Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs Exness, 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 (founded 2001) and Exness (founded 2008) are both private brokers and not banks. Each has an 80/99 Trust Score from ForexBrokers.com, placing them in the “trusted” range of 80–89 (90–99 is highly trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and 59 or below not trusted).
On regulation, both brokers hold two Tier-1 licenses, the highest level tracked by ForexBrokers.com. ActivTrades has one Tier-2 license, while Exness has three Tier-2 licenses. In short, ActivTrades vs Exness comes down to similar top-tier oversight, with Exness carrying more mid-tier licenses; neither firm is publicly traded or a bank.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2008 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
When comparing commissions and fees, ActivTrades and Exness both earn 4 out of 5 stars, but ActivTrades comes out ahead in the ranking. ForexBrokers.com places ActivTrades at #21 out of 36 brokers, while Exness ranks #31 out of 36. For most everyday traders, that means ActivTrades is slightly more competitive overall on pricing, though neither broker is among the very cheapest options available.
ActivTrades mainly offers one Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic account options, along with a demo account. It does not have a special pricing tier for high-volume traders, and spreads are the same across account types. Its costs depend on the market you trade, but its average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024, which is slightly better than the industry average. In simple terms, ActivTrades is fairly low-cost, but not a top bargain broker.
Exness gives traders more account choices, including Standard Cent, Standard, Pro, Zero Spread, and Raw accounts, plus social copy trading accounts. Fees vary more by account type: the commission-free accounts usually have wider spreads, while the commission-based Zero Spread and Raw accounts aim for lower spreads with added per-trade commissions. This makes Exness flexible, especially for traders who want to choose between simpler pricing and tighter spreads with commissions. Overall, ActivTrades has the better commissions-and-fees rating, while Exness offers more variety in how trading costs are structured.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.08 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
ActivTrades offers a wider overall range of investments than Exness, with 1,267 tradeable symbols compared with Exness’s 239. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, but Exness lists more forex pairs overall, with 78 compared with ActivTrades’ 49. Neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares directly or purchase actual cryptocurrency, but both do offer cryptocurrency CFDs.
Where ActivTrades stands out is its access to exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, such as shares listed outside the U.S., while Exness does not offer this. ActivTrades also supports copy trading, which Exness does not. Reflecting these differences, ActivTrades is rated 4 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #25 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Exness is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #34.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 239 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 78 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
ActivTrades and Exness both give traders a strong set of platform choices, including free demo accounts, their own proprietary platforms, web-based access, Windows desktop downloads, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can make order entry faster and easier for active traders. On top of that, both are rated 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools by ForexBrokers.com.
The biggest difference is copy trading: ActivTrades offers it, while Exness does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s 36-broker ranking for Trading Platforms and Tools, Exness places higher at #15 compared with ActivTrades at #26, which may matter for traders who want a platform experience that is rated more favorably overall.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 106 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
ActivTrades and Exness both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Each broker is also rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, so both provide a solid experience for traders who want to manage positions on the go. ActivTrades has the added convenience of auto-saving chart drawings, which can help users keep their work in place when they return to the app.
Where Exness stands out is watchlist syncing: changes made in the mobile app and online account stay aligned, which makes it easier to move between devices. Exness also offers more chart studies, with 100 technical indicators compared with ActivTrades’ 30. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, Exness places slightly higher at #18 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades ranks #21, making Exness the stronger choice for traders who want more chart tools and synced watchlists.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 100 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
ActivTrades and Exness both give traders useful market research tools, including daily market commentary, news from top sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar to track key global events. Neither broker includes Autochartist, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools, but ActivTrades stands out with a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning across instruments, which can help traders gauge market mood.
Where they differ is in third-party research support. Exness offers Trading Central tools such as Technical Analytics, while ActivTrades does not. Overall, ActivTrades earns a higher research rating at 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #26 out of 36 brokers for research, compared with Exness at 3.5 stars and #31, making ActivTrades the stronger pick for market research overall.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, both ActivTrades and Exness give new traders a solid starting point. Each broker offers forex and CFD learning materials, monthly client webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos, plus 10 advanced videos for those who want to go further. That means both platforms cover the basics and beyond, making it easier for beginners to learn at their own pace.
That said, ActivTrades comes out ahead in overall education quality, with a 4-star rating compared with Exness’s 3.5 stars. Even though Exness ranks higher at #21 out of 36 brokers for the Education category, ActivTrades is still a strong choice for learners looking for more complete support. In short, both brokers provide plenty of helpful content, but ActivTrades has the edge for education overall.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | 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 Exness. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28, while Exness finished with an overall rank of #31.
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
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 80 |
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Comparing ActivTrades and Exness, neither broker allows you to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
ActivTrades vs Exness: both online brokers allow Skrill and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, do not support ACH/SEPA or 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 | ActivTrades | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | Exness | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 80 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2008 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 3 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | Yes |
| Investments | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 239 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 78 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.08 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 106 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 100 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Exness Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Exness Review |
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