Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote 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.
Swissquote and Octa are two established names in the online brokerage world, yet they differ significantly in their regulatory and trust credentials. Founded in 1996, Swissquote is not just a brokerage but also operates as a bank and is publicly traded, lending it an added layer of transparency. With five Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, Swissquote holds a rare ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, marking it as highly trusted. This positions Swissquote favorably for those valuing regulatory confidence and institutional reliability in their trading partner.
Founded in 2011, Octa operates without the backing of a banking institution and is not listed on a stock exchange, providing a more entrepreneurial atmosphere. Despite holding one Tier-1 and one Tier-2 license, Octa has a Trust Score of 72 from ForexBrokers.com, indicating an average risk level. While it might attract traders looking for a different experience from a traditional banking setup, its regulatory standing makes it less preferable for those prioritizing high trust scores.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
For commissions and fees, Octa has the edge. Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #26 of 63 at ForexBrokers.com, while Swissquote holds 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #35 of 63. Octa’s recent pricing improvements and generally tighter quoted spreads give it a cost advantage, whereas Swissquote’s appeal as a Swiss banking brand comes with a slight pricing premium and costs that vary by entity and account.
Swissquote’s pricing depends on whether you open an account with its U.K., Luxembourg, or Swiss entities. In the U.K., the commission-based Elite account suits active traders who can deposit at least $10,000, pairing lower spreads with a $5 charge per round-turn trade; the Professional account is similar, with a lower stop-out threshold. The Standard account starts at 1.3 pips on EUR/USD, and the Prime account shows minimum spreads from 0.6 pips (note these are minimums, not averages). In Luxembourg, minimum deposits are $1,000 (Standard), $5,000 (Premium), and $50,000 (Prime), with minimum spreads ranging from 1.5 pips (Standard) to 0.8 pips (Prime). In Switzerland, forex accounts start at $1,000 with spreads from 1.7 pips (Standard), $10,000 with 1.4 pips (Premium), and $50,000 with 1.1 pips (Prime), with custom pricing negotiable for high-volume traders. Overall, Swissquote’s trading costs are not its strongest point versus low-cost competitors.
Octa’s fees vary by entity and platform, with EU clients using a single MT5 account and international clients able to choose MT4, MT5, or OctaTrader. Octa lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.5 pips in the EU versus 0.9 pips at its foreign entities; however, it does not provide a date range for these averages. Even so, Octa has improved and now keeps pace with many low-cost MetaTrader brokers. Added perks include no slippage on 97.5% of executed orders and no overnight carry costs, though certain rules can limit high-frequency trading.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $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 | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the range of investments, Swissquote offers a wider selection with 472 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, while Octa lists 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Both provide forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts and support copy trading. Independent ratings highlight the gap: Swissquote earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers, whereas Octa is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #33.
Swissquote also stands out for access to exchange-traded securities: you can buy shares on U.S. exchanges (such as Apple on NASDAQ) as well as international markets (like Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange). Octa offers exchange-traded securities on select international exchanges but not U.S. listings. For crypto, Swissquote lets you buy actual cryptocurrencies in addition to crypto CFDs, while Octa offers crypto CFDs only. Overall, Swissquote suits investors seeking broader market access, while Octa covers core CFD and copy-trading needs.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
In this Swissquote vs Octa comparison, both brokers cover the essentials for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo (paper) account, a proprietary platform, and support for MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). You can trade in your browser or install a Windows desktop platform, use copy trading, and place orders directly from charts with either broker. While both provide charting and watch lists, the exact number of built-in indicators and watch list columns isn’t specified.
For ratings, Swissquote scores higher: 4.5/5 stars and #12 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa’s 4/5 stars and #30 ranking. If ratings are a deciding factor, Swissquote has the edge. If you mainly want MT4/MT5, web and desktop access, copy trading, and chart trading, both Swissquote and Octa meet those needs.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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) | 86 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Choosing between Swissquote and Octa for a mobile trading app? Both support iPhone and Android and cover the essentials for trading on the go. Each offers price alerts, 30 technical studies for charting, the ability to draw trendlines, and auto‑saved drawings. The main limitation is the same for both: watchlist symbol syncing isn’t available, so changes made on mobile won’t sync with your online account.
Ratings and rankings set them apart. Swissquote’s mobile app is rated 4.5/5 stars and ranks #12 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa holds 4/5 stars and ranks #29. If third‑party scores influence your choice, Swissquote has the edge. If you simply need the core features for forex and stock charting on mobile, Octa keeps pace on capabilities.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | 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.
Comparing Swissquote vs Octa for market research, both brokers cover the essentials. Each provides daily market commentary, top-tier forex news (from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or similar), Autochartist for pattern and signal ideas, and an economic calendar to track key events. That mix helps traders stay informed and spot opportunities with straightforward tools and timely updates.
Where they differ is mainly in standing rather than features. Neither broker includes Trading Central, sentiment tools showing long/short ratios, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Both earn 4 out of 5 stars for Research, yet Swissquote ranks higher overall—#15 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com—while Octa sits at #24. If you want comparable research basics with a slight edge in independent rankings, Swissquote has the nod.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Swissquote vs Octa: both brokers deliver beginner-friendly forex and CFD education with at least ten learning pieces and ongoing monthly webinars. Each offers a sizable video catalog that includes 10+ beginner videos to help newcomers learn the basics, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper.
Both earn 4 stars for Education, but Swissquote holds a higher placement in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings (#19 of 63) compared to Octa (#32 of 63). If you want a slightly stronger overall standing, Swissquote gets the edge. If you’re simply looking for plenty of videos and regular webinars to kick-start your learning, either broker will suit a beginner well.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
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 Swissquote is better than Octa. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #34.
Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
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Octa
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 72 |
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Swissquote vs Octa: the online broker Swissquote lets you buy actual delivered cryptocurrency and trade cryptocurrency CFDs, while Octa does not offer delivered crypto but does provide crypto CFDs.
Swissquote vs Octa: for deposits and withdrawals, Swissquote offers ACH/SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wire transfers, while Octa lacks ACH/SEPA and PayPal but supports Skrill and bank wires; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | Swissquote | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 72 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | 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) | Swissquote | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Swissquote | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | Swissquote | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | N/A | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Swissquote | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Swissquote | 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 | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Swissquote | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | 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 | Swissquote | 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 | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Octa Review |
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