Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers 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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Interactive Brokers vs Octa: for regulation and safety, the differences are clear. Interactive Brokers, founded in 1977, is publicly traded and not a bank. It holds 8 Tier-1 licenses and 2 Tier-2 licenses. ForexBrokers.com rates it 99/99, which lands in the highly trusted range (90–99).
Octa, founded in 2011, is not publicly traded and is not a bank. It holds 1 Tier-1 license and 1 Tier-2 license. Its ForexBrokers.com Trust Score is 73/99, placing it in the average risk band (70–79). Both brokers are regulated, but Interactive Brokers has more top-tier licenses and a higher trust rating.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Interactive Brokers stands out for commissions and fees, earning 5 stars and ranking #1 out of 36 brokers for this category. Its forex pricing is commission-based rather than spread-marked up, and while IBKR does not publish average forex spreads, Q3 2024 data showed an average EUR/USD spread of 0.19 pips, which works out to an estimated 0.59 pips all-in after commission. Forex commissions start at 0.00002 of U.S. dollar trade value per side, with a $2 minimum per order ($4 round turn), and can become even lower for very active traders. For a $100,000 EUR/USD trade, the commission-equivalent is about 0.40 pips, making Interactive Brokers a low-cost choice for forex trading.
Octa has also improved its pricing and earns 4 stars, but it ranks much lower at #28 out of 36 brokers. Its costs depend on the account type and the entity that holds the account, with European clients generally using the EU entity and international clients using either South Africa or the offshore Mwali entity. Octa lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.5 pips for its EU entity and 0.9 pips for its international entities, but it does not provide a date range for those figures, which makes them harder to compare directly. Octa also advertises no overnight carry costs and no slippage on most executed orders, though some restrictions may limit high-frequency trading.
Overall, Interactive Brokers is the stronger option for traders focused on low commissions and fees, especially active forex traders who can benefit from volume-based discounts. Octa may still appeal to traders looking for simple MetaTrader-style pricing, but its higher spreads in some regions and lower ranking make it less competitive on cost than Interactive Brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Interactive Brokers offers a much wider range of investments than Octa. It provides access to around 8,500 tradable symbols, including about 100 forex pairs, plus exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international markets. Investors can also buy actual cryptocurrency through Interactive Brokers, though it does not offer crypto CFDs or copy trading. By comparison, Octa offers about 300 tradable symbols and 35 forex pairs, with access to international exchange-traded securities, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but not real crypto or U.S.-listed shares.
For range of investments, Interactive Brokers earns a 5-star rating and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #35. If your priority is broad market access and more asset choices, Interactive Brokers is the stronger option. Octa may still appeal to traders who want copy trading and crypto CFD trading in a simpler lineup.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 100 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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.
Interactive Brokers and Octa both give traders a choice of paper trading, a broker-built platform, Windows desktop software, and a web-based platform, so each offers flexible ways to trade. Both also let users place trades directly from a chart. Where they differ most is in third-party and social trading support: Octa includes copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5, while Interactive Brokers does not offer those options.
For trading platforms and tools, Interactive Brokers stands out with a 5-star rating and a #2 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa’s 4-star rating and #33 ranking. In simple terms, Interactive Brokers looks stronger for platform quality overall, while Octa may appeal more to traders who want MetaTrader or copy trading features.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Interactive Brokers and Octa both offer iPhone and Android apps, plus price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on charts, so each gives traders the basics needed to manage positions on the go. Where Interactive Brokers pulls ahead is in app quality and charting depth: it offers watchlist syncing between mobile and online accounts, 155 technical studies in its mobile charts, a 5-star Mobile Trading Apps rating, and a #4 ranking out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com. Octa’s app is simpler, with 30 technical studies and a 4-star rating, and it does not sync watchlists between the app and web account.
One small area where Octa has an edge is chart drawing save settings, since its mobile app auto-saves drawings while Interactive Brokers does not. Even so, for traders who want stronger chart tools, better account syncing, and a higher-rated app overall, Interactive Brokers is the better choice for mobile trading. Octa still covers the essentials, but its mobile experience is more limited by comparison.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Interactive Brokers and Octa both give traders daily market commentary, forex news from major sources, and an economic calendar that tracks upcoming global events. Where Interactive Brokers stands out is in the extra research tools it offers, including Trading Central, a sentiment tool that shows long-versus-short positioning, TipRanks, and Acuity Trading. Octa also includes Autochartist, which can help with technical and fundamental analysis, but it does not offer the same range of third-party research tools as Interactive Brokers.
Overall, Interactive Brokers is rated 5 out of 5 stars for research and ranks #3 out of 36 brokers in this category, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #25 out of 36. For traders who want more market insight and a wider selection of research features, Interactive Brokers has the edge. Octa still covers the basics well, especially with daily commentary and news, but it offers fewer advanced research resources.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Interactive Brokers and Octa both give new traders a wide range of learning tools, including forex or CFDs education, live online client webinars held at least once a month, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos. That means beginners can find helpful material on both platforms, whether they want to start with the basics or build on more advanced trading topics.
Even so, Interactive Brokers stands out for education support. It is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #1 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #34. For beginners who want the strongest mix of educational content and overall learning support, Interactive Brokers is the better choice.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
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 Interactive Brokers is better than Octa. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall rank of #2, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #37.
Interactive Brokers is a highly trusted multi-asset broker with an extensive offering of tradeable global markets. It delivers competitive fees and high-quality research and education, as well as a modern, institutional-grade trading platform suite.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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Octa
|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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Interactive Brokers lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency but does not offer cryptocurrency CFDs, whereas Octa offers cryptocurrency CFDs but does not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency.
Interactive Brokers vs Octa: Interactive Brokers supports ACH/SEPA transfers and bank wires, Octa supports Skrill and bank wires, neither broker supports PayPal, 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 | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1977 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 8 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 8500 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 100 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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 | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 0.626 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 155 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | Interactive Brokers | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Octa Review |
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