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, established in 1989, stands out as a highly trusted online broker, boasting a perfect Trust Score of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. It is a publicly traded company but is not a bank. CMC Markets holds an impressive array of six Tier-1 licenses, which are deemed highly trusted. Additionally, it possesses one Tier-2 license, further reinforcing its reputation in the financial sector. These credentials contribute to its strong standing as a reliable option for traders.
In comparison, Octa was founded in 2011 and carries a Trust Score of 72, indicating an average risk level according to ForexBrokers.com. Unlike CMC Markets, Octa is not publicly traded, although it also is not a bank. Octa has one Tier-1 license, reflecting a degree of trustworthiness with regulatory bodies, and one Tier-2 license. While Octa provides a platform with essential features, the difference in their regulatory profiles makes CMC Markets the stronger choice for those prioritizing robust oversight and credibility.
| 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 |
Comparing commissions and fees, CMC Markets clearly leads. It holds a 5-star rating and is ranked #1 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com for Commissions and Fees, while Octa earns 4 stars and ranks #30 out of 63. CMC’s pricing is consistent across account types and regions, whereas Octa’s costs vary by the entity you use and the platform you choose.
CMC Markets’ average EUR/USD spread was 0.61 pips in August 2023. Its FX Active plan charges $2.50 per side with minimum spreads of 0.0, giving an all-in cost of about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD (and five other major pairs). For example, NZD/USD drops from about 1.5 pips on the standard account to roughly 0.5 pips with FX Active after commission. CMC also offers the Price Plus Scheme for high-volume traders: you earn two Trading Points per standard lot, and at 1,250 lots in a month you can unlock a Tier 4 spread discount of 20%. Notably, CMC’s average spreads tend to stay close to its advertised minimums.
Octa has improved its pricing and reports no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, though some rules may limit high-frequency strategies. Costs depend on the account and the entity: EU clients (MT5) see a listed average EUR/USD spread of 0.5 pips, while foreign entities show about 0.9 pips and offer MT4, MT5, and OctaTrader. Octa does not provide a date range for its typical spread figures, which makes direct, apples-to-apples comparisons harder. Even so, Octa can keep pace with many low-cost MetaTrader brokers, but CMC Markets remains the stronger pick for transparent, consistently low all-in pricing.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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.
CMC Markets vs Octa: for sheer range of investments, CMC Markets is the clear winner. It lists 12,029 tradeable symbols and 141 forex pairs, compared to Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 pairs. That breadth helps explain CMC Markets’ 5-star Range of Investments rating and #9 rank out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Octa earns 3.5 stars and ranks #53.
Both brokers support forex trading offered as CFDs or spot contracts, and both provide copy trading. For shares, CMC Markets lets you buy exchange-traded stocks on U.S. and international markets, while Octa offers exchange-traded shares on international exchanges only (not U.S. markets). Neither broker sells actual cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFDs. If you want the widest selection and access to U.S. and global shares in one place, CMC Markets is the safer bet; if you need a simpler lineup with key markets and international shares, Octa covers the basics.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 12029 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 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.
CMC Markets and Octa both check the key boxes for platform choice and ease of access. Each broker offers a free demo account for paper trading, a proprietary platform built in-house, and support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade in a web browser or via a Windows desktop download, use copy trading, and place orders directly from charts—handy for quick entries and exits.
Where they differ most is in ratings and rankings. For Trading Platforms and Tools, CMC Markets earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa earns 4 stars and ranks #38. If top-tier platform quality and chart-driven trading are priorities, CMC Markets stands out; if you’re after similar core features with MT4/MT5 access and copy trading, Octa is a solid alternative.
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both CMC Markets and Octa offer full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saved chart annotations. Charting depth is close: CMC Markets includes 29 technical studies while Octa offers 30. The biggest day‑to‑day difference is watchlist syncing. CMC Markets syncs your watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so changes carry over automatically; Octa does not support this syncing.
Ratings and rankings tilt in CMC Markets’ favor. For Mobile Trading Apps, CMC Markets earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #37. If seamless watchlist sync and a higher-rated app matter most, CMC Markets is the safer pick. If you want one more built-in indicator, Octa has a slight edge on that front.
| 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 | 29 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing market research offerings between CMC Markets and Octa, both online brokers provide daily market commentary and access to forex news from esteemed sources such as Bloomberg or Reuters. They also share the benefit of Autochartist tools, which cater to traders seeking technical or fundamental research. However, while these platforms do not offer tools from Trading Central, users of CMC Markets gain an advantage with their sentiment-based trading tool, which Octa does not provide. Both brokers offer an economic calendar to keep traders informed about global news events. It's worth noting that neither offers market research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading tools.
In terms of overall research quality, CMC Markets is highly acclaimed with a 5-star rating, securing the #6 spot among 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Octa, while offering solid market research capabilities, holds a slightly lower 4-star rating and stands at #27 in the same ranking. This comparison highlights that while both brokers equip traders with valuable research tools, CMC Markets edges ahead with a more comprehensive suite, including the distinct sentiment-based tool, potentially providing traders with more insightful market perspectives.
| 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.
If you’re new to forex or CFD trading, both CMC Markets and Octa offer helpful education, but CMC Markets takes the lead overall. CMC Markets holds a 5-star Education rating and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa earns 4 stars and ranks #42. Each broker publishes plenty of beginner-friendly and advanced content, making it easier to learn the basics and build skills over time.
Both brokers provide at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos on trading topics, so you can follow clear, step-by-step lessons at your own pace. For live learning, Octa runs monthly client webinars, whereas CMC Markets does not. If scheduled webinars are a must-have, Octa fits the bill; if you want a higher-rated education hub for forex and CFD traders, CMC Markets is the stronger pick.
| Feature |
CMC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | 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 #4, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
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
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 72 |
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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 | 72 | |
| 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 | 72 | |
| 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 (SFC 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 SCA 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) | 12029 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 141 | 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 | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.3 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.65 | 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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | CMC Markets | 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 | CMC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 73 | 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 | 29 | 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 | No | 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 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | CMC Markets Review | Octa Review |
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