Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FOREX.com 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.
FOREX.com, founded in 1999, stands out as a highly regarded online broker with a stellar Trust Score of 99 out of 99 from ForexBrokers.com. Despite not being a bank, it is publicly traded, which adds a layer of trust for its users. The broker boasts an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses, which are regarded as highly trusted, and one Tier-2 license, ensuring its strong regulatory standing. These elements underline FOREX.com’s firm position as a highly trusted broker.
In contrast, Octa, established in 2011, has a Trust Score of 72, categorizing it as having an average risk. Like FOREX.com, Octa is not a bank, nor is it publicly traded, which may influence its perceived reliability. Octa holds one Tier-1 license, which is highly trusted, and one Tier-2 license, reflecting its compliance with standard regulatory practices. While Octa provides a viable service, its regulatory credentials are notably less extensive than those of FOREX.com.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
FOREX.com and Octa offer different structures and rates for commissions and fees, catering to distinct trading needs. FOREX.com, highly ranked at #13 among 63 brokers for its commissions and fees, earns a star rating of 4.5 out of 5. The broker offers several account options with varying spreads and commissions. Its Standard account, the only choice for MetaTrader users, incurs relatively high spreads of 1.4 pips for EUR/USD trades in the U.S., but it appeals to those who prefer market-maker execution. Alternatively, the RAW Spread account provides lower spreads, with EUR/USD spreads as low as 0.13 pips, plus a commission of $7 per Standard lot. Volume-based rebates are available, making it a competitive option for active traders.
On the other hand, Octa, rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #29 in the commissions and fees category, offers improved pricing through multiple account types. The choice of account type and corresponding spreads varies by the entity regulating your account, such as those in the EU or offshore in Mwali. This results in different spreads, which are more favorable in the EU at 0.5 pips for the EUR/USD pair compared to 0.9 pips for other regions. Octa impresses with 97.5% of orders executed without slippage and with no overnight costs, although some restrictions may impact high-frequency traders.
In conclusion, while FOREX.com may require higher overall costs for U.S. residents unless trading large volumes, it offers multiple execution methods and discounts for active traders. Conversely, Octa's recent strides in pricing position it closer to the lowest-cost MetaTrader brokers, despite lacking a specific date range for its average spread data. Each broker delivers unique advantages, tailored to different trading preferences and regulatory environments.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $25 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to the range of investments offered, FOREX.com and Octa present notable differences that can appeal to various trading needs. FOREX.com stands out significantly with a vast selection of 5,500 tradable symbols, including 80 forex pairs, offering extensive opportunities for forex trading through both CFDs and spot contracts. In contrast, Octa offers a more limited selection, with 300 tradable symbols and 35 forex pairs, but like FOREX.com, it provides the option to trade forex via CFDs and spot contracts.
Moreover, while neither broker allows the purchase of actual U.S. exchange-traded securities, Octa provides access to international exchange-traded securities, thus enabling traders to invest in global companies like Vodafone. Additionally, Octa supports copy trading, a feature not available at FOREX.com. When it comes to cryptocurrency derivatives, both brokers offer the option to trade these financial instruments. Reflecting these differences, FOREX.com has earned a 5-star rating and ranks 7th out of 63 brokers in the Range of Investments category by ForexBrokers.com, while Octa holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks 52nd.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 35 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools offered by FOREX.com and Octa, both brokers provide traders with numerous resources to enhance their trading experience. Both platforms offer simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts and have developed proprietary platforms, showcasing their investment in creating user-friendly trading environments. Traders can also enjoy the flexibility of both Windows-based desktop download and web-based platforms, while well-known options like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 are available through both brokers. However, whereas Octa enables copy trading, FOREX.com focuses elsewhere. Neither offers popular copy trading services like DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
In the realm of charting and customization, FOREX.com stands out with remarkable offerings, including 239 drawing tools compared to Octa's 15. Additionally, FOREX.com provides a more detailed watch list setup with 20 columns, whereas Octa offers 7. This comprehensive collection of tools has earned FOREX.com a 5-star rating for trading platforms and tools, and a 7th place ranking out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Octa receives a 4-star rating and ranks 37th. Ultimately, traders choosing between these two brokers will find FOREX.com leading in customization and comprehensive trading support.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 20 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both FOREX.com and Octa offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring wide accessibility for traders on the go. They each provide important features like price alerts and the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes. While both platforms allow users to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on a stock or forex chart, FOREX.com distinguishes itself by offering 88 technical studies for charting, compared to Octa's 30. Moreover, FOREX.com supports watchlist symbol syncing across devices, providing a seamless trading experience, whereas Octa does not offer this functionality.
