Firstrade vs ActivTrades

Firstrade or ActivTrades – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare Firstrade and ActivTrades in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

Firstrade vs ActivTrades Comparison Table 2025
Firstrade ActivTrades
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4
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4
Firstrade is ranked #56 among UK brokers. ActivTrades is ranked #57 among CFD brokers.
Review
Review
Firstrade, based in the US, operates as a discount broker-dealer and is authorised by the SEC. The firm is a member of both FINRA and SIPC. Firstrade Securities stands out as a leading online brokerage, offering enticing welcome bonuses, robust tools and apps, and commission-free trading. Opening a new account is straightforward and efficient. 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.
Pros
  • Improved trading conditions now include overnight trading and the option to purchase fractional shares.
  • Among the initial brokers to integrate AI-driven analysis via FirstradeGPT.
  • Ideal broker for cost-aware traders, offering competitive low fees on OTC trades.
  • A reputable US-regulated broker and SIPC member
  • 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.
Cons
  • Firstrade prioritises stocks over forex, restricting opportunities for portfolio diversification.
  • Over 90% of the options assessed lack a demo trading account.
  • Customer support requires improvement after testing revealed the absence of 24/7 assistance.
  • Deposits and withdrawals via Visa credit or debit cards are not available.
  • 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.
Awards
  • Best for ETF & Active Investor Commission & Fees - 2019
  • 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
FCA Regulated
No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Yes
Instruments
Stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Cryptos, Fixed CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Futures, Cryptos (location dependent)
Demo Account
No Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
$1 0.01 Lots
Regulator
SEC, FINRA FCA, CMVM, CSSF, SCB
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
Trading App

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.
iOS App Rating
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4.7
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4.9
Android App Rating
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4.2
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3.8
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
4.50%
MetaTrader 4
No Yes
MetaTrader 5
No Yes
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No Yes
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
Yes No
STP Account
No Yes
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No No
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
No Yes
Market Maker
Yes Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No No
Auto Trading
Yes (APIs), Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No No
Trade Signals
Yes
VPS Hosting
No No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
Yes No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$0 €/£10
Islamic Account
No Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CHF
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Natural Gas
  • Wheat
  • Copper
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Corn
  • Orange Juice
  • Palladium
  • Platinum
  • Silver
  • Soybeans
  • Sugar
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.
Leverage
1:30 (UK and EU), 1:400 (Global & Pro)
FTSE Spread
0.6
GBPUSD Spread<
0.8
Oil Spread
0.03
Stocks Spread
$0 per trade 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.
Assets
50+
GBPUSD Spread
0.8
EURUSD Spread
0.5
EURGBP Spread
0.8
Currency Indices
  • USD
Cryptocurrency
Engage in trading across a wide range of top cryptocurrencies with minimal fees and all-day access. Traders can begin speculating on popular tokens such as Bitcoin with as little as £1. Additionally, clients can purchase cryptocurrencies instantly through a few simple steps. 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.
Spread
Variable Variable
Coins
  • ALGO
  • AVAX
  • BAT
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • ADA
  • LINK
  • ATOM
  • CRO
  • CRV
  • MANA
  • DOGE
  • ETH
  • ETC
  • FTM
  • LTC
  • LRC
  • MATIC
  • REN
  • SHIB
  • SOL
  • XLM
  • SUSHI
  • GRT
  • UNI
  • YFI
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • BCH
  • DOT
  • EOS
  • LINK
  • XLM
  • NEO
  • ADA
  • SOL
  • XRP
  • BNB
  • XMR
  • AVAX
  • DOGE
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
Firstrade ActivTrades
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