Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Tickmill 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.
Comparing online brokers Tickmill and Octa: Tickmill was founded in 2014, while Octa launched in 2011. Neither is publicly traded or a bank. According to the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score scale (90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, below 59 not trusted), Tickmill scores 85/99 (trusted) and Octa scores 73/99 (average risk).
In terms of regulation, Tickmill holds 2 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses, whereas Octa holds 1 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 license. Because Tier-1 regulators are considered highly trusted and Tier-2 trusted by ForexBrokers.com, Tickmill offers wider high-grade oversight and a higher trust rating. Octa still maintains recognized licensing, but with fewer top-tier approvals and a lower trust category.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When it comes to commissions and fees, Tickmill comes out ahead of Octa. Tickmill is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 36 brokers for this category. Its Classic account is commission-free, but spreads are higher, while its Raw account is built for lower trading costs and charges a $3 per side commission per standard lot. Even after the recent commission increase, Tickmill still offers strong overall pricing for active traders, especially thanks to its low spreads and low minimum deposit on the Raw account.
Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #27 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Octa has improved its pricing and can be competitive, with average EUR/USD spreads listed at 0.5 pips for its EU entity and 0.9 pips for international entities. It also advertises no overnight carry costs and very little slippage on executed orders, but pricing details vary by entity and its spread data does not include a clear date range, which makes it harder to compare directly.
Overall, Tickmill offers the better deal for traders who want tighter pricing and more transparent cost structure, while Octa may appeal to clients looking for a simpler setup with no overnight carry charges. If low trading costs are your main goal, Tickmill is the stronger choice in this head-to-head comparison.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Tickmill and Octa both give traders access to forex as CFDs, along with copy trading and cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither broker lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency. When it comes to market choice, Tickmill offers a wider selection overall, with 637 tradeable symbols and 62 forex pairs, compared with Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. This makes Tickmill the better pick for traders who want a broader set of instruments to explore.
One key difference is that Octa also offers exchange-traded securities on international exchanges, while Tickmill does not offer exchange-traded shares on either U.S. or international markets. Even so, both brokers receive the same 3.5-star rating for Range of Investments, though ForexBrokers.com places Tickmill slightly higher at #31 out of 36 brokers, versus Octa at #34. Overall, Tickmill has the wider range of investments, while Octa stands out for offering international stock access.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 62 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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.
Tickmill and Octa both give traders a solid set of platform choices, including free demo accounts for practice, Windows desktop downloads, web-based trading, copy trading, and access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. Both brokers also let users trade directly from charts, which can make it easier to place orders while watching price movements. In other words, each broker covers the key tools most everyday traders look for.
The main difference is that Octa offers its own in-house platform, while Tickmill does not. On ratings, both brokers score 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, but Tickmill places higher in ForexBrokers.com’s ranking for this category, coming in at #24 out of 36 brokers versus Octa at #31. If you want a broker with a wider range of platform options and a higher category rank, Tickmill has the edge; if you prefer a broker with a proprietary platform in addition to the standard choices, Octa stands out.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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) | 97 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Tickmill and Octa both make it easy to trade on the go, since each offers iPhone and Android apps and both are rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. If you want more charting tools, Tickmill has the edge with 97 technical studies in its app, compared with 30 for Octa. Both apps let you draw trendlines, but Tickmill does not auto-save those drawings, while Octa does.
For everyday use, the biggest differences come down to alerts and watchlists. Octa offers stock or forex price alerts, while Tickmill does not. On the other hand, Tickmill supports watchlist symbol syncing between the mobile app and online account, so updates carry over in both places, while Octa does not. In ForexBrokers.com’s mobile trading apps ranking, Tickmill places higher at #25 out of 36 brokers, compared with Octa at #30.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Tickmill and Octa both give traders daily market commentary and an economic calendar, so each offers useful basics for following news and scheduled events. Both are rated 4 out of 5 stars for research, but Tickmill is ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com at #19 out of 36 brokers, compared with Octa at #24.
Where Octa stands out is market news and analysis from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, plus access to Autochartist for technical and fundamental signals. Tickmill does not offer those two features, but it does provide research tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, which Octa does not. Neither broker offers Trading Central, a sentiment tool, or TipRanks for market research.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to beginner-friendly learning, both Tickmill and Octa give new traders plenty of material to work with. Each broker offers forex and CFD education, regular online client webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos as well as 10 advanced videos, so traders at different skill levels can find useful lessons. Both are also rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education, which suggests a solid range of learning tools for people just starting out or looking to build on the basics.
The main difference shows up in how their education is ranked overall. Tickmill places #14 out of 36 brokers for the Education category on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa ranks #32 out of 36. That means both brokers cover the essentials, but Tickmill appears to offer a stronger educational experience overall for beginners who want more structured help and a wider learning path.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
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 Tickmill is better than Octa. Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #35.
Tickmill is a run-of-the-mill MetaTrader broker that offers a limited selection of tradeable securities. The broker does offer very competitive commission-based pricing for professionals through its VIP and Pro accounts.
| Feature |
Tickmill
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Octa
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 |
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Online brokers Tickmill and Octa do not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both allow traders to trade cryptocurrency via CFDs.
Tickmill vs Octa payment options for deposits and withdrawals: both lack ACH/SEPA but support bank wire transfers; Tickmill also offers PayPal and Skrill, while Octa offers Skrill only, 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 | Tickmill | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | 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) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Tickmill | 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 | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 62 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | 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 | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | Tickmill | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Octa Review |
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