Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of HFM 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.
HFM (founded 2010) and Octa (founded 2011) are online brokers with different levels of regulatory strength. According to ForexBrokers.com, HFM has a Trust Score of 85 (trusted) with 2 Tier-1 and 3 Tier-2 licenses, while Octa scores 73 (average risk) with 1 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 license. More top-tier licenses often mean tighter oversight and stronger client protections, which helps explain HFM’s higher rating.
Neither broker is publicly traded or a bank. If safety and regulation are priorities, HFM’s higher Trust Score and broader licensing footprint may be more appealing, while Octa’s lower score suggests using added care. Always confirm which local entity will hold your account and which regulator oversees it.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
HFM and Octa are both rated 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but Octa has a slight edge in the ForexBrokers.com ranking, placing #28 out of 36 brokers compared with HFM at #30. At HFM, trading costs are a little above the industry average. The broker says its standard accounts typically have spreads starting at 1.2 pips, while its Zero account shows an effective spread of 0.7 pips after commission, though these figures are not based on a clearly dated average.
Octa has made a strong comeback on pricing and now competes more closely with some of the lowest-cost MetaTrader brokers. Its fees depend on the account type and the entity that oversees the account, with European clients using the EU arm and international clients trading under South Africa or Mwali entities. Octa’s EUR/USD average spread is listed at 0.5 pips for its EU entity and 0.9 pips for its non-EU entities, but these averages also do not come with a date range, which makes them harder to verify.
Overall, HFM is simple but a bit more expensive on standard pricing, while Octa offers more account options and can be cheaper in some regions. Octa also advertises no slippage on 97.5% of executed orders and no overnight carry costs, though it does have some limits that may not suit high-frequency traders. For most cost-focused traders, Octa looks slightly better on fees, but both brokers land in the same 4-star range.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.8 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.1 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
HFM offers a slightly wider range of investments than Octa overall, especially for traders focused on market variety. Both brokers provide forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, along with copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, but HFM lists more tradeable symbols (344 vs. 300) and more forex pairs (38 vs. 35). Neither broker lets you buy actual U.S.-listed shares like Apple as exchange-traded securities.
The main difference is that Octa supports exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, while HFM does not. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments score, HFM is rated 4 stars and ranked #30 out of 36 brokers, compared with Octa’s 3.5 stars and #35 ranking. In simple terms, HFM gives investors a broader set of trading choices, while Octa offers a slightly smaller selection but still covers the core products many traders look for.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 344 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 38 | 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.
HFM and Octa both give traders a similar set of platform choices, making each one easy to use for beginners and active traders alike. Both brokers offer free demo accounts for practice, their own in-house platform, desktop software for Windows, browser-based trading, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. Each also lets users trade directly from charts, which can make placing orders faster and more convenient.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, HFM places #36 while Octa ranks a bit higher at #33. Since both brokers cover the main trading tools most people look for, the better choice may come down to which platform feels easier to use and which layout fits your trading style better.
| Feature |
HFM
|
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) | 38 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
HFM and Octa both make it easy to trade on the go with iPhone and Android apps, plus price alerts to help you keep track of market moves. Each app also lets you draw trendlines on charts and saves those drawings automatically, which is useful if you want to review your analysis later. Neither broker offers watchlist syncing between the mobile app and online account, so changes made on one device do not carry over to the other.
When it comes to charting, Octa has a clear edge with 30 technical studies in its mobile app, compared with just 5 at HFM. Even so, both brokers receive the same 4-star Mobile Trading Apps rating. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings out of 36 brokers, Octa places slightly higher at #31, while HFM comes in at #35.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 5 | 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, HFM and Octa both give traders daily market commentary, forex news from top names like Bloomberg and Reuters, Autochartist tools, and an economic calendar with key global events. Both are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for research, showing that each broker offers a solid set of resources for staying on top of the market.
The main difference is that HFM goes further with extra research features. HFM includes a sentiment tool that shows how many traders are buying or selling across instruments, plus research tools from Acuity Trading such as Signal Centre. Octa does not offer these extras. That wider range helps explain why HFM is ranked #18 out of 36 brokers for research, while Octa sits at #25.
| Feature |
HFM
|
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 | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to education for beginners, both HFM and Octa offer a solid starting point. Each broker provides forex and CFD learning material, hosts at least one educational webinar per month, and has 10 or more beginner videos as well as 10 or more advanced videos. That means new traders can find lessons for the basics, while more experienced users can still access content as they learn more about trading.
In terms of overall education scores, both HFM and Octa are rated 4 out of 5 stars. HFM ranks #31 out of 36 brokers for Education on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa ranks #34, which gives HFM a slight edge. Still, both brokers give beginners useful educational tools, with HFM coming out a bit stronger in the overall ranking.
| Feature |
HFM
|
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 HFM is better than Octa. HFM finished with an overall rank of #27, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #37.
HFM (HF Markets) is a global broker best known for its MetaTrader offering, solid research tools, and proprietary copy trading platform, alongside a broad selection of forex pairs and CFDs.
| Feature |
HFM
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Octa
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 |
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HFM vs Octa: neither broker supports buying real, delivered cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFDs for trading.
HFM vs Octa: both online brokers do not support ACH/SEPA or PayPal, but both offer Skrill and bank wire deposits and withdrawals, while Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified.
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 | HFM | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | HFM | Octa | |
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| Regulation | HFM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | HFM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | 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) | HFM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | HFM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 344 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 38 | 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 | HFM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.8 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.1 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | HFM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | HFM | 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 | HFM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 38 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | HFM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 5 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | HFM | 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 | HFM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | HFM | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | HFM Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | HFM | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | HFM Review | Octa Review |
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