Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs iFOREX, 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 iFOREX are both established online brokers, with ActivTrades debuting in 2001 and iFOREX in 1996. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank. When it comes to regulatory licenses, ActivTrades holds a stronger position with two Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a high degree of trust, and an additional Tier-2 license, which is also seen as trustworthy. Meanwhile, iFOREX holds one Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses, suggesting a somewhat less comprehensive regulatory framework in comparison to ActivTrades.
In terms of trustworthiness ratings by ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades earns a Trust Score of 81 out of 99, placing it in the "trusted" category. Conversely, iFOREX receives a Trust Score of 75, indicating an "average risk" in terms of credibility. These scores, combined with the number of regulatory licenses held, highlight ActivTrades as a more reliable choice for investors prioritizing security and regulatory oversight in their brokerage services.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 1996 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing ActivTrades to iFOREX in terms of commissions and fees, ActivTrades offers slightly more competitive spreads than the industry average, although it does not match the best low-cost forex brokers. ActivTrades provides several account types, including an Individual Account, Professional Account, and Islamic Account, with no specific account for high-volume traders or active trader pricing. It should be noted that the spreads are consistent across all account types, with variations depending on the assets traded. Average spread data from ActivTrades indicates a spread of 0.98 pips for EUR/USD in May 2024, though spreads may fluctuate during trading sessions.
In contrast, iFOREX does not make average spread data readily available, making it challenging to assess its competitive edge in this area. Both brokers require careful consideration of the assets you wish to trade and the applicable spreads, as these factors can influence the total cost of trading on their platforms. Overall, ActivTrades earns a 4-star rating for its commissions and fees, ranking 28th out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com, while iFOREX lags behind with a 3-star rating, coming in at 60th place.
Ultimately, ActivTrades offers a slightly better value proposition than iFOREX for those focused on commissions and fees, but both platforms cater to different trading needs. Depending on your trading style and asset preferences, evaluating the spread data and any potential fees is essential in making an informed choice between these two online brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $100 |
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 available through ActivTrades and iFOREX, there are several factors to consider, particularly for investors interested in forex trading and other financial instruments. ActivTrades impresses with a vast selection of 1,267 tradeable symbols, surpassing iFOREX, which offers 750. However, despite having fewer overall options, iFOREX leads in the realm of forex pairs, providing access to 88, compared to ActivTrades' 49. Both platforms allow users to trade forex as a CFD or spot contract, but neither offers the option to trade exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges. While iFOREX does not support international exchange-traded securities either, ActivTrades clients can purchase shares on international platforms such as the London Stock Exchange. In terms of cryptocurrency offerings, both brokers present derivative trading options, but refrain from selling actual cryptocurrencies.
Additional features such as copy trading highlight another distinguishing factor, with ActivTrades providing this service while iFOREX does not. Evaluating these two online brokers' overall investment range, ActivTrades earns a commendable rating of 4 stars and is ranked 31 out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com in this category, suggesting strong performance. On the other hand, iFOREX receives a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars and a corresponding rank of 41, indicating a narrower selection of investment opportunities compared to its peer. Ultimately, investors should consider their specific needs and priorities when choosing between these platforms, as each offers unique strengths suited to different trading preferences.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 750 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 88 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| 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 exploring trading platforms, ActivTrades and iFOREX offer some distinct features catering to varying trader preferences. ActivTrades provides a comprehensive experience with a free virtual demo account for practice trading, while iFOREX lacks this feature. Both brokers offer proprietary platforms developed in-house, but only ActivTrades provides a Windows-based desktop platform, alongside its web-based platform. Traders looking for copy trading capabilities will find ActivTrades offers this option, unlike iFOREX. ActivTrades also supports both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, offering versatility in trading, a notable difference from iFOREX, which does not provide these popular platforms.
