Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Vantage 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.
Vantage (founded 2009) and ActivTrades (founded 2001) are online brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. Each holds two Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and one Tier-2 license (considered trusted), signaling solid regulatory oversight for both.
Vantage has a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 91/99, placing it in the highly trusted range (90–99). ActivTrades scores 80/99, which is in the trusted range (80–89). For context, ForexBrokers.com classifies 70–79 as average risk, 60–69 high risk, and 59 or below not trusted. If you want the highest trust tier, Vantage edges ahead; if a trusted rating suffices, ActivTrades fits the bill.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
When comparing commissions and fees, Vantage has a slight edge over ActivTrades for cost-conscious traders. Vantage offers three account types: the spread-only Standard STP account and the commission-based RAW ECN and PRO ECN accounts. Its pricing is generally in line with the industry average, with the best value found in the PRO ECN account, which charges $2 per side ($4 round turn). The Standard account showed typical EUR/USD spreads of 1.30 pips, while the Raw account averaged 0.15 pips plus commission, working out to about 0.75 pips total. Vantage is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #12 out of 36 brokers.
ActivTrades also keeps fees fairly competitive, but it does not quite match the lowest-cost brokers. It offers an Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic Account options, and there is no special pricing for active traders. The main difference between account types is margin requirements, not spreads, which stay the same across accounts. ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips in May 2024. It is rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #21 out of 36 brokers.
In simple terms, Vantage is the better pick if you want more account choices and the chance to lower trading costs through its commission-based accounts, especially the PRO ECN option. ActivTrades is still a solid option with spreads a bit better than average, but its pricing structure is more straightforward and less flexible for frequent traders.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.32 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.72 | 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.
When it comes to range of investments, both Vantage and ActivTrades give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, plus copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. Vantage offers 1,000 tradeable symbols and 61 forex pairs, while ActivTrades provides a wider overall selection with 1,267 tradeable symbols, though it has fewer forex pairs at 49. Neither broker lets you buy actual cryptocurrency, and neither offers U.S.-listed exchange traded securities such as Apple shares.
The key difference is that ActivTrades also offers exchange traded securities on international markets, such as shares listed outside the U.S., while Vantage does not. This broader asset mix helps explain why ActivTrades scores higher for range of investments, with 4 out of 5 stars and a #25 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with Vantage’s 3.5 stars and #32 ranking.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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.
Vantage and ActivTrades both give traders a wide choice of platform options, including free demo accounts for paper trading, proprietary platforms, Windows desktop downloads, browser-based trading, copy trading, and access to both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which makes it easier to place orders while watching price movements. In other words, both companies cover the main platform needs most traders look for.
When it comes to trading tools, the two brokers are closely matched in overall rating, with each earning 4 out of 5 stars from ForexBrokers.com for Trading Platforms and Tools. The main difference is in their category ranking: Vantage is placed higher at #20 out of 36 brokers, while ActivTrades is ranked #26. That suggests Vantage has a slight edge overall, even though both brokers offer similar platform features for everyday trading.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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.
Vantage and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, making it easy to trade on the go. Each app includes price alerts for stocks and forex, 30 technical studies for chart analysis, trendline drawing tools, and auto-saving for chart drawings. One shared drawback is that neither broker syncs watchlists between the mobile app and the online account, so updates do not carry over automatically between devices.
In terms of overall mobile trading app quality, both Vantage and ActivTrades are rated 4 out of 5 stars. However, ActivTrades has a slight edge in ForexBrokers.com’s ranking for the mobile trading apps category, placing #21 out of 36 brokers compared with Vantage at #24. For traders who want similar app features and a simple mobile trading experience, the two brokers are closely matched.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
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.
When it comes to market research, Vantage and ActivTrades both give traders useful day-to-day tools. Each broker provides daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Reuters or Bloomberg, a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning, and an economic calendar for upcoming global events. Both are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for Research by ForexBrokers.com, which puts them in a solid position for traders who want regular market updates and trading ideas.
The main difference is that Vantage offers more built-in research support. It includes Autochartist and Trading Central, two popular tools that help with technical and fundamental analysis, while ActivTrades does not offer either. That extra coverage helps Vantage edge ahead in this category, and its stronger Research ranking of #20 out of 36 brokers compares with ActivTrades at #26 out of 36.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
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.
When comparing Vantage and ActivTrades for beginner education, both brokers give new traders a solid starting point. Each offers forex and CFD learning materials with at least 10 education pieces, plus monthly client webinars and 10 or more beginner videos. They also both provide at least 10 advanced videos, so there is content for traders who want to keep learning after the basics.
In terms of overall education quality, both Vantage and ActivTrades are rated 4 out of 5 stars. The main difference is their ForexBrokers.com ranking: Vantage places #23 out of 36 brokers for Education, while ActivTrades ranks #30. For beginners, that makes Vantage the slightly stronger choice, although both brokers offer useful learning resources.
| Feature |
Vantage
|
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 Vantage is better than ActivTrades. Vantage finished with an overall rank of #24, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
Vantage rounds out its MetaTrader platform suite offering with support for multiple social trading platforms, content powered by Trading Central and a proprietary mobile app. However, Vantage trails industry leaders in key areas such as research and education.
| Feature |
Vantage
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ActivTrades
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 91 | 80 |
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Vantage vs ActivTrades: neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading for investors seeking crypto exposure without owning the underlying asset.
Comparing online brokers Vantage and ActivTrades for deposit and withdrawal methods: neither supports ACH/SEPA, both support bank wires and Skrill, only Vantage offers PayPal, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 91 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Vantage Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 91 | 80 | |
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Vantage | 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 61 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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 | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.32 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.72 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $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 | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | 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 | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Vantage | 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 | Vantage | 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 | Vantage | 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 | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Vantage Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Vantage | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 91 | 80 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Vantage Review | ActivTrades Review |
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