Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo 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.
When comparing the online brokers Saxo and Octa, their regulatory backgrounds offer critical insights for potential investors. Saxo, founded in 1992, is recognized for its highly trusted reputation and boasts a remarkable Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. As a licensed bank, Saxo holds seven Tier-1 licenses, indicating high trust, alongside one Tier-2 license. On the other hand, Octa, established in 2011, carries a Trust Score of 72, reflecting an average risk level. Although Octa is not a bank, it still maintains its reliability with one Tier-1 and one Tier-2 license.
Neither Saxo nor Octa are publicly traded entities, which means they are not listed on any stock exchange. However, their regulatory credentials shed light on their trustworthiness. Saxo's significant number of Tier-1 licenses underscores its strong position in providing trusted financial services. In contrast, Octa, with one Tier-1 license, suggests a more cautious approach but still maintains a level of trust through its regulatory compliance. For investors seeking a broker with a time-tested reputation and strong regulatory framework, Saxo stands out, while Octa offers a viable option for those comfortable with a moderate level of risk.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Saxo and Octa both target low costs, but they take different routes. Saxo earns 5 stars for Commissions and Fees and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers, while Octa earns 4 stars and ranks #26. Saxo tends to favor active and high‑volume traders with tiered pricing, whereas Octa has sharpened its spreads and promotes strong execution claims, though some data transparency is limited.
Saxo is commission‑free on forex, making money on the spread, with one exception: if you trade under 50,000 units in a month, there’s a $3 per‑side ticket fee. On EUR/USD, average spreads are 1.1 pips (Classic), 1.0 pips (Platinum), and 0.9 pips (VIP), with minimums about 0.2 pips lower. The Classic account now has a $0 minimum deposit; Platinum requires $200,000 (AUD 300,000 in Australia) or an upgrade via loyalty points; VIP requires a $1,000,000 deposit or significant trading volume for an upgrade. Saxo also waives share‑trading custody fees if you opt into securities lending.
Octa’s fees depend on your account type and which entity regulates you. Its EU entity lists a 0.5‑pip average spread on EUR/USD, compared with 0.9 pips at its foreign entities (no date range is provided for these figures). Octa highlights 97.5% of orders with no slippage and no overnight carry costs, but it imposes limits that can restrict high‑frequency trading. In the EU, only MT5 is available; internationally, MT4, MT5, and OctaTrader accounts are offered—so your final pricing can vary by region and platform.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 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.
Saxo and Octa both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot, and each supports crypto CFDs (but not actual coins). That’s where the similarities end. Saxo offers far more markets, with about 71,000 tradeable symbols and 190 forex pairs, versus Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 pairs. Saxo also lets you buy real, exchange-listed shares in the U.S. (like Apple on NASDAQ) and on international exchanges, while Octa doesn’t offer U.S.-listed shares but does provide access to exchange-traded securities on international markets.
Feature-wise, Octa includes copy trading, whereas Saxo does not. Based on ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments ratings, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers, while Octa scores 3.5 stars and ranks #33. In short, Saxo is a better fit if you want the widest selection of markets and the ability to own shares across U.S. and global exchanges, while Octa can suit traders who prefer a simpler lineup with copy trading and a focus on forex and CFDs.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 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). | 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.
Saxo and Octa both check key boxes for platform access and ease of use: each offers a free demo account, an in-house proprietary platform, Windows desktop software, a web-based platform, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. The big differences are tool choice and extras. Octa supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) and includes copy trading, while Saxo does not offer MT4/MT5 or copy trading. Indicator counts and watch list column options were not specified for either broker.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers, while Octa earns 4 stars and ranks #30, according to ForexBrokers.com. In short, choose Octa if you want MetaTrader or copy trading; choose Saxo if you prefer an in-house platform experience with higher-rated tools.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
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) | 61 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Saxo and Octa both offer well-equipped mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, trendline drawing on charts, and auto-saving of your drawings. A key difference is watchlist syncing: Saxo syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, so changes you make on one device appear on the other. Octa does not offer this syncing, which may matter if you switch frequently between phone and desktop.
For charting, Saxo provides 64 technical studies compared with Octa’s 30, giving Saxo more depth for technical analysis on the go. Reflecting these strengths, ForexBrokers.com rates Saxo’s mobile trading app 5 stars and ranks it #3 out of 63 brokers, while Octa earns 4 stars and ranks #29. If you value more indicators and cross-device watchlist syncing, Saxo’s mobile app has the edge; if you need the basics on both iPhone and Android, Octa still covers the essentials.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
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.
Saxo vs Octa for market research: Both brokers deliver extensive coverage. Each offers daily market commentary, an economic calendar, and forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones. You also get Autochartist for technical ideas. Neither includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools. The key difference is sentiment: Saxo provides a position-sentiment tool showing long/short ratios across instruments, while Octa does not.
According to ForexBrokers.com, Saxo earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers, while Octa holds 4 stars and ranks #24. If you want the broadest mix of in-house insights, third-party tools, and a helpful sentiment gauge, Saxo has the edge. If you mainly need daily commentary, headline news, Autochartist, and a clear calendar, Octa covers the essentials.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
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.
Saxo and Octa both deliver beginner-friendly forex and CFD education. Each broker offers more than ten learning materials, including video lessons, and they run client webinars at least monthly. New traders get a clear starting path thanks to 10+ beginner videos from both brands, and there’s room to grow with 10+ advanced videos if you want to deepen your skills.
Where they differ is overall depth and recognition. Saxo earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers for Education on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa holds a 4-star rating and ranks #32. If you want the most polished learning experience, Saxo has the edge; if you’re simply looking for accessible webinars and plenty of videos to get started, Octa still fits the bill.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
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 Saxo is better than Octa. Saxo finished with an overall rank of #3, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #34.
Saxo is an exclusive multi-asset broker with brilliant research and a superb trading platform experience – as well as a stunning selection of over 40,000 securities.
| Feature |
Saxo
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Octa
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| Trust Score | 99 | 72 |
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Saxo vs Octa: neither online broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading instead.
Comparing online brokers Saxo and Octa: neither supports ACH or SEPA transfers or PayPal for deposits/withdrawals, both support bank wire transfers, Octa supports Skrill while Saxo does not, 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 | Saxo | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Saxo | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 72 | |
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Saxo | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | 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) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Saxo | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| 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 | Saxo | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 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). | 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 | Saxo | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Saxo | 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 | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Saxo | 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 | Saxo | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 61 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Saxo | 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 | Saxo | 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 | Saxo | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Saxo | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Saxo Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | Saxo | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | Octa Review |
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