Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Questrade 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.
Questrade, founded in 2000, and Octa, established in 2011, are both online brokers that are not publicly traded or classified as banks. In terms of regulatory credentials, Questrade holds two Tier-1 licenses which are highly trusted according to ForexBrokers.com standards. On the other hand, Octa has one Tier-1 license and one Tier-2 license, indicating a mix of high and moderate trust levels.
When considering trust scores provided by ForexBrokers.com, Questrade boasts a solid rating of 86 out of 99, placing it in the trusted category. Octa, however, receives a lower trust score of 72, which classifies it as an average risk broker. These ratings can help potential users evaluate the regulatory safety of these platforms while deciding which broker suits their investment needs best.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Octa comes out ahead of Questrade. Questrade is rated 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #59 out of 63 brokers for this category at ForexBrokers.com, in part because its target EUR/USD spread of 1.9 pips is steep versus the industry average. Octa earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #30 out of 63, reflecting better overall pricing progress among MetaTrader brokers.
Octa’s costs depend on your account type and which Octa entity regulates your account. EU clients get a single MT5 account, while international clients can choose MT4, MT5, or OctaTrader via its South Africa or Mwali entities. Octa lists average EUR/USD spreads at 0.5 pips in the EU and 0.9 pips for its foreign entities. Note that Octa does not provide a date range for these averages, so treat them as marketing indications rather than verified historical data. Octa also reports no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, though it has restrictions that can limit high-frequency trading.
Bottom line: If minimizing spreads and avoiding extra costs like overnight fees matters most, Octa looks more cost-friendly on paper—especially for EU accounts—while Questrade’s EUR/USD pricing is comparatively high. Always confirm live spreads and the exact entity terms before you trade, as fees and features can vary by region and account type.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $250 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 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.
Questrade vs Octa: for range of investments, Questrade offers a wider selection. Questrade lists 641 tradeable symbols and 110 forex pairs, while Octa has 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot, and both let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs (neither sells actual crypto). In independent ratings for range of investments, Questrade earns 5 stars and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers, while Octa earns 3.5 stars and ranks #53.
Stock access is a key divider. Questrade lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. markets (like Apple on NASDAQ) and on international exchanges. Octa does not offer U.S.-listed stocks, though it does offer exchange-traded securities on international exchanges. For social features, Octa supports copy trading; Questrade does not. Overall, Questrade suits investors seeking more markets and symbols, while Octa appeals to traders who want copy trading alongside CFDs.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 641 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | 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.
Questrade and Octa both make it easy to test the waters with free demo (paper) trading. Each broker offers its own proprietary platform, plus a Windows-based desktop download and a web-based trading platform, so you can trade on a PC or in your browser. Both support placing trades directly from charts. Details like the number of built-in indicators or watch-list fields can vary by platform version, but either way you can chart markets and monitor symbols side by side.
For third-party tools, the two differ: Octa supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and also offers copy trading, while Questrade does not support MT4/MT5 and does not offer copy trading. According to ForexBrokers.com, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, with Questrade ranked #35 and Octa ranked #38 out of 63 brokers. If you want MetaTrader or copy trading, Octa is the better fit; if you prefer an in-house platform with paper trading and both web and desktop access, either broker will work.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
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) | 64 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Questrade and Octa both offer iPhone and Android trading apps with price alerts. Each earns 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading, according to ForexBrokers.com. In the Mobile Trading Apps rankings out of 63 brokers, Questrade placed #35 and Octa placed #37. A key difference is watchlists: Questrade syncs symbols between the mobile app and your online account so changes carry over, while Octa does not support watchlist syncing.
For charting on the go, Questrade provides 64 technical studies versus 30 with Octa. Both apps let you draw trendlines and automatically save your chart drawings. If you value more indicator choices and synced watchlists, Questrade has the edge. If you only need the basics with alerts on iPhone or Android, Octa still covers the essentials.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Comparing market research, Octa stands out with daily market commentary and access to forex news from top-tier sources (think Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones–style coverage). Both Questrade and Octa provide Autochartist tools and an economic calendar. Neither broker includes Acuity Trading’s Signal Centre or a sentiment tool that shows long/short ratios. Questrade adds Trading Central and TipRanks, which Octa doesn’t offer, while Questrade’s access to top-tier forex news isn’t specified here.
For ratings, Octa earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #27 out of 63 for Research, while Questrade scores 3.5 stars and ranks #52. Choose Octa if you want frequent commentary and integrated news; pick Questrade if Trading Central and TipRanks are a priority for your analysis.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Questrade vs. Octa for beginner education: both brokers offer a solid base of learning with at least 10 beginner-focused trading videos. Octa goes further with monthly live educational webinars and at least 10 advanced videos that help new traders grow into more confident, experienced ones. Questrade does not host monthly webinars and doesn’t match Octa’s volume of advanced video content.
On quality scores, Octa earns 4 stars for Education versus Questrade’s 3.5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s Education category rankings, Questrade places #36 out of 63 brokers while Octa is #42 out of 63. If you want live sessions and a deeper video library, Octa is the better fit; if you just need a starter set of beginner videos, Questrade covers the basics.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Questrade is better than Octa. Questrade finished with an overall rank of #32, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
Regulated in both the U.S. and Canada, Questrade is a trusted full-service multi-asset broker now offering forex and CFDs alongside its stock trading services for active and passive investors. While its scope of educational resources and in-house research is limited, Questrade has an impressive platform lineup.
| Feature |
Questrade
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Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 72 |
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Questrade vs Octa: Neither online broker allows you to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
In the Questrade vs Octa comparison of deposit and withdrawal options, both lack ACH/SEPA and PayPal but support bank wires, only Octa supports Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability isn’t 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 | Questrade | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Questrade | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 72 | |
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | 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) | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 641 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | 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 | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $250 | $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 | Questrade | 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 | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Questrade | 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 | 64 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | ||
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Questrade Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | Questrade | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review | Octa Review |
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