Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs VT Markets, 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.
ActivTrades, established in 2001, and VT Markets, founded in 2016, are both well-regarded online brokers, though they differ significantly in regulatory strength and trustworthiness according to ForexBrokers.com. Neither company is publicly traded or operates as a bank. ActivTrades holds two Tier-1 licenses, which are highly trusted, and one Tier-2 license, earning it a trust score of 81, placing it in the 'trusted' category. In contrast, VT Markets has one Tier-1 license and one Tier-2 license, with a lower trust score of 70, indicating an average risk broker.
When deciding between these brokers, potential users should note the difference in their regulatory standings and trust scores. ActivTrades' long-standing presence since 2001 and higher regulatory ranking may appeal to those seeking a slightly more trusted environment, while VT Markets, with its average risk rating, might attract users comfortable with a moderate level of trust in exchange for potentially different offerings or services. Overall, understanding these distinctions can help investors make informed decisions that align with their risk tolerance and trading preferences.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2016 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
When comparing the fees and commissions between ActivTrades and VT Markets, both offer competitive options for traders, but with different strengths. ActivTrades offers a single "Individual Account" along with Professional and Islamic options, and it does not provide a special account for high-volume traders. Their spreads are generally better than industry averages, yet not as low as the leading options. Notably, ActivTrades doesn't have active trader pricing, and a key feature of their Professional Account is the allowance for lower margin requirements rather than enhanced spreads. ActivTrades rates 4 stars and ranks #28 out of 63 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category according to ForexBrokers.com.
VT Markets, on the other hand, provides two main account types: Raw ECN and Standard STP. The Standard STP account is commission-free, yet this comes with higher spreads when compared to the Raw ECN account, which offers lower spreads with a commission. VT Markets exhibits a typical EUR/USD spread for the Standard STP account at 1.2 pips, while the Raw ECN account shows an effective spread of 0.83 pips. VT Markets proves slightly more attractive in pricing, reflected by its 4.5-star rating and #20 ranking for Commissions and Fees on ForexBrokers.com.
Ultimately, traders may find VT Markets offers a more appealing structure, particularly with its Raw ECN account that provides lower spreads in exchange for a small commission, compared to ActivTrades' consistent spread across accounts. However, ActivTrades holds its own with relatively favorable spreads and offers important features like an Islamic Account for specific client needs. Both brokers offer a $100 minimum deposit requirement but differ significantly in their rankings and user ratings, with VT Markets leading in both metrics.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 1.2 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
ActivTrades and VT Markets both provide extensive opportunities for investors looking to trade a variety of assets. ActivTrades offers 1267 tradeable symbols, including 49 forex pairs, while VT Markets provides access to 1000 symbols with 39 forex pairs available. Both brokers support forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts. However, neither ActivTrades nor VT Markets offers direct investment in U.S. exchange-traded securities, but they do facilitate trading on international exchanges like the London Stock Exchange.
For those interested in cryptocurrency trading, both platforms permit investment in cryptocurrency derivatives rather than the actual currencies. Moreover, copy trading is an available feature with both brokers, allowing users to mimic the trades of experienced investors. In terms of range of investments, ActivTrades holds a slight edge with a rating of 4 stars out of 5 from ForexBrokers.com and ranks 31st among 63 brokers, while VT Markets earns 3.5 stars and ranks 39th in the same category.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 39 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by ActivTrades and VT Markets, both brokers provide a wide array of features appealing to traders at all levels. ActivTrades stands out with its in-house proprietary platform, offering traders a unique ecosystem, while VT Markets relies on universally popular platforms such as MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both brokers provide Windows-based desktop applications, web-based platforms, and enable trading from stock charts, ensuring convenience and accessibility across devices. Moreover, they both support copy trading which is a sought-after feature for those looking to mimic successful trades. With free virtual demo accounts available, novices and experts alike can test out strategies before committing real capital.
