Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trade Nation 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.
Founded in 2014, Trade Nation offers investors a sense of security, holding two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license. Although not publicly traded or a bank, Trade Nation's regulatory prowess contributes to its respectable Trust Score of 85 out of 99, as assessed by ForexBrokers.com. This score places them comfortably in the "trusted" category, reflecting their reliable standing among online brokers.
In comparison, Octa, established in 2011, has a slightly different regulatory landscape. It holds one Tier-1 and one Tier-2 license, supporting a Trust Score of 72. While also not publicly listed or a bank, Octa's score aligns it with the "average risk" category, suggesting a cautious approach for prospective investors. Both brokers offer secure environments, but Trade Nation edges out when considering regulatory trustworthiness and scores.
| Feature |
Trade Nation
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
Trade Nation is recognized for its competitive fee structure, offering fixed-spread pricing across all tradeable symbols on its proprietary platform, while also supporting variable-spread pricing on its MetaTrader platform. One of the notable features of Trade Nation is its fixed spreads, with a rate of 0.6 pips for the EUR/USD pair, although this can briefly widen to 1.4 pips during the rollover period, bringing the approximate average to around 1 pip. The broker provides three main account types: a commission-based Raw Spread account on MetaTrader, a commission-free MetaTrader account, and the TN Trader account, which is known for presenting the lowest spreads among the options when factoring in all costs. Trade Nation has earned a commendable 5-star rating for commissions and fees, placing it at 7th out of 62 brokers in this category according to ForexBrokers.com.
Comparatively, Octa has significantly improved its pricing structure recently, aligning closer to the most affordable MetaTrader brokers. Octa differentiates itself by offering no slippage on 97.5% of orders and eliminating overnight carry costs, though some restrictions may affect high-frequency traders. The fees at Octa depend heavily on the account type and which of its entities regulates the account. In the EU, where only MT5 is available, a single account type is offered, while non-EU entities provide accounts for both MT4 and MT5 as well as OctaTrader. Octa’s spread pricing differs by entity; the EU entity offers a lower average spread of 0.5 pips for the EUR/USD pair, compared to 0.9 pips from its other entities. Despite these variations, Octa offers no dated range for its spread data, which limits the capacity for exact comparison. Octa is ranked 29th out of 62 brokers in the commissions and fees category, with a 4-star rating.
| Feature |
Trade Nation
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.6 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.6 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the range of investments available at Trade Nation and Octa, both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. Trade Nation provides access to a greater number of tradeable symbols, with 1,000 options compared to Octa's 300. In terms of forex pairs, Trade Nation again leads with 46 pairs, while Octa offers 35. However, neither broker allows direct purchase of exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges, though Octa enables access to international exchanges for buying stocks like Vodafone.
Both brokers support copy trading and offer cryptocurrency derivatives, though neither allows for the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. In terms of ratings for their range of investments, each broker scores 3.5 stars. Despite this equal rating, Trade Nation holds a higher ranking at 38th out of 62 brokers, while Octa comes in at 52nd according to ForexBrokers.com. Both brokers offer unique investment opportunities, but Trade Nation provides a broader selection of tradeable symbols and forex pairs, whereas Octa offers access to some international securities.
| Feature |
Trade Nation
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1000 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of Trade Nation and Octa, both brokers present strong offerings to meet the needs of traders. They each provide virtual demo accounts, allowing users to practice trading without financial risk. Each broker has developed a proprietary platform and supports trading via Windows-based desktop downloads and web browsers. Additionally, both offer MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and copy trading features, though Octa further includes the newer MetaTrader 5 (MT5), which Trade Nation does not support. Neither broker provides access to DupliTrade or ZuluTrade.
