Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs Spreadex, 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.
Choosing the right online broker can be a complex task, especially when comparing companies like ActivTrades and Spreadex. Founded in 2001, ActivTrades holds two Tier-1 licenses and boasts a Trust Score of 81 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, categorizing it as a trusted broker. Meanwhile, Spreadex, established in 1999, holds one Tier-1 license and has a Trust Score of 71, marking it as posing average risk. These scores reflect their financial soundness and regulatory compliance, crucial factors for those venturing into online trading.
Neither ActivTrades nor Spreadex are publicly traded nor operate as banks, which investors should take into account when evaluating them for trading purposes. Additionally, ActivTrades offers a Tier-2 license for further reassurance, while Spreadex does not hold any Tier-2 licenses. Overall, ActivTrades emerges as a reliable option with slightly stronger regulatory backing than Spreadex, offering peace of mind for those prioritizing security and trustworthiness in their trading journey.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 1999 |
| 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 | 0 |
When comparing ActivTrades and Spreadex for their commissions and fees, both brokers offer competitive spreads, but there are some differences in their offerings. ActivTrades provides a variety of account types, including Individual, Professional, and Islamic Accounts, with no specific account for high-volume traders. Their average spread for EUR/USD was reported at 0.98 pips. On the other hand, Spreadex noted an average spread of 0.81 pips for EUR/USD, with a minimum spread of 0.6 pips occurring 60% of the time during the month of January 2024.
ActivTrades was ranked #27 out of 62 brokers for commissions and fees by ForexBrokers.com and received a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. While there is no active trader pricing available and account types do not change the spread, the broker does offer Sharia-compliant options for Islamic traders. The effectiveness of their fee structure largely depends on the specific assets being traded and the platform in use, with spreads varying based on market conditions.
Similarly, Spreadex received a rating of 4 out of 5 stars for its commissions and fees, positioned at #30 in the ForexBrokers.com rankings. With competitively narrow spreads for major currency pairs, the broker delivers a viable option for those seeking tight spreads. However, like with ActivTrades, traders should be aware that actual spreads may widen during specific periods, such as the rollover. Overall, both ActivTrades and Spreadex demonstrate solid performance in terms of commissions and fees, though each has its particular strengths and considerations.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 0.81 |
| 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 | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing ActivTrades and Spreadex, both platforms offer forex trading either as CFDs or spot contracts, providing flexibility for traders interested in currency pairs. ActivTrades presents a selection of 1267 tradeable symbols, whereas Spreadex boasts a much larger range with 10,000 symbols. In terms of forex pairs, ActivTrades offers 49 options while Spreadex slightly edges ahead with 52, giving forex enthusiasts a slightly wider choice. Although neither platform provides exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, ActivTrades users can access international stocks like Vodafone, an option not available with Spreadex. This could make ActivTrades appealing to those focused on trading international equities.
Both brokers allow trading in cryptocurrency derivatives but do not offer actual cryptocurrency purchases. However, ActivTrades stands out with its copy trading feature, something Spreadex lacks. Spreadex receives a higher rating for their range of investments, earning a five-star rating versus ActivTrades' four-star ranking. Additionally, Spreadex is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com at #13 out of 62 brokers, while ActivTrades is positioned at #31. These rankings indicate Spreadex's broader investment range, making it a strong contender for those seeking diverse trading options.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 10000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 52 |
| 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 evaluating trading platforms and tools, both ActivTrades and Spreadex offer valuable features, but they cater to different needs and preferences. ActivTrades stands out with its proprietary platform as well as offering industry-standard platforms like MetaTrader 4 and 5, which appeal to traders looking for advanced functionalities. Additionally, ActivTrades supports copy trading and provides a Windows-based desktop download option, enhancing its appeal to experienced traders seeking a variety of tools. A notable feature is the availability of a free virtual demo account, allowing traders to practice without risk.
Spreadex, on the other hand, offers a proprietary web-based platform, which could appeal to users seeking straightforward browser access without the need for downloads. While it lacks MetaTrader support and copy trading functionalities, Spreadex still attracts users who appreciate simplicity and accessibility. Both brokers provide the ability to trade directly from stock charts and offer demo accounts for testing strategies, yet when considering the number of drawing tools and watch list columns, ActivTrades provides slightly more customization options. Ultimately, both platforms are well-received, each earning a 4-star rating, but ActivTrades holds a higher rank among peers, potentially reflecting its broader range of tools and platforms.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | 58 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 11 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 8 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of ActivTrades and Spreadex, both platforms offer iPhone and Android apps, making them easily accessible for most users. Both brokers provide stock and forex price alerts, so you won't miss important market movements. However, ActivTrades edges ahead by offering 30 technical studies for chart analysis, while Spreadex does not specify their exact offerings. Additionally, both platforms allow users to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts, enhancing your ability to analyze market trends.
One notable difference is in how each app handles saved drawings. ActivTrades automatically saves chart drawings, offering a seamless user experience, while Spreadex falls short in this aspect. Another important feature is the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes, which both brokers provide. However, neither supports syncing watchlists between mobile devices and online accounts. Both apps have received a 4-star rating for mobile trading, but ActivTrades is rated higher in the ForexBrokers.com rankings, coming in at #19 compared to Spreadex's #49 out of 62 brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | N/A |
| 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 diving into the realm of market research, both ActivTrades and Spreadex offer commendable options for traders. Each platform provides daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders stay informed on crucial global developments. While both lack tools from Trading Central and market research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading, they make up for it by offering sentiment-based trading tools that reveal the market's long or short positioning across various instruments. Additionally, both brokers equip traders with economic calendars to track significant global events.
However, when differentiating their offerings, it’s noteworthy that Spreadex integrates Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental analysis, a feature ActivTrades does not provide. Despite these differences, both brokers share a solid research rating of four stars out of five. According to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades ranks slightly higher for research, holding the 30th spot out of 62 brokers, just ahead of Spreadex at 31st. This close ranking reflects their competitive offerings within the financial market research space.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, ActivTrades and Spreadex both offer a solid selection of materials. Both brokers provide a minimum of 10 educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs, ensuring newcomers have access to essential learning tools. ActivTrades takes a step further by offering online client webinars every month, along with a searchable archive of past sessions for convenient access. While Spreadex lacks these webinar features, it offers an investor dictionary featuring over 50 investing terms, which can be very useful for beginners building their financial vocabulary.
In terms of video content, both brokers furnish at least 10 beginner-focused educational videos. However, ActivTrades distinguishes itself by also providing over 10 advanced educational videos tailored to experienced traders, whereas Spreadex does not. Despite their differences, both brokers achieve a 4-star rating for education. Nevertheless, ActivTrades holds a higher rank at #38 compared to Spreadex at #45, according to ForexBrokers.com. This indicates that while both brokers cater well to beginners, ActivTrades offers a broader range of advanced educational opportunities.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | 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 Spreadex. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33, while Spreadex finished with an overall rank of #39.
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
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Spreadex
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 71 |
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Both ActivTrades and Spreadex allow users to trade in cryptocurrency derivatives but do not offer the option to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies.
When comparing the online brokers ActivTrades and Spreadex, neither offers ACH or SEPA transfers nor PayPal for account transactions, but ActivTrades supports Skrill deposits and withdrawals, which Spreadex does not, while both brokers allow Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options for managing account funds.
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 | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Spreadex Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
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| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 71 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 1999 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 10000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 52 | |
| 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 | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 0.81 | |
| 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 | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | 0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 8 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 58 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 11 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | N/A | |
| 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 | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Spreadex Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | Spreadex | |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 71 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Spreadex Review |
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