Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs easyMarkets, 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 and easyMarkets, both established in 2001, are online brokers that offer a range of trading services. Neither company is publicly traded nor operates as a bank, which might influence how some traders perceive their financial robustness. In terms of regulatory credentials, each broker holds two Tier-1 licenses, which indicates a high level of trust according to ForexBrokers.com. Additionally, they both possess one Tier-2 license, placing them within the 'trusted' category.
When comparing their Trust Scores, easyMarkets slightly edges out with a score of 84, placing it firmly in the 'trusted' range. Meanwhile, ActivTrades maintains a respectable score of 81, also within the 'trusted' bracket. These scores suggest that both brokers are considered reliable choices for traders, although easyMarkets is rated a bit higher in terms of trust according to ForexBrokers.com standards.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 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 | 2 | 2 |
When comparing the online brokers ActivTrades and easyMarkets based on their commissions and fees, ActivTrades offers spreads that are slightly above the industry average but not as competitive as the top low-cost forex brokers. The broker provides an Individual Account as its main option, with additional Professional and Islamic Accounts available. However, there are no specific accounts for high-volume traders or active trader pricing. With an average spread of 0.98 pips for the EUR/USD as of May 2024, ActivTrades' spreads can vary during the trading session, particularly during periods like the rollover.
EasyMarkets, on the other hand, offers fixed spreads of 0.8 pips for EUR/USD using its platform and TradingView, but spreads are higher on the MT4 platform, with the Standard account at 1.7 pips. However, their VIP account offers a reduced spread of 0.7 pips. The MT5 platform features variable spreads starting from 0.7 pips. These differences in spreads depending on the platform and account type mean that traders need to consider their choice of platform carefully when using easyMarkets.
In terms of ratings, ActivTrades is awarded 4 out of 5 stars for its commissions and fees and ranks #28 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. EasyMarkets receives 3.5 out of 5 stars and is ranked #51 in the same category. This indicates that while both brokers have their strengths, ActivTrades generally ranks higher in terms of commissions and fees.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $25 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 0.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.8 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| 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.
When comparing the range of investments offered by ActivTrades and easyMarkets, it's clear that both brokers provide a wide array of trading options, yet their breadth varies significantly. ActivTrades presents traders with a diverse selection of 1,267 tradable symbols, including 49 forex pairs, along with exchange-traded securities from international exchanges, perfect for those looking to diversify their portfolios. On the other hand, easyMarkets offers 230 tradable symbols with a higher number of 63 forex pairs, concentrating more on the forex market segment. Neither broker provides exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, nor do they offer actual delivered cryptocurrencies, but both facilitate cryptocurrency trading through derivatives.
In terms of innovative features like copy trading, both ActivTrades and easyMarkets provide this functionality, catering to investors interested in mimicking successful strategies. Though both brokers enable forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts, ActivTrades stands out with a higher range of investment options, earning it a 4-star rating, compared to easyMarkets' 3.5 stars for this category. According to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades ranks 31st out of 62 brokers, while easyMarkets falls to the 54th position, underlining ActivTrades as a preferable choice for those prioritizing a wider range of investment opportunities.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 230 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 63 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| 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 easyMarkets, both brokers provide a solid range of options that cater to traders' needs. Each broker offers a free virtual demo account, allowing beginners and experienced traders alike the opportunity to practice their strategies without financial risk. ActivTrades and easyMarkets have developed their own proprietary platforms and also support widely-used trading platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both brokers ensure flexibility by offering Windows-based desktop platforms and web-based options for trading directly through a browser. Additionally, they both include the option for copy trading, but do not support DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. While the number of technical indicators isn't specified, easyMarkets offers a notable 30 drawing tools for charting compared to 15 from ActivTrades, though both enable trading directly from stock charts.
