Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of ThinkMarkets vs Octa, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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ThinkMarkets and Octa are both reputable online brokers, each having unique strengths and regulatory backgrounds. ThinkMarkets, founded in 2010, boasts a high Trust Score of 92 according to ForexBrokers.com, categorizing it as highly trusted. This can be attributed to its five Tier-1 licenses, the most prestigious regulatory status, and two Tier-2 licenses. ThinkMarkets is not publicly traded nor a bank, but its strong regulatory compliance provides a sense of security for users.
Octa, established in 2011, holds a Trust Score of 72, placing it in the average risk category. It has one Tier-1 license and one Tier-2 license, indicating it meets trusted regulatory standards, but at a lesser degree than ThinkMarkets. Similar to its counterpart, Octa is neither publicly traded nor a bank. While Octa presents itself as a viable trading platform, potential users might consider the differences in regulatory backing as an important factor in their decision-making process.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 3 | 1 |
When comparing commissions and fees, both ThinkMarkets and Octa earn 4 out of 5 stars. However, Octa ranks higher at #30 out of 63 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category, while ThinkMarkets sits at #48 out of 63. A key difference is transparency: ThinkMarkets does not publish average spread data, making apples-to-apples comparisons harder, whereas Octa provides typical spread figures (with caveats).
Octa’s pricing has improved and is now competitive with many low-cost MetaTrader brokers. It reports no slippage on 97.5% of executed orders and no overnight carry costs, though it imposes restrictions that can hinder high-frequency strategies. Fees and spreads depend on your account type and the Octa entity that regulates your account: EU clients use the EU entity (MT5-only), while international clients may be onboarded via South Africa or its offshore entity in Mwali. Listed average spreads for EUR/USD are 0.5 pips under the EU entity versus 0.9 pips for foreign entities—yet Octa does not provide a date range for these figures, limiting their reliability for precise comparisons.
ThinkMarkets provides a solid 4-star showing but offers no average spread data, so prospective users should validate live quotes to gauge their effective trading costs. Octa, also 4 stars, delivers clearer pricing signals and certain cost advantages like no overnight carry costs, but its entity-based differences and restrictions mean your actual experience will vary. Bottom line: Octa (#30/63) currently edges ThinkMarkets (#48/63) on fees transparency and stated pricing, while ThinkMarkets’ lack of published spreads leaves more homework for traders.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.1 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
ThinkMarkets offers a much wider range of investments than Octa. You can trade about 4,000 symbols at ThinkMarkets versus roughly 300 at Octa, including 46 vs 35 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading via CFDs (contracts for difference) or spot, provide copy trading, and let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs (but not actual coins). Neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares directly, but both offer access to international exchange-traded shares on certain markets (for example, Vodafone in London).
For range of investments, ForexBrokers.com rates ThinkMarkets 4.5/5 stars and Octa 3.5/5, ranking them #24 and #53 out of 63 brokers, respectively. If you want more markets and symbols to choose from—plus international share dealing—ThinkMarkets has the edge; Octa covers the essentials with fewer choices.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
ThinkMarkets vs Octa: both brokers check the key boxes for trading platforms and tools. Each offers a free demo (paper) account, a proprietary platform, and support for MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. You can trade in a web browser or via a Windows desktop download, access copy trading, and place orders directly from charts—useful whether you’re testing ideas or trading day to day.
In independent ratings, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools. For rankings, ThinkMarkets comes in at #28 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa is #38, indicating a slight edge for ThinkMarkets, though the overall platform experience remains competitive for both.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
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) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
ThinkMarkets and Octa both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts to help you track moves on the go. Each app lets you draw trendlines on charts and automatically saves your drawings, so your chart work isn’t lost between sessions. One drawback for both: watchlists created in the mobile app don’t sync with the online account.
For charting depth, ThinkMarkets provides 94 technical studies, while Octa offers 30. Despite that gap, both apps hold a 4-star Mobile Trading Apps rating. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings out of 63 brokers, ThinkMarkets sits at #20 and Octa at #37. If you value a larger set of technical indicators, ThinkMarkets has the edge; if watchlist syncing is a must-have, neither app currently delivers it.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
ThinkMarkets vs Octa: both brokers deliver daily market commentary, top-tier forex news (from sources like Bloomberg or Reuters), and an economic calendar. The key differences lie in research tools. Octa includes Autochartist for automated chart pattern ideas, while ThinkMarkets does not. ThinkMarkets counters with a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning across instruments and offers Acuity Trading tools such as Signal Centre—features Octa doesn’t provide. Neither broker includes Trading Central or TipRanks.
In independent ratings from ForexBrokers.com, Octa earns 4 stars and ranks #27 for Research, while ThinkMarkets scores 3.5 stars and ranks #51. If you want Autochartist-powered technical ideas, Octa is the stronger choice. If you prefer sentiment data and Signal Centre-style insights from Acuity Trading, ThinkMarkets may fit better. Both are solid picks for staying on top of forex news and market events.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
ThinkMarkets and Octa both offer forex and CFD education that beginners can actually use. Each broker provides at least 10 educational pieces, plus monthly client webinars. You’ll also find a clear video path: at least 10 beginner videos to get started, and at least 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper.
For overall education quality, Octa has the edge with a 4-star rating and a #42 ranking out of 63 brokers, while ThinkMarkets earns 3.5 stars and ranks #52. In short, both brokers cover the basics and beyond, but beginners seeking a slightly stronger learning experience may prefer Octa.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
|
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 ThinkMarkets is better than Octa. ThinkMarkets finished with an overall rank of #27, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
ThinkMarkets has multiple regulatory license and offers a proprietary trading platform, as well as the entire MetaTrader suite. The broker has made progress in key areas, such as research and education, and the range of markets available, although trails behind the best brokers in these categories.
| Feature |
ThinkMarkets
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Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 72 |
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ThinkMarkets vs Octa: neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both let you trade cryptocurrency via CFDs (not the underlying asset).
ThinkMarkets vs Octa: for deposits and withdrawals, both lack ACH/SEPA transfers; Octa supports Skrill and bank wire transfers but not PayPal, while ThinkMarkets’ support for PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires isn’t specified.
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 | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Regulation | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 72 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | 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 | 3 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | ThinkMarkets | 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 | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4000 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.1 | 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 | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $50 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | ThinkMarkets | 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 | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | ThinkMarkets | 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 | 94 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | ThinkMarkets | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Octa Review |
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