Home
Brokers

InstaForex vs ActivTrades

InstaForex or ActivTrades – which is better for UK traders 2026? Compare InstaForex and ActivTrades in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

InstaForex vs ActivTrades Comparison Table 2026
InstaForex	ActivTrades

3.2	4
InstaForex is ranked #53 among CFD brokers.	ActivTrades is ranked #21 among CFD brokers.
Review	Review
InstaForex is a CFD broker offering forex, stocks, cryptocurrencies, commodities, energies, indices, and more. The firm features competitive fees and an extensive asset range, ensuring secure and reliable trading. Millions have opened accounts, benefiting from diverse trading and investment opportunities.	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
MT4 and MT5 integration Low minimum deposit to get started Extensive access to numerous assets Wide variety of payment options, including bank cards. A trusted brand, attracting over seven million investors for more than 15 years.	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
The broker's website and Client Cabinet may be challenging to navigate. Mixed reviews from users on external sites, with some reporting problems withdrawing funds.	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 Forex Broker by International Investor Awards 2022	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
Forex, shares, indices, metals, oil and gas, futures, cryptos, binary options	CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Futures, Cryptos (location dependent)
Demo Account
Yes	Yes
Minimum Deposit
$1	$0
Payment Methods
Mastercard Neteller Rapid Transfer Skrill Visa Wire Transfer	AstroPay Credit Card Debit Card Mastercard Neteller PayPal Skrill Sofort Visa Wire Transfer
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots	0.01 Lots
Regulator
BVI FSC	FCA, CMVM, CSSF, SCB
Mobile Apps
iOS and Android + browser based platform	iOS & Android
Trading App
	ActivTrades offers mobile apps for iOS and Android, including its own ActivTrader app, MT4, MT5, and TradingView. These provide real-time data, advanced charting, and customisable features. All apps enable intuitive trading and account management, but ActivTrader excels with its seamless experience, fast execution, and robust research tools.
iOS App Rating
3.6	4.9
Android App Rating
3.6	3.8
Margin Trading
Yes	Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes	Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes	Yes
cTrader
No	No
AlgoTrader
No	No
OmniTrader
No	No
TradingView
No	Yes
Autochartist
No	No
eSignal
No	No
Trading Central
No	No
STP Account
No	Yes
ECN Account
Yes	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
Yes	Yes
Market Maker
No	Yes
P2P Trading
No	No
Spot Trading
No	Yes
Auto Trading
Yes	Yes (APIs), Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
No	No
Social Trading
No	No
Trade Signals
	Yes
VPS Hosting
Yes	No
Tournaments
No	No
Demo Competitions
No	No
Ethical Investing
No	No
Custodial Account
No	No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No	No
Inactivity Fee
	€/£10
Islamic Account
Yes	Yes
Account Currencies
USD EUR	USD EUR GBP CHF
Commodities
Oil Gold Silver Palladium Natural Gas Copper	Gold Oil Natural Gas Wheat Copper Cocoa Coffee Corn Orange Juice Palladium Platinum Silver Soybeans Sugar
CFD
Trade CFDs on indices, metals, and IPOs with adaptable accounts and leverage up to 1:1000. Select from two superb platforms offering various technical indicators and tools for fundamental analysis.	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 for retail clients, 1:500 for professional	1:30 (UK and EU), 1:400 (Global & Pro)
FTSE Spread
Av. Floating 100 pips	0.6
GBPUSD Spread<
Av. Floating 0.6	0.8
Oil Spread
2 pips	0.03
Stocks Spread
Floating, commissions as low as 0.01%	Variable
Forex
Trade major and minor currency pairs with narrow spreads. Access advanced trading software offering instant and pending order options.	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
1000+	50+
GBPUSD Spread
Av. Floating 0.6	0.8
EURUSD Spread
Av. Floating 0.2	0.5
EURGBP Spread
Av. Floating 0.5	0.8
Currency Indices
USD	USD
Cryptocurrency
InstaForex provides crypto CFD trading on top tokens with minimal fees. Investors can trade over 50 cryptocurrencies, surpassing many rivals.	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
From 0%	Variable
Coins
BCH BTC ETH LTC XRP and50+more	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

InstaForex	ActivTrades
Review	Review
More Comparisons
InstaForex vs	ActivTrades vs