Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB 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.
XTB and Octa are online brokers with different profiles. XTB, founded in 2002, is publicly traded, while Octa, founded in 2011, is not publicly listed. Neither broker is a bank.
In terms of regulation and licensing, XTB holds 2 Tier-1 licenses (rated highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). Octa holds 1 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 license. Based on ForexBrokers.com Trust Scores, XTB scores 96/99 (highly trusted) and Octa scores 73/99 (average risk).
| Feature |
XTB
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
XTB and Octa both offer pricing that can work well for everyday forex traders, but XTB comes out ahead overall in commissions and fees. XTB is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #13 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. It offers a spread-only Standard account and, in some regions, a commission-based Professional account for eligible clients. Based on Q4 2023 data, XTB’s average EUR/USD spread was 1 pip, and while its pricing is around the industry average, its Standard account is usually the better pick for retail traders. Active traders may also qualify for XTB’s Lower Spread Group, which can rebate 5% to 30% of spreads at higher monthly trading volumes.
Octa has improved its pricing and now competes more closely with low-cost MetaTrader brokers. It is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #27 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Octa’s costs depend on the account type and the entity that holds the account, with European clients generally seeing the broker’s EU setup and international clients using offshore or South African entities. Its listed average EUR/USD spread is 0.5 pips for the EU entity and 0.9 pips for the foreign entities, though Octa does not give a date range for this data, which makes it harder to compare directly.
In short, Octa can look cheaper on paper for spreads, but XTB scores higher in the commissions and fees category and offers more transparent, easier-to-compare pricing. XTB also has a clearer path for active traders to reduce costs, while Octa stands out for no overnight carry costs and no slippage on most orders. For most traders looking for a better overall mix of price, clarity, and ranking, XTB has the edge.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.06 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.06 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | 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.
XTB offers a wider range of investments than Octa overall. It lists 10,521 tradeable symbols and 71 forex pairs, compared with Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading, and both offer international shares, but only XTB lets clients buy exchange-traded U.S. stocks directly, such as Apple shares. XTB also stands out for giving access to actual cryptocurrency purchases, while Octa limits crypto to CFDs.
Octa does have one clear advantage in copy trading, which XTB does not offer. Still, for investors looking for the broader selection, XTB comes out ahead with a 5-star rating for Range of Investments and a #14 ranking out of 36 brokers, while Octa is rated 3.5 stars and ranked #34. In short, XTB is the better choice for variety, while Octa may appeal more to traders who want copy trading.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10521 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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.
XTB and Octa both give traders a free demo account, a web-based platform, their own in-house platform, and the option to trade directly from charts. That means both brokers make it easy to test strategies, place trades online, and manage positions without needing to install extra software. XTB stands out with a higher Trading Platforms and Tools score from ForexBrokers.com, where it is rated 4.5 out of 5 and ranked #9 out of 36 brokers, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 and ranked #31.
The biggest difference is that Octa offers more platform choices. It supports a Windows desktop download platform, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading, while XTB does not offer those options. For traders who want a simple web platform with strong built-in tools, XTB is a solid pick, but if you want desktop trading, MetaTrader access, or copy trading, Octa has the edge.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 92 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XTB and Octa both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each app includes price alerts, trendline drawing, and automatic saving of chart drawings. That means traders can track markets and mark up charts on the go with either broker. Where XTB stands out is in watchlist syncing, since its mobile app keeps watchlists aligned with the client’s online account, while Octa does not offer this feature.
For charting depth, XTB has a clear edge with 104 technical studies in its mobile app compared with Octa’s 30. That difference is reflected in overall ratings as well: XTB earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers, while Octa scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #30. In short, both brokers cover the basics well, but XTB offers a more complete mobile trading experience.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XTB and Octa both give traders useful market research features, including daily market commentary and an economic calendar with upcoming global events. However, Octa has an edge in news and third-party research, since it offers forex news from major sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Autochartist tools for chart and pattern analysis. XTB does not offer those specific extras, but it does include a sentiment tool that shows the balance of long and short positions across markets, which can help traders gauge market mood.
Overall, XTB comes out ahead for market research. It earns a 5-star Research rating and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa receives 4 stars and ranks #24. In simple terms, Octa provides more outside research sources, but XTB offers a better overall research package thanks to its stronger sentiment tools and higher expert rating.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
XTB and Octa both give beginners a wide range of learning materials, including forex and CFDs education, monthly online webinars, and at least 10 beginner videos plus 10 advanced videos. That means each broker offers plenty of ways to learn the basics and keep building knowledge over time, whether you prefer articles, videos, or live sessions.
Even so, XTB has the edge for education overall. It earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers in the Education category, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #32. For new traders who want the stronger learning experience, XTB stands out as the better choice.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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 XTB is better than Octa. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #35.
As a trusted multi-asset broker, XTB offers outstanding customer service, a wide variety of forex and CFDs, and an excellent overall trading experience. Its xStation 5 trading platform is well-designed and packed with innovative features, and XTB offers comprehensive educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XTB
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Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 73 |
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XTB stands out by offering both actual, delivered cryptocurrency purchases and cryptocurrency CFDs, while Octa only provides cryptocurrency CFDs and does not support buying actual crypto.
XTB vs Octa: for account funding and withdrawals, neither online broker supports ACH or SEPA transfers, both offer Skrill and bank wire transfers, but only XTB supports PayPal while Octa does not.
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 | XTB | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Octa | |
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| Regulation | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | 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 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | 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) | XTB | 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 | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10521 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | Yes | 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 | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Spread-only account | 1.06 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Raw spread account | 1.06 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | No | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 92 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | 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 | 104 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XTB | 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 | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | XTB Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | XTB | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Octa Review |
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