ActivTrades vs IC Markets

ActivTrades vs IC Markets Comparison Table 2025
ActivTrades	IC Markets
Review 4	Review 4.8
Traders from US not accepted See available CFD brokers	Traders from US not accepted See available CFD brokers
ActivTrades is a UK-headquartered CFD and forex broker established in 2001. The award-winning brokerage has secured licenses from trusted bodies, notably the UK’s FCA, and facilitates trading on over 1000 instruments spanning 7 asset classes, with over 93.60% of orders are executed at the requested price.	IC Markets is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker known for its excellent pricing, comprehensive range of trading instruments, and premium trading technology. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Australia, the brokerage is regulated by the ASIC, CySEC and FSA, and has attracted more than 180,000 clients from over 200 countries.
Customer Reviews
4.8 Based on 18 ActivTrades customer reviews	4.3 Based on 3 IC Markets customer reviews
Bonus Offer
Cashback on Trades
Comment by Reviewer
"ActivTrades is an obvious choice for day traders at all levels, with almost unmatched execution speeds of 4ms and a choice of leading trading software, from MT4, MT5 and TradingView to ActivTrader, which sports a simple and elegant interface that aspiring traders will enjoy using."	"IC Markets offers superior pricing, exceptionally fast execution and seamless deposits. The introduction of advanced charting platforms, notably TradingView, and the Raw Trader Plus account, ensures it remains a top choice for intermediate to advanced day traders."
Pros
ActivTrades offers tight spreads, particularly for forex trading with spreads starting from 0.5 pips on major currency pairs without additional commissions. The €/£10 inactivity fee doesn’t kick in for 52 weeks either, so it doesn’t penalize active traders. Although cTrader isn’t supported, MT4, MT5, TradingView and the broker’s ActivTrader cater to diverse trading needs, with the firm’s web-accessible platform hitting the mark for beginners during testing with a slick look and feel. ActivTrades is highly trusted, boasting 20+ years in the industry, authorization from 3 ‘green tier’ bodies under DayTrading.com’s Regulation & Trust Rating, and it goes the extra mile for UK traders with £1M in investor compensation (exceeding the £85K through the FSCS) in the event of brokerage insolvency. ActivTrades provides fast, dependable and multilingual support based on our tests of its live chat, email, and phone assistance, making it excellent for active traders and beginners. With execution speeds averaging just 4ms, an order fulfilment rate of 93.6%, and no restrictions on short-term strategies, ActivTrades offers an excellent environment for fast-paced strategies like day trading.	IC Markets offers among the tightest spreads in the industry, with 0.0-pip spreads on major currency pairs, making it especially cost-effective for day traders. As a tightly regulated and widely respected broker, IC Markets prioritizes client security and transparency, helping to ensure a reliable trading experience globally. IC Markets secured DayTrading.com's 'Best MT4/MT5 Broker' in 2025 for its seamless, industry-leading MetaTrader integration, refined over years to maximize the platform experience. IC Markets offers fast and dependable 24/5 support based on firsthand experience, particularly when it comes to accounts and funding issues. You have access to over 2,250 CFDs across various markets, including forex, commodities, indices, stocks, bonds, and cryptocurrencies, allowing for diversified trading strategies.
Cons
There are no copy trading or social trading features, which is a drawback for traders seeking passive investment opportunities or the ability to mimic the trades of more experienced traders, especially compared to eToro and Vantage. There's a varied selection of 1000+ markets, such as forex, commodities, indices, and ETFs, but the range of asset classes overall is limited, notably there are zero stocks outside the US, UK and Europe, while BlackBull offers a superior 26,000+ markets. Its research tools are good but not great, with a growing ‘Analysis’ hub but no Trading Central or Autochartist for advanced technical summaries which could help aspiring traders identify opportunities in fast-moving markets. ActivTrades still has some way to go to match firms like XTB and CMC Markets in the education department, with some well-presented, informative webinars but limited courses and quizzes for a more comprehensive and engaging learning journey.	While IC Markets offers a selection of metals and cryptos for trading via CFDs, the range is not as extensive as brokers like eToro, limiting opportunities for traders interested in these asset classes. The breadth and depth of tutorials, webinars and educational resources still need work, trailing alternatives like CMC Markets and reducing its suitability for beginners. There are fees for certain withdrawal methods, including a $20 wire charge, which can eat into profits, especially for frequent withdrawals. Despite four industry-leading third-party platforms, there is no proprietary software or trading app built with new traders in mind. Interest isn't paid on unused cash, an increasingly popular feature found at alternatives like Interactive Brokers.
