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 and Exness are both established online brokers, with ActivTrades having been founded in 2001 and Exness in 2008. Neither of these brokers is publicly traded or operates as a bank. When it comes to regulatory strength, both ActivTrades and Exness have built strong foundations, each holding two Tier-1 licenses. Tier-1 licenses are highly regarded and signify a strong level of trust for these brokers.
In addition to their Tier-1 licenses, ActivTrades has one Tier-2 license, while Exness boasts three. With a Trust Score of 81 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, both brokers are considered trusted. Their impressive regulatory standing and trust ratings make them reliable choices for individuals seeking efficient online trading platforms.
| 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 |
In terms of commissions and fees, ActivTrades and Exness offer distinct experiences for traders. ActivTrades provides competitive spreads that are slightly better than the industry average, though not the most economical compared to leading low-cost forex brokers. Offering a variety of accounts such as the Individual, Professional, and Islamic accounts, ActivTrades caters to different trading requirements, with no specific benefits for high-volume traders. Their target spread for the EUR/USD was approximately 0.98 pips as of May 2024. ActivTrades has received a 4-star rating for its commissions and fees, ranking 28th out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
Exness, in contrast, presents a broad spectrum of five main account types, including standard and professional options, catering to various trading styles. The distinctions in trading costs are significant across these accounts, with the two commission-based options offering lower spreads compared to their commission-free counterparts. The Zero Spread account, for example, offers market execution and charges a minimal per-trade commission, while the Raw account features competitive spreads with a commission of up to $7 per round turn lot. Exness has also secured a 4-star rating in this category, though it ranks slightly lower at 35th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Both ActivTrades and Exness present specific advantages depending on the trading needs and preferences—ActivTrades with its slightly above-average spreads and simplistic account approach, and Exness with its diverse choice of account types allowing traders to select between instant and market execution options. The choice between these brokers may come down to individual trading strategies and whether having multiple account options and competitive spreads trumps simplicity and slightly better-than-average cost structures.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| 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 Exness both cater to forex enthusiasts by offering forex trading through CFDs and spot contracts. ActivTrades provides access to an impressive 1,267 tradeable symbols, including 49 forex pairs, while Exness offers a total of 227 symbols with a focus that encompasses 96 forex pairs. If you're interested in trading on international exchanges, ActivTrades stands out as it allows for the purchase of stocks like Vodafone from international markets, a feature not available with Exness. However, neither broker offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, limiting opportunities to purchase shares like Apple directly.
When it comes to cryptocurrency, both brokers allow trading in cryptocurrency derivatives, but neither provides a platform for purchasing actual, delivered cryptocurrencies. Investors interested in copy trading will find support from both ActivTrades and Exness, making them suitable for those who prefer to mirror successful trades. In terms of overall investment range, ActivTrades receives a higher rating of 4 stars compared to Exness's 3.5 stars, reflecting their broader selection. On the ForexBrokers.com ranking, ActivTrades is positioned at #31, significantly ahead of Exness, which comes in at #55 out of 62 brokers. This ranking underscores ActivTrades' more comprehensive range of investment options.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 227 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 96 |
| 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.
Both ActivTrades and Exness provide traders with a comprehensive suite of tools and platforms designed to accommodate a wide range of trading preferences. Each broker offers simulated trading with free virtual demo accounts, proprietary platforms, and a Windows-based desktop download platform. ActivTrades and Exness also support web-based trading and include popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). For those interested in social trading, both brokers facilitate copy trading but neither supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. While they both enable trading directly from stock charts, the charting tools diverge slightly, with ActivTrades offering 15 drawing tools compared to Exness’s 87.
When it comes to watch lists customization, ActivTrades provides 11 columns, surpassing Exness, which offers 7. Despite their differences, both brokers achieve a trading platform and tools rating of 4 stars out of 5. However, their rankings differ slightly according to ForexBrokers.com, with Exness standing at 26th and ActivTrades at 30th out of 62 brokers. These small variations evidence that both platforms cater well to modern traders while providing slightly distinct advantages depending on individual trading needs.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 107 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 87 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading apps, both ActivTrades and Exness offer a range of features designed to enhance the trading experience for both iPhone and Android users. Both brokers provide the capability to set stock or forex price alerts, allowing traders to stay up-to-date with market movements. While neither platform offers watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring changes in watchlists are reflected across devices, both applications allow traders to create watchlists with real-time quotes. ActivTrades impressively incorporates 30 technical studies for chart analysis, while Exness offers a slightly higher number with 35. Both apps enable the drawing of trendlines and viewing multiple time frames on stock or forex charts. However, one standout difference is that ActivTrades saves chart drawings automatically, a feature Exness lacks.
In terms of ratings and rankings, both mobile trading apps have earned a respectable 4-star rating. Yet, ActivTrades holds a slight edge over Exness in the ForexBrokers.com ranking, securing the 19th spot out of 62 brokers, compared to Exness, which ranks 26th. For users focused on technical charting, the choice may hinge on whether the automatic saving of chart drawings or having more technical studies is a higher priority. Each app provides a solid trading experience, but individual preferences regarding specific charting features and rankings might influence the decision on which to choose for mobile trading.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 35 |
| 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 comparing ActivTrades and Exness for their market research capabilities, both brokers offer valuable resources such as daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. They also provide economic calendars to help traders stay updated on global events. However, a key difference is their approach to technical analysis tools: while neither broker offers Autochartist tools, Exness stands out by providing research tools from Trading Central, which ActivTrades does not.
In terms of sentiment tools, both brokers allow traders to view a ratio of long or short positions across various currency pairs. However, neither offers additional research from companies such as TipRanks or Acuity Trading. Based on ratings from ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades receives a slightly higher score of 4 stars, ranking 30th out of 62 brokers for research, compared to Exness, which is rated 3.5 stars and ranks 41st. Overall, ActivTrades appears to have a slight edge in the research category.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 the educational resources available to beginners at ActivTrades and Exness, notable differences emerge. Both brokers provide at least ten educational materials focused on forex and CFDs, which include articles, videos, and archived webinars. ActivTrades excels by offering monthly online educational webinars and a searchable archive of past sessions. In contrast, Exness does not provide regular webinars, though it does have a searchable archive. Both platforms cater to beginners with at least ten educational videos specifically focused on novice traders, ensuring foundational knowledge is accessible to those just starting.
The divergence in their educational offerings becomes more apparent in advanced learning tools. ActivTrades delivers at least ten videos aimed at experienced traders, whereas Exness lacks this depth. Interestingly, Exness compensates with an investor dictionary featuring over 50 trading terms, a resource not available at ActivTrades. When rated on a five-star scale, ActivTrades scores a 4-star rating for education and is ranked #38 among 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. Exness, meanwhile, is slightly behind with a 3.5-star rating and is ranked #47. These insights suggest ActivTrades may be better suited for learners seeking advanced content and live educational interactions. At the same time, Exness offers solid foundational resources for those who value a comprehensive glossary of terms.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than Exness. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while Exness 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
|
Exness
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 81 |
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Both ActivTrades and Exness do not provide options to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency but do offer the ability to trade in cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both ActivTrades and Exness provide Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wire options for fund transactions, but neither supports ACH, SEPA, or PayPal transfers for deposits or withdrawals.
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 | 81 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Exness Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2008 | |
| 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 | 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 (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | 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). | No | 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/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | Yes |
| Investments | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 227 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 96 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $10 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 107 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 87 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 35 | |
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Exness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Exness Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | Exness | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Exness Review |
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