ActivTrades and Robinhood face off in a pricing and platform showdown. Their diverging models pit cost efficiency against investment breadth.
Find out which stock broker best suits your investing profile.
Choose if…
Choose ActivTrades if you want FCA regulation with stronger client fund protection and 24/5 live chat and phone support.
Choose if…
Choose Robinhood if you want commission-free trading and extended hours access.
Which broker wins for each type of stock trader, based on costs, safety, features, and editorial scoring.
| Editorial score | 3.7/ 5 | 3.8/ 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Min deposit | No minimum | N/A |
| Spreads from | 0.5 pips | N/A |
| Commission / lot | N/A | N/A |
| Inactivity fee | None | None |
| Deposit fee | Free |
A closer look at the specific criteria each broker meets or misses within each scoring category.
| Criteria | ActivTrades | Robinhood |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & Regulation | ||
| Top-tier regulator (FCA, ASIC, SEC, etc.) | Pass | Pass |
| Segregated client funds | Pass | Pass |
| Negative balance protection | Pass | Fail |
| Compensation scheme (e.g. FSCS, SIPC) | Pass | Fail |
| Costs | ||
| Commission-free trading | Fail | Pass |
| No deposit fee | — | Pass |
| Features | ||
| Fractional shares | Fail | Pass |
| Dividend reinvestment (DRIP) | Fail | Pass |
| Extended hours trading | Fail | Pass |
| IPO access | Fail | Fail |
| Short selling | Pass | Pass |
| Stock screener tool | Fail | Fail |
| Support | ||
| Mobile app | Pass | Pass |
| Advanced charting tools | Pass | Fail |
| 24/5 live chat | Pass | Fail |
| Phone support | Pass | Fail |
The scores are close: ActivTrades rates 3.7/5 and Robinhood rates 3.8/5. Robinhood has a marginal edge in our scoring, but the difference is small enough that your specific priorities — fees, platforms, or regulatory jurisdiction — should guide the final choice.
ActivTrades starts from 0.5. Current spread data is not available for Robinhood. Check both brokers' websites for up-to-date spread and commission pricing.
ActivTrades requires no minimum deposit required. Minimum deposit information is not currently available for Robinhood.
Both ActivTrades and Robinhood 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 20:1, while Robinhood lists up to 1:4. Available leverage depends on your jurisdiction. EU retail clients under ESMA rules are capped at 1:30 on major forex pairs.
ActivTrades supports MetaTrader 4, ActivTrader, while Robinhood supports Proprietary Web/Mobile. ActivTrades has exclusive access to MetaTrader 4 and ActivTrader. Robinhood has exclusive access to Proprietary Web/Mobile.
Robinhood offers commission-free stock trading while ActivTrades does not according to our data. Commission-free trading can reduce costs for frequent traders. Always confirm the current fee structure directly on each broker's website.
ActivTrades scores higher on investor protection criteria, with compensation scheme coverage and segregated client funds. For stock investors, confirming compensation scheme coverage ensures your assets are protected up to a defined limit if the broker becomes insolvent.
Robinhood wins for low cost trading due to commission-free trades.
ActivTrades offers stronger safety via FCA/CMVM/SCB regulation and a compensation scheme.
Robinhood supports fractional shares and dividend reinvestment for long-term investing.
ActivTrades suits active traders with advanced charting and 24/5 live chat.
Robinhood appeals to beginners with a clean, beginner-friendly mobile interface.
ActivTrades provides broader global access with 10 exchanges.
| Free |
| Deposit methods | Bank transferCredit cardDebit cardPayPal | Bank transferACHDebit card |
|---|
| Withdrawal methods | Bank transferCredit card | Bank transferACH |
|---|
| Withdrawal fee | Free | Free |
|---|
| Commission-free | No | Yes |
|---|
| Fractional shares | No | Yes |
|---|
| Dividend reinvestment | No | Yes |
|---|
| Extended hours | No | Yes |
|---|
| IPO access | No | No |
|---|
| Short selling | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Regulators | FCA SCB CMVM | SEC FINRA |
|---|
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4 ActivTrader | Proprietary Web/Mobile |
|---|
| Active bonuses | None | 2 offers |
|---|
Robinhood offers commission-free trading; ActivTrades is not commission-free. The pair remain closely matched overall despite this pricing difference.
Dig deeper into each broker’s features, fees, and regulation.
Score 3.7 / 5
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