ActivTrades vs TD Ameritrade Compared in 2024

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ActivTrades and TD Ameritrade are Forex and CFD brokers offering online trading services to traders and investors worldwide. Both brokers are regulated by top-tier regulatory authorities. ActivTrades is regulated by 5 regulatory authorities , including the SCB, FCA, CMVM, BACEN, and CVM. On the other hand, TD Ameritrade is regulated by 3 regulatory authorities, including SEC, FINRA, SIPC. These two brokers offer almost similar services. However, each broker has its strengths and weaknesses.

In this article, we will compare ActivTrades with TD Ameritrade regarding trading platforms, regulations, tradable assets, fees, customer support, and overall trading experience score. We will also explore if ActivTrades is better than Etoro and vice versa. This comparison lets you understand which broker is better for your trading style and preferences.

ActiveTrades vs TD Ameritrade: In a Nutshell

ActiveTrades

ActivTrades is an online forex and CFD broker that offers MT4, MT5, and the ActivTrader proprietary web and mobile trading platforms. Alex Pusco founded ActivTrades as a stock brokerage in Switzerland in 2001. Later he moved to London in 2005. The broker added MetaTrader 4 in 2007. It also added CFDs on indices and commodities to its offer in 2008. ActivTrades offers over 45 currency pairs, Indexes, ETFs, as well as Commodities and Shares CFDs for your personal investment and trading options.

ActivTrade At a Glance

ActivTrade At a Glance
  • Founded In: 2001
  • Founder: Alex Pusco
  • Headquarters: London, UK
  • Minimum Deposit: No Minimum Deposit. However Chinese and Brazilian traders require a $500 Minimum Deposit. 
  • Maximum Leverage: 1:200 for retails traders, and 1:400 for Pro traders 
  • Regulations:FCA, SCB, CMVM, BACEN and CVM
  • Trading platform: MT4, MT5, ActivTrader and Tradingview
  • Account Types:  Professional Account, Retail Account
  • Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), VISA, MasterCard, Maestro, Ngan Luong, PayPal, Skrill, SOFORT
  • US Clients : Not Accepted

TD Ameritrade

Founded in 1971 as Ameritrade, TD Ameritrade is a well-known American online brokerage firm that offers a wide range of financial services including stocks, Forex,  options, ETFs Mutual Funds, fixed income, and other investment products  TD Ameritrade went through a couple of acquisitions and mergers. In 2006, it acquired the US operations of TD Waterhouse, followed by the acquisition of Scottrade in 2017. Finally, in 2020, Charles Schwab Corporation acquired TD Ameritrade. TD Ameritrade provides access to both US and non-US traders to trade on this platform.

TD Ameritrade At a Glance

TD Ameritrade At a Glance
  • Founded In: 1978
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Maximum Leverage: 1:50
  • Regulations: SEC , FINRA , SIPC
  • Trading platform: Web Platforms, thinkorswim desktop, thinkorswim® web, Mobile Trading
  • Account Types: Standard, Retirement, Education and Specialty accounts.
  • Payment Options: Bank Wire (BankTransfer/SWIFT), ACH (Automated Clearing House), Check, Physical Stock Certificates, Transfer from Existing Broker
  • US Clients : Accepted

ActivTrades vs: TD Ameritrade Features

ActivTrades

  • Trading Instruments: 1000+Trading instruments including Forex ( Major, minor, exotics), shares, Indices, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, Commodities, Bonds, etc 
  • Maximum leverage: 1:30 for retail traders of FCA, and CMVM, 1:200 for retail traders of SCB, and 1:400 for Pro Traders.
  • Minimum Deposit: No Minimum Deposit. However, for Chinese and Brazilian clients the minimum deposit is $500
  • Account Types: Two ( Professional, Retail) 
  • Trading Fees: ActiveTrades charges spread. The spread starts from as low as 0.5 pips. It does not charge any commission. 
  • PAMM/ MAM:  Available 
  • Zulutrade: Available
  • Scalping: Allowed 
  • News Trading: Allowed
  • EA/ Robot Trading: Allowed

TD Ameritrade

  • Trading Instruments: 4,700+ trading instruments including Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, fixed income, futures, and forex, as well as margin lending and cash management services
  • Maximum Leverage: 50:1. Offers both leverage and non-leverage assets. 
  • Minimum Deposit: TD Ameritrade does not require a minimum deposit to open a trading account 
  • Account Type: Brokerage and Trading, Retirement Account, Education and Custodian, charitable giving, lending, Small business retirements, Checking and Savings, Robo and Dedicated Advice, credit cards, Annuities, Trust and Estate, Insurance
  • Trading Fees: TD Ameritrade offers a $0 account minimum with no charges for trading stocks and ETFs. Bond trades are $1 per bond, and most options contracts cost $0.65 each. Mutual fund trades typically cost around $50, but the firm also provides access to over 3,600 no-transaction-fee funds
  • PAMM/MAM: Not Available
  • News Trading: Allowed
  • Scalping: Allowed
  • Automated Trading: Allowed