The brokers also differ slightly in how they handle watch lists; ActivTrades provides 11 columns (fields) compared to easyMarkets' 8. Their similar overall performance in trading platforms and tools has earned each a 4-star rating in this category. However, when ranked against 62 brokers, ActivTrades is placed slightly higher at #30, while easyMarkets is positioned at #35 by ForexBrokers.com. This suggests that while both brokers offer comprehensive platforms and tools, ActivTrades has a slight edge in this department overall.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary 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 | 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 | 8 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When navigating the world of mobile trading apps, both ActivTrades and easyMarkets present solid options for iPhone and Android users. ActivTrades stands out with its inclusion of stock and forex price alerts, giving traders the advantage of staying informed on market movements without being glued to their screens. In contrast, easyMarkets shines with its superior charting capabilities, offering a remarkable 81 technical studies compared to ActivTrades’ 30. Both allow for drawing trendlines and viewing multiple time frames, but only ActivTrades ensures your chart drawings are saved automatically, preserving your analyses without any additional effort.
For those who prize synchronization between devices, easyMarkets offers watchlist symbol syncing, seamlessly integrating mobile and online accounts. This feature, however, is absent in ActivTrades’ app. Despite this, both apps allow users to create and manage watchlists with real-time quotes effortlessly. In terms of user ratings, both apps receive a commendable four stars for their mobile trading experiences. However, ActivTrades is positioned more favorably in industry rankings, holding the 19th spot out of 62 brokers, compared to easyMarkets’ rank of 30. This difference might sway traders who rely on expert reviews for their platform choices.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 81 |
| 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.
When evaluating market research offerings, both ActivTrades and easyMarkets provide daily market commentary and access to top-tier forex news sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. While each platform includes sentiment-based trading tools and an economic calendar displaying key global events, easyMarkets stands out by offering additional technical analysis tools from Trading Central. In contrast, neither broker includes research resources from Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
Despite their similarities, ActivTrades slightly edges out with a research rating of four stars versus easyMarkets' 3.5 stars. This higher rating is reflected in their ForexBrokers.com ranking, where ActivTrades holds the 30th spot out of 62 brokers, while easyMarkets is positioned at 43rd. These differences highlight ActivTrades' modest advantage in the research category, making it a more appealing option for traders seeking comprehensive market insights.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 evaluating the educational resources for beginners provided by ActivTrades and easyMarkets, both online brokers stand out for their commitment to enhancing trader knowledge. ActivTrades offers an impressive range of resources, including a variety of articles, videos, and archived webinars tailored to forex and CFDs education. They also host client webinars monthly and provide easy access to a searchable archive of these sessions. New traders can benefit from over 10 educational videos designed specifically to address the needs of novices, alongside a similar number of advanced videos for experienced traders. However, ActivTrades does not include an investor dictionary for beginners to explore investment terms, which may leave some needing additional resources. Despite this, ActivTrades earns a strong 4-star rating for education and ranks slightly higher at #38 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
easyMarkets similarly delivers a comprehensive educational platform aimed at both beginner and experienced traders, boasting a variety of educational resources that surpass the 10 needed to be considered extensive. Like ActivTrades, easyMarkets runs monthly webinars and offers a resourceful archive for users to revisit. Their beginner-focused video content adequately meets the needs of inexperienced traders, alongside advanced videos for those with more trading experience. Additionally, easyMarkets includes an investor dictionary with definitions of numerous investing terms, enhancing its educational support for newcomers. However, its education rating trails closely behind at 3.5 stars and is ranked #39 by ForexBrokers.com. Despite minor differences, both brokers provide valuable learning opportunities for anyone stepping into the trading world.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than easyMarkets. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while easyMarkets finished with an overall rank of #42.
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
|
easyMarkets
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 84 |
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Both ActivTrades and easyMarkets do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives.
Comparing the deposit and withdrawal options between ActivTrades and easyMarkets, easyMarkets offers more flexibility with ACH and SEPA transfers, while both brokers support Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, yet neither provides PayPal services.
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 | easyMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 84 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | easyMarkets Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 84 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 230 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 63 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 0.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 0.8 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $25 | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary 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 | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 8 | |
| 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 | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 81 | |
| 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 | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | easyMarkets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | easyMarkets Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | easyMarkets | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 84 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | easyMarkets Review |
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