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.
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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 vs. Octa on commissions and fees: Tickmill earns 5/5 stars and is ranked #10 out of 63 brokers for this category at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa scores 4/5 stars and ranks #26/63. Both aim for low trading costs, but Tickmill’s clear all-in pricing and track record make it a top pick for active traders, whereas Octa has improved meaningfully yet provides fewer dated spread disclosures.
Tickmill offers two accounts. The Classic account is commission-free but carries higher average spreads (about 1.76 pips as of August 2023). The Raw account (which replaced Pro and superseded the VIP tier) pairs very low spreads with a per-trade commission of $3 per side per standard lot ($6 round turn). Tickmill lists a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips on Raw; when you factor in the updated commission (about 0.6 pips round turn), the all-in cost comes to roughly 0.71 pips under normal market conditions. The Raw account’s minimum is just $100.
Octa’s pricing depends on your account type and which entity regulates your account (EU, South Africa, or its Mwali offshore entity). Listed average EUR/USD spreads are 0.5 pips for the EU entity and 0.9 pips for foreign entities, though Octa doesn’t provide a date range for these figures, making direct comparisons harder. Standout fee-related features include no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, but there are restrictions that can limit high-frequency strategies. Overall, Octa is closing in on the lowest-cost MetaTrader brokers, yet Tickmill’s clearer all-in costs and higher category ranking give it the edge for cost-focused, active traders.
| 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 vs Octa: When it comes to the range of investments, Tickmill offers a larger menu, with 637 tradeable symbols compared with Octa’s 300. Forex traders also get more pairs at Tickmill (63 vs 35). Both brokers support forex trading and offer cryptocurrency as CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual crypto. Copy trading is available at both.
For exchange-traded shares, neither broker provides access to U.S.-listed stocks; however, Octa does offer exchange-traded securities on certain international exchanges, while Tickmill does not. On ForexBrokers.com’s Range of Investments ratings, both earn 3.5 out of 5 stars, with Tickmill ranked 30th out of 63 brokers and Octa ranked 33rd. In short, Tickmill suits traders seeking more symbols and currency pairs, whereas Octa stands out if you want some access to international exchange-traded shares.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 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 make it easy to get started with a free demo account for paper trading. Each supports Windows desktop and web-based platforms, plus popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Octa also offers its own proprietary platform, while Tickmill focuses on MetaTrader. Both brokers include copy trading and let you place orders directly from charts, which helps speed up execution and testing strategies.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, both earn 4 out of 5 stars from ForexBrokers.com. In the category rankings, Tickmill places #24 out of 63 brokers, while Octa ranks #30. Specific counts for built-in technical indicators and watchlist columns were not provided. If you want an in-house platform alongside MT4 and MT5, Octa has that option; if you prefer to stick with MetaTrader across devices, Tickmill fits the bill.
| 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) | 91 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing Tickmill vs Octa for mobile trading, both brokers check the core boxes: each offers an iPhone app and an Android app, and both support price alerts so you can keep up with forex or market moves on the go. One shared limitation is watchlist syncing—neither app syncs watchlist symbols with your online account, so changes you make on mobile won’t carry over to the web platform and vice versa.
Charting tools are evenly matched: Tickmill and Octa each include 30 technical studies, let you draw trendlines, and automatically save your chart drawings. In terms of recognition, both mobile apps earn 4 out of 5 stars, with ForexBrokers.com ranking Tickmill slightly higher at #25 out of 63 brokers compared with Octa at #29. If you want identical features with a small edge in independent rankings, Tickmill nudges ahead; otherwise, the day-to-day mobile experience is very similar.
| 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 - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Tickmill and Octa both cover the basics for market research: daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, and a clear economic calendar. Each earns 4 stars for Research, with ForexBrokers.com ranking Tickmill #19 out of 63 brokers and Octa #24.
Their toolkits differ. Octa includes Autochartist for technical and fundamental scanning, while Tickmill does not. Tickmill counters with a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning and adds Acuity Trading tools (such as Signal Centre), which Octa lacks. Neither broker includes Trading Central or TipRanks. If you want Autochartist, choose Octa; if you prefer sentiment data and Acuity signals, Tickmill is the better fit. For daily commentary and high-quality news, both are solid choices.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
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.
Tickmill vs Octa for beginner education: both brokers provide a clear path for learning forex and CFDs. Each meets the threshold of 10+ educational pieces and goes further with at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, plus online client webinars at least once a month. If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll find step-by-step videos and live sessions at both brokers to help you build confidence and skills.
Both Tickmill and Octa are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education. That said, ForexBrokers.com ranks Tickmill higher (#14 of 63) than Octa (#32 of 63). In plain terms, you’ll get plenty of beginner-friendly content at either broker, but Tickmill’s higher placement suggests a slight edge in overall course depth and structure.
| 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 #34.
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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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 | 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 (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 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. 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 | 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 [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 | Tickmill | 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 | 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 | 86 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Octa Review |
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