In terms of charting and customizability, ActivTrades offers 15 drawing tools, while VT Markets provides a broader selection with 30 tools, which can enhance detailed technical analysis. ActivTrades also allows for more personalization in watch lists with 11 custom columns compared to VT Markets' 7. Despite the differences, both platforms are rated 4 stars for their trading platforms and tools, with ActivTrades ranked slightly higher at #30 compared to VT Markets at #47 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. These offerings grant traders a compelling and competitive experience tailored to their trading needs, making both brokers commendable choices.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 15 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both ActivTrades and VT Markets offer comprehensive mobile trading apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices. Each app allows users to receive stock or forex price alerts, which helps traders stay informed of market movements. While they provide 30 technical studies for charting and the functionality to draw trendlines, both apps lack watchlist symbol syncing, meaning changes made to watchlists in the mobile app do not automatically update on the user’s online account.
When it comes to handling chart details, both apps allow users to view multiple time frames, such as daily, weekly, or intraday. However, there is a notable difference: ActivTrades' app automatically saves drawings on charts, a feature not available in VT Markets' app. Both platforms enable the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes, adding convenience for traders on the go. Overall, ActivTrades' mobile app is rated 4 stars and ranks 19th among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, placing it ahead of VT Markets, which also holds a 4-star rating but is ranked 44th. This suggests that while both apps serve their purpose well, ActivTrades holds a slight edge in overall user preference based on these rankings.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both ActivTrades and VT Markets excel in providing essential market research and commentary, each offering daily insights and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. If you're looking for a sentiment-based trading tool, either broker can meet your needs, showing the ratio of long and short positions across various instruments. Both platforms also provide an economic calendar to keep you informed of critical global news events. However, neither ActivTrades nor VT Markets utilizes research tools from Autochartist, Acuity Trading, or TipRanks, highlighting a gap in some specialized analysis features.
Where the two brokers differ is in the realm of technical analysis tools. VT Markets steps ahead with resources from Trading Central, offering its users enhanced technical insights. When it comes to overall research ratings, ActivTrades receives 4 out of 5 stars, ranking #30 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while VT Markets earns 3.5 stars and a rank of #36. While both brokers provide comprehensive market insights, ActivTrades holds a slight edge in terms of overall research ranking and offerings.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| 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.
When comparing educational resources for beginners between ActivTrades and VT Markets, both brokers offer a wide range of educational materials, including articles, videos, and webinars on forex and CFDs trading. However, ActivTrades stands out by hosting monthly online client webinars, providing a searchable archive of past webinars, and offering a solid selection of beginner and advanced educational videos. VT Markets, while offering a comprehensive set of beginner videos and an investor dictionary with over 50 investing terms, does not provide monthly webinars or an archive of recorded sessions.
ActivTrades is recognized with a slightly higher education rating of 4 stars compared to VT Markets' 3.5 stars, reflecting their more comprehensive offerings for both new and experienced traders. In the ForexBrokers.com education rankings, ActivTrades is ahead at rank #38, while VT Markets is positioned at #55 out of 63 brokers. This suggests that ActivTrades may be a preferable choice for beginners seeking a more structured and accessible learning experience in online trading.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than VT Markets. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while VT Markets finished with an overall rank of #44.
ActivTrades is a long-standing brand that offers a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, and support for the award-winning TradingView and MetaTrader (MT4 and MT5) platforms. ActivTrades also delivers a selection of custom add-ons, indicators, and trading tools for traders who prefer to use MetaTrader. Drawbacks for trading with ActivTrades include a smaller selection of tradeable symbols and fewer educational resources than what’s available from the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
VT Markets
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 81 | 70 |
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Both ActivTrades and VT Markets provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives, yet neither platform offers the ability to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency.
Both ActivTrades and VT Markets provide Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options for depositing or withdrawing funds, yet neither supports ACH, SEPA transfers, nor PayPal 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 | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | VT Markets Review |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 70 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2016 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 39 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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 | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 1.2 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 15 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ActivTrades Review | VT Markets Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | VT Markets | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 70 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | VT Markets Review |
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