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ActivTrades Review 2025

BrokerNotes.co

Written by BrokerNotes.co
Fact-checked by Steven Hatzakis, Joey Shadeck
Edited by Jeff Anberg

April 25, 2025

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

ActivTrades delivers a solid forex and CFD trading experience. Our research shows that it offers a well-rounded trading platform suite, good spreads for EUR/USD trades, and a fair amount of educational resources for beginners. However, its offering still leaves room for improvement in areas like education and the range of investments available. While we found it to be a decent choice overall, it may not be the most competitive option in the market.

Overall Rating

7.7 / 10

Minimum Deposit

$0

Trust Score info

Trusted
81

Pros and Cons

thumb_up_off_alt Pros

  • Strong platform offering – Provides MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and a proprietary trading platform.
  • Copy trading available – Supports copy trading for hands-off strategies.
  • Regulated by FCA – Holds authorization from the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority.

thumb_down_off_alt Cons

  • Small range of investments – Offers a smaller range of tradeable assets than the top multi-asset brokers..
  • No VIP discounts – No perks for active traders.
  • Education support could be better – Rated below average for beginner support.

Ratings Summary

  • Investment Types - 7.5/10
  • Commissions & Fees - 7.5/10
  • Trading platforms - 8.0/10
  • Research - 7.5/10
  • Mobile Apps - 8.0/10
  • Education - 7.0/10
  • Overall - 7.7/10

Can I trust ActivTrades?

ActivTrades is not publicly traded, but is regulated under MiFID in the EU and authorized by the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), one of the most respected financial regulators globally. According to industry research from ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades has a Trust Score of 81, placing it in the "Trusted" category.

ActivTrades is currently licensed and/or authorised by the following regulatory bodies:

Is ActivTrades good for beginners?

ActivTrades offers both beginner and advanced educational videos and supports forex and CFD education. However, our research found that its educational resources are below average compared to competitors, and it earns only a moderate recommendation for new traders.

Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Education (Forex or CFDs) info Yes
Client Webinars info Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) info No

ActivTrades commissions and fees summary

ActivTrades provides competitive pricing for standard account users, with an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98, better than the 1.08 industry average. While it doesn’t require a minimum deposit in most regions, it does charge an inactivity fee and lacks VIP or active trader discounts. Overall, we found its pricing structure to be average among competitors.

Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Minimum Deposit info $0
Average Spread EUR/USD - Mini info 0.98 info
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard info 0.98 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info N/A
Active Trader or VIP Discounts info No

ActivTrades trading platforms and tools

tips_and_updates Did you know? Trading platforms comparison

Of the 60+ brokers reviewed on BrokerNotes, 64% offer a proprietary platform, 100% offer a web platform, 91% offer a desktop platform, 11% offer cTrader, 14% offer ZuluTrade, 81% offer MetaTrader 4, and 64% offer MetaTrader 5.

ActivTrades earns an average recommendation for its trading platforms and tools. It supports both MetaTrader 4 and 5, as well as its own proprietary platform, offering versatility for most traders.

  • Trading platforms offered: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and a proprietary platform (ActivTrader).
  • Trading tools: Tools available are standard across MT4/MT5 with access to more advanced analytics and trading signals via TradingView.
  • Metatrader: Both MT4 and MT5 are supported.
  • Copy trading: Copy trading is available.
Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes
Proprietary Platform info Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes
Web Platform info Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info Yes
DupliTrade info No

ActivTrades trading platform screenshots

Mobile trading apps at ActivTrades

ActivTrades delivers a mobile trading app experience that we found to be fairly standard. The app is rated moderately well compared to peers, and includes all the core functionality traders need.

Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Android App info Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes
Mobile Economic Calendar info Yes
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields info Yes
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes
Mobile Watchlist info Yes

ActivTrades mobile app screenshots

How do I open an account with ActivTrades?

Opening an account with ActivTrades is a straightforward process:

  1. Visit the ActivTrades website and click “Open an Account.”
  2. Complete the online registration form.
  3. Verify your identity by uploading required documents.
  4. Fund your account using a supported payment method.
  5. Start trading once your account is approved.

