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.
Tickmill and Octa are both private online brokers that were established in 2014 and 2011, respectively. Neither company is publicly traded or operates as a bank. When it comes to regulatory credentials, Tickmill stands out with 2 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses, reflecting its status as a trusted broker. Octa, on the other hand, holds 1 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 license. These figures indicate that both brokers are regulated, but Tickmill offers more widespread coverage in terms of regulatory oversight.
Evaluating their trustworthiness, ForexBrokers.com gives Tickmill a Trust Score of 86 out of 99, placing it in the 'trusted' category. Conversely, Octa receives a Trust Score of 72, categorizing it as an 'average risk' broker. These scores help potential investors assess the reliability of these platforms before deciding which might better suit their trading needs.
| 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 |
Tickmill and Octa both compete on low costs, but they land in different places. Tickmill earns 5 stars and ranks #4 out of 63 brokers for Commissions & Fees, while Octa earns 4 stars and ranks #30 out of 63. Tickmill’s advantage comes from its tight spreads plus a per‑trade commission on its Raw account. Octa has improved its pricing and advertises strong execution quality (97.5% of orders with no slippage) and no overnight carry costs, though it imposes rules that can limit high‑frequency strategies.
With Tickmill, the Classic account is commission‑free but carries wider average spreads (about 1.76 pips as of August 2023). The Raw account—now replacing the Pro and requiring just $100 to start—charges a $3 per side commission ($6 per standard lot) and lists a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips (October 2023). After factoring in the higher commission (now equivalent to 0.6 pips round‑turn), the indicative all‑in cost on EUR/USD comes to about 0.71 pips during normal market conditions. This keeps Tickmill among the top choices for active and algorithmic traders seeking predictable, low all‑in pricing.
Octa’s costs vary by entity and account. In the EU (MT5), Octa lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.5 pips; for its foreign entities, the figure is about 0.9 pips. Because Octa doesn’t publish a date range for these averages, like‑for‑like comparisons are harder to pin down. Still, the broker has narrowed the gap with low‑cost MetaTrader peers, while offering no overnight carry costs and broad platform access (MT4/MT5/OctaTrader outside the EU). Bottom line: for the lowest all‑in costs, Tickmill’s Raw account typically has the edge; for spread‑only simplicity and potential savings on overnight positions, Octa can be attractive—just check which entity you’ll trade under.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $25 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.70 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts [DELETED] | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) [DELETED] | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Tickmill vs Octa: both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, support copy trading, and provide access to cryptocurrency derivatives (not actual coins). The bigger difference is breadth. Tickmill lists 637 tradeable symbols and 63 forex pairs, while Octa offers 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. If you want more markets and currency pairs in one place, Tickmill has the wider catalog.
Stock access also differs. Neither broker lets you buy U.S.-listed shares directly, but Octa does offer exchange-traded international shares, while Tickmill does not. For Range of Investments, both earn 3.5 out of 5 stars; however, Tickmill is ranked #43 out of 63 brokers, ahead of Octa at #53. Choose Tickmill for a broader set of instruments, or pick Octa if access to exchange-traded international shares matters to you.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 35 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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.
Comparing Tickmill vs Octa for trading platforms and tools, both brokers cover the essentials: free simulated (paper) trading via demo accounts, Windows-based desktop platforms, web (browser) platforms, copy trading, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), so traders get familiar charting, indicators, and automated trading through Expert Advisors.
The key difference is that Octa also offers a proprietary in-house platform, while Tickmill sticks to third-party options like MT4 and MT5. Both earn 4 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, yet ForexBrokers.com ranks Tickmill #30 and Octa #38 out of 63 brokers in this category. If you want an additional broker-built platform, Octa stands out; if you prefer a MetaTrader-centered setup with a slightly higher category ranking, Tickmill may appeal.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade [DELETED] | ||
| ZuluTrade [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 91 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) [DELETED] | ||
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields [DELETED] |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Tickmill and Octa both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts and lets you build watchlists with real-time quotes. Both earned 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. According to ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps rankings out of 63 brokers, Tickmill sits at #30 while Octa is #37, a small edge for Tickmill.
For charting on the go, Tickmill and Octa are evenly matched: 30 technical studies, the ability to draw trendlines, and drawings auto-save so your annotations stick. Neither broker syncs watchlist symbols between the mobile app and the web platform. Details about viewing multiple chart time frames weren’t specified. With such similar tools, your choice may come down to the slight ranking difference or brand preference.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
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 - Multiple Time Frames | ||
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both Tickmill and Octa offer valuable resources for traders seeking market insights, including daily market commentary and forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. While both brokers provide economic calendars to keep traders informed of global events, they differ in their research tool offerings. Tickmill stands out with a sentiment-based trading tool that displays the ratio of long or short positions in currency pairs, a feature not present in Octa's toolkit. Additionally, Tickmill enhances its research capabilities with tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, unlike Octa, which does not provide tools from this company.
On the other hand, Octa provides technical analysis tools through Autochartist, a service Tickmill does not offer. Despite these differences, both brokers have achieved a commendable 4-star rating for their research services. However, when considering their standings among 63 brokers listed by ForexBrokers.com, Tickmill ranks slightly higher, coming in at 21st place, while Octa is ranked 27th. This small difference may influence traders who place a premium on research quality and tool variety.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing Tickmill vs Octa for beginner education, both brokers check key boxes for new traders. Each runs client webinars at least once a month and offers plenty of video lessons, including at least 10 beginner videos and at least 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. This mix of live sessions and on-demand videos makes it easier to learn trading basics for forex and CFDs at your own pace.
Both brands earn 4 out of 5 stars for Education from ForexBrokers.com, but Tickmill is ranked higher (#15 of 63) than Octa (#42 of 63). Details about a searchable archive of past webinars, a large investor dictionary, and whether their broader forex/CFD article libraries meet a 10-piece threshold aren’t specified here. If ranking matters to you, Tickmill edges ahead; if you’re mainly after monthly webinars and a solid set of beginner and advanced videos, both brokers deliver.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | ||
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) [DELETED] | ||
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) [DELETED] |
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 #22, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
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
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 72 |
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Both Tickmill and Octa lack the capability to facilitate the buying of actual delivered cryptocurrency, but they do offer options for purchasing cryptocurrency derivatives.
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 | 86 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 72 | |
| 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 (SFC 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 SCA 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) | 63 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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 | 1.70 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | |
| Social Trading / 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 | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 91 | 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 | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | 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 | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | 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 | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Tickmill Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | Tickmill | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Octa Review |
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