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 and Octa, both established players in the online brokerage industry, offer distinct experiences for traders. Founded in 2001, ActivTrades has built a reputation for reliability, evidenced by its holding of two Tier-1 licenses and a Trust Score of 81 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, which rates it as a trusted broker. Meanwhile, Octa, which began operations in 2011, holds one Tier-1 license and carries a Trust Score of 72, placing it in the average risk category. Neither ActivTrades nor Octa is publicly traded or operates as a bank, emphasizing their focus on brokerage services.
Choosing between ActivTrades and Octa involves assessing regulatory trust levels and operational years. ActivTrades's higher Trust Score and regulatory standing with two Tier-1 licenses might appeal to traders looking for increased reassurance. However, Octa's decade-long presence and competitive offering make it a viable option for those comfortable with a moderate level of risk.
| 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 |
ActivTrades vs Octa: both earn 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees. In our ranking of 63 brokers, ActivTrades sits at #29 and Octa at #30. The headline takeaway is that ActivTrades’ spreads are slightly better than the industry average, while Octa has improved and now competes closely with low-cost MetaTrader brokers.
ActivTrades keeps it simple with an Individual Account, plus Professional and Islamic options, and a demo account. Spreads are the same across account types; the Pro label mainly affects margin and leverage, not pricing. There’s no special pricing for high-volume traders. Fees vary by asset and platform, and spreads can widen around rollover. For reference, the average EUR/USD spread reported by ActivTrades was 0.98 pips in May 2024.
Octa’s pricing depends on the entity and platform you use. EU clients get a single MT5 account where the listed average EUR/USD spread is 0.5 pips, while foreign entities list about 0.9 pips for the same pair; however, Octa doesn’t provide a date range for these averages. Octa also advertises no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, though it has rules that can limit high-frequency trading. Outside the EU, Octa offers accounts on MT4, MT5, and OctaTrader, which can affect your available spreads and features.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.98 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 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 vs Octa: When it comes to range of investments, ActivTrades offers 1,267 tradeable symbols compared with Octa’s 300. ActivTrades also lists 49 forex pairs versus Octa’s 35. According to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #32 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments, while Octa scores 3.5 stars and ranks #53.
Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts and offer copy trading. Neither provides access to U.S.-listed shares, but both let you buy exchange-traded securities on certain international markets. For crypto, neither sells delivered coins, though both offer cryptocurrency CFDs. If you want the broader selection, ActivTrades has the edge; if you need the basics, Octa covers the essentials.
| 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 offer well-equipped trading platforms and tools. Each broker provides a free paper trading demo account, a proprietary in-house platform alongside MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), plus both a web-based platform and a Windows desktop download. Copy trading is available at both brokers, and you can place orders directly from charts, making it easy to move from analysis to execution.
ForexBrokers.com rates both ActivTrades and Octa at 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. ActivTrades holds a slightly higher placement at #32 out of 63 brokers, while Octa ranks #38 out of 63. If you want a small edge in independent rankings, ActivTrades may appeal; if you mainly need MetaTrader access, copy trading, web and desktop options, and a demo account, either broker should fit the bill.
| 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 deliver capable mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app includes forex and market price alerts, 30 built-in technical studies for charting, the ability to draw trendlines, and automatic saving of chart drawings. One notable limitation is the same for both: watchlist symbol syncing isn’t available, so lists you create on mobile won’t sync with your online account.
In terms of quality signals, both providers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. However, their standings differ in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings: ActivTrades is placed #19 out of 63 brokers, while Octa sits at #37. With similar features but a higher category rank, the ActivTrades app may appeal to traders who value third-party recognition, while Octa remains a solid option for those who want comparable mobile charting and alerts on either iPhone or Android.
| 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.
ActivTrades and Octa both deliver daily market commentary, timely forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, and an easy-to-follow economic calendar. If you want core research basics—news, insights, and upcoming events—either broker will cover you. Each earns a 4 out of 5 Research rating, signaling solid overall research for most traders.
The differences come down to tools and rankings. Octa includes Autochartist for technical and fundamental scan ideas, while ActivTrades stands out with a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long vs. short positions—helpful for gauging crowd behavior. Both lack Trading Central, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading integrations. According to ForexBrokers.com, Octa ranks #27 out of 63 for Research, edging ActivTrades at #31, but the best choice depends on whether you value Autochartist (Octa) or a built-in sentiment gauge (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.
For new traders, ActivTrades and Octa both make learning straightforward. Each runs educational webinars at least once per month and offers a large library of video lessons, including 10+ beginner videos that explain core trading ideas step by step. When you’re ready to go deeper, both brokers also provide 10+ advanced videos, so you can progress from basics to more technical topics with the same provider.
Education quality is similar: ForexBrokers.com rates both brokers 4 out of 5 stars for Education. In the same rankings, ActivTrades is placed #38 out of 63 brokers for Education, while Octa is #42, giving ActivTrades a slight edge in that comparison. If you’re choosing between them, compare webinar schedules, available languages, and the structure of the beginner playlists to see which style fits your learning needs.
| 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 #33, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
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
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 81 | 72 |
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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 | 81 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ActivTrades | Octa | |
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| Regulation | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 81 | 72 | |
| 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 SCA 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 | 0.98 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 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 | 81 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | ActivTrades Review | Octa Review |
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