In terms of user satisfaction, FOREX.com's mobile trading app ranks considerably higher with a five-star rating and is positioned third out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, Octa's app holds a four-star rating and ranks at 36th place. This suggests that while both apps provide some similar key features, FOREX.com's more extensive charting options and user-friendly syncing capabilities contribute to its higher rating and preference among users.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 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.
When it comes to market research, both FOREX.com and Octa provide daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. However, they differ in the specific tools and resources they offer to traders. FOREX.com includes resources like Trading Central's technical analytics and a sentiment-based trading tool that helps traders understand market positions. In contrast, Octa provides technical analysis tools from Autochartist but lacks the sentiment-based tools that FOREX.com offers.
Both platforms offer an economic calendar to keep traders informed about global news events, making them comparable in this regard. Despite this, FOREX.com outshines Octa in its research offerings, earning a 4.5-star rating compared to Octa's 4 stars. In rankings, FOREX.com holds the 9th position in research out of 63 brokers, significantly higher than Octa, which stands at 27th. Therefore, traders searching for comprehensive market insights may find FOREX.com more aligned with their needs.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | 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 beginners, both FOREX.com and Octa stand out by offering comprehensive materials. Each platform provides over 10 articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on forex and CFDs. They also organize at least one online educational webinar per month, ensuring a steady flow of learning opportunities. Beginners can benefit from more than 10 tailored educational videos from both brokers, covering essential trading topics to help new traders find their footing. Each platform also maintains a searchable archive of past webinars, making it easy for newcomers to catch up or revisit sessions. Furthermore, they both offer an investor dictionary with definitions of over 50 investing terms, providing valuable background knowledge to those new to trading.
Despite the similarities, FOREX.com edges out Octa with an education rating of 4.5 stars compared to Octa's 4 stars, according to customer reviews. In terms of rankings by ForexBrokers.com, FOREX.com leads with a #4 position out of 63 brokers for the Education category, while Octa sits at #42. Beyond the basics, advanced traders can access over 10 educational videos on each platform designed for more experienced individuals. If educational resources are a significant consideration for you, FOREX.com appears to offer a slightly superior educational experience for traders at all levels.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
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 FOREX.com is better than Octa. FOREX.com finished with an overall rank of #5, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
FOREX.com is a trusted brand that delivers an excellent trading experience for forex and CFDs traders across the globe. It offers a wide range of markets and provides an impressive suite of proprietary platforms – alongside limited access to MetaTrader.
| Feature |
FOREX.com
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 72 |
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Both FOREX.com and Octa do not offer the ability to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do provide options for trading cryptocurrency derivatives instead.
When comparing deposit and withdrawal options, FOREX.com stands out by offering ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, while Octa differentiates itself with Skrill and also provides Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options, but lacks support for ACH, SEPA, and 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 | FOREX.com | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FOREX.com | Octa | |
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| Regulation | FOREX.com | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 72 | |
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FOREX.com | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | FOREX.com | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | FOREX.com | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 5500 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | 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 | FOREX.com | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.4 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FOREX.com | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FOREX.com | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FOREX.com | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 20 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 88 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 239 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FOREX.com | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 88 | 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 | FOREX.com | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FOREX.com | 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 | FOREX.com | 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 | FOREX.com Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | FOREX.com | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FOREX.com Review | Octa Review |
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