Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of BDSwiss 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.
BDSwiss, founded in 2012, and Octa, established in 2011, are both well-known online brokers, neither of which is publicly traded or operates as a bank. When it comes to regulatory standing, each holds one Tier-1 license, signifying a high level of trust, according to ForexBrokers.com. While BDSwiss does not hold any Tier-2 licenses, Octa holds one, adding a layer of trust to its regulatory credentials.
Comparing trust scores, BDSwiss has an edge with a score of 73 out of 99, indicating an average risk, while Octa follows closely with a score of 72. Both brokers offer competitive trading experiences, but their regulatory nuances might influence a trader's choice based on their individual risk tolerance and regulatory priorities.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2012 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
Comparing costs, both BDSwiss and Octa earn 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but Octa edges ahead in our rankings (#30 of 63) versus BDSwiss (#31 of 63). Each broker targets tight pricing, yet they take different paths to get there, and the final cost can depend on your account type and where your account is regulated.
BDSwiss delivers solid execution stats, but its spreads are on the higher side. On EUR/USD, the Classic account averages about 1.5 pips, which is pricey. The VIP account trims that to around 1.2 pips with no extra commission. The Raw account posts a 0.3‑pip spread plus a $5 commission per side ($10 round turn), leading to an effective cost near 1.3 pips. BDSwiss commissions and fees rating: 4/5 stars; ranking: #31 of 63.
Octa has improved its pricing and now keeps pace with many low‑cost MetaTrader brokers. It reports no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, though rules in place can limit high‑frequency strategies. Pricing varies by entity and platform: EU accounts (MT5 only) list an average 0.5‑pip spread on EUR/USD, while foreign entities quote about 0.9 pips—though Octa doesn’t publish a date range for these averages, which makes exact comparisons tricky. Octa commissions and fees rating: 4/5 stars; ranking: #30 of 63.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10-$5000 | $25 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | 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.
BDSwiss vs Octa: both brokers let you trade forex via CFDs/spot and support copy trading. BDSwiss offers a wider selection overall, with 1,081 tradeable symbols and 53 forex pairs, compared with Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 pairs. For crypto, neither broker lets you buy actual coins, but both provide cryptocurrency derivatives.
When it comes to stocks, neither broker offers U.S. exchange-traded shares. Octa does provide access to some international exchange-traded securities, while BDSwiss does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, BDSwiss earns 4 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments (ranked #35 of 63), while Octa scores 3.5 out of 5 stars (ranked #53 of 63).
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1081 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 35 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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.
BDSwiss and Octa both offer free demo accounts for practice and provide multiple ways to trade: each has its own proprietary platform, supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and offers both a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform. Copy trading is available at both brokers, while third‑party services like DupliTrade and ZuluTrade are not supported.
For charting and workflow, both let you trade directly from charts, include technical indicators (exact counts not specified), and provide 15 drawing tools. Watchlists at both brokers support 7 columns. For Trading Platforms and Tools, each earns 4 stars; however, BDSwiss is ranked #24 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa is ranked #38.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
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 | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
BDSwiss and Octa both deliver full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts and real-time quote watchlists. Charting is closely matched: both offer 30 technical studies, multiple time frames (intraday to longer views), the ability to draw trendlines, and auto-saving of chart drawings so your annotations persist the next time you open a chart.
One notable limitation is the same for both: watchlists created on mobile do not sync with the online account. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, both apps earned 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps. However, BDSwiss ranked higher in the category (#24 of 63) than Octa (#37 of 63). If mobile features are your priority, the experiences are very similar; BDSwiss may have a slight edge based on overall ranking.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
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 BDSwiss and Octa provide daily market commentary, making it easier for traders to stay informed about the latest market trends. However, when it comes to accessing forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Octa has the edge as BDSwiss does not offer this service. Both platforms present users with vital technical and fundamental analysis tools from Autochartist, catering to traders who rely on these features for making informed decisions. Additionally, BDSwiss further enhances its research toolkit by offering resources from Trading Central, a feature that Octa does not provide.
In terms of sentiment-based tools, neither BDSwiss nor Octa incorporates a feature that shows the ratio of long or short positions across various instruments. Both brokers lack market research from TipRanks and do not include tools from Acuity Trading. Nevertheless, they each provide an economic calendar displaying global news events, keeping users apprised of upcoming economic activities. Both BDSwiss and Octa have been rated four stars for their research capabilities, but BDSwiss holds a slightly higher position, ranked 24th compared to Octa's 27th place among 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
If you’re a beginner looking for forex and CFD education, both BDSwiss and Octa deliver a full learning path. Each offers at least 10 beginner video lessons, frequent client webinars (at least monthly), and a searchable archive of past sessions so you can learn on your schedule. You’ll also find plenty of written and video materials focused on forex and CFDs, plus a trading glossary with 50+ terms to help you understand the basics. When you’re ready to progress, both brokers include 10+ advanced videos as well.
According to ForexBrokers.com, both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Education, but BDSwiss ranks higher overall (#22 of 63) than Octa (#42 of 63). For newcomers who want a slightly more polished education hub, BDSwiss may have the edge, while Octa still checks all the key boxes—beginner videos, ongoing webinars, and an accessible glossary—making either a solid choice for first-time traders.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
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) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that BDSwiss is better than Octa. BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
The BDSwiss brand caters to over 1.6 million registered forex and CFD traders, and offers the full MetaTrader platform suite alongside its own proprietary mobile app. BDSwiss demonstrates good order execution statistics and provides access to over 1,000 tradable symbols – though its spreads are higher than industry leaders.
| Feature |
BDSwiss
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 72 |
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Both BDSwiss and Octa provide the opportunity to trade cryptocurrency derivatives but do not offer the ability to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrency.
When comparing online brokers BDSwiss and Octa, both offer Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wire transfers for deposits and withdrawals, but only BDSwiss provides ACH or SEPA transfers, while neither supports PayPal.
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 | BDSwiss | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BDSwiss Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | BDSwiss | Octa | |
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| Regulation | BDSwiss | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 73 | 72 | |
| Year Founded | 2012 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | BDSwiss | 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) | |||
| 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 | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | BDSwiss | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) |
| Investments | BDSwiss | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1081 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 53 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | 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 | BDSwiss | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.3 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | BDSwiss | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10-$5000 | $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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | BDSwiss | 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 | BDSwiss | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 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 | BDSwiss | 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 | BDSwiss | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | BDSwiss | 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) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | BDSwiss | 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 | BDSwiss Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | BDSwiss | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BDSwiss Review | Octa Review |
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