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 it comes to comparing the commissions and fees of ActivTrades and easyMarkets, there are notable differences. ActivTrades provides various account options, including an Individual Account and a Professional Account, but lacks special pricing for high-volume traders. This broker offers competitive spreads, slightly better than the industry average, with the target spread for EUR/USD reported at 0.98 pips in May 2024. Ratings-wise, ActivTrades earns a respectable 4-star rating for its commissions and fees, ranking 27th out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, easyMarkets offers fixed spreads for its platform and TradingView users, with a spread of 0.8 pips for EUR/USD. However, traders using the MT4 platform face higher spreads, with the Standard account at 1.7 pips, although VIP account holders benefit from a reduced spread of 0.7 pips. The MT5 platform offers variable spreads starting from 0.7 pips. Despite these options, easyMarkets rates slightly lower than ActivTrades, with a 3.5-star rating and a rank of 51st out of 62 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category.
In summary, ActivTrades appeals to traders seeking slightly better-than-average spreads, while easyMarkets stands out for its fixed spread options with variations across different platforms. Each broker caters to different trading needs, with ActivTrades ranked higher for its overall cost-efficiency and easyMarkets providing a more straightforward fee structure through fixed spreads. Potential traders should consider these factors when deciding which broker suits their trading style and budget.
| 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 evaluating the trading platforms and tools offered by ActivTrades and easyMarkets, both brokers present comprehensive solutions for traders. ActivTrades and easyMarkets each provide simulated trading with free demo accounts, allowing users to hone their skills without financial risk. Both companies have developed their proprietary platforms, and they offer Windows-based desktop downloads alongside web-based platforms for flexible trading options. Each broker enhances trading experience with extensive accessibility by supporting MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, although neither includes additional platforms like DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. Moreover, they both support direct trading from stock charts, catering to traders who value seamless executions.
Despite their similarities, ActivTrades and easyMarkets diverge in certain tools offered. For example, easyMarkets provides 30 charting drawing tools compared to ActivTrades' 15, though ActivTrades offers more columns for watch lists with 11 fields to easyMarkets' 8. Both brokers have achieved a 4-star rating for their trading platforms and tools, indicating a solid user experience overall. However, in a comparative ranking by ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades is positioned slightly higher at #29 out of 62 brokers, while easyMarkets stands at #35, signifying a marginal edge in platform performance and tools. This detailed overview helps traders evaluate which platform may better suit their trading style and preferences.
| 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 it comes to mobile trading apps, both ActivTrades and easyMarkets have iPhone and Android apps available for traders. While they both offer the ability to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts, their features differ. ActivTrades includes stock and forex price alerts, which easyMarkets does not provide. Meanwhile, easyMarkets offers watchlist symbol syncing so that changes made sync with the client's online account, a feature not available with ActivTrades. When using technical studies for charting, easyMarkets takes the lead with 81 studies compared to ActivTrades' 30.
Although both apps support creating watchlists with real-time quotes, only ActivTrades automatically saves drawings on charts. In ratings, they tie with a 4-star rating each for mobile trading functions. However, in a ranking by ForexBrokers.com evaluating 62 brokers, ActivTrades holds a higher position at #19, compared to easyMarkets at #29. This makes ActivTrades a slightly more popular choice among mobile traders, despite both offering a satisfactory user experience.
| 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 #43.
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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