In terms of charting tools, ActivTrades offers 15 drawing tools and the option to trade directly from stock charts, matching iFOREX’s capabilities in direct trading but offering fewer drawing tools compared to iFOREX’s 25. For watch lists, ActivTrades gives users 11 customizable fields, slightly more than iFOREX’s 9. Both platforms have been rated four out of five stars for their trading platforms and tools. However, according to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades is ranked higher at #30 out of 62 brokers in the category compared to iFOREX, which is positioned at #54. These comparisons provide a clearer picture for traders on the strengths and differentiators of each broker's trading environment.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | No |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 57 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 25 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 9 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both ActivTrades and iFOREX offer iPhone and Android apps for mobile trading, providing traders access to the markets on the go. However, ActivTrades offers more features compared to iFOREX's app. For those interested in receiving price alerts for stocks or forex, ActivTrades provides this service, while iFOREX does not. If charting and analysis are important to you, ActivTrades supports 30 technical studies along with the option to draw trendlines, view multiple time frames, and have your drawings autosaved. In contrast, iFOREX lacks these charting features.
Unfortunately, neither platform offers the syncing of watchlist symbols between mobile and desktop accounts, which could be a drawback for some users. Nonetheless, ActivTrades allows the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes via its mobile app, a feature not available with iFOREX. Despite these differences, both apps have secured a 4-star rating for mobile trading, though ActivTrades holds a more impressive #19 rank among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared to iFOREX's #55 rank.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | N/A |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both ActivTrades and iFOREX provide traders with daily market commentary, ensuring that users stay informed on market sentiments and events. While both brokers offer economic calendars to track global economic developments, only ActivTrades delivers forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, which can be crucial for making informed trading decisions. Additionally, both brokers feature sentiment-based trading tools to help traders understand the market's directional bias by showing the ratio of long or short positions. However, iFOREX stands out by offering research tools from Trading Central, giving users access to valuable technical analytics not available through ActivTrades.
When comparing their research capabilities, ActivTrades scores slightly higher with a rating of four stars compared to iFOREX's 3.5 stars. This difference is further reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where ActivTrades holds the 30th spot out of 62 brokers and iFOREX is ranked at 48th. Neither of the brokers collaborates with tools from Autochartist or Acuity Trading, nor do they provide research from TipRanks. Overall, both brokers present useful resources, but ActivTrades edges ahead with its access to elite news sources, contributing to a more comprehensive research experience for traders.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| 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.
For beginners exploring educational resources in forex and CFDs trading, ActivTrades stands out compared to iFOREX. ActivTrades provides a broad array of over ten educational materials such as articles, videos, and archived webinars specifically focused on forex and CFDs, offering newcomers comprehensive learning opportunities. In contrast, iFOREX does not meet this threshold. Furthermore, ActivTrades conducts monthly educational webinars and maintains a searchable archive for past sessions, giving continuous learning chances to their users. In this respect, iFOREX falls short, as it offers neither regular webinars nor an archive of past recordings.
Both platforms provide at least ten educational videos aimed at beginners, ensuring fundamental trading concepts are accessible. However, ActivTrades further enhances its educational offerings with ten advanced videos tailored for more experienced traders, a feature that iFOREX does not match. While neither platform includes an investor dictionary with extensive definitions, ActivTrades generally receives a higher rating and ranking for education, scoring 4 stars and placing 38th out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, iFOREX holds a slightly lower rating of 3.5 stars and ranks 53rd, reflecting its more limited educational resources.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | No |
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 iFOREX. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while iFOREX finished with an overall rank of #52.
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
|
iFOREX
|
|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 81 | 75 |
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While neither ActivTrades nor iFOREX offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, both provide options to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, allowing investors to speculate on price movements without owning the underlying assets.
While both ActivTrades and iFOREX do not support ACH or SEPA transfers, they offer Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, and bank wire options for deposits and withdrawals, with iFOREX additionally providing PayPal access for enhanced flexibility.
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 | iFOREX | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 75 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 75 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 1996 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 750 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 88 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| 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 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | No | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 9 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 57 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 25 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | No | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | N/A | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | ActivTrades | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | iFOREX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Overall | ActivTrades | iFOREX | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 75 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
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