Awards
Safest Global Broker 2023 - International Investor Magazine Best Online Trading Services 2023 - ADVFN International Financial Awards Best Forex Broker Europe 2022 - Forex-Awards.com Most Trusted Global FX Broker 2022 - International Investor Magazine Best CFD Broker 2021 - Rankia Safest Global Broker 2021 - International Investor Award Winners Best FX Broker 2021 - Le Fonti Award	Best MT4/MT5 Broker 2025 - DayTrading.com Best MT4/MT5 Broker 2023 - DayTrading.com Best Forex Broker 2022 - DayTrading.com Best Overall Broker 2020 - DayTrading.com Best Trading App 2020 - DayTrading.com
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Futures, Cryptos (location dependent)	CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Futures, Crypto
Demo Account
Yes	Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0	$200
Trading Platforms
ActivTrades MT4 MT5 TradingView	MT4 MT5 cTrader TradingView TradingCentral DupliTrade Quantower
Payment Methods
AstroPay Credit Card Debit Card Mastercard Neteller PayPal Skrill Sofort Visa Wire Transfer	BPAY Credit Card Klarna Mastercard Neteller PayPal POLi Rapid Transfer SafeCharge Skrill Swift UnionPay Visa Wire Transfer
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots	0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, CMVM, CSSF, SCB	ASIC, CySEC, FSA, CMA
Margin Trading
Yes	Yes
STP Account
Yes	No
ECN Account
No	Yes
DMA Account
No	Yes
MAM Account
No	Yes
PAMM Account
No	Yes
LAMM Account
No	No
Demat Account
No	No
AI / Machine Learning
No	No
Robo Advisor
No	No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes	Yes
Market Maker
Yes	No
P2P Trading
No	No
Spot Trading
No	Yes
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android	iOS & Android
App Review
ActivTrades provides a choice of mobile apps for iOS and Android devices. The proprietary ActivTrader app and support for MT4, MT5, and TradingView give access to real-time market data, advanced charting tools, and customizable trading features. All four apps let you trade and manage you accounts intuitively, but ActivTrades boasts the most seamless trading experience, combining the broker’s ultra-fast execution speeds with dynamic charting and research tools.	IC Markets deliver mobile apps for their cTrader, MT4, MT5 and TradingView platforms. They have been developed on Android and iOS separately, taking full advantage of the functionality available on each. With raw pricing, and spreads from 0.0, the apps deliver an excellent trading tool for all levels of trader. Yet what really stands out is how they've managed to maintain the lightning-fast execution speed IC Markets is known for, right within the apps. It's a seamless trading experience that feels both professional and highly responsive.
Android App Rating
3.8	4.2
iOS App Rating
4.9	3.1
Auto Trading
Yes (APIs), Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader	Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader, Myfxbook AutoTrade
Copy Trading
No	Yes
Copy Trading Platform
	Launched in February 2023, the IC Social app offers an intuitive way to learn, share, and mirror the positions of other traders with just a few clicks. Additionally, the app features risk management tools and supports dedicated trading groups. Alternatively, IC Markets grants access to Signal Start, along with well-known third-party copy trading platforms including ZuluTrade and cTrader Copy.
