Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ActivTrades vs Octa, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
ActivTrades vs Octa: regulation and safety at a glance. ActivTrades was founded in 2001, while Octa launched in 2011. Neither broker is publicly traded or a bank. ActivTrades holds 2 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and 1 Tier-2 license (trusted). Octa holds 1 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 license.
According to ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score, ActivTrades scores 80/99 (falls in the “trusted” 80–89 range), whereas Octa scores 73/99 (in the “average risk” 70–79 range). Put simply, ActivTrades shows a stronger regulatory footing and a higher safety standing than Octa based on license tiers and these ratings.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
When comparing commissions and fees, ActivTrades and Octa are both rated 4 out of 5 stars, but ActivTrades has the edge in the ForexBrokers.com rankings, placing #21 out of 36 brokers versus Octa at #26 out of 36. ActivTrades offers spreads that are slightly better than the industry average, though not quite at the level of the very cheapest forex brokers. Its pricing is available across several account types, including Individual, Professional, Islamic, and demo accounts, with no special low-cost account for active traders.
For ActivTrades, costs depend on the assets you trade and can vary by platform. The broker’s average EUR/USD spread was 0.98 pips in May 2024, based on direct data. Octa has improved a lot on pricing and now competes more closely with low-cost MetaTrader brokers. It offers no overnight carry costs and claims no slippage on 97.5% of executed orders, but its pricing varies by entity and account type, with average EUR/USD spreads listed at 0.5 pips for its EU entity and 0.9 pips for its non-EU entities.
In simple terms, Octa may look cheaper on paper for some traders, especially in the EU, but its published spread data is less precise because it does not show a date range. ActivTrades is a little easier to compare and still offers fair pricing overall, making both brokers solid options for cost-conscious traders, with ActivTrades ranking slightly higher for commissions and fees.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.08 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
ActivTrades offers a wider range of investments than Octa, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more markets to pick from. ActivTrades lists 1,267 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs, while Octa offers 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, and both also provide copy trading, international exchange-traded securities, and cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker lets clients buy actual, delivered crypto or U.S.-listed shares such as Apple as exchange-traded securities.
For range of investments, ActivTrades has the edge overall. It is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #25 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa’s 3.5 stars and #33 ranking. In simple terms, both brokers cover the basics, but ActivTrades gives traders a broader selection of available markets and instruments.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
ActivTrades and Octa both give traders a wide range of platform choices, making them fairly even in this area. Each broker offers a free demo account for simulated trading, its own in-house platform, a Windows desktop app, a web-based platform, copy trading, and access to both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both also let users place trades straight from a chart, which can make trading quicker and easier for active users. On ForexBrokers.com, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools.
Where they differ is in their overall ranking: ActivTrades places #26 out of 36 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while Octa comes in at #30. Based on the available information, neither broker shows a clear advantage in platform variety or trading tools, so the better choice may come down to personal preference for the platform layout and trading style.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
ActivTrades and Octa both give mobile traders the core tools they need on the go. Each broker offers iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, trendline drawing, and automatic saving for chart drawings. Neither app syncs watchlists with the client’s online account, so changes made in the mobile app do not carry over to the web platform. In short, the two brokers are very similar in everyday mobile features and both earn a 4-star rating for mobile trading apps.
Where ActivTrades stands out is in its overall ranking for mobile trading apps. ForexBrokers.com places ActivTrades at #21 out of 36 brokers, while Octa comes in at #29 out of 36. That means both brokers offer a comparable mobile trading experience, but ActivTrades has the edge in the category based on its higher rank.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, ActivTrades and Octa both give traders daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, and an economic calendar to track key global events. Each broker also earns a 4-star research rating from ForexBrokers.com, with Octa placed slightly higher at #24 out of 36 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at #26.
The main difference is in added research tools. Octa includes Autochartist, which can help spot chart patterns and trade ideas, while ActivTrades does not. On the other hand, ActivTrades offers a sentiment tool that shows the balance of long and short positions across markets, which Octa does not provide. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools, so the choice comes down to whether you prefer Autochartist with Octa or sentiment data with ActivTrades.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to learning materials for beginners, both ActivTrades and Octa give new traders a solid starting point. Each broker offers forex or CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces, monthly online client webinars, and more than 10 beginner videos as well as more than 10 advanced videos. Both are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education, so in day-to-day use they look fairly even for traders who want to study the basics and keep learning as they grow.
The main difference is in their Education ranking on ForexBrokers.com, where ActivTrades places #30 out of 36 brokers and Octa sits slightly lower at #32. That puts ActivTrades just ahead overall, but the gap is small. For beginners, the choice may come down to which broker’s lessons, videos, and webinar style feel easier to follow and more useful for personal learning.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that ActivTrades is better than Octa. ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #34.
ActivTrades is a long-standing brand that offers a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrader, and support for the award-winning TradingView and MetaTrader (MT4 and MT5) platforms. ActivTrades also delivers a selection of custom add-ons, indicators, and trading tools for traders who prefer to use MetaTrader. Drawbacks for trading with ActivTrades include a smaller selection of tradeable symbols and fewer educational resources than what’s available from the best forex brokers.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
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Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 73 |
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ActivTrades vs Octa: neither broker offers the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
ActivTrades vs Octa: both brokers do not support ACH/SEPA or PayPal, do support Skrill and bank wire transfers for deposits and withdrawals, and provide no specified information on Visa/Mastercard availability.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | ActivTrades | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | Octa | |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 80 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2001 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.08 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | ActivTrades | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 80 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Octa Review |
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