Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XM Group 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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When comparing online brokers XM Group and Octa, both established in the 21st century, there are clear distinctions in terms of regulatory trust. Founded in 2009, XM Group holds a notable position with four Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, earning a Trust Score of 93 out of 99 on ForexBrokers.com. This places XM Group in the highly trusted category, even though it is not publicly traded or a bank.
On the other hand, Octa, which began operating in 2011, has secured one Tier-1 license and one Tier-2 license. With a Trust Score of 72 out of 99, Octa falls into the average risk bracket. Like XM Group, Octa is also not publicly traded and isn't classified as a bank. These distinctions provide potential traders with valuable insights into each broker’s standing in the industry.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, both XM Group and Octa earn 4 out of 5 stars. Octa ranks #30 out of 63 brokers for this category at ForexBrokers.com, while XM Group ranks #34 out of 63. In day-to-day costs, Octa has recently narrowed the gap with the lowest-cost MetaTrader brokers and appears to edge XM for advertised pricing, though details and availability can vary by account and regulatory entity.
XM Group’s Standard account spreads are on the expensive side. The commission-based XM Zero account aims to lower spreads, but XM does not publish average spread data for that account, making it hard to estimate your all-in trading costs from public information.
At Octa, the fees you pay depend on your account type and the entity that regulates your account (EU clients use the EU entity; international clients are served from South Africa or the offshore entity in Mwali). The EU entity lists an average spread of about 0.5 pips on EUR/USD, compared with about 0.9 pips for its foreign entities, and the EU offers a single MT5 account while other entities also support MT4 and OctaTrader. Octa reports no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, but it does impose certain restrictions that can get in the way of high-frequency strategies. Note that Octa’s typical spread figures are not tied to a stated date range, limiting how precisely you can compare them.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.6 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
XM Group and Octa both offer forex trading (CFD/spot) and support copy trading, but XM Group covers a wider range of markets. XM Group lists 1,394 tradeable instruments and 55 forex pairs, compared to Octa’s 300 instruments and 35 pairs. For stocks, XM Group lets clients buy exchange-traded shares on U.S. exchanges (such as Apple on NASDAQ) as well as on international exchanges, while Octa offers exchange-traded shares on international markets but not on U.S. exchanges.
Neither broker sells actual cryptocurrencies, but both provide cryptocurrency CFDs for speculative trading. Reflecting its broader reach, ForexBrokers.com rates XM Group 4.5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks it 25th out of 63 brokers, while Octa earns 3.5 stars and ranks 53rd.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | 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.
XM Group and Octa both make it easy to get started with a free demo account for risk‑free practice. Each supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), offers a web-based platform and a Windows desktop download, and lets you place trades directly from charts. A key difference: Octa also provides its own in-house trading platform, while XM Group relies on third‑party options like MT4/MT5.
Both brokers include copy trading and a range of charting tools, though the exact counts for technical indicators and watchlist columns aren’t specified. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools category, both earn 4 stars, with XM Group ranked #33 out of 63 brokers and Octa ranked #38. If you want a broker with an extra proprietary platform to try alongside MT4/MT5, Octa fits that bill; if you’re comfortable sticking to the MetaTrader suite, XM Group aligns neatly with that setup.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
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) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing XM Group vs Octa for mobile trading, both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps with price alerts, 30 technical indicators, and the ability to draw trendlines on forex or stock charts. Each earns a 4-star rating for Mobile Trading Apps, giving traders solid tools whether they use iOS or Android.
Key differences: XM Group syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while Octa does not. On the other hand, Octa auto-saves chart drawings, and XM Group does not. According to ForexBrokers.com, XM Group ranks #31 out of 63 for Mobile Trading Apps, while Octa ranks #37. Choose XM Group if synced watchlists matter most; pick Octa if you want your chart annotations saved automatically.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Both XM Group and Octa provide valuable daily market commentary and offer forex news from leading sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, when it comes to research tools, XM Group and Octa differ significantly. XM Group does not feature Autochartist tools, but it shines with offerings from Trading Central, including Technical Analytics. In contrast, Octa includes Autochartist in its suite but lacks support from Trading Central. Furthermore, XM Group provides a sentiment-based trading tool that gives insights into the market's bullish or bearish tendencies, a feature Octa does not currently offer.
Economic calendars are available through both brokers, helping traders keep track of global events that could impact the markets. Despite these similarities, XM Group stands out with a stronger research rating of 5 stars, compared to Octa's 4 stars. Additionally, XM Group ranks notably higher for research among 63 brokers, securing the 8th spot as per ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Octa trails at 27th, reflecting XM Group's broader and more integrated research offerings.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
XM Group and Octa both offer forex and CFD education with a library that easily clears the basic bar of 10+ pieces. Each runs monthly client webinars and provides at least 10 beginner videos plus at least 10 advanced videos, so newcomers can learn the basics and keep progressing. Where they differ is recognition and ratings: XM Group earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #7 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa holds 4 stars and ranks #42.
For someone just starting out, both brokers supply enough videos and live sessions to build confidence, but XM Group’s higher rating and ranking suggest a stronger overall learning experience. Choose XM Group if you want a more highly rated education track with frequent live learning; pick Octa if you want a simpler path with plenty of beginner videos and regular webinars.
| Feature |
XM Group
|
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 XM Group is better than Octa. XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
XM Group is a MetaTrader-only broker that offers a strong selection of high-quality educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XM Group
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Octa
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 72 |
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XM Group vs Octa: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both allow traders to buy and trade cryptocurrency CFDs.
XM Group vs Octa: neither supports ACH/SEPA or PayPal for deposits or withdrawals, both support Skrill and bank wire transfers, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not 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 | XM Group | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review | Octa Review |
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| Regulation | XM Group | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 93 | 72 | |
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XM Group | 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) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | 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) | XM Group | 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 | XM Group | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | 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 | XM Group | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.6 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XM Group | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | XM Group | 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 | XM Group | 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 | XM Group | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XM Group | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XM Group | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XM Group | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | XM Group Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | XM Group | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 93 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XM Group Review | Octa Review |
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