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 comparing commissions and fees, Octa comes out ahead of Swissquote overall. Octa is rated 4 stars and ranked #28 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees, while Swissquote is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #37 out of 36. In simple terms, Swissquote tends to charge more, especially if you compare it with low-cost forex brokers, though its U.K. accounts are usually cheaper than its Switzerland and Luxembourg offerings.
Swissquote’s pricing depends on which branch you use. In the U.K., the Elite account can be the best value for active traders, with a $5 round-turn commission and lower spreads, while Standard and Prime accounts start from about 1.3 pips and 0.6 pips on EUR/USD, respectively. Luxembourg accounts are similar, with spreads starting around 0.8 pips on Prime and rising to about 1.5 pips on Standard. In Switzerland, costs are generally higher still, with EUR/USD spreads starting near 1.7 pips on Standard and 1.1 pips on Prime.
Octa has made bigger progress on pricing. Its EU entity lists an average EUR/USD spread of about 0.5 pips, while its international entities list around 0.9 pips. Octa also promotes no overnight carry costs and no slippage on most orders, which can help lower trading expenses for many users. That said, its pricing details are less transparent than some rivals, and some account limits may be less friendly for very active traders.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | N/A | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | N/A | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 variety. Swissquote supports forex trading, stock trading on both U.S. and international exchanges, copy trading, and both actual cryptocurrency and crypto CFDs. It also provides 472 tradeable symbols and 80 forex pairs, which is well above Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. For range of investments, Swissquote is rated 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com.
Octa still covers some key markets, including forex CFDs or spot trading, international exchange-traded securities, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs. However, it does not offer exchange-traded U.S. stocks or the option to buy actual cryptocurrency, which limits its product selection compared with Swissquote. For investors looking for a broader lineup, Swissquote has the clear edge, while Octa is better suited to those who need a simpler range of markets. Octa is rated 3.5 stars and ranks #35 out of 36 brokers for range of investments.
| 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 free demo accounts, their own in-house platforms, web-based access, Windows desktop downloads, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading. Each broker also lets users trade directly from charts, which can make it easier to react quickly to market moves. On the tools side, both brokers offer charting and watch lists, though the exact number of indicators and watch list columns is not listed here.
Where they differ is in third-party assessments. Swissquote earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #12 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #33. For traders comparing online brokers on platform quality and trading tools, Swissquote has the stronger overall rating, but Octa still offers many of the same core 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 give traders the basics they need in a mobile app, with iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, 30 technical studies, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. Neither broker offers watchlist symbol syncing between the mobile app and online account, so watchlists do not update across devices. For everyday mobile trading features, the two brokers are very similar.
The main difference 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 at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #31. If you want the stronger mobile trading experience, Swissquote has the edge.
| 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, with each offering daily market commentary, news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, Autochartist, and an economic calendar for tracking major events. Neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, Acuity Trading tools, or a sentiment indicator that shows long-versus-short positioning, so their research lineups are fairly similar in those areas.
Where Swissquote stands out is in its overall research quality and ranking. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for Research and ranks #15 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa is rated 4 stars and ranks #25. For traders comparing online brokers, Swissquote has the edge for market research, although Octa still covers the key basics well.
| 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 resources for beginners, both Swissquote and Octa give traders a lot to work with. Each broker offers forex or CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces, monthly online client webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos as well as 10 advanced videos. That means new traders can find a mix of articles, videos, and live sessions at both firms, making either one a useful place to start.
Swissquote has the edge overall, though. It earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #19 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #34. In simple terms, both brokers support beginners well, but Swissquote is the stronger choice if education is a top priority.
| 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 #12, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #37.
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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| 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) - Spread-only account | N/A | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 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 (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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