ActivTrades or VT Markets – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare ActivTrades and VT Markets in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.
ActivTrades, a UK-based CFD and forex broker since 2001, is renowned for its award-winning services. It holds licences from esteemed regulators, including the UK’s FCA. The firm offers trading on more than 1,000 instruments across seven asset classes, with an impressive 93.60% of trades executed at the desired price.
Established in 2015, VT Markets is a leading Australian multi-asset CFD broker. Offering over 1,000 trading instruments, it supports both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms. With these resources, VT Markets provides extensive trading opportunities to more than 400,000 clients globally. It operates under the regulation of ASIC, FSCA, and FSC.
Pros
ActivTrades provides competitive spreads, especially for forex trading, starting at 0.5 pips on major currency pairs without extra commissions. Additionally, the €/£10 inactivity fee is only applied after 52 weeks, benefiting active traders.
While cTrader isn't supported, MT4, MT5, TradingView, and the broker's ActivTrader platform accommodate various trading requirements. The firm's web-based platform has proven user-friendly and visually appealing for novices during testing.
ActivTrades is a reputable firm with over 20 years in the financial sector. It holds authorizations from three top-tier regulatory bodies, according to DayTrading.com's Regulation & Trust Rating. For UK traders, it offers enhanced protection with £1 million in investor compensation, surpassing the £85,000 provided by the FSCS, should the firm face insolvency.
Based on our tests, ActivTrades offers swift and reliable support via live chat, email, and phone in multiple languages. This makes it an excellent choice for both traders and newcomers seeking quality assistance.
With execution speeds averaging 4ms and an order completion rate of 93.6%, ActivTrades provides an outstanding platform for traders. It supports rapid strategies without imposing limits on short-term approaches.
Traders have access to various analytical tools from trusted sources, such as the Market Buzz AI by Trading Central and a personalised economic calendar.
The top-tier MetaTrader 4 and 5 platforms are available, providing sophisticated charting tools and access to Expert Advisors (EAs).
Spreads are highly competitive, tested at 0.2 pips for EUR/USD in the ECN account, comparable to leading firms such as Pepperstone.
A broad selection of payment options is available, such as bank transfers, credit cards, and e-wallets. Additionally, clients can select from five base currencies.
VT Markets provides complimentary 90-day demo accounts, enabling traders to rigorously assess their short-term strategies.
VTrade offers a proprietary trading service accessible on two platforms, connecting you with over 100 providers.
Cons
The platform lacks features for copy or social trading, which is a disadvantage for traders interested in passive investing or replicating the trades of seasoned traders. This is particularly evident when compared to eToro and Vantage.
The selection of over 1,000 markets includes forex, commodities, indices, and ETFs. However, the overall choice of asset classes is limited, with no stocks available outside the US, UK, and Europe. In comparison, BlackBull provides access to more than 26,000 markets.
Its research tools are decent, although somewhat lacking. The expanding 'Analysis' hub is useful, but the absence of Trading Central or Autochartist means advanced technical insights are missing. This limitation may hinder traders seeking to spot opportunities in volatile markets.
ActivTrades needs improvement in educational resources to compete with firms like XTB and CMC Markets. While it offers well-presented and informative webinars, the selection of courses and quizzes remains limited, hindering a more comprehensive and engaging learning experience for traders.
The broker's bonus programmes have strict conditions, including limits on minimum deposits and acceptable payment methods.
Unlike peers such as Fusion Markets, VT Markets lacks cryptocurrency trading options.
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
Most Accessible Trading Brokerage 2024, Acquisition International
Fastest Growing Multi Asset Broker Europe 2024, Cosmopolitan The Daily Business Awards
Best Online Trading Services 2024, ADVFN International Financial Awards
Best Forex CFD Broker UAE 2024, Global Business Magazine
Best Multi-Asset Broker MENA 2024, Global Business Review Award Magazine
Fastest Growing Broker Europe 2024, Global Business Review Award Magazine
Most Transparent Forex Broker LATAM 2024, Global Business Review Award Magazine
Best Forex Demo Account UAE 2024, World Business Outlook Magazine
Best Forex Customer Service Broker UAE 2024, World Business Outlook Magazine
Most Reliable Trading Platform MENA 2024, Brands Review Magazine
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.
VT Markets offers a bespoke app with 230+ assets including forex. Traders benefit from 24/5 customer support, a welcome deposit bonus, real-time market news, and hassle-free account management. The app is available to download to Android and Apple devices.
iOS App Rating
4.9
4.6
Android App Rating
3.8
4.3
Margin Trading
Yes
Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes
Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes
Yes
cTrader
No
No
AlgoTrader
No
No
OmniTrader
No
No
TradingView
Yes
No
Autochartist
No
No
eSignal
No
No
Trading Central
No
Yes
STP Account
Yes
Yes
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
Auto Trading
Yes (APIs), Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
No
Yes
Copy Trading Platform
VT Markets provides trading through its unique VTrade service. Traders can select from over 100 strategies on an easy-to-use platform. Strategy providers also have the opportunity to increase their earnings via the rebate programme.
Social Trading
No
Yes
Trade Signals
Yes
Yes
VPS Hosting
No
No
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
Commodities
Gold
Oil
Natural Gas
Wheat
Copper
Cocoa
Coffee
Corn
Orange Juice
Palladium
Platinum
Silver
Soybeans
Sugar
Silver
Gold
Natural Gas
Oil
Copper
Cocoa
Coffee
Cotton
Sugar
Orange Juice
CFD
ActivTrades specialises in CFD trading, providing access to over 1,000 instruments, including currencies, shares, indices, and commodities. Renowned for its award-winning trading environment, the broker ensures swift and dependable order execution, coupled with clear margin requirements for traders.
VT Markets provides access to over 1,000 CFDs, including currencies, stocks, indices, ETFs, and commodities. The MetaTrader platform features numerous technical tools and built-in market analysis services, with no limitations on short-term trading tactics.
Leverage
1:30 (UK and EU), 1:400 (Global & Pro)
1:500
FTSE Spread
0.6
From 40
GBPUSD Spread<
0.8
0.4 pips
Oil Spread
0.03
From 16
Stocks Spread
Variable
Variable
Forex
ActivTrades provides competitive fees in forex, offering excellent spreads on major pairs like EUR/USD starting from 0.5 pips, with no commission charges. The enhanced ActivTrades platform, along with the renowned MetaTrader 4, equips traders with essential tools to navigate the FX market with confidence.
VT Markets provides a decent range of over 40 forex pairs, offering leverage of up to 1:500. In the ECN account, forex spreads are very competitive, starting at 0.0 pips, whereas the Standard account has a slightly higher minimum spread of 1.2 pips when compared to Pepperstone or IC Markets.
Assets
50+
40+
GBPUSD Spread
0.8
0.4 pips
EURUSD Spread
0.5
0.4 pips
EURGBP Spread
0.8
1.4 pips
Currency Indices
USD
Cryptocurrency
Trade over 15 popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. Engage in trading these digital assets 24/7, with transparent fees. Access up to 1:10 leverage on leading tokens like BTC.