Trade Nation and Octa each offer distinct advantages in platform features. Trade Nation provides a greater number of drawing tools, with 39 available, compared to Octa's 15. On the other hand, Octa allows traders to execute trades directly from stock charts, a feature not available with Trade Nation. When it comes to organizing trading information, Trade Nation's platform offers 14 fields for watch lists, against Octa's 7. Both brokers have garnered a rating of 4 stars for their trading platforms and tools. However, Octa ranks slightly higher in the Trading Platforms and Tools category, standing at 37 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared to Trade Nation's rank of 44. Overall, these brokers offer a comprehensive set of tools, each with unique strengths catering to different trading preferences.
| Feature |
Trade Nation
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 39 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 14 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Trade Nation and Octa, both offer iPhone and Android applications, complete with real-time price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines on stock or forex charts. Both platforms also allow users to view multiple time frames for charts and automatically save any drawings made. However, Trade Nation takes a lead with its watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring your watchlists sync seamlessly between your mobile and online accounts, a feature that Octa lacks.
In terms of charting, Trade Nation offers a wider array of technical studies, providing 99 options compared to Octa's 30. This might be attractive to users who rely heavily on technical analysis. Both apps have a respectable four-star rating for their mobile trading experience, though Octa holds a slightly better rank of 35 out of 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas Trade Nation is positioned at 45. Ultimately, both apps provide strong functionalities for traders on the go, with each having their own strengths catering to slightly different trader preferences.
| Feature |
Trade Nation
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 99 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both Trade Nation and Octa provide daily market commentary, ensuring that traders can stay updated with the latest trends and insights. They also deliver forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, when it comes to specific tools, there are notable differences. Octa shines with its offering from Autochartist, providing more in-depth technical analysis tools that Trade Nation lacks. Conversely, Trade Nation offers a sentiment-based trading tool that gives insight into long or short positions across currency pairs, a feature not available with Octa.
In terms of additional resources, Trade Nation provides tools from Acuity Trading, such as Signal Centre, while Octa does not. Octa steps ahead with its economic calendar that highlights current and upcoming global events, a feature missing from Trade Nation's toolkit. In a broader comparison, Octa has a research rating of 4 stars and is ranked 27th out of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, whereas Trade Nation has a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 42nd. Ultimately, Octa seems to offer a more comprehensive research package, making it a potentially favorable choice for traders seeking detailed market analysis.
| Feature |
Trade Nation
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources available for beginners, both Trade Nation and Octa offer more than 10 pieces of educational content focused on forex and CFDs. These can include articles, videos, and archived webinars. However, while Octa hosts monthly online educational webinars and provides access to a searchable archive of past webinars, Trade Nation does not offer regular webinars or an archive of them. Both brokers make an effort to deliver educational content for beginners and advanced traders, offering at least 10 videos on each level, along with a comprehensive investor dictionary containing over 50 investing terms.
Review scores reflect some of these differences; Trade Nation receives a 3.5-star rating for education, while Octa scores slightly higher with 4 stars. Despite this, Trade Nation is ranked higher than Octa in the education category by ForexBrokers.com, coming in at #41 as compared to Octa's #42 out of 62 brokers. This indicates that while Octa might offer more dynamic educational interactions, Trade Nation’s overall educational content still stands out in the industry rankings.
| Feature |
Trade Nation
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Trade Nation is better than Octa. Trade Nation finished with an overall rank of #34, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
Trade Nation’s well-designed, easy-to-use trading app is an innovative trading platform that’s great for beginner forex and CFD traders. However, if you’re a seasoned trader, you may find that Trade Nation lacks advanced features compared to the best trading platforms.
| Feature |
Trade Nation
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Octa
|
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 72 |
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Both Trade Nation and Octa do not offer the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do provide opportunities to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both Trade Nation and Octa provide deposit and withdrawal options such as Skrill, Visa or Mastercard, and bank wires, but neither offers ACH, SEPA, or PayPal services.
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 | Trade Nation | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trade Nation Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Trade Nation | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Trade Nation | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 85 | 72 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Trade Nation | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | 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) | No | No | |
| 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). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Trade Nation | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Trade Nation | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1000 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 46 | 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 | Trade Nation | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 0.6 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.6 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Trade Nation | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Trade Nation | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Trade Nation | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 14 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 115 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 39 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | No | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Trade Nation | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 99 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | Trade Nation | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Education | Trade Nation | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Trade Nation | 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 | Trade Nation Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | Trade Nation | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Trade Nation Review | Octa Review |
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