Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Pepperstone 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.
Pepperstone and Octa are both well-known players in the online trading industry, having been established in 2010 and 2011, respectively. While neither is publicly traded or operates as a bank, there are significant differences in their regulatory standings. Pepperstone holds three Tier-1 licenses, which is a sign of high trust according to ForexBrokers.com. In comparison, Octa has just one Tier-1 license. Additionally, Pepperstone possesses two Tier-2 licenses, reflecting its trustworthy status further, whereas Octa maintains only one Tier-2 license.
The ForexBrokers.com Trust Score highlights these differences clearly. Pepperstone scores an impressive 95 out of 99, categorizing it as highly trusted. On the other hand, Octa has a Trust Score of 72, placing it in the average risk category. This information reflects the strong regulatory framework supporting Pepperstone, making it a more trusted choice among online brokers when compared to Octa.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
Pepperstone’s commissions and fees are most attractive on its Razor account, which uses commission-based pricing on TradingView, MetaTrader (MT4/MT5), and cTrader. The EUR/USD averaged 0.10 pips (July 2024) before commissions; when you add the commission-equivalent of 0.70 pips, the all-in cost comes to about 0.80 pips. Its Standard account is commission-free but pricier, with a 1.1-pip average on EUR/USD. High-volume traders can lower costs through Pepperstone’s Active Trader program: in the U.K./EU, Professional clients trading at least £20 million per month can get a 15% spread rebate per lot, rising to 25% above £200 million; in Australia, Professional clients start at 10% off per lot (Tier One) and can reach 30% off at more than 3001 lots monthly. Pepperstone’s commissions and fees rating: 4.5/5 stars; category ranking: #11 of 63.
Octa has improved its pricing and now competes more closely with low-cost MetaTrader brokers. Spreads depend on the entity: the EU arm lists a 0.5-pip average on EUR/USD, while international entities list about 0.9 pips; however, Octa does not provide a date range for these typical spreads. Octa also reports no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, though it has rules that can limit high-frequency strategies. Account availability varies: EU clients get an MT5 account, while international clients can choose MT4, MT5, or OctaTrader. Octa’s commissions and fees rating: 4/5 stars; category ranking: #30 of 63.
Pepperstone vs. Octa on costs: Pepperstone’s Razor all-in pricing of about 0.80 pips on EUR/USD is near the industry average and can become more appealing for very active traders who qualify for volume rebates. Octa’s EU spread claim of 0.5 pips looks sharper on paper, but the lack of a date range makes it harder to verify versus time-stamped data. Pepperstone’s Standard account (1.1 pips, no commission) is the costlier choice within its lineup, while Octa’s no overnight carry costs may benefit longer-term positions. Actual pricing will vary by platform, entity, and market conditions.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Pepperstone offers a wider range of markets than Octa, with 1,726 tradeable symbols versus Octa’s 300. For currency traders, Pepperstone lists 65 forex pairs compared with Octa’s 35, and both brokers support forex trading (via CFDs/spot). Reflecting this broader selection, Pepperstone earns 4 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #27 out of 63 brokers, while Octa earns 3.5 stars and ranks #53.
When it comes to assets beyond forex, neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares directly, and neither supports buying actual cryptocurrencies. Both do offer crypto via CFDs and provide copy trading. A key difference: Octa allows trading of real international shares, whereas Pepperstone does not. Choose Pepperstone if you want more symbols and forex pairs, or pick Octa if access to international exchange-traded shares matters to you.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 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.
Pepperstone and Octa line up closely for trading platforms and tools. Both brokers provide a free demo account for simulated (paper) trading, offer their own proprietary platform, and support Windows desktop and web-based platforms. You’ll also get copy trading and access to MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), plus the ability to place trades directly from charts—useful for timing entries and exits.
Each broker earns 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. In ForexBrokers.com’s category ranking, Pepperstone sits at #22 out of 63 brokers, while Octa is #38, giving Pepperstone a slight edge. Counts for technical indicators and watchlist columns were not specified, so it’s worth checking the platform you plan to use. If you want a small advantage in third-party evaluations, Pepperstone may appeal; if you value similar features with copy trading and a proprietary platform, Octa remains competitive.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
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) | 15 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Pepperstone and Octa both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with price alerts, giving you quick updates on forex and other markets. A key difference is watchlist syncing: Pepperstone syncs your watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so changes appear everywhere. Octa does not offer this, which may matter if you switch between devices or platforms during the day.
For charting, both mobile apps include 30 technical indicators, support drawing trendlines, and auto-save your chart annotations. Each app earns a 4-star rating for mobile trading. However, Pepperstone ranks higher in the Mobile Trading Apps category on ForexBrokers.com (#21 out of 63) compared with Octa (#37), suggesting Pepperstone offers a more polished overall mobile experience.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
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.
If you're deciding between Pepperstone and Octa for your market research needs, both brokers provide some essential tools. They each offer daily market commentary and access to forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. For technical and fundamental insights, both platforms integrate Autochartist tools but neither offers Trading Central. While Pepperstone stands out with a sentiment-based trading tool, Octa does not provide this feature. Both brokers offer an economic calendar to keep track of global events, although neither utilizes research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading.
Pepperstone receives a slightly higher research rating, earning 4.5 stars, compared to Octa's 4 stars. This higher rating coincides with Pepperstone's superior research ranking at #12, while Octa is positioned at #27 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Overall, while both offer a solid foundation of research tools, Pepperstone's additional sentiment analysis capability might appeal to users looking for deeper market insights.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
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 | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Pepperstone and Octa both support beginner traders with forex and CFD education. Each offers a sizable video library with at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, plus online client webinars held at least monthly. This blend of easy-to-follow videos and regular webinars helps new traders learn core concepts, platform basics, and strategy ideas in a straightforward way.
According to ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone’s education scores 4.5/5 and ranks 17th out of 63 brokers, while Octa scores 4/5 and ranks 42nd. If you’re comparing Pepperstone vs Octa for beginner education, Pepperstone has the edge for higher-rated learning resources, while Octa still delivers the essentials with steady beginner videos and ongoing webinars.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
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 Pepperstone is better than Octa. Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
Pepperstone offers a growing range of tradeable markets, good-quality research, and support for multiple social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
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Octa
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| Trust Score | 95 | 72 |
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Pepperstone vs Octa: neither broker allows you to buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Comparing online brokers Pepperstone vs Octa: Pepperstone supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wire transfers but not Skrill, while Octa supports Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; 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 | Pepperstone | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Pepperstone | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Pepperstone | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 72 | |
| 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 | 3 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Pepperstone | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | 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) | |||
| 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) | Pepperstone | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Pepperstone | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 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 | Pepperstone | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Pepperstone | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Pepperstone | 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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | Pepperstone | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Pepperstone | 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 | Pepperstone | 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 | Pepperstone | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Pepperstone | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | Pepperstone | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Octa Review |
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