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 both earn 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but Octa edges ahead slightly in the rankings, placing #26 out of 36 brokers versus #28 out of 36 for HFM. HFM’s trading costs are a bit above the industry average. Its standard account shows a typical spread of 1.2 pips, while the Zero account can work out to 0.7 pips after commission, though these figures are not presented as true average spreads.
Octa has improved its pricing a great deal and now comes close to the lowest-cost MetaTrader brokers. Its fees depend on the account type and the entity that regulates the account, with different setups for EU and international clients. Octa’s EUR/USD spread is listed at 0.5 pips for its EU entity and 0.9 pips for its foreign entities, but these spread figures are also not tied to a date range, so they should be taken as general guidance rather than exact averages.
Overall, both brokers are fairly competitive on cost, but Octa may appeal more to traders looking for lower listed spreads, especially since it also advertises no overnight carry costs and no slippage on most orders. Still, Octa has some limits that may not suit high-frequency traders, while HFM offers simpler pricing but at slightly higher typical trading costs.
| Feature |
HFM
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.8 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | 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.
When it comes to available investments, HFM offers a slightly wider range than Octa. HFM lists 344 tradeable symbols and 38 forex pairs, compared with Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs, along with copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency or U.S.-listed shares as exchange-traded securities.
One key difference is that Octa offers exchange-traded securities on international markets, while HFM does not. Still, HFM comes out ahead overall in this category, earning 4 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments versus Octa’s 3.5 stars. ForexBrokers.com also ranks HFM higher, placing it at #28 out of 36 brokers, compared with Octa at #33.
| 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 wide range of platform choices, making either broker a solid fit for beginners and more active users. Each one offers a free demo account, its own in-house platform, Windows desktop software, browser-based trading, copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5. Both also let you trade directly from a chart, which can make order entry faster and easier.
In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools review, both brokers earned 4 out of 5 stars, but Octa placed slightly higher overall, ranking #30 out of 36 brokers versus HFM at #33. Since the core platform features are very similar, the better choice may come down to which interface and trading tools feel easier to use in practice.
| 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 mobile trading easy with apps for iPhone and Android, plus price alerts for stock and forex moves. Each app also lets users draw trendlines on charts and automatically saves those drawings. One area where the two brokers are the same is watchlist syncing: neither mobile app syncs watchlists with the online account.
Where they differ is in chart tools. HFM offers 5 technical studies in its mobile app, while Octa provides 30, giving Octa a clearer edge for traders who want more chart analysis on the go. Both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, but Octa ranks higher with ForexBrokers.com at #29 out of 36, compared with HFM at #32.
| 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 useful everyday tools. Each broker offers daily market commentary, forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, Autochartist tools, and an economic calendar with upcoming global events. Both are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for research, showing that each provides a solid research offering for most traders.
The main difference is that HFM includes a sentiment tool showing the share of long and short positions, plus research from Acuity Trading such as Signal Centre, while Octa does not offer these features. Neither broker provides Trading Central tools or TipRanks research. In ForexBrokers.com’s research ranking, HFM places higher at #18 out of 36 brokers, compared with Octa at #24, giving HFM the edge for research overall.
| 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 comparing HFM and Octa for beginners, both brokers give traders a strong starting point with forex and CFD learning content, regular online educational webinars, and plenty of video lessons for both new and more experienced users. Each broker offers at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so learners can move beyond the basics as their trading knowledge grows. In other words, neither broker leaves beginners without useful material to help them understand trading concepts and market terms.
Looking at the ratings, HFM and Octa each receive 4 out of 5 stars for Education, which shows that both are well regarded in this area. However, HFM has the edge in ForexBrokers.com’s education ranking, coming in at #29 out of 36 brokers, while Octa ranks #32. For beginners who want a broker with a slightly stronger education score, HFM has the advantage, though Octa still offers a good range of learning tools.
| 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 #34.
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) - Standard account | 1.8 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 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 | 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 Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| 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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