What can I trade at ActivTrades?

ActivTrades supports trading in 49 forex pairs and a total of 1,267 tradeable symbols. While its forex coverage is decent, its overall tradeable asset selection is below the industry average of 3,623 symbols.

Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 1267
Forex Pairs (Total) info 49
Social Trading / Copy Trading info Yes
Cryptocurrency (Physical) info No
Cryptocurrency (Derivative) info Yes
Spread Betting info Yes

ActivTrades research screenshots

Account funding at ActivTrades

ActivTrades supports deposits through Neteller, Skrill, and credit cards. Bank wires and PayPal are not supported.

Feature ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) info Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes
Neteller (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes

About ActivTrades

ActivTrades was founded in 2001 and has grown into a recognized broker primarily serving the U.K. and European retail trading markets. While it is not publicly traded, it holds regulatory approval from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a highly regarded U.K. regulator, and Portugal's CMVM, covering the entire European Union through MiFID.

The broker has built a name for itself by offering the MetaTrader suite and competitive pricing, though it still trails some leading brands in terms of global regulation and educational content.


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Methodology

At BrokerNotes.co, our data-driven online broker reviews are based on our extensive testing of brokers, platforms, products, technologies, and third-party trading tools. Our product testing extends to the quality and availability of educational content, market research resources, and the accessibility and capabilities of mobile platforms and trading apps. We also dive into each broker’s trading costs, such as VIP rebates, inactivity fees, custody fees, bid/ask spreads, and other fee-based data points.

Steven Hatzakis, an industry veteran with decades of experience in the forex market, leads the BrokerNotes research team. All BrokerNotes content is researched, fact-checked, and edited by the research team.

All websites and web-based platforms are tested using the latest version of the Google Chrome browser. Our Desktop PCs run Windows 11, and we use MacBook Pro laptops running the latest version of macOS to test trading on the go. We test mobile apps and products using iPhones running iOS 17 and Samsung devices running Android OS 14.

Note: The online brokers on our site provide the ability to trade forex in one or more ways, such as non-deliverable spot forex (i.e., rolling spot contracts), contracts for difference (CFD), or other derivatives such as futures. The availability of specific markets or features will depend on your country of residence and the broker's applicable brand or entity that services your account(s).

Forex Risk Disclaimer

There is a very high degree of risk involved in trading securities. With respect to margin-based foreign exchange trading, off-exchange derivatives, and cryptocurrencies, there is considerable exposure to risk, including but not limited to, leverage, creditworthiness, limited regulatory protection and market volatility that may substantially affect the price, or liquidity of a currency or related instrument. It should not be assumed that the methods, techniques, or indicators presented in these products will be profitable, or that they will not result in losses. Learn more about foreign exchange risk.

About the Editorial Team

BrokerNotes.co

Founded in 2014 and acquired in 2021, BrokerNotes.co provides unbiased forex broker reviews and ratings to help traders and investors find the best broker for their needs. With over 60 brokers reviewed, our editorial team has published thousands of words of research to help our readers make informed choices.

Steven Hatzakis

Steven Hatzakis is the Global Director of Online Broker Research for BrokerNotes.co and ForexBrokers.com. Steven previously served as an Editor for Finance Magnates, where he authored over 1,000 published articles about the online finance industry. A forex industry expert and an active fintech and crypto researcher, Steven advises blockchain companies at the board level and holds a Series III license in the U.S. as a Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA).

Joey Shadeck

Joey Shadeck is the Content Strategist and Research Analyst for BrokerNotes.co and ForexBrokers.com. He holds dual degrees in Finance and Marketing from Oakland University, and has been an active trader and investor for close to ten years. An industry veteran, Joey obtains and verifies data, conducts research, and analyzes and validates our content.

Jeff Anberg

Jeff Anberg is a Senior Editor at BrokerNotes.co and ForexBrokers.com. Along with years of experience in media distribution at a global newsroom, Jeff has a versatile knowledge base encompassing the technology and financial markets. He is a long-time active investor and engages in research on emerging markets like cryptocurrency. Jeff holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature with a minor in Philosophy from San Francisco State University.

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