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, founded in 1999, is a long-established online broker that enjoys a high Trust Score of 95 according to ForexBrokers.com, indicating a high level of trustworthiness. FXCM is publicly traded, which can offer added transparency for investors, and holds an impressive four Tier-1 licenses, highlighting its strong regulatory compliance. Additionally, it has two Tier-2 licenses, further bolstering its trusted status in the industry.
In contrast, Octa, established in 2011, presents a Trust Score of 72, categorizing it as an average-risk broker. Unlike FXCM, Octa is not publicly traded, which might limit some investor insight. When it comes to regulatory standing, Octa holds one Tier-1 license and one Tier-2 license, signifying a moderate level of regulatory trust. While both brokers are not banks, the regulatory setup suggests FXCM provides a more reassuring safety net for traders through its multiple high-trust licenses and transparency.
| 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 |
Comparing FXCM vs Octa on commissions and fees: both earn 4 out of 5 stars. FXCM ranks #25 of 63 brokers for this category at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa ranks #30 of 63. FXCM’s standard pricing tends to sit slightly above the industry average, whereas Octa has improved and is edging closer to the lowest-cost MetaTrader brokers—though its published spread data lacks a date range, which limits apples-to-apples comparisons.
FXCM’s EUR/USD spreads in May 2024 averaged 0.78 pips for EU, U.K., and Australia accounts, and 1.38 pips for its St. Vincent and the Grenadines entity. Its commission-based accounts showed low core spreads around 0.28 pips (excluding commissions), but the effective cost is closer to 0.74 pips once you factor in about 0.50 pips per round turn in commission. Active traders can lower costs through FXCM’s five-tier rebate program (not available in the U.K. or EU), ranging from $5 to $25 per million traded. As an example, in the U.K., a $25,000 balance and at least $50 million in monthly volume can bring commissions down to $2.50 per side ($5 round turn). Keep in mind spreads can widen at rollover or in volatile markets.
Octa’s fees depend on your account type and which entity regulates you. EU clients use a single MT5 account, while international clients can choose MT4, MT5, or OctaTrader. Octa lists average EUR/USD spreads of 0.5 pips in the EU and 0.9 pips for its foreign entities. It also advertises no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, but it imposes rules that can limit very high-frequency strategies. Net-net: FXCM offers volume-based rebates and a clear commission model, while Octa’s headline spreads—especially in the EU—are appealing, provided you’re comfortable with the lack of dated spread disclosures and the trading restrictions. FXCM: 4/5 stars, ranked #25/63. Octa: 4/5 stars, ranked #30/63.
| 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.
Comparing the range of investments, FXCM and Octa both let you trade forex either as CFDs or spot contracts. FXCM offers 440 tradeable symbols and 46 forex pairs, while Octa lists 300 symbols and 35 pairs. Both brokers support copy trading. For crypto, each provides cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither allows buying actual coins.
When it comes to exchange-traded securities (not CFDs), neither broker offers U.S.-listed stocks; however, Octa does offer some international exchange-traded shares, while FXCM does not. Both earn 3.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, FXCM is 48th out of 63 brokers and Octa is 53rd. Choose FXCM if you want more symbols and forex pairs; pick Octa if access to international exchange-traded shares matters to you.
| 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 check the core boxes for platform choice and ease of use. Each provides a free demo account, an in-house proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, a web-based platform, and copy trading. Both also support MetaTrader 4 and let you place trades directly from price charts. A key difference is MetaTrader 5: Octa offers MT5, while FXCM does not. Details about the exact number of built-in technical indicators and watchlist columns were not specified.
For trading platforms and tools, FXCM earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #38. If MT5 access matters most, Octa is the pick. If you want higher-rated platforms and tools, FXCM stands out.
| 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 vs Octa mobile app comparison: both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps with price alerts, plus charting tools that let you draw trendlines and automatically save your annotations. The key difference is watchlists—FXCM syncs your symbols between the mobile app and your online account, while Octa does not, which can matter if you switch devices or trade on desktop and phone.
For charting depth, FXCM includes 59 technical studies versus Octa’s 30, giving more options for analysis on the go. FXCM also edges out Octa in third-party reviews, earning 4.5 stars and ranking #16 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa’s 4 stars and #37 ranking. If you want richer indicators and seamless watchlist syncing, FXCM is the stronger pick; if you only need core features, Octa covers the basics.
| 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.
When comparing the market research services offered by FXCM and Octa, both platforms provide users with daily market commentary and high-quality forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, ensuring traders stay informed with the latest updates. However, they differ significantly in the research tools available. FXCM excels by offering tools from Trading Central, providing Technical Analytics and sentiment-based trading tools that display long or short positions ratios across currency pairs. Additionally, FXCM enhances its research offerings with insights from TipRanks. In contrast, while Octa does include tools from Autochartist to assist with technical analysis, it doesn't provide equivalent resources from Trading Central or TipRanks.
Both FXCM and Octa include an economic calendar to keep users updated on global news events. Despite these shared features, FXCM stands out with a research rating of 4.5 stars compared to Octa’s 4 stars. Furthermore, according to ForexBrokers.com, FXCM is ranked #11 out of 63 brokers for research, while Octa is placed at #27. This ranking indicates FXCM's broader and more diverse research tool offerings, making it a preferable choice for those looking to leverage comprehensive market insights in their trading strategies.
| 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 offer beginner-friendly education for forex and CFD trading. Each broker meets the basic standard of at least 10 learning pieces and hosts client webinars at least monthly. New traders will find 10+ beginner videos at both brokers, along with 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. This mix of articles, videos, and webinars gives you a clear path from first steps to more skilled strategies.
For overall quality, FXCM edges ahead. FXCM earns 4.5 stars and ranks #14 out of 63 brokers for Education on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa earns 4 stars and ranks #42. If you want a higher-rated learning experience, FXCM is the stronger pick; if you simply need plenty of beginner videos and regular webinars, Octa also delivers.
| 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 #15, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
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
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Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 72 |
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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.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | FXCM | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | FXCM | Octa | |
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| Regulation | FXCM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 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 | 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 (SFC 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 SCA 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 | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | FXCM Review | Octa Review |
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