Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IC Markets vs ActivTrades, 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.
IC Markets vs ActivTrades: IC Markets was founded in 2007, while ActivTrades started in 2001. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank.
Regulation and safety: Both brokers hold two Tier-1 licenses. IC Markets holds no Tier-2 licenses, while ActivTrades holds one. On the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score (0–99, where 90–99 = highly trusted, 80–89 = trusted, 70–79 = average risk, 60–69 = high risk, and under 59 = not trusted), IC Markets scores 83 and ActivTrades scores 80. That places both in the trusted range, with IC Markets slightly higher.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
When comparing online broker IC Markets vs. ActivTrades for commissions and fees, IC Markets comes out ahead for low trading costs. IC Markets offers both commission-free and commission-based accounts, and its pricing can be especially attractive for active forex traders. On its Raw Spread accounts, the all-in cost on EUR/USD is very competitive, and traders who use cTrader can get slightly lower commission pricing than MT4 or MT5 users. IC Markets is rated 5 stars and ranked #5 out of 36 for Commissions and Fees.
ActivTrades keeps things simpler with one main account type, plus Professional and Islamic account options, but it does not offer special pricing for high-volume traders. Its spreads are a bit better than the industry average, but not as low as the cheapest brokers. For EUR/USD, ActivTrades reported an average spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024, which is higher than what top low-cost brokers typically charge. ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranked #21 out of 36 for Commissions and Fees.
In short, if your main goal is to keep forex trading costs as low as possible, IC Markets is the stronger choice. ActivTrades is still a solid option, but its fees and spreads are less competitive overall. For traders focused on commissions and fees, IC Markets offers better value.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.62 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
IC Markets and ActivTrades both give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, plus copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker lets you buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, and neither offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges. Both do, however, provide access to exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, which can be useful for investors looking beyond U.S. markets.
When it comes to the range of available investments, IC Markets has the wider selection overall, with 3,583 tradeable symbols and 61 forex pairs compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. That broader lineup is reflected in ratings too: IC Markets scores 4.5 out of 5 for Range of Investments and ranks #22 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades is rated 4 out of 5 and ranks #25.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
IC Markets and ActivTrades both give traders a solid mix of platform choices, including free demo accounts, Windows desktop software, web-based trading, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. That means beginners can practice first, while active traders can move between desktop and browser access with ease. In this area, the two brokers are closely matched, and each earned 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools.
The main difference is that ActivTrades offers its own in-house trading platform, while IC Markets does not. For traders who like having a broker-built platform alongside MetaTrader options, that may make ActivTrades stand out. Still, IC Markets is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com in this category, coming in at #17 out of 36 brokers compared with ActivTrades at #26, which suggests IC Markets has the edge overall for platforms and tools.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IC Markets and ActivTrades both give mobile traders a very similar experience. Each broker offers iPhone and Android apps, price alerts for stocks or forex, and chart tools that include 30 technical studies. You can also draw trend lines in both apps, and any drawings you make are saved automatically, which is helpful if you switch back to a chart later.
There are a couple of limits on both sides. Neither IC Markets nor ActivTrades offers watchlist symbol syncing, so watchlists in the mobile app do not carry over to the web platform. In overall mobile trading app ratings, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars. ForexBrokers.com ranks ActivTrades slightly higher at #21 out of 36 brokers, while IC Markets comes in at #22, so ActivTrades has a small edge, but the two are otherwise very close for mobile use.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
IC Markets and ActivTrades both give traders a solid range of market research tools. Each broker offers daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, a sentiment tool that shows long and short positioning, and an economic calendar covering key global events. Both are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for Research, which suggests a similar overall level of support for traders who want to stay informed.
The main difference is in third-party research tools. IC Markets includes Autochartist and Trading Central, giving it an edge for traders who want extra help with technical and fundamental analysis. ActivTrades does not offer those tools, though it still covers the basics well. This is reflected in ForexBrokers.com’s research ranking, where IC Markets is placed at #21 out of 36 brokers, ahead of ActivTrades at #26.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for learning support, both IC Markets and ActivTrades offer a solid range of forex and CFD education. Each broker provides at least 10 educational pieces on trading topics, along with monthly online webinars, plus 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos. In simple terms, that means both brokers give new traders plenty of material to start with and room to keep learning as their skills grow.
That said, IC Markets appears to have the edge overall in education. Both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education, but IC Markets ranks #16 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category, while ActivTrades ranks #30. So if you want a broker with a slightly stronger education standing, IC Markets comes out ahead, even though ActivTrades still offers a useful set of beginner-friendly resources.
| Feature |
IC Markets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 IC Markets is better than ActivTrades. IC Markets finished with an overall rank of #21, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
IC Markets’ competitive pricing and scalable execution make it an excellent option for algorithmic traders. Though it supports an impressive range of third-party tools and plugins, IC Markets’ research and education offerings are not as impressive as those offered by industry leaders.
| Feature |
IC Markets
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ActivTrades
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 83 | 80 |
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IC Markets vs ActivTrades: neither broker offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both provide cryptocurrency CFDs for trading price movements.
Comparing deposit and withdrawal options, IC Markets and ActivTrades both support Skrill and bank wire transfers and do not offer ACH or SEPA transfers, but only IC Markets supports PayPal, while Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 83 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2007 | 2001 | |
| 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 | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | 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) | No | 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) | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 3583 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.62 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.62 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $200 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | IC Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | IC Markets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 83 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | IC Markets Review | ActivTrades Review |
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