Independent reviews of UK brokers since 1996

Trade Nation vs ActivTrades

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

Trade Nation vs ActivTrades Comparison Table 2026
Trade Nation ActivTrades
4.4
3.4
Trade Nation is ranked #6 among CFD brokers. ActivTrades is ranked #17 among CFD brokers.
Visit Trade Nation Visit ActivTrades
Trade Nation is a leading FX and CFD broker regulated in the UK and Australia, among other places. The company provides competitively priced fixed and variable spreads on over 1,000 assets. Traders benefit from advanced platforms and comprehensive training materials. Additionally, the Signal Centre offers valuable trade ideas. 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.

73.8% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

Pros
  • The broker expanded into Europe after receiving CMVM approval in Portugal, enhancing protections for European clients.
  • Trade Nation accounts can now connect to TradingView, offering enhanced multi-chart functionality and direct trade execution.
  • Trade Nation's 2026 alliance with Volt has streamlined payments for Australian traders, enabling instant deposits and withdrawals via PayID. Faster payout features are also anticipated for UK and EU clients.
  • The demo includes a £5,000 practice account, and you can request a personalised platform walkthrough via callback. This level of individual assistance is uncommon.
  • During tests of the TN Trader account in standard market conditions, fixed spreads remained stable. Major forex pairs experienced prompt order fills, albeit with slight entry level drift as prices fluctuated between click and execution.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
Cons
  • There is no raw or ECN pricing tier, often favoured by traders. Regardless of your deposit or trading volume, you receive the same fixed (or variable on MT4) pricing as novices, rendering it particularly unsuitable for scalpers.
  • Offshore SCB and FSA firms offer retail investors leverage up to 1:200 and 1:500. In contrast, regions like the UK, Europe, and Australia cap leverage at 1:30. Thus, an FSA client can access 16 times more exposure than a UK retail client on identical trades. However, this comes with reduced oversight and no compensation schemes.
  • The FCA, CMVM, and ASIC clients are ineligible for the 2–20% rebate scheme. Consequently, active traders in these areas cannot receive transaction rebates.
  • Withdrawals may take up to five business days, aligning with industry norms. However, this is slower compared to the 1-3 days many brokers now offer to minimise complaints from retail investors.
  • 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.
  • 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 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.
Awards
  • Best Spread Betting Provider 2026 - Online Money Awards
  • Best Forex and CFD Broker in the UK 2025 - TradingView Broker 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
FCA Regulated
Yes Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Indices, Shares, Commodities, Futures, Bonds, Spread Betting CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Futures
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.1 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, ASIC, CMVM , FSCA, SCB, FSA FCA, CMVM, SCB, FSC, BACEN, CVM, CONSOB
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android 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
4.5 4.9
Android App Rating
4.5 3.8
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
No Yes
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
Yes Yes
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No No
STP Account
Yes 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
Yes Yes
Market Maker
Yes Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader Yes (APIs), Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
Yes No
Copy Trading Platform
Trade Nation Seychelles provides signals and copy trading, appealing to novices and those preferring a passive trading strategy. Capitalise on experienced traders' insights to engage in popular financial markets like forex, stocks, and commodities.
Social Trading
No No
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
$0 €/£10
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • AUD
  • DKK
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • NOK
  • SEK
  • USD
  • ZAR
  • CHF
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • USD
Commodities
  • Aluminium
  • Copper
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Zinc
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Copper
  • Corn
  • Gold
  • Natural Gas
  • Oil
  • Orange Juice
  • Palladium
  • Platinum
  • Silver
  • Soybeans
  • Sugar
  • Wheat
CFD
Trade leveraged CFDs on 1,000+ assets, benefiting from competitive spreads. Utilise the broker's integrated signals to decide optimal entry and exit points. 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 (Retail), 1:200 (Pro) 1:30 (UK and EU), 1:400 (Global & Pro)
FTSE Spread
From 0.4 0.6
GBPUSD Spread<
From 0.6 0.8
Oil Spread
From 3.0 0.03
Stocks Spread
Variable Variable
Forex
Trade Nation provides more than 30 popular forex pairs with variable spreads. Traders can choose between a user-friendly proprietary platform and MetaTrader 4. Real-time forex market updates and insights are available through 'Smart News'. 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
33 50+
GBPUSD Spread
Variable 1.2
EURUSD Spread
Variable 1.2
EURGBP Spread
Variable 1.4
Currency Indices
  • USD
Trade Nation ActivTrades
Visit Trade Nation Visit ActivTrades
73.8% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.