InstaForex vs. ActivTrades
Comparison: InstaForex vs. ActivTrades – Which broker is better? A quick comparison based on the trading platform, fees, deposit or withdrawal options, and regulation in 2026.
Winner of this comparison: InstaForex with an overall rating of 48%
Basic information
| Basic information |  InstaForex |  ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | 200 EUR/USD | 10 EUR/USD |
| Spreads | 1.3 EUR/USD | 0.72 EUR/USD |
| Established | 2007 | 2001 |
| Currency Pairs (Total Forex pairs) | 82 | 48 |
| Country | Cyprus | UK |
| Regulation | Cysec | FCA (UK), Authorised in the European Union (EU) |
| Trading app | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | MetaTrader 4 (MT4), Desktop Platform (Windows), Web Platform, MetaTrader 5 (MT5) |
| Number of CFD asset classes | 6 | 4 |
| Broker type | ECN, MM | MM |
| Support | Phone, Mail, Chat | Phone, Mail, Chat |
| Funding methods | * Some of the payment methods may not be available in your country. Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, Bank Wire | * Some of the payment methods may not be available in your country. Skrill, PayPal, Visa/Mastercard, Bank Wire |
| Real Stocks and ETFs | Yes | Yes |
*The value is indicative from the broker's website. The spread amount is variable.
81.62% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Comparison Result
In terms of overall rating, both brokers are equal – both have 48%. InstaForex requires a minimum deposit of 200 EUR/USD, while ActivTrades sets it at 10 EUR/USD. Conversely, ActivTrades scores with a lower minimum deposit. For InstaForex, the spread is 1.3 EUR/USD, while for ActivTrades it is 0.72 EUR/USD. Lower spreads at ActivTrades give it the edge. InstaForex offers 82 forex pairs, while ActivTrades provides 48. A wider selection gives InstaForex the advantage. InstaForex was founded in 2007, while ActivTrades has been operating since 2001. The older ActivTrades has the upper hand in this regard. Unfortunately, neither of them offers this option. InstaForex is overseen by 1 regulatory bodies, while ActivTrades has 2. Stricter oversight at ActivTrades gives it an advantage. InstaForex supports 2 platforms, while ActivTrades offers 4. More options are provided by ActivTrades.
48%
InstaForex
46%
ActivTrades
Key Strengths
InstaForex
- Wide range of instruments : InstaForex offers trading with more than 100 currency pairs, CFDs, commodities, and cryptocurrencies.
- No minimum deposit : InstaForex has no minimum deposit requirement, allowing you to start trading with any amount.
- Professional education and analysis : InstaForex provides comprehensive educational and analytical tools useful for both beginners and experienced traders.
- Quick deposits : Various deposit methods, including Bitcoin and credit cards, allow for quick and easy account funding.
ActivTrades
- Long-term experience and reliability : ActivTrades has over 20 years of market experience and is regulated by several significant regulatory bodies (FCA, SCB, CSSF, BACEN, CMVM).
- High-quality trading platforms : Offers a wide range of trading platforms, including MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, and its own ActivTrader platform.
- Low spreads and fast execution : Spreads start from 0.5 pips and the average execution time is 0.004 seconds, which is advantageous for day traders.
- Security and fund protection : ActivTrades offers fund insurance up to 1 million dollars and uses secure encryption protocols.
- Education and tools : The broker provides free webinars, educational materials, and advanced trading tools such as SmartCalculator, SmartPattern, and more.
Comparison by Categories
Comprehensive Comparison: InstaForex vs ActivTrades
InstaForex ActivTrades Investments
75 % 50 %| Investments | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| Currency Pairs (Total Forex pairs) | 82 | 48 |
| CFDs – Total Offered | 2600+ | 1000+ |
| Options CFD | No | No |
| Share CFDs | Yes | No |
| Forex CFD | Yes | Yes |
| Commodities CFD | Yes | Yes |
| ETF CFD | Yes | Yes |
| Indicies CFD | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency traded as actual | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency traded as CFD | Yes | No |
Cost
60 % 80 %| Cost | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD *The value is indicative from the broker's website. The spread amount is variable. | 1.3 | 0.72 |
| Deposit from | 200 | 10 |
| Account fee | No | No |
| Inactivity fee | Yes | Yes |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| Withdrawal fees | Yes | No |
| Deposit fees | No | No |
Trading app
29 % 57 %| Trading app | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy-Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Currenex | No | No |
| cTrader | No | No |
Trading Tools
100 % 70 %| Trading Tools | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| Financial leverage | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Alerts – Basic Fields | Yes | No |
| Charting – Indicators / Studies (Total) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting – Drawing Tools (Total) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting – Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Stop-Loss | Yes | Yes |
| Finacial Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Daily financial news | Yes | Yes |
| Order Type – Trailing Stop | Yes | No |
Research
67 % 50 %| Research | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Weekly Webinars | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment – Currency Pairs | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Yes | No |
Education
83 % 50 %| Education | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| Has Education – Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Has Education – CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos – Advanced Trading Videos | No | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Yes | No |
Forex
100 % 86 %| Forex | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes |
| EUR/USD | Yes | No |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes |
Commodities
36 % 55 %| Commodities | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | Yes | Yes |
| Silver | Yes | Yes |
| WIT Oil | Yes | Yes |
| Brent Oil | Yes | Yes |
| Coffee | No | No |
| Cocoa | No | No |
| Soybeans | No | No |
| Rice | No | No |
| Corn | No | No |
| Platinum | No | Yes |
| Palladium | No | Yes |
Indicies
100 % 100 %| Indicies | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| DAX 40 | Yes | Yes |
| S&P 500 | Yes | Yes |
| Nasdaq | Yes | Yes |
| Dow Jones | Yes | Yes |
| Nikkei | Yes | Yes |
Cryptocurrencies
40 % 70 %| Cryptocurrencies | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | Yes | Yes |
| Litecoin | No | Yes |
| Ethereum | Yes | No |
| Ripple | Yes | Yes |
| Neo | No | Yes |
| Stellar | No | Yes |
| Cardano | Yes | Yes |
| Tron | No | No |
| Monero | No | No |
| EOS | No | Yes |
Regulations
17 % 33 %| Regulations | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| Cysec | Yes | No |
| ASIC (Australia) | No | No |
| FCA (UK) | No | Yes |
| Authorised in the European Union (EU) | No | Yes |
| CFTC Registered (USA) | No | No |
| FINMA (Switzerland) | No | No |
Support
100 % 100 %| Support | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|---|---|
| Chat | Yes | Yes |
| Phone | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes |
Overall
48 % 46 %| Overall | InstaForex | ActivTrades |
|---|
Our Recommendations
Best for InstaForex
Thanks to comprehensive educational materials and a user-friendly platform, InstaForex is an ideal choice for new traders.
Best Platform ActivTrades
The trading platform of broker ActivTrades offers an intuitive interface and advanced features for efficient trading.
Lowest Costs ActivTrades
offers competitive spreads and lower fees, making it ideal for active traders.
InstaForex ActivTrades