Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of FXCM 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.
FXCM vs Octa: According to ForexBrokers.com, FXCM scores 95/99, which places it in the highly trusted range (90–99). Octa scores 73/99, which falls into the average risk range (70–79). For reference, 80–89 is trusted, 60–69 is high risk, and below 59 should not be trusted.
On regulation and company background, FXCM (founded 1999) is a publicly traded online broker and not a bank. It holds 4 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). Octa (founded 2011) is not publicly traded and not a bank, with 1 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 license. Overall, FXCM has more top-tier oversight and a higher Trust Score than Octa.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1999 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
In ForexBrokers.com’s commissions and fees category, FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #17 out of 36 brokers. FXCM’s forex pricing is a little above the industry average overall, with EUR/USD spreads averaging 0.78 pips on its EU, U.K., and Australia entities in May 2024. Its commission-based accounts were lower at 0.28 pips before commissions, but costs can still rise once commissions are included. FXCM also offers active trader rebates in some regions, which can lower costs for high-volume traders, though the best discounts are not available everywhere.
Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #26 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Octa has improved its pricing and now competes more closely with lower-cost MetaTrader brokers. Its average EUR/USD spread is listed at 0.5 pips for EU clients and 0.9 pips for international clients, though Octa does not give a clear date range for these figures, which makes them harder to compare directly. Octa also advertises no overnight carry costs and very little slippage on most trades, but some account limits may matter to active traders.
Overall, FXCM scores better than Octa for commissions and fees, both in star rating and ranking. FXCM may appeal more to traders looking for active trader discounts and clearer pricing data, while Octa may suit those who want simple spread-based trading and no overnight carry costs.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
FXCM offers a wider range of investments than Octa in several key areas. Both brokers let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both support copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. However, FXCM provides more tradeable symbols overall, with 440 compared with Octa’s 300, and more forex pairs, with 46 versus 35. Neither broker offers U.S.-listed shares as exchange-traded securities outside CFDs, and neither lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency.
One difference is that Octa does offer exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, while FXCM does not. Even so, FXCM scores higher for range of investments, with a 4.5-star rating and a ForexBrokers.com rank of #21 out of 36 brokers, compared with Octa’s 3.5-star rating and #33 ranking. Overall, FXCM is the stronger choice if you want a broader set of trading markets, while Octa may appeal to traders looking for access to some international shares.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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.
FXCM and Octa both give traders a wide mix of platform choices, including a free demo account, a proprietary platform, Windows desktop software, a web-based platform, copy trading, and MetaTrader 4. Both also let users place trades directly from charts, which can be helpful for faster order entry. One key difference is that Octa also supports MetaTrader 5, while FXCM does not, which may matter for traders who want access to that newer platform.
In terms of overall trading tools, FXCM has the edge. ForexBrokers.com rates FXCM 5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks it #4 out of 36 brokers, while Octa earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #30. That suggests FXCM offers a stronger platform experience overall, even though both brokers cover the basics well for everyday trading.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
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) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
FXCM and Octa both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock or forex price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving for chart drawings. For traders who want their phone and desktop watchlists to stay in sync, FXCM has the edge because its mobile watchlist changes sync with the online account, while Octa does not offer this feature.
FXCM also gives mobile users more charting tools, with 59 technical studies compared with Octa’s 30. That wider set of indicators, along with FXCM’s 4.5-star mobile app rating and #16 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, puts it ahead of Octa, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks #29. In short, both apps cover the basics well, but FXCM offers more features and a smoother experience for active mobile traders.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 59 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
FXCM and Octa both give traders daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, and an economic calendar with upcoming global events. Each broker covers the basics well, so either one can help you stay informed about major market moves and planned news releases.
Where FXCM stands out is in the extra research features. It offers Trading Central tools, sentiment data showing long and short positions, and market research from TipRanks, while Octa does not offer these. Octa does include Autochartist, which FXCM does not. Overall, FXCM has a higher research rating of 4.5 out of 5 and is ranked #11 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa’s 4 out of 5 rating and #24 ranking.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
FXCM and Octa both give beginners a solid set of learning tools, including forex and CFD education, monthly online webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos. That means new traders can find basic lessons to help them get started, while more experienced users can also dig into deeper trading topics. In this area, both brokers cover the essentials well.
That said, FXCM comes out ahead overall for education. FXCM is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #13 out of 36 brokers for the Education category, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #32. For beginners who want a broker with more highly rated educational support, FXCM has the edge.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
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 FXCM is better than Octa. FXCM finished with an overall rank of #10, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #34.
For traders who appreciate advanced trading tools and quality market research, FXCM is a winner, especially for algorithmic trading. Its range of tradeable markets is fairly narrow, however, and the pricing at FXCM is just average.
| Feature |
FXCM
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
|
| Trust Score | 95 | 73 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
FXCM vs Octa: Neither broker allows you to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both support trading cryptocurrency CFDs.
Compared to Octa, FXCM stands out by supporting ACH/SEPA and PayPal for deposits and withdrawals—options Octa lacks—while both brokers offer Skrill and bank wire transfers; Visa/Mastercard availability was not specified for either.
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 95 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Regulation | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 73 | |
| 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 | 4 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | FXCM | 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) | 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) | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 440 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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 | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.9 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | Starts from $50 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | FXCM | 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) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | FXCM | 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 | 59 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | FXCM Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 95 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Octa Review |
IG
FOREX.com
CMC Markets
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill