ranking: #29 of 63.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.30 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.75 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) [DELETED] | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing the range of investments at Vantage and ActivTrades, both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts and both offer copy trading. ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable instruments versus Vantage’s 1,000, and it earns a higher Range of Investments score from ForexBrokers.com (4.0 stars, rank #32) than Vantage (3.5 stars, rank #51).
Vantage offers more currency pairs (61 vs 49), which may appeal if forex is your focus. Neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares outright, and only ActivTrades provides access to exchange-traded international shares (non-CFD). For crypto, both brokers offer cryptocurrency derivatives but do not support buying actual coins. In short, pick ActivTrades for a bigger overall lineup and access to international shares, or Vantage if you want a wider choice of forex pairs.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
Comparing Vantage vs ActivTrades for trading platforms and tools: both brokers tick the key boxes for everyday traders. Each offers a free demo account for risk-free practice, its own proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and access via a Windows desktop download as well as a web-based platform. Copy trading is available at both brokers, and you can place orders straight from price charts, which makes it easier to act on setups.
When it comes to third-party reviews, Vantage and ActivTrades both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools at ForexBrokers.com. Vantage holds a higher category ranking (#21 of 63) compared to ActivTrades (#32 of 63). If you’re choosing between them, test-drive the free demos to see which layout, features, and workflow you prefer.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | ||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing mobile trading apps from Vantage and ActivTrades, both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps with price alerts and real-time quote watchlists. However, neither app syncs watchlists between mobile and the online account. Each earns 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, though ActivTrades ranks higher in ForexBrokers.com’s category list (#19 of 63) than Vantage (#29 of 63).
For charting on the go, both apps include 30 technical studies, support drawing trendlines, and auto-save your annotations. Support for viewing multiple time frames (such as daily, weekly, or intraday) is not specified for either app. If you want similar mobile features with stronger category placement, ActivTrades has the edge in rankings; otherwise, both apps deliver comparable tools for stock and forex traders.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | ||
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
In this Vantage vs ActivTrades market research comparison, both brokers check the key boxes traders expect. Each provides daily market commentary and streams forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. You’ll also find a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions, plus an economic calendar to track upcoming events.
The main difference is in third‑party research add‑ons: Vantage includes tools from Autochartist and Trading Central, while ActivTrades does not. Neither broker offers research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading. Both earn a 4 out of 5 star Research rating, yet Vantage ranks higher overall in the category (#22 of 63) compared with ActivTrades (#31 of 63), giving Vantage a slight edge for research depth.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners, both Vantage and ActivTrades offer steady learning support. Each runs monthly online webinars and provides 10-plus beginner videos that explain trading basics in plain terms, along with 10-plus advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. It’s not confirmed whether either broker has a full forex/CFD education library of 10 or more mixed pieces (articles, videos, archived webinars, etc.). It’s also unclear if they provide a searchable archive of recorded webinars or an investor dictionary with 50-plus terms.
Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Education. In ForexBrokers.com’s Education category, Vantage ranks 24th out of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades ranks 38th—giving Vantage a slight edge overall. If you’re just starting out, compare their webinar schedules and video lessons, and check each site for details on archived webinars, broader forex/CFD learning content, and any trading glossaries.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | ||
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | ||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
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 #26, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
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 | 90 | 81 |
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Both Vantage and ActivTrades do not offer the ability to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
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 | 90 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Vantage Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 90 | 81 | |
| 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 | ||
| 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). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.30 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.75 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| 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 | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / 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 Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 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 | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Vantage Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 90 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Vantage Review | ActivTrades Review |
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