Social Trading
No	Yes
Trade Signals
Yes	Signal Start
VPS Hosting
No	Yes
Tournaments
No	No
Demo Competitions
No	No
Ethical Investing
No	No
Custodial Account
No	No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No	No
Inactivity Fee
€/£10	$0
Islamic Account
Yes	Yes
Account Currencies
USD EUR GBP CHF	USD EUR GBP CAD AUD NZD JPY CHF HKD SGD
Stock Exchanges
Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) CAC 40 Index France DAX GER 40 Index Deutsche Boerse Dow Jones Euronext FTSE UK Index Hang Seng Hong Kong Stock Exchange IBEX 35 Japan Exchange Group London Stock Exchange Nasdaq Nasdaq Dubai New York Stock Exchange Russell 2000 S&P 500 SIX Swiss Exchange	Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) CAC 40 Index France DAX GER 40 Index Dow Jones Euronext FTSE UK Index Hang Seng IBEX 35 Nasdaq New York Stock Exchange Russell 2000 S&P 500
Commodities
Cocoa Coffee Copper Corn Gold Natural Gas Oil Orange Juice Palladium Platinum Silver Soybeans Sugar Wheat	Cocoa Coffee Corn Gold Natural Gas Oil Orange Juice Silver Soybeans Sugar Wheat
CFD Trading
ActivTrades specializes in CFD trading, offering over 1000 instruments spanning currencies, shares, indices, commodities, and more. The broker has picked up industry awards for its CFD trading environment, delivering fast and reliable order execution with transparent margin requirements for day traders.	You gain access to over 2,250 CFDs, available for trading 24/5 across popular markets such as forex, commodities, indices, stocks, and bonds. Utilizing deep liquidity and advanced bridge technology, IC Markets ensures optimal conditions for scalpers, hedgers, and algo traders alike.
Leverage
1:30 (UK and EU), 1:400 (Global & Pro)	1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global)
FTSE Spread
0.6	1.0
GBPUSD Spread
0.8	0.23
Oil Spread
0.03	0.03
Stocks Spread
Variable	0.02
Forex Trading
ActivTrades offers its lowest fees in the forex department, with excellent spreads on majors like the EUR/USD from 0.5 pips and zero commissions, keeping pricing simple. Improvements to the ActivTrades platform, alongside access to the industry-leading MetaTrader 4, also give traders the tools they need to navigate the FX market confidently.	IC Markets maintains its commitment to providing exceptionally tight 0.0-pip forex spreads on major currency pairs such as EUR/USD. This makes it an excellent option if you are seeking superior execution, with an average of 35 milliseconds. Additionally, if you are a high-volume trader, you can benefit from rebates of up to $2.50 per forex lot.
Forex App
	IC Markets deliver mobile apps for both their cTrader and MT5 platforms. Both have been developed on android and iOS separately, taking full advantage of the functionality available on each. With raw pricing, and spreads from 0.0, the apps deliver an excellent trading tool for all levels of trader. The speed of execution synonymous with IC Markets is retained across their apps.
GBPUSD Spread
0.8	0.23
EURUSD Spread
0.5	0.02
EURGBP Spread
0.8	0.27
Assets
50+	75
Currency Indices
USD
Cryptocurrency
Trade 15+ of the most know cryptos, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. Digital currencies can be traded around the clock with no hidden fees. 1:10 leverage is also available on major tokens like BTC.	IC Markets offers 20+ cryptocurrencies which are tradable via CFDs, including lesser-known tokens such as Avalanche, Kusama and Uniswap. Commission-free trading is available, and experienced crypto traders can access high leverage up to 1:200 in the MetaTrader platforms.
Spread
Variable	BTC 42.036
Coins
BTC ETH LTC BCH DOT EOS LINK XLM NEO ADA SOL XRP BNB XMR AVAX DOGE	BTC BCH DOT DSH EMC EOS ETH LNK LTC NMC PPC XLM XRP ADA BNB DOG UNI XTZ
Crypto Lending
No	No
Crypto Mining
No	No
Crypto Staking
No	No
Auto Market Maker
No	No

Review	Review