Two regulated brokers face off in a clash between platform choices and product breadth. The tension centers on instrument variety and regional focus, inviting scrutiny of costs and execution.
Find out which broker best suits your trader profile.
Choose if…
Choose ActivTrades if you value 24/5 live chat support. You also gain MT4/MT5 access and multilingual customer service.
Choose if…
Choose tastytrade if you prefer a US-only options focus with capped options commissions and a platform built for options flow. International accounts are not available.
Which broker wins for each type of trader, based on costs, safety, platforms, and editorial scoring.
| Editorial score | 4.3/ 5 | 4.3/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Score Breakdown | ||
Trust & Regulation 40% weight | 4.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
Pros
FCA regulated with supplemental insurance up to GBP 1,000,000 per client
ActivTrader's volatility protection feature is a genuine risk management differentiator
No minimum deposit
Strong southern European presence, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese support
Client funds held in segregated accounts
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | ActivTrades | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, CFTC, etc.) | Pass | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Pass | Fail |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS) | Pass | Pass |
| Fees & Spreads | ||
| Raw/ECN spreads available | Fail | Fail |
| No deposit fee | Pass | Pass |
| No inactivity fee | Pass | Pass |
| Transparent pricing page | Pass | Pass |
| Platforms & Tools | ||
| MT4/MT5 available | Pass | Fail |
| Proprietary platform | Pass | Pass |
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Pass |
| Customer Support | ||
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Fail |
| Phone support | Pass | Pass |
| Multilingual support | Pass | Fail |
ActivTrades and tastytrade share the same editorial score of 4.3/5. One concrete differentiator: platform availability and account types differ between them.
ActivTrades starts from 0.5 pips. Current spread data is not available for tastytrade. Check both brokers' websites for up-to-date pricing.
Neither ActivTrades nor tastytrade requires a minimum deposit, making both accessible regardless of starting capital.
Both ActivTrades and tastytrade hold licences from top-tier regulators, indicating a high standard of regulatory oversight. Check each broker's specific regulatory bodies to confirm coverage in your jurisdiction.
For beginners, ActivTrades provides negative balance protection, capping losses at your deposit amount. Also compare demo account availability and educational resources on each broker's site before deciding.
ActivTrades lists maximum leverage of 400:1. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
tastytrade charges $1 per lot on commission-based accounts. Commission details for ActivTrades are not currently available. Check their website for up-to-date pricing.
ActivTrades supports MetaTrader 4, ActivTrader, while tastytrade supports Proprietary Web/Mobile. ActivTrades has exclusive access to MetaTrader 4 and ActivTrader. tastytrade has exclusive access to Proprietary Web/Mobile.
ActivTrades offers spreads from 0.50 pips.
ActivTrades wins for safety with FCA regulation and GBP 1,000,000 insurance per client.
Tastytrade wins for active traders with capped options commissions and a purpose-built options platform.
ActivTrades wins with a choice of ActivTrader plus MT4/MT5 availability.
ActivTrades is better for beginners due to broader platform access and no minimum deposit.
Tastytrade offers greater instrument variety with about 10,000 instruments.
Fees & Spreads 30% weight | 4.2 / 5 | 4.8 / 5▲ |
|---|
Platforms & Tools 20% weight | 4.3 / 5 | 4.7 / 5▲ |
|---|
Customer Support 10% weight | 4.3 / 5▲ | 4.0 / 5 |
|---|
| Founded | 2001 | 2017 |
|---|
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
|---|
| Min Deposit | No minimum | No minimum |
|---|
| Spreads From | 0.5 pips | N/A |
|---|
| Commission / lot | N/A | $1/lot |
|---|
| N/A | N/A |
| Max Leverage | 400:1 | N/A |
|---|
| Inactivity Fee | None | None |
|---|
| Deposit Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardPayPal | Bank transferWire transferACH |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit card | Bank transferWire transferACH |
|---|
| Withdrawal Fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Regulators | CMVM FCA SCB | CFTC NFA |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4 ActivTrader | Proprietary Web/Mobile |
|---|
| Active bonuses |
|---|
Negative balance protection
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 supported
Mobile trading app available
Proprietary trading platform available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
24/5 live chat support
Phone support available
Multilingual customer support
Pros
Options commissions capped at $10/leg, major cost advantage for traders who size up
$0 to open options trades; $1/contract to close
Platform built natively for options: IVR, Greeks, curve tool, and multi-leg management all first-class
Futures and futures options on the same account as equity derivatives
No PFOF on options, exchange-routed for best execution
Part of IG Group (LSE-listed), institutional governance and financial stability
Regulated by top-tier authorities (FCA, ASIC, CySEC)
Client funds held in segregated accounts
Investor compensation scheme coverage
No deposit fees
No inactivity fee
Mobile trading app available
Proprietary trading platform available
Advanced charting tools included
Transparent pricing with clear cost disclosure
Phone support available
Cons
Product range narrower than IG or Saxo
No cTrader or raw ECN account option
Less known outside Europe compared to global competitors
Cons
US-only, no international accounts
Options-first interface has a steep learning curve for equity-focused traders
No live chat support, phone and email only
Minimal fundamental research tools; no stock screener or analyst reports
Mobile app less appropriate for entering complex multi-leg strategies than the desktop platform
No negative balance protection
No raw spread account option
No MetaTrader support
Support available in limited languages
ActivTrades and tastytrade are closely matched overall, with the clearest differentiator being instrument variety: tastytrade offers 10,000 instruments versus ActivTrades 1,000.
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 4.3 / 5
Score 4.3 / 5
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