Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs LegacyFX, 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 in 2001, is an online broker that provides financial trading services but is neither publicly traded nor a bank. The broker holds two Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of trust, and one Tier-2 license, further demonstrating its reliability. With a Trust Score of 81 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades is considered a trusted broker by industry standards.
On the other hand, LegacyFX started operations in 2012 and shares similar non-publicly traded and non-banking traits with ActivTrades. However, LegacyFX holds one Tier-1 license, and no Tier-2 licenses, giving it a Trust Score of 67 out of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, placing it in a higher risk category than ActivTrades. This comparison highlights ActivTrades as a more trusted option for traders seeking regulated and reliable broker services.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2012 |
| 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 the commissions and fees of ActivTrades and LegacyFX, ActivTrades has an edge with slightly better spreads than the industry average, though not among the top tier of low-cost forex brokers. ActivTrades offers several account types, including Individual, Professional, and Islamic accounts, all with the same spreads but different margin requirements. Their spreads may vary during trading sessions, with an average of 0.98 pips for EUR/USD. ActivTrades is rated 4 stars for commissions and fees and ranks 28th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
LegacyFX, on the other hand, provides a variety of account options through its EU and Vanuatu entities, each with different minimum deposit requirements and costs. The EU entity offers Silver, Gold, and Platinum accounts with increasing fees, with the Silver account starting at 1.6 pips on EUR/USD. The Vanuatu entity features seven account types, from Standard to VIP, affecting client support and trading tool access. Unfortunately, LegacyFX does not provide average spread information, making it challenging to gauge true trading costs. LegacyFX earns a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 56th for commissions and fees.
In summary, ActivTrades may present a more consistent cost structure with generally lower spreads, appealing to traders seeking straightforward pricing. LegacyFX, with its broader suite of account types and different fee structures based on location, could suit those looking for tailored options despite the lack of detailed spread data. Overall, ActivTrades is the more highly rated and ranked broker concerning commissions and fees.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $500 |
| 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 | Yes |
| 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 LegacyFX both offer a variety of trading options, including forex trading available as CFDs or spot contracts. When it comes to the sheer number of tradeable symbols, ActivTrades stands out with 1267 options compared to LegacyFX's 425. In terms of forex pairs, ActivTrades offers 49, slightly more than LegacyFX's 44. However, neither platform allows clients to trade exchange-listed securities on U.S. exchanges. On the other hand, ActivTrades provides access to international exchanges, enabling users to buy shares like Vodafone from the London Stock Exchange, a feature LegacyFX does not offer.
Both brokers offer copy trading, allowing users to mirror strategies from other successful traders. While neither gives the option to buy actual cryptocurrencies, they both offer cryptocurrency derivatives for those interested in crypto-related investments. In terms of ratings, ActivTrades receives 4 stars for its range of investments, outperforming LegacyFX's 3.5-star rating. Within the industry, ActivTrades ranks 31st among 62 brokers for the variety of investment choices, significantly ahead of LegacyFX, which is ranked 48th.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 425 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 44 |
| 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 comparing ActivTrades and LegacyFX regarding their trading platforms and tools, both brokers provide a simulated trading feature through free virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice without any financial risk. ActivTrades stands out with its proprietary, in-house developed platform, offering a unique user experience along with the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platforms. In contrast, LegacyFX relies on the more universal MetaTrader 5 but doesn't support MT4. Both brokers cater to desktop and web-based trading, ensuring versatility in how users can access their services. Additionally, both brokers support copy trading, albeit neither incorporates external platforms like DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
In terms of trading tools, both brokers offer 15 drawing tools for charting, with the capability to trade directly from the stock chart. ActivTrades edges out a bit by offering more watch list customizations with 11 columns compared to LegacyFX's 7. Based on ForexBrokers.com ranking, ActivTrades scores slightly higher at 4 stars and stands at 30th place out of 62 brokers in the Trading Platforms and Tools category, whereas LegacyFX garners 3.5 stars, placing it at 59th. Overall, ActivTrades offers a more diversified platform experience, making it a preferable choice for traders seeking robust trading tools and options.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of ActivTrades and LegacyFX, both brokers offer comprehensive features for iPhone and Android users. Traders will find that both apps support stock and forex price alerts, essential for keeping abreast of market movements. However, neither app facilitates watchlist symbol syncing, so users need to manage their watchlists separately on the mobile app and online account. In terms of technical capabilities, both ActivTrades and LegacyFX provide 30 technical studies for charting, and each app allows traders to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames, whether daily, weekly, or intraday. Drawings on charts are auto-saved in both apps, which adds a layer of convenience. Moreover, both platforms enable the creation of watchlists with real-time quotes.
Despite their similarities, a key differentiator lies in user satisfaction and market ranking. ActivTrades boasts a slightly higher rating of 4 stars compared to LegacyFX's 3.5 stars for mobile trading apps. This difference in user rating aligns with their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, where ActivTrades holds the 19th position out of 62 brokers, whereas LegacyFX falls behind at the 60th spot. These scores highlight ActivTrades' superior standing in the market, suggesting a more favorable user experience in their mobile offering.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research offerings of ActivTrades and LegacyFX, both brokers provide daily market commentary and supply forex news from highly-regarded sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, when it comes to technical analysis tools, LegacyFX takes the edge by incorporating resources from Autochartist, while ActivTrades doesn’t feature these tools. On the contrary, ActivTrades offers a sentiment-based trading tool allowing traders to gauge market positions across instruments, a feature that LegacyFX lacks. Both brokers offer an economic calendar that helps traders keep track of significant global news events.
While neither broker provides tools from Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading, their overall research capabilities show differences reflected in their ratings and rankings. ActivTrades earns a solid 4 out of 5 stars for research and holds the 30th spot out of 62 brokers in ForexBrokers.com's research ranking. LegacyFX, on the other hand, receives a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 45th in the same category, indicating a slight lag behind ActivTrades in research resources and tools.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing ActivTrades and LegacyFX in terms of educational resources for beginners, both brokers offer a commendable array of materials aimed at enhancing your trading knowledge. Both ActivTrades and LegacyFX provide a minimum of 10 educational pieces focusing on forex and CFDs, ensuring that newcomers have access to varied foundational content. Regular monthly webinars are available from both brokers, coupled with searchable archives of previous sessions, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Each broker also supports beginners with at least 10 educational videos, covering vital trading topics to facilitate a smooth learning journey.
However, there are some differences to note. LegacyFX has a unique advantage with its diverse range of learning tools, including an investor dictionary that defines more than 50 investing terms, which can be particularly beneficial for beginners looking to familiarize themselves with trading jargon. Despite this, in overall educational quality, ActivTrades edges out slightly with a 4-star rating compared to LegacyFX’s 3.5 stars. Interestingly, while LegacyFX secured a higher rank of #35 among 62 brokers in the education category on ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades follows closely at #38. This suggests that while both brokers offer valuable resources, the preference between them might depend on what specific educational tools you find most beneficial.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 LegacyFX. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while LegacyFX finished with an overall rank of #62.
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
|
LegacyFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 67 |
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Both ActivTrades and LegacyFX do not offer the ability to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do allow trading of cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both ActivTrades and LegacyFX allow funding and withdrawals through Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, but neither supports ACH, SEPA transfers, or PayPal.
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 | LegacyFX | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 67 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | LegacyFX Review |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 67 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2012 | |
| 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 | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 425 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 44 | |
| 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 | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $500 | |
| 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 | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | LegacyFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | LegacyFX Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | LegacyFX | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 67 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | LegacyFX Review |
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