Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of BlackBull Markets 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.
BlackBull Markets, established in 2014, and Octa, founded in 2011, are online brokers that are not publicly traded or banks. When it comes to trust ratings from ForexBrokers.com, BlackBull Markets garners a Trust Score of 78, placing it in the average risk category. Meanwhile, Octa scores a slightly lower Trust Score of 72, also categorizing it as an average-risk broker. This highlights that both are generally considered to pose a similar level of investment risk.
Regarding regulation, both BlackBull Markets and Octa hold one Tier-1 license each, reflecting a high level of trust in their regulatory standing. However, Octa holds one additional Tier-2 license, which denotes a trusted level of regulation, while BlackBull Markets does not possess any Tier-2 licenses. This adds another layer of regulatory oversight for Octa, potentially providing a bit more assurance to its users.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 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 | 1 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, BlackBull Markets is the stronger value pick for active traders, while Octa appeals to cost-conscious traders who want simple pricing. BlackBull Markets earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees at ForexBrokers.com; Octa earns 4/5 stars and ranks #26 out of 63.
BlackBull Markets offers three account types. The Standard account is commission-free with no minimum deposit but comes with higher spreads. The Prime account requires a $2,000 minimum, adds a $3 per side ($6 round turn) commission, and delivers tighter pricing—its average EUR/USD spread was 0.16 in March 2024, for an all-in cost of about 0.76 pips. The ECN Institutional account targets high‑volume traders with a $20,000 minimum and lower commissions of $2 per side ($4 round turn). Overall, BlackBull’s trading costs are about average, but the Prime account stands out for competitive all-in pricing.
Octa’s fees depend on your account type and which Octa entity you use. In the EU (MT5 only), the average EUR/USD spread is listed at 0.5 pips; outside the EU (MT4/MT5 plus OctaTrader), typical EUR/USD spreads are listed at 0.9 pips. Octa reports no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, though certain rules can limit high‑frequency trading. While Octa’s pricing has improved and keeps pace with many low-cost MetaTrader brokers, its published average spreads lack a date range, making exact comparisons harder.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.16 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.76 | 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.
Comparing BlackBull Markets and Octa on range of investments, BlackBull Markets offers far more markets to trade, with about 26,000 tradeable symbols versus Octa’s 300. For forex, BlackBull Markets lists 72 pairs compared with Octa’s 35, and both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts. Both support copy trading. For shares, BlackBull Markets lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while Octa offers exchange-traded securities on international exchanges only, not on U.S. markets. Neither broker sells actual cryptocurrency, but both provide cryptocurrency CFDs.
These differences show up in independent scores: BlackBull Markets earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #7 of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa holds 3.5 stars and ranks #33. If you want the widest selection plus access to U.S. and global shares alongside forex and crypto CFDs, BlackBull Markets is the better fit; if you only need a smaller set of markets, Octa covers the essentials.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | 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.
BlackBull Markets and Octa both check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each offers free paper trading via a demo account, copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. You can trade on the web or with a Windows desktop download at both brokers, and each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). One difference: Octa also has its own proprietary platform, while BlackBull Markets focuses on third‑party options like MT4/MT5.
According to ForexBrokers.com, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. In the same category, BlackBull Markets ranks #25 out of 63 brokers, while Octa ranks #30. If you want an in-house platform alongside MT4/MT5, Octa may appeal; if you prefer a broker centered on the MetaTrader experience with strong web and desktop access, BlackBull Markets is a solid pick.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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) | 109 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
BlackBull Markets and Octa both deliver full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts and earns a 4-star Mobile Trading Apps rating. In ForexBrokers.com’s 2025 rankings of 63 brokers, BlackBull Markets is placed slightly higher at #27, while Octa sits at #29—so performance is comparable with a modest edge to BlackBull.
For charting, both apps offer 30 technical studies, let you draw trendlines, and automatically save your drawings. The key difference is watchlists: BlackBull Markets syncs your watchlist symbols between the mobile app and your online account, so changes carry over automatically, while Octa does not provide watchlist syncing. If cross-device continuity matters to you, that syncing advantage may make BlackBull the better pick.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | 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.
BlackBull Markets and Octa both provide daily market commentary and an economic calendar to track upcoming events. Each broker also offers Autochartist for technical analysis, but neither includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools. Key differences: Octa delivers forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, while BlackBull Markets does not. On the other hand, BlackBull Markets offers a sentiment tool that shows the long/short ratio across instruments, which Octa lacks.
Both brokers earn 4 stars for Research, according to ForexBrokers.com, with BlackBull Markets ranked 16th out of 63 and Octa ranked 24th. If live news from major outlets is a priority, Octa is the better fit; if you want trader sentiment alongside Autochartist and an easy-to-use calendar, BlackBull Markets is a strong choice. Either way, you’ll get everyday commentary and a solid set of research basics.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | 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.
BlackBull Markets and Octa both deliver beginner-friendly trading education for forex and CFDs. Each broker offers a sizable library that easily clears the “10 pieces” mark, including at least 10 videos for beginners and at least 10 for advanced traders. New traders can also join ongoing client webinars from both brokers, with sessions held at least once a month—useful for learning step by step and asking questions in real time.
When it comes to quality marks, both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Education. However, BlackBull Markets holds a higher placement in ForexBrokers.com’s Education rankings (#24 of 63) compared with Octa (#32 of 63). For beginners, that means the two are very similar in what they offer—videos, webinars, and core lessons—while BlackBull Markets has a slight edge in overall standing.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
|
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 BlackBull Markets is better than Octa. BlackBull Markets finished with an overall rank of #22, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #34.
BlackBull Markets is a plain-vanilla MetaTrader broker with a growing range of products and support for a handful of third-party social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
BlackBull Markets
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Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 78 | 72 |
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Comparing online brokers BlackBull Markets vs Octa: neither offers purchasing actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading for speculating on crypto prices without owning the underlying asset.
BlackBull Markets vs Octa: neither supports ACH/SEPA or PayPal for deposits and withdrawals, both accept Skrill and bank wire transfers, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 78 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 78 | 72 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | 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) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) |
| Investments | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 26000 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 72 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | 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 | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.16 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.76 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | BlackBull Markets | 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 | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 109 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | 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 | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | BlackBull Markets | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 78 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | BlackBull Markets Review | Octa Review |
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