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 and Octa are notable online brokers, each with their distinct approach to commissions and fees. ActivTrades offers competitive spreads, slightly outperforming the industry average. However, it does not cater specifically to high-volume traders with special pricing plans. The broker supports various accounts: Individual, Professional, Islamic, and a demo account for practice. Despite this range, spreads are consistent across accounts, with the EUR/USD spread averaging 0.98 pips as of May 2024. ActivTrades earns a commendable four-star rating for commissions and fees, ranking 28th out of 62 brokers as per ForexBrokers.com.
Octa, meanwhile, has significantly improved its pricing strategy, positioning itself among the competitive MetaTrader brokers. Promising no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight costs, Octa offers account options based on geographic location and trading platform preference. European clients access a single MT5 account, while international clients have options for MT4, MT5, and OctaTrader accounts. Octa's spread for EUR/USD averages at 0.5 pips in the EU, falling to 0.9 pips for other entities. However, the absence of a specified time range for these spreads may affect their reliability. Octa also garners a four-star rating and ranks 29th in the commissions and fees category according to ForexBrokers.com.
In summary, both ActivTrades and Octa offer competitive pricing structures, with room for optimization regarding specialized account types and clarified spread data. Each broker creatively addresses pricing complexities, suggesting their ongoing commitment to becoming more accessible to various trader profiles. Choosing between them hinges on priorities like average spread, account features, and geographic considerations.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.98 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing investment options between ActivTrades and Octa, ActivTrades offers a wider selection, boasting over 1,267 tradeable symbols, while Octa provides 300. In terms of forex, ActivTrades again takes the lead with 49 tradeable pairs compared to Octa's offering of 35. Both brokers provide the option to trade forex via CFDs or spot contracts, and neither offers direct purchase of U.S. exchange-traded securities. However, they allow for trading of international exchange securities and access to cryptocurrency derivatives, but not actual cryptocurrencies. For investors interested in guided trading, both platforms support copy trading.
In evaluating range of investment offerings, ActivTrades receives a higher rating of four stars, compared to Octa's 3.5 stars. This distinction is reflected in their rankings on ForexBrokers.com, where ActivTrades is positioned at #31 out of 62, surpassing Octa, which stands at #52. These ratings and rankings suggest that ActivTrades not only offers more diverse trading options but is also more favorably viewed in the market for its investment range.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 35 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 a comprehensive selection of trading platforms and tools that can cater to various trader needs, whether you are a beginner or more experienced. Both brokers provide users with the flexibility of simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, allowing traders to practice without financial risk. They each offer proprietary platforms developed in-house, desktop platforms for Windows users, and the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platforms. For those who enjoy flexibility, both ActivTrades and Octa have web-based platforms that can be accessed via a browser. Copy trading is available through both brokers as well, although they do not support DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
When it comes to charting, traders will appreciate the availability of trading directly from stock charts via both brokers. ActivTrades offers 15 unique drawing tools for charting, similar to Octa. However, ActivTrades stands out with 11 columns for watch lists compared to Octa's 7. In terms of ratings for their trading platforms and tools, both brokers achieve a solid four-star rating. Yet, according to ForexBrokers.com, ActivTrades is ranked slightly higher at #30 out of 62 brokers, while Octa is placed at #37. This difference might guide traders seeking finely-tuned platform options towards ActivTrades, while those who prefer similar platform features can confidently choose Octa.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of ActivTrades and Octa, both platforms cater to iPhone and Android users, delivering essential features for active traders. Each app allows users to receive stock and forex price alerts, providing timely updates for informed decision-making. Chart enthusiasts will appreciate the 30 technical studies at their disposal for in-depth analysis along with the ability to draw trendlines and switch between different time frames. Furthermore, both apps ensure your creative annotations on charts are automatically saved, allowing you to effortlessly maintain continuity in your analysis.
Watchlist creation with real-time quotes is seamlessly integrated into both apps, though neither offers watchlist symbol syncing between mobile and online accounts. ActivTrades and Octa share a common rating of 4 stars for their mobile trading apps. However, ActivTrades boasts a higher ranking from ForexBrokers.com, coming in at #19 out of 62 brokers, compared to Octa's position at #35. This distinction highlights ActivTrades' slight edge in user satisfaction and recognition within the trading community.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both ActivTrades and Octa provide key features to enhance your trading experience with daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. While both brokers include an economic calendar to help you keep track of significant global events, they do not offer market research tools from companies like TipRanks or Acuity Trading. One notable difference is that Octa includes tools from Autochartist for technical analysis, which ActivTrades does not provide. However, ActivTrades stands out for offering sentiment-based trading tools that allow you to see the ratio of long and short positions across currency pairs, a feature not available with Octa.
Both brokers boast a respectable research rating of 4 stars, reflecting their comprehensive offerings to assist traders. Despite these similar ratings, Octa holds a slightly better position in the research category ranked by ForexBrokers.com, coming in at 27th out of 62 brokers, whereas ActivTrades is ranked 30th. This data indicates that while both brokers are well-equipped with research features, Octa may offer a slight edge in tool offerings and overall ranking in the industry.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner traders, both ActivTrades and Octa have made commendable efforts to provide valuable content on forex and CFDs. Each platform offers more than 10 articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on these trading areas. In addition, both brokers hold online educational webinars monthly and maintain searchable archives for easy access to past sessions. Beginner traders can find extensive video libraries catering to their initial learning needs. Furthermore, experienced traders aren't left out, with both brokers offering a collection of advanced videos to hone more sophisticated skills.
However, there is a notable difference in terms of supplementary educational tools. Octa provides an investor dictionary with over 50 defined terms, enhancing its educational offerings. Despite this, both ActivTrades and Octa are equally rated at four stars for educational content. Within a broader ranking of 62 brokers, ActivTrades ranks slightly higher at number 38 compared to Octa, which is positioned at number 42. Overall, both brokers deliver on fundamental educational support, albeit with slight variations in resource depth.
| Feature |
ActivTrades
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 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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Both ActivTrades and Octa provide the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives but do not offer the ability to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency.
Both ActivTrades and Octa do not offer ACH or SEPA transfers or PayPal for depositing or withdrawing funds, but both provide options like Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires for account transactions.
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 |
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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). | No | 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 (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | 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). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1267 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | 0.98 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ActivTrades | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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