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 vs Octa: Swissquote, founded in 1996, is an online broker that is publicly traded and operates as a bank. Octa, founded in 2011, is not publicly traded and is not a bank. These differences can influence transparency and how client money is handled.
Regulatory profile and trust: ForexBrokers.com gives Swissquote a Trust Score of 99 (90–99 = highly trusted) and Octa a 73 (70–79 = average risk). Swissquote holds five Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, while Octa holds one Tier-1 and one Tier-2. Tier-1 regulators are considered highly trusted and Tier-2 trusted; 80–89 is trusted, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 should not be trusted.
| 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 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Octa is the cheaper choice overall compared with Swissquote. Octa has improved its pricing a lot and now sits closer to low-cost MetaTrader brokers, with average EUR/USD spreads listed at 0.5 pips for its EU entity and 0.9 pips for its foreign entities. It also advertises no overnight carry costs and no slippage on 97.5% of executed orders, though its rules can be less friendly for high-frequency traders. Octa is rated 4 stars and ranked #27 out of 36 for commissions and fees.
Swissquote, by contrast, is better known for its Swiss banking name than for low trading costs. Fees vary by region, but in general Swissquote’s U.K. entity offers the most competitive pricing, while its Switzerland and Luxembourg accounts tend to be pricier. For example, Swissquote U.K. has a commission-based Elite account with a $5 round-turn trade charge and lower spreads, while other accounts can start around 1.3 pips on EUR/USD or higher. Across its entities, Swissquote is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #36 out of 36.
In simple terms, Octa is the better pick if your main goal is lower trading costs, while Swissquote may appeal more if you want the backing of a Swiss banking group and are willing to pay a premium for it. Both brokers offer multiple account types, but Swissquote’s pricing is usually higher, especially outside its U.K. arm.
| 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.
Swissquote offers a wider range of investments than Octa, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more markets in one place. Swissquote provides 472 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, compared with Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading, copy trading, international exchange-listed shares, and cryptocurrency CFDs, but Swissquote also lets clients buy real U.S.-listed shares such as Apple and actual cryptocurrency, which Octa does not offer.
For investors who want broader access to stocks, forex, and crypto, Swissquote stands out as the more flexible platform. Its Range of Investments rating is 5 out of 5 stars, and ForexBrokers.com ranks it #2 out of 36 brokers in this category. Octa, while still offering a useful mix of markets, scores 3.5 stars and ranks #34, reflecting a more limited selection overall.
| 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.
Swissquote and Octa both give traders a wide range of platform choices, including a free demo account for practice, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, a web-based platform, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, copy trading, and the ability to trade directly from charts. In other words, each broker covers the main tools many beginners and active traders look for when comparing online brokers for trading platforms and tools.
Where Swissquote stands out is in its overall rating and ranking. Swissquote is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and is ranked #12 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #31 out of 36. Based on this category alone, Swissquote has the edge, though both brokers offer a similar lineup of platform features.
| 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.
Swissquote and Octa both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, along with stock and forex price alerts. Each app also includes 30 technical studies, trendline drawing on charts, and automatic saving for chart drawings. One drawback for both brokers is that watchlists do not sync between the mobile app and the online account, so changes made on one platform do not carry over to the other.
Where Swissquote pulls ahead is in overall app quality and ranking. Swissquote is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps and ranks #12 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #30. For traders who want the stronger mobile app experience, Swissquote has the edge, even though the two brokers are very similar in basic app features.
| 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.
Swissquote and Octa both give traders useful market research tools, including daily market commentary, forex news from major sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, Autochartist tools, and an economic calendar for tracking global events. Neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, Acuity Trading, or a sentiment tool that shows long and short positions, so their research offers are fairly similar in the basics.
That said, Swissquote has the edge overall for research. It earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #15 out of 36 brokers for the Research category on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #24. For traders who want a slightly better mix of market insight and research support, Swissquote comes out ahead.
| 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.
When it comes to learning tools for beginners, Swissquote and Octa both give traders plenty to work with. Each broker offers forex and CFD education with at least 10 pieces of content focused on those markets, plus online client webinars held at least once a month. Both also provide at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos, so new traders and more experienced users can find material that fits their level.
Even so, Swissquote has the edge overall in education. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #19 out of 36 brokers for Education, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #32. For beginners comparing the two, both brokers cover the basics well, but Swissquote appears to offer a slightly stronger learning experience overall.
| 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 #35.
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 |
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Octa
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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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 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Swissquote | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| 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 CMA 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 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Octa Review |
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