Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ThinkMarkets 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.
When comparing the online brokers ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades, both firms show impressive regulatory credentials, yet some differences stand out. ThinkMarkets, established in 2010, has a higher Trust Score of 92 according to ForexBrokers.com, categorizing it as highly trusted. This company holds 5 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses, reflecting strong global regulatory recognition. In contrast, ActivTrades, founded in 2001, holds a Trust Score of 81, marking it as trusted by industry standards. This broker has secured 2 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, which also demonstrate a firm regulatory standing, albeit less extensive than ThinkMarkets.
Both ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades are not publicly traded and do not operate as banks, maintaining a similar business model in providing online trading services. Their regulatory profiles indicate both brokers have built a foundation of trust within the financial sector, yet ThinkMarkets edges ahead with additional licensing and a higher trust rating, offering traders an attractive layer of security and confidence to consider when choosing a broker.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
When comparing ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades on commissions and fees, it's clear both offer competitive environments for traders, but with distinct differences. ThinkMarkets is rated 4 stars for commissions and fees, holding the 48th position out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. While specific average spread information isn't available for ThinkMarkets, the broker is generally considered favorable among users, thanks to its straightforward pricing structure and absence of any major hidden costs.
ActivTrades, on the other hand, shares the same 4-star rating as ThinkMarkets but is ranked higher at 28th out of 62 brokers. ActivTrades presents somewhat better-than-average spreads, although it doesn’t claim to have the best prices in the industry. One notable feature is its tiered account offerings, including professional and Islamic accounts. However, ActivTrades does not have a pricing structure targeting high-volume traders, and active trader discounts are absent, possibly making it less attractive for frequent traders.
In essence, both brokers have their own merits: ThinkMarkets shines with its simplicity, while ActivTrades offers varied account types catering to specific needs. Ultimately, potential traders should consider these factors alongside their personal trading habits when choosing between the two.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | 0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | 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.
When comparing the investment offerings of ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades, both platforms provide forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts. ThinkMarkets impresses with a substantial 4,000 tradeable symbols, including 46 forex pairs, while ActivTrades offers 1,267 symbols with a slightly higher count of 49 forex pairs. Neither broker enables the purchase of exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, such as Apple shares, but both do allow buying on international exchanges, like Vodafone shares. Additionally, both platforms support copy trading and offer cryptocurrency derivatives, although not the actual cryptocurrencies themselves.
ThinkMarkets receives a 4.5-star rating for its range of investments, positioning it as a strong choice, while ActivTrades holds a 4-star rating in the same category. In rankings by ForexBrokers.com, ThinkMarkets secures the 21st spot out of 62 brokers for range of investments, whereas ActivTrades is ranked 31st. This highlights ThinkMarkets as a slightly more attractive option for those seeking comprehensive investment opportunities.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 ThinkMarkets to ActivTrades in terms of trading platforms and tools, both brokers excel in offering versatile solutions that cater to a wide range of trader needs. ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades both provide a seamless trading experience with their proprietary platforms, allowing traders to explore their markets without constraints. Not only do they offer robust Windows-based desktop platforms, but they also cater to traders who prefer browser-based systems. For beginners and experienced traders alike, both brokers offer the essential features like free virtual demo accounts to practice trading. They support popular trading platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, and provide the capability of copy trading. While neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, traders can still effectively execute their strategies with comprehensive charting capabilities, each offering 15 drawing tools and the ability to trade directly from charts.
ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades, while similar in many respects, do show slight differences. One area is in the watch lists where ThinkMarkets stands out with 15 columns or fields compared to ActivTrades' 11. Both brokers receive a commendable four-star rating for their trading platforms and tools, showcasing their commitment to providing high-quality services. ThinkMarkets ranks slightly higher at #28, compared to ActivTrades' #30 in ForexBrokers.com's rankings out of 62 brokers. This reflects subtle variations in users' experiences, but both brokers present a competitive suite of tools to empower traders in the financial markets.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 15 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades provide excellent mobile trading apps available on iPhone and Android devices, ensuring their users can stay connected and manage their trades on the go. These apps alert users to changes in stock or forex prices, making it easy to keep track of market movements. While both platforms allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, neither offers syncing of these lists between the mobile app and the online account, necessitating manual updates on both platforms.
When it comes to charting tools, ThinkMarkets offers a comprehensive range of 94 technical studies, providing a diverse set of insights for traders, compared to the 30 offered by ActivTrades. Both platforms support the drawing of trendlines and viewing of multiple time frames, with the added bonus of auto-saving drawings which helps in maintaining consistent analysis. Rated four stars for their mobile trading apps, ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades offer comparable experiences, although ActivTrades gets a slight edge with a placement of 19th compared to ThinkMarkets' 20th in the rankings by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 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.
Both ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades deliver daily market commentary and provide forex news sourced from top-tier outlets like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. For traders interested in sentiment analysis, both brokers offer tools that show the ratio of long and short positions across currency pairs and other instruments. However, there are differences in the suite of research tools available: ThinkMarkets stands out by offering research tools from Acuity Trading, like Signal Centre, while ActivTrades does not include this feature.
Neither ThinkMarkets nor ActivTrades offers technical analysis or fundamental research tools from Autochartist and Trading Central or market research from TipRanks. Both brokers provide an economic calendar that highlights important global news events. In terms of ratings, ThinkMarkets earns 3.5 stars with a research ranking of #50 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas ActivTrades garners 4 stars and ranks #30 in the same category. This comparison indicates a slight edge for ActivTrades in overall research offerings and industry ranking.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades provide a solid foundation for those diving into forex and CFDs trading. Each platform offers more than ten educational materials, including articles, videos, and archived webinars to help users grasp essential trading concepts. Additionally, both brokers host monthly online educational webinars and also provide a searchable archive of these sessions, making it convenient for learners to revisit past events. For beginners seeking visual learning, both ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades have an extensive collection of more than ten educational videos tailored specifically to newcomers in the trading world.
For traders looking to deepen their understanding, advanced educational videos are also available with over ten topics covered by both brokers. However, ThinkMarkets stands out by offering an investor dictionary with over 50 investing term definitions, a feature that ActivTrades currently lacks. In terms of educational quality, ActivTrades scores slightly higher with a 4-star rating compared to ThinkMarkets’ 3.5 stars. When ranked among 62 brokers for education, ActivTrades is positioned at #38, showing a stronger standing compared to ThinkMarkets' ranking at #52. Overall, both brokers provide valuable resources, but ActivTrades offers a slight edge in terms of educational offerings and rankings.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| 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) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ThinkMarkets is better than ActivTrades. ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #33.
ThinkMarkets has multiple regulatory license and offers a proprietary trading platform, as well as the entire MetaTrader suite. The broker has made progress in key areas, such as research and education, and the range of markets available, although trails behind the best brokers in these categories.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 81 |
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Both ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades do not offer actual (delivered) cryptocurrency purchases but provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
ThinkMarkets and ActivTrades both provide options for depositing and withdrawing funds via Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, but neither supports ACH, SEPA, or PayPal transactions.
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 | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
| Regulation | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | 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) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | 0 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 15 | 11 | |
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 94 | 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 | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ThinkMarkets | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review |
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