Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IFC Markets vs Octa, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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IFC Markets (founded 2006) and Octa (founded 2011) are online brokers with identical ForexBrokers.com Trust Scores of 73/99—classified as average risk (70-79). Neither broker is publicly traded or a bank.
For regulation, both hold one Tier-1 license (highly trusted). Octa also holds one Tier-2 license (trusted), while IFC Markets holds none at that level. This means their top-tier coverage is similar, but Octa adds an extra layer of regulatory oversight.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
When comparing commissions and fees, IFC Markets and Octa both earn 4 out of 5 stars, but Octa ranks a bit higher overall in this category. IFC Markets is ranked #33 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Octa comes in at #27 out of 36. For everyday traders, this means both brokers are fairly competitive, but Octa has a slight edge in the rankings.
IFC Markets charges an average EUR/USD spread of 1.44, which is higher than the industry average of 1.08, so it is a little less competitive on standard pricing. Its new ECN account offers better value for active traders, with effective spreads around 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade. On the plus side, IFC Markets does not charge inactivity fees and offers active trader discounts.
Octa has improved its pricing and now sits closer to the lowest-cost MetaTrader brokers. Its EUR/USD spread is listed at 0.5 pips for EU clients and 0.9 pips for international clients, depending on the account type and regulatory entity. Octa also says it has no overnight carry costs and no slippage on 97.5% of executed orders, though some account restrictions may make it less attractive for high-frequency traders.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.44 | 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) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing IFC Markets and Octa for range of investments, both brokers cover the basics well. Each offers forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets clients buy delivered crypto or U.S.-listed exchange traded shares such as Apple on a non-CFD basis. Both do, however, offer access to exchange traded securities on international exchanges, so investors can buy shares like Vodafone through supported markets.
The main difference is breadth of choice. IFC Markets lists 630 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs, while Octa offers 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Even so, both brokers receive the same 3.5-star rating for range of investments. In ForexBrokers.com’s ranking of 36 brokers, IFC Markets places slightly higher at #32, compared with Octa at #34.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
IFC Markets and Octa are closely matched when it comes to trading platforms and tools, and both give traders several ways to access the markets. Each broker offers a free demo account for practice, its own in-house platform, Windows desktop software, and a web-based platform for trading in a browser. Both also support copy trading, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and the ability to place trades directly from charts, which makes them suitable for beginners and more active traders alike.
In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, showing a solid overall experience on each side. IFC Markets is ranked #30 out of 36 brokers, while Octa comes in at #31, so IFC Markets has a slight edge in this category. Since the listed charting and watch list details are not provided here, the biggest takeaway is that both brokers offer a similar set of platform choices and trading tools.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
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) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
IFC Markets and Octa both give mobile traders the basics they need, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. Each broker also earns a 4-star rating for mobile trading apps, so in everyday use their app experience looks fairly similar.
The main difference is watchlist syncing. IFC Markets lets watchlists update between the mobile app and the online account, while Octa does not offer that feature. Even so, Octa ranks a bit higher in ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps category, coming in at #30 out of 36 brokers compared with IFC Markets at #35, which may matter for traders who want the better-ranked app overall.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 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, both IFC Markets and Octa give traders daily market commentary and an economic calendar, which can help users keep track of major news events. IFC Markets also includes a sentiment tool that shows the balance of long and short positions across currency pairs and other instruments, which may be useful for spotting market mood. However, it does not provide forex news from major sources like Bloomberg or Reuters, and it does not offer Autochartist or Trading Central tools. IFC Markets is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for Research and is ranked #31 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Octa has the edge overall for research features. In addition to daily market commentary and an economic calendar, it offers forex news from top-tier sources and includes Autochartist for technical and fundamental analysis. It does not provide Trading Central, sentiment tools, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading, but its research package is still stronger than IFC Markets in key areas. Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Research and is ranked #24 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing educational resources for beginners, both IFC Markets and Octa provide a solid selection of learning material, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos on trading topics. Both also offer forex or CFD education in the form of articles, videos, or similar content, so new traders can find basic market explanations and trading guidance on either platform. IFC Markets is rated 3.5 stars for Education and ranks #25 out of 36 brokers, while Octa earns 4 stars but places #32, which suggests its overall educational offering is viewed a bit more favorably even though its rank is lower.
The main difference is that Octa also offers online educational webinars at least once a month, which can be especially helpful for beginners who want live learning and the chance to ask questions. IFC Markets does not provide monthly webinars. So, if you want more interactive learning, Octa has the edge, but if you are mainly looking for videos and general forex or CFD education, both brokers give beginners a useful starting point.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | 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 IFC Markets is better than Octa. IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #34, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #35.
IFC Markets is a well-established broker that has been in operation for 17 years. Forex traders at IFC Markets gain access to multiple trading platforms, a growing range of tradeable markets, and a balanced offering of research and educational content. However, IFC Markets’ Trust Score suffers due to the broker’s limited range of regulatory licenses.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 73 |
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In an IFC Markets vs Octa comparison for crypto trading, neither broker offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading.
In the IFC Markets vs Octa comparison, neither broker supports ACH/SEPA or PayPal, both offer bank wire transfers, only Octa supports Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability is 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 | IFC Markets | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 73 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | ||
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | ||
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | 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). |
| Cost | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.44 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IFC Markets | 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 | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IFC Markets | 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 | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | IFC Markets | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Octa Review |
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