Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of CMC 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.
CMC Markets vs Octa: CMC Markets was founded in 1989 and is publicly traded, while Octa began in 2011 and is not publicly traded. Neither broker is a bank. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score, CMC Markets scores 99/99 (90–99 = highly trusted), and Octa scores 73/99 (70–79 = average risk; 80–89 = trusted; 60–69 = high risk; below 59 = not trusted).
On regulation, CMC Markets holds six Tier-1 licenses (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and one Tier-2 license (trusted). Octa holds one Tier-1 license and one Tier-2 license. In short, CMC Markets carries more top-tier regulatory approvals, while Octa has fewer.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
CMC Markets is the stronger pick for commissions and fees, earning 5 stars and ranking #4 out of 36 brokers for this category. In ForexBrokers.com’s 2025 Annual Awards, it also took #1 for Commissions and Fees thanks to its consistently low spreads across all account types. Typical pricing is very competitive, with EUR/USD spreads around 0.61 pips based on August 2023 data, and its FX Active pricing can lower the all-in EUR/USD cost to about 0.5 pips after commission.
Octa has improved its pricing and now offers low-cost trading that can compete with some of the cheapest MetaTrader brokers, but it still trails CMC Markets overall. Octa earns 4 stars and ranks #27 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees. Its EUR/USD average spread is listed at 0.5 pips for EU clients and 0.9 pips for international clients, but the broker does not provide a date range for this spread data, which makes it harder to compare directly with brokers that do.
Overall, CMC Markets offers clearer pricing, lower average trading costs, and more transparent spread data, while Octa remains a budget-friendly option with some limits for active traders. If commissions and fees are your main concern, CMC Markets is the better choice.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to the range of investments, CMC Markets gives traders a much wider choice than Octa. CMC Markets offers forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, along with 21,710 tradeable symbols and 303 forex pairs. It also lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while Octa only offers exchange-traded securities on international markets. Both brokers support cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither allows you to buy actual cryptocurrency. CMC Markets does not offer copy trading, while Octa does.
These differences are reflected in third-party ratings and rankings. CMC Markets earns 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #34. For traders who want more market access and a broader selection of products, CMC Markets is the stronger option.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
CMC Markets and Octa both give traders a strong range of platform choices, including a free demo account, a proprietary platform, Windows desktop software, web-based trading, and access to both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can make order placement faster and more convenient for active traders. For charting and watch lists, both brokers offer tools, though the available data here does not list the exact number of indicators or watch list fields.
The biggest difference is copy trading: Octa offers it, while CMC Markets does not. In overall Trading Platforms and Tools ratings, CMC Markets comes out ahead with 5 out of 5 stars and a #6 ranking out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa’s 4 out of 5 stars and #31 ranking. For traders who want a wider set of platform tools and a higher third-party rating, CMC Markets has the edge, while Octa may appeal more to those specifically looking for copy trading.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
CMC Markets and Octa both make it easy to trade on the go, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, and the ability to draw trendlines and auto-save chart drawings. Each app also offers 30 technical studies for chart analysis, so traders can review market trends and build simple mobile charts without much hassle.
The main difference is that CMC Markets gives mobile users watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made in the app and online account stay aligned, while Octa does not. CMC Markets also stands out in third-party ratings, earning 5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps and ranking #5 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa’s 4 stars and #30 ranking.
| Feature |
CMC 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.
When it comes to market research, both CMC Markets and Octa give traders useful everyday tools. Each broker offers daily market commentary, forex news from top names like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, Autochartist tools, and an economic calendar for tracking key global events. Neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research.
The main difference is that CMC Markets adds a sentiment tool showing long and short positioning across currency pairs and other instruments, while Octa does not. That extra feature, along with CMC Markets’ 5-star Research rating and #6 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, helps it edge ahead of Octa, which holds a 4-star Research rating and a #24 ranking.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | 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.
When it comes to learning support for beginners, CMC Markets and Octa both give new traders a strong starting point. Each broker offers forex and CFDs education with at least 10 learning pieces, plus monthly online webinars and a wide selection of beginner and advanced videos. That means either platform can help a new trader build basic knowledge and grow into more advanced topics over time.
That said, CMC Markets has the edge overall for education. It is rated 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers for the Education category at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #32. For beginners who want more highly rated learning support, CMC Markets is the stronger choice, even though Octa still provides plenty of useful educational material.
| Feature |
CMC 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 CMC Markets is better than Octa. CMC Markets finished with an overall rank of #5, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #35.
CMC Markets is well-trusted across the globe, and delivers a terrific trading experience thanks to its excellent pricing and selection of over 12,000 tradeable instruments.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
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Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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In the CMC Markets vs Octa comparison, neither online broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
In a CMC Markets vs Octa comparison for deposits and withdrawals, online broker CMC Markets supports ACH/SEPA and PayPal (Octa does not), both offer bank wire transfers, Octa alone supports Skrill (CMC Markets does not), 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 | CMC Markets | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | CMC Markets | Octa | |
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| Regulation | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1989 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 21710 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 303 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.3 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 65 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | CMC 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 | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | CMC 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 | CMC Markets Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | CMC Markets | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Octa Review |
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