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 (founded 2010) and Octa (founded 2011) are online forex brokers that are not publicly traded and are not banks. According to ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score, Pepperstone scores 94/99—classified as highly trusted (90–99)—while Octa scores 73/99, which falls into the average-risk range (70–79).
On regulation, Pepperstone holds 3 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). Octa holds 1 Tier-1 license and 1 Tier-2 license. This gives Pepperstone a stronger regulatory profile than Octa, a point to consider if you value stricter oversight and clearer safety benchmarks.
| 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 comes out ahead of Octa on commissions and fees, especially for active and high-volume traders. Pepperstone earns 5 stars and ranks #6 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees, while Octa holds 4 stars and ranks #27 out of 36 brokers. Pepperstone’s Razor account offers low pricing with commission-based trading and an average EUR/USD spread of 0.10 pips as of July 2024; after adding the commission-equivalent cost of 0.70 pips, the all-in cost is 0.80 pips. Its commission-free Standard account is simpler to use, but the average EUR/USD spread of 1.1 pips makes it the pricier choice overall.
Octa has improved its pricing and now competes more closely with low-cost MetaTrader brokers, but its fees vary by account type and by the entity that regulates the account. In the EU, Octa lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.5 pips, while its non-EU entities list 0.9 pips. Octa also advertises no overnight carry costs and no slippage on 97.5% of orders, though its pricing claims are harder to compare because the broker does not provide a date range for its average spread data.
For traders focused on keeping costs down, Pepperstone is the stronger choice overall, mainly because its Razor account delivers clearer and more competitive pricing and its Active Trader program can reduce costs further for qualifying clients. Octa can still be appealing for some traders, especially those who value no overnight carry charges, but Pepperstone offers the better mix of pricing, transparency, and value in the commissions and fees category.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.1 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 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 investments than Octa, especially for traders who want more choice in forex and CFDs. Pepperstone lists 1,726 tradeable symbols and 65 forex pairs, compared with Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, and both offer copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs. However, neither broker lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency.
When it comes to shares, neither Pepperstone nor Octa offers U.S.-listed exchange traded securities like Apple stock. Octa does offer exchange traded securities on international exchanges, such as Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange, while Pepperstone does not. Based on range of investments, Pepperstone is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #23 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Octa is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #34.
| 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 both give traders plenty of ways to get started, including free demo accounts, web-based platforms, Windows desktop downloads, copy trading, and support for both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Each broker also offers a proprietary platform built in-house, so users can choose between familiar third-party tools and a platform created by the broker itself. Both also let traders place orders directly from charts, which can make it easier to act quickly when markets move.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, both brokers are rated 4 out of 5 stars, but Pepperstone holds a better ForexBrokers.com ranking in this category, placing #21 out of 36 brokers compared with Octa at #31. That suggests Pepperstone has a slight edge overall, even though the two brokers share many of the same core platform features. For most everyday traders, the choice may come down to personal preference for platform design, tools, and workflow.
| 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 give mobile traders the basics they need on iPhone and Android, including 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 both platforms should feel familiar and useful for everyday trading on the go.
The biggest difference is watchlist syncing. Pepperstone lets watchlists sync between its mobile app and online account, so updates carry over in either place, while Octa does not offer this feature. That edge helps Pepperstone finish higher in ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, placing #19 out of 36 brokers, compared with Octa at #30 out of 36.
| 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.
Pepperstone and Octa both give traders a helpful range of market research tools. Each offers daily market commentary, forex news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Autochartist tools, and an economic calendar for tracking upcoming global events. Neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research, so their core research offerings are fairly similar on paper.
The main difference is that Pepperstone adds a sentiment tool showing the balance of long and short positions, which Octa does not offer. That extra feature, along with Pepperstone’s higher research rating of 4.5 stars versus Octa’s 4 stars, and its better ranking at #13 out of 36 brokers compared with Octa’s #24, gives Pepperstone the edge for market research overall.
| 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 give beginners a solid range of learning tools, including forex and CFD education, regular online webinars, and at least 10 beginner and 10 advanced trading videos each. This means new traders can find clear starting points, while more experienced users also have material to build on. If you want a broker with a stronger overall education offering, though, Pepperstone has the edge.
Pepperstone is rated 4.5 out of 5 for Education and ranks #15 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa’s 4 out of 5 rating and #32 rank. In plain terms, both brokers cover the basics well, but Pepperstone appears to offer a wider and better-regarded learning experience for beginners.
| 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 #17, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #35.
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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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 94 | 73 |
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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 | 94 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Pepperstone | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Pepperstone | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 94 | 73 | |
| 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 (FSA 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 CMA 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 | 1.1 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Pepperstone | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $10 | $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 | 94 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Octa Review |
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