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 |
When it comes to comparing the commissions and fees of online brokers IFC Markets and Octa, both brokers offer competitive yet distinct pricing strategies. IFC Markets presents an average spread of 1.44 for EUR/USD, which is higher than the industry average of 1.08, revealing a slight disadvantage in competitiveness. However, its new ECN account option offers improved effective spreads of 1.1 pips after factoring in a 0.005% commission on both sides of a trade. In the realm of additional charges, IFC Markets shines by not having inactivity fees and offering active trader discounts. Consequently, IFC Markets earns a commendable 4-star rating for commissions and fees, although it ranks 39th out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
On the other side, Octa has made impressive strides in its pricing structure, closing in on the lowest-cost MetaTrader brokers. This broker stands out by offering no slippage on 97.5% of its executed orders and eliminating overnight carry costs. However, high-frequency traders might face hurdles due to certain restrictions. Pricing at Octa varies depending on the regulatory entity; for example, the EU entity offers an enticing spread of 0.5 pips for EUR/USD, compared to 0.9 pips in other regions. Despite some ambiguity regarding the exact time frame for its listed spreads, Octa's improved approach to pricing has earned it a 4-star rating in this category and a 29th place ranking among 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com.
Both IFC Markets and Octa have enhanced their offerings when it comes to commissions and fees, which are crucial for traders looking to maximize their returns. While IFC Markets might appeal with its structured discount offerings and lack of inactivity charges, Octa's competitive spreads and innovative pricing improvements also present a strong case. As both brokers maintain a 4-star rating, their unique strengths and areas for improvement highlight the varied approaches available to traders seeking optimal financial arrangements.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $25 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.44 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to online trading platforms, both IFC Markets and Octa offer a diverse range of investment opportunities, catering to varying trader needs. IFC Markets provides access to 630 tradeable symbols, including 49 forex pairs, while Octa offers 300 tradeable symbols and 35 forex pairs. Both platforms facilitate forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts. Although neither broker offers exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, they both allow trading of such securities on international platforms, enabling the purchase of shares like Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange.
Additionally, IFC Markets and Octa both support copy trading, which lets users emulate the strategies of successful traders. However, neither platform offers the option to purchase actual cryptocurrencies but does provide cryptocurrency derivatives. Despite their diverse offerings, both brokers share an equal rating of 3.5 stars for their range of investments. According to ForexBrokers.com, IFC Markets is ranked 43rd out of 63 brokers in this category, slightly ahead of Octa, which is positioned at 52nd. This places IFC Markets a bit higher in terms of investment variety among competitors.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 35 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 provide a comprehensive suite of trading platforms and tools, making them strong contenders for traders seeking versatility. Both brokers offer simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, allowing new traders to practice without risk. Each broker features proprietary platforms developed in-house, as well as popular third-party platforms MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), giving traders a choice in how they engage with the market. Whether you prefer trading through a desktop application or directly from a web browser, both IFC Markets and Octa have got you covered. Additionally, both brokers support copy trading, further enhancing their appeal to traders who appreciate diverse trading strategies.
When it comes to charting, both brokers shine with an equal offering of 15 drawing tools and the capability to trade directly from stock charts. Each offers watch lists with seven columns, allowing you to stay organized. However, neither broker provides DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, which may affect traders looking for these specific features. In ForexBrokers.com's rankings, IFC Markets and Octa are closely matched, with IFC Markets edging out Octa slightly by securing the 36th spot, while Octa sits at 37th among 63 brokers in the Trading Platforms and Tools category. Both brokers receive a respectable 4-star rating, reflecting their comprehensive offerings and reliable performance.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of IFC Markets and Octa, both platforms cater to iPhone and Android users, offering full access to stock and forex market alerts. Each app provides an identical number of technical studies for charting, clocking in at 30 options, and allows for drawing trendlines and viewing various time frames. They both also support creating watchlists with real-time quotes, ensuring traders stay informed on-the-go. However, a notable difference lies in watchlist syncing; IFC Markets enables users to sync their watchlists between the mobile app and their online accounts, which is a feature Octa currently lacks.
In terms of user rating, both trading apps score a solid four out of five stars, demonstrating a general satisfaction among users. However, industry rankings differ, with ForexBrokers.com placing Octa higher at #36 out of 63 brokers, while IFC Markets comes in at #52. This suggests that while both apps offer comprehensive tools for mobile trading, Octa might have a slight edge in overall usability or popularity among traders, according to industry evaluations.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing the market research offerings of IFC Markets and Octa, both brokers provide daily market commentary to keep traders informed. However, Octa stands out in providing forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a feature not available with IFC Markets. Additionally, Octa offers powerful tools from Autochartist, designed to aid in technical and fundamental analysis. In contrast, IFC Markets lacks these advanced features but offers a sentiment-based trading tool, which Octa does not, enabling traders to gauge market sentiment in real time.
Both brokers equally provide economic calendars that showcase global news events, keeping traders aware of market-moving developments. In terms of overall research capabilities, Octa received a higher rating of 4 stars out of 5, while IFC Markets earned 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, Octa is ranked 27th out of 63 brokers in the Research category, whereas IFC Markets sits lower at 40th. This comparison highlights Octa's more comprehensive research offerings, though IFC Markets has its unique strengths in market sentiment tools.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners, both IFC Markets and Octa provide a solid foundation with a variety of materials to help you dive into forex and CFDs. Each broker offers a minimum of 10 educational pieces including articles, videos, and archived webinars. Although both cater to beginners with at least 10 videos covering entry-level trading topics, Octa surpasses IFC Markets in its offering of monthly live webinars and a searchable archive of recorded sessions, assisting learners who favor interactive, ongoing education.
In terms of advanced education, both brokers provide a substantial library with at least 10 videos catering to experienced traders, alongside an investor dictionary featuring over 50 investing terms. However, Octa's slight edge in client engagement, with consistent live webinars, reflects in user ratings—receiving a 4-star rating compared to IFC Markets' 3.5 stars. Interestingly, despite the better rating, Octa ranks #42 while IFC Markets stands at #30 out of 63 brokers for educational offerings according to ForexBrokers.com. This suggests a more comprehensive ranking methodology that considers other factors beyond just user ratings.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 #45, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
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 | 72 |
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Neither IFC Markets nor Octa offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both provide options for purchasing cryptocurrency derivatives.
In a comparison of online brokers, both IFC Markets and Octa do not support ACH or SEPA transfers and PayPal for deposits or withdrawals, while they offer Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options, with Octa additionally supporting Skrill for fund transactions.
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 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IFC Markets | Octa | |
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| 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). | No | 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 | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | 1.44 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.1 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | IFC Markets | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Octa Review |
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