SmartFX vs ActivTrades

SmartFX or ActivTrades – which is better for UK traders 2024? Compare SmartFX and ActivTrades in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

SmartFX vs ActivTrades Comparison Table 2024
SmartFX ActivTrades
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1.3
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4
SmartFX is ranked #97 among CFD brokers. ActivTrades is ranked #62 among CFD brokers.
Review
Review
SmartFX is an offshore regulated CFD and forex broker with MT5 integration and 5000+ instruments. The brand offers 24/5 customer support and one account type for simplicity. SmartFX is regulated by the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC). ActivTrades is a UK-headquartered CFD and forex broker established in 2001. The brokerage is heavily regulated with licenses from the FCA, SCB, CSSF, BACEN & CVM and CMVM. Over 1000 CFDs are available spanning 7 asset classes. Over 93.60% of orders are executed at the requested price. ActivTraders also offers a selection of leading trading platforms, including MT4, MT5, TradingView and ActivTrader platforms.
Pros
  • I'm pleased to see the world-renowned MetaTrader 5 terminal available, with all integrated tools including the MQL5 development environment, signals and a forex VPS
  • There's 24/5 multilingual customer support available via live chat, telephone and email, making it easy for clients to reach the broker during peak times
  • I found commission-free deposits and withdrawals on offer with instant processing times for some account funding methods
  • I like that beginners can access copy trading opportunities via the Social Trading network
  • Respected brand with 20+ years experience and 45+ awards
  • Fast execution speeds with an average of 0.004 seconds
  • ActivTrader Smart Order 2 increases investing efficiency
  • Spreads from 0.5 pips on thousands of forex CFDs
  • High-quality daily market analysis
  • 24/5 customer support
  • Generous margins
  • Free webinars
  • VPS service
Cons
  • I'm concerned about the general lack of transparency on the website which makes me question how much trust I can put in this broker
  • The offshore regulatory oversight by the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC) raises serious security concerns for me
  • There's barely any additional tools and resources available, and the educational content is weak compared to top brands
  • I wasn't able to access any cryptocurrency trading opportunities, which is a drawback compared to similar brands
  • £10 monthly inactivity fee after a year of no trading
  • Not available to residents in the USA and Canada
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, CFD-indices, CFD-equities, futures Forex, CFDs, indices, shares, commodities, ETFs, cryptos
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$500 $10
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
VFSC FCA, SCB
Mobile Apps
Yes Yes
iOS App Rating
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Android App Rating
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Margin Trading
No Yes
MetaTrader 4
No Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes Yes
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No No
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No No
STP Account
No No
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
No Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
No Yes
Auto Trading
Yes Yes (APIs)
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No No
Trade Signals
Yes Yes
VPS Hosting
No Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Islamic Account
No Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CHF
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Oil
  • Cocoa
  • Cotton
  • Coffee
  • Copper
  • Corn
  • Gasoline
  • Sugar
  • Wheat
  • Natural Gas
CFD
I think the 5000+ CFD instruments including forex, commodities, indices and stocks should serve active traders well. The MT5 platform also offers plenty of advanced tools and features to facilitate complex CFD trading strategies. CFDs are available on hundreds of markets including forex, indices, shares and commodities. Traders can go long or short with reliable trading tools, excellent market research and transparent pricing.
Leverage
1:400 1:400
FTSE Spread
Floating 1.7 - 2.95
GBPUSD Spread<
Floating 0.8
Oil Spread
Floating 0.03 - 0.08
Stocks Spread
Variable Variable
Forex
I found an average range of 45+ major, minor and exotic currency pairs at SmartFX, tradable on the MT5 platform. I did appreciate the flexible leverage up to 1:400 and minimum order sizes from 0.01 lots. ActivTrades is a great broker for active forex traders with industry-low spreads from 0.5 pips and zero commissions. The forex broker also offers impressive execution quality and speeds, alongside award-winning customer service.
Assets
43 50+
GBPUSD Spread
Floating 0.8
EURUSD Spread
Floating 0.5
EURGBP Spread
Floating 0.8
Cryptocurrency
Trade 16 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.
Spread
Variable
Coins
  • 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
SmartFX ActivTrades
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