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.
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.
IFC Markets, established in 2006, and Octa, founded in 2011, offer online trading services but come with varying levels of trust and regulation as per ForexBrokers.com ratings. IFC Markets has a Trust Score of 73, positioning it at an average risk level. It holds one Tier-2 license, indicating a trusted regulatory stance. In contrast, Octa holds a similar Tier-2 license and boasts a Trust Score of 72, also categorizing it within the average risk bracket. However, Octa does hold a Tier-1 license, marking it with a slightly higher regulatory endorsement in terms of trust.
Neither IFC Markets nor Octa is publicly traded or operates as a bank, which may influence their market perception compared to more publicly accountable or bank-affiliated institutions. Potential traders should weigh these aspects when choosing a broker to ensure their trading aligns with personal risk preferences and regulatory comfort levels.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Here’s a quick commissions-and-fees snapshot: both IFC Markets and Octa earn 4 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees rankings out of 63 brokers, Octa places #26, while IFC Markets ranks #32. Octa is closing in on the lowest-cost MetaTrader brokers, whereas IFC Markets can be cost-effective for active traders who use its ECN option.
IFC Markets’ average EUR/USD spread is 1.44 pips, higher than the 1.08-pip industry average, so its standard pricing is a bit less competitive. That said, the new ECN account can push effective spreads down to about 1.1 pips after the 0.005% commission applied on both sides of a trade. IFC Markets also does not charge inactivity fees and offers active trader discounts, which helps lower overall costs for frequent traders.
Octa’s pricing has improved significantly. Spreads vary by the entity that regulates your account: the EU entity lists about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD, versus roughly 0.9 pips with its foreign entities. Octa reports no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, though there are restrictions that can limit high-frequency trading. Keep in mind Octa does not provide a date range for its average spread figures, so exact apples-to-apples comparisons are limited. Costs also depend on your account type and location: EU clients use MT5 with a single account, while international clients can choose MT4, MT5, or OctaTrader under the South Africa or Mwali entities.
| 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.
IFC Markets and Octa both support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. For overall asset selection, IFC Markets lists 630 tradeable symbols and 49 forex pairs, while Octa offers 300 symbols and 35 pairs. Each broker provides access to exchange‑traded securities on select international exchanges (not CFDs), but neither allows buying U.S.-listed shares like Apple on NASDAQ.
Both IFC Markets and Octa include copy trading and offer cryptocurrency via CFDs only (no direct coin purchases). In the Range of Investments category, each earns 3.5 out of 5 stars; however, IFC Markets ranks #31 of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa at #33. Traders who want a wider list of instruments may lean toward IFC Markets, while Octa delivers a similar experience with a smaller lineup.
| 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 both check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo (paper trading) account, a proprietary platform, and access to MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade on Windows desktop software or in your web browser with either broker, and both support copy trading. Each also lets you place orders directly from charts, which can streamline your workflow.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings, IFC Markets sits at #29 out of 63, while Octa is close behind at #30. Since their feature lists are very similar—and details like the exact number of technical indicators and watchlist columns aren’t specified—your best next step is to test their free demo accounts to see which interface and toolset you prefer.
| 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 offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with features traders expect: real-time price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, the ability to draw trendlines, and automatic saving of chart drawings. Whether you trade forex or CFDs, both apps cover the basics for mobile charting and monitoring positions on the go.
The main difference is watchlist syncing. IFC Markets syncs watchlists between the mobile app and the online account, while Octa does not. Both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps, but Octa ranks slightly higher on ForexBrokers.com (#29 out of 63) compared to IFC Markets (#34 out of 63). Choose IFC Markets if synced watchlists matter to you; pick Octa if a higher category ranking is your priority.
| 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.
IFC Markets and Octa both deliver daily market commentary and an economic calendar to help track upcoming events. Octa stands out for news coverage, offering forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg or Reuters, and it adds Autochartist for pattern recognition and trade ideas. Neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools. In our ratings, Octa scores 4 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #24 out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets earns 3.5 stars and ranks #30.
For traders who value sentiment data, IFC Markets provides a long/short positioning tool that Octa does not. For those who want integrated news feeds and Autochartist’s technical analysis tools, Octa is the better fit. In short, choose IFC Markets for sentiment insights, or go with Octa for richer news and extra research features.
| 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.
IFC Markets and Octa both offer forex and CFD education that meets the common benchmark of at least 10 dedicated learning pieces. Beginners will find ample guidance at either broker: each provides 10+ beginner videos and 10+ advanced videos, along with additional resources that explain trading basics in clear terms.
Live learning is a key difference. Octa hosts client webinars at least once per month, while IFC Markets does not. In terms of scores, Octa’s education is rated 4 out of 5 stars versus IFC Markets at 3.5 out of 5. However, in ForexBrokers.com’s Education category ranking of 63 brokers, IFC Markets places higher at #25, compared with Octa at #32. If monthly webinars matter to you, Octa stands out; if ranking placement is a priority, IFC Markets has the edge. Either way, beginners will find enough material to get started.
| 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 #33, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #34.
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 |
|
|
| Trust Score | 73 | 72 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
| Trading Fees |
|
|
| Trading Platforms |
|
|
| Research |
|
|
| Mobile Trading |
|
|
| Education |
|
|
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.
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 73 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
| Regulation | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 73 | 72 | |
| 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 | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 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 SCA 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
|
| |
| Trading Fees |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Trading Platforms |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Trust Score | 73 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Octa Review |
IG
CMC Markets
FOREX.com
XTB
eToro
AvaTrade
Pepperstone
FP Markets
Tickmill