ActivTrades vs TD Ameritrade: Pros and Cons

ActivTrades

Pros
  • Regulated by FCA, SCB, CMVM.
  • There is no Minimum Deposit. You may deposit as low as possible
  • The maximum leverage is as high as 200:1.
  • Free deposit and withdrawal.
  • Allows scalping, news trading, and EA trading.
  • Has MT4, MT5, TradingView, and ActivTrades platforms.
  • Offers 1000+ trading instruments.
  • Spreads start from 0.5 pips.
  • Provides fast order execution.
  • Lloyds of London insurance up to $1,000,000.
  • Offers 24-hour customer support in 14 languages.
  • Supports a variety of bank accounts.
  • Available to customers in more than 140 countries
Cons
  • Not regulated by ASIC or CySEC.
  • Only forex and CFDs are offered; no real tradable instruments are available.
  • No passive investment programs like PAMM or MAM accounts.
  • Mediocre customer support.
  • Not authorized to trade real stocks.
  • Offers 24/5 support.
  • A bank wire withdrawal fee is applicable.
  • Wide spreads in crypto pairs.
  • An inactivity fee may be charged.
  • The minimum deposit for Brazilian and Chinese traders is $500.

TD Ameritrade

Pros
  • ETF, non-penny stock, and options trades are commission-free
  • Expansive trading tools and resources for all types of investors
  • Low trading fees (free stock and ETF trading)
  • Regulated by FINRA, SIBC 
  • Part of Charles Schwab Corporation since October 2020, with a combined 28 million clients and $6 trillion in assets.
  • The company does not charge fees for trading in American and Canadian stocks, options, and ETFs.
  • There is a large selection of investments from which to choose
Cons
  • Broker-assisted trades are somewhat costly
  • No direct crypto Trading 
  • Forex trading via thinkorswim, a trading platform where you can trade forex
  • No MT4, MT5, cTraders  trading platforms are offered 
  • Fractional shares are not offered
  • Accounts mostly limited to US residents
  • As a U.S.-only forex broker, TD Ameritrade does not offer copy trading or MetaTrader (MT4).

ActivTrades vs TD Ameritrade: Side-by-Side Comparison

ActivTrades
TD Ameritrade
Product
Product
ActivTrades
TD Ameritrade
Founded In
Founded In
2005
1978
Founded By
Founded By
Matthew Murphie
John Joseph Ricketts
Headquarters
Headquarters
London, E1W 1YN, United Kingdom.
Omaha, United State
Regulations
Regulations
FCA,CSSF,SCB, BACEN,CVM and CMVM
SEC, FINRA, SIPC.
Min Deposit
Min Deposit
$10
None
Max Leverage
Max Leverage
1:400
50:1
Tradable Assets
Tradable Assets
Forex, Shares, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, ETFs, Commodities.
Stocks,Options,ETFs,Mutual Funds,Futures,Forex,Margin Trading,Bonds & Fixed Income.
Fees
Fees
Spread from 0.5 pips
Commission from $7 to $9.99
Platforms and Tools
Platforms and Tools
MT4, MT5, ActivTrader and Tradingview
Web ,Mobile , thinkorswim Trading Platforms
US Traders
US Traders
Not Allowed
Allowed

ActivTrades Vs TD Ameritrade: Our Scores and Ratings

We rated both brokers, ActivTrades and TD Ameritrade, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 0.1 increments. To achieve a comprehensive rating, we broadly grouped all services offered by brokers into 6 macro categories and assigned percentage weights to them. Each macro category is subdivided into several data points which contributes to the total score of 1.0-10.0 assigned to each macro category. Since all categories are not equally important, our weight percentage plays a significant role in assessing the broker accurately. For example, Regulation and Security contributes a total weight of 40% to the whole ratings because this is the most important rating category. To learn more, read our methodology.

ActivTrades :

9
ActivTrades Score
Regulation and Security (40%)9
Fees and Commissions (20%)9.3
Trading (15%)9.2
Trading tools (10%)9
Customer Support (10%)9
Trading Education (5%)8

TD Ameritrade:

8.8
TD Ameritrade Score
Regulation and Security (40%)9
Fees and Commissions (20%)9
Trading (15%)9
Trading tools (10%)8
Customer Support (10%)8
Trading Education (5%)7

Final Verdict :

ActivTrades and TD Ameritrade are regulated forex and CFD brokers in the industry. They offer similar trading services. Both brokers allow scalping, hedging, EA trading, and Copy trading. The minimum order size for both of them is 0.01. 

However, there are a few areas where you may find some differences. For example, the minimum deposit for ActivTrades is $0 (Chinese and Brazilian $500), whereas the minimum deposit for TD Ameritrade is $0. Additionally, the maximum leverage for ActivTrades is 1:200 for retail traders, and 1:400 for Pro traders. In contrast, the maximum leverage for TD Ameritrade is 50:1. ActivTrades offers passive investment programs like MAM and PAMM, while TD Ameritrade does not have any passive investment programs.

Our score for ActivTrades is 9, and for TD Ameritrade, it is 8.8 So, if you are looking for the most trusted forex brokers with MAM and PAMM services, you may choose ActivTrades. However, if you prefer another forex brokers that offer similar services, you may choose TD Ameritrade.

Written by

Jason Paine is a forex trader, researcher, and tech enthusiast. He is passionate about financial markets and cutting-edge technology. With a dynamic 16-year trading career, he's on a mission to guide fellow traders. Having navigated diverse forex brokers, Jason shares his insights at Brokersway to bridge the gap between traders and the right brokerage.

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