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 two online brokers with different regulatory backgrounds and trust scores. Founded in 2002, XTB is a publicly traded company, which contributes to its higher level of transparency. Octa, established in 2011, is privately held, lacking the added scrutiny of a stock exchange listing. Neither broker operates as a bank. XTB boasts a high Trust Score of 96 on ForexBrokers.com, making it highly trusted. This rating is bolstered by its two Tier-1 and two Tier-2 licenses. In contrast, Octa holds one Tier-1 and one Tier-2 license, leading to a Trust Score of 72, categorizing it as an average risk according to ForexBrokers.com.
Overall, XTB's longer history, public company status, and greater number of Tier-1 licenses give it an advantage in terms of trust and regulatory compliance over Octa. For traders seeking higher trust, XTB stands out, although both brokers remain viable options for different types of investors.
| 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 aim to keep trading costs competitive, but XTB holds a slight edge in our scoring for commissions and fees: 4.5/5 stars (ranked #13 of 63) versus Octa’s 4/5 stars (ranked #26 of 63). XTB’s pricing sits around the industry average and includes volume-based rebates, while Octa has improved its spreads and advertises no overnight carry costs and strong order execution—though certain limits can affect very high-frequency trading.
XTB offers a spread-only Standard account for most traders and a commission-based Professional account that’s being phased out and limited to eligible professionals in the U.K. and EU. In Q4 2023, the average EUR/USD spread on the Standard account was 1.0 pip. The minimum deposit is 250 in your base currency. Active traders can join XTB’s Lower Spread Group to earn 5%–30% spread rebates once monthly volume tiers are met (from 20 up to 1,000 lots). For most retail traders, the Standard account is the simpler, cheaper pick.
Octa’s costs depend on your location and platform. EU clients use a single MT5 account, while international clients can choose MT4, MT5, or OctaTrader via its South Africa or Mwali entities. Octa lists typical EUR/USD spreads at 0.5 pips for its EU entity and 0.9 pips for foreign entities; however, it doesn’t provide a date range for these figures, making exact comparisons harder. Octa also reports no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, but it does have restrictions that can hinder high-frequency strategies.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.92 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 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.
In the XTB vs Octa matchup for range of investments, XTB lists about 10,900 tradeable symbols and 71 forex pairs, while Octa offers around 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Both support forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts, and both let you trade cryptocurrencies as CFDs (neither offers delivered crypto). Copy trading is available at Octa but not at XTB. For this category, ForexBrokers.com rates XTB 5 stars (ranked #14 of 63) and Octa 3.5 stars (ranked #33).
Market access also differs. XTB lets clients buy exchange-traded securities (not CFDs) on U.S. exchanges and on international exchanges—so you can purchase shares like Apple on NASDAQ and Vodafone in London. Octa offers exchange-traded securities on international exchanges but not on U.S. markets. In short, XTB fits traders seeking the widest selection including U.S. and global shares, while Octa fits those who want copy trading and a simpler lineup of markets.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10900 | 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) | 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.
XTB and Octa both make it easy to get started with a free demo account for paper trading. Each broker also offers its own in-house trading platform, plus a web platform and a Windows desktop app, and both let you place orders directly from charts. That means you can practice, analyze, and trade in the way that suits you on either broker.
The main differences come down to features and ratings. Octa includes copy trading and supports the popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while XTB does not. In ForexBrokers.com testing for Trading Platforms and Tools, XTB earned 4.5/5 stars and ranked #9 out of 63 brokers, compared with Octa’s 4/5 stars and #30 ranking. If you prefer an in-house platform experience, XTB stands out; if you want MetaTrader and copy trading, Octa is the better fit.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing the XTB mobile app vs the Octa mobile app, both are available on iPhone and Android and support price alerts. Each app lets you draw trendlines on charts and will auto-save your drawings. One key limitation for both is that watchlist symbol syncing isn’t supported, so changes made on mobile won’t sync with your web account watchlists.
For charting tools, XTB offers 39 technical studies compared with 30 on Octa, giving XTB an edge for analysis. In expert reviews, XTB earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, while Octa scores 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #29. If you want more built-in indicators and higher-rated mobile performance, XTB is the stronger pick; Octa covers the essentials for traders who prefer a simpler setup.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XTB and Octa both cover the essentials for market research: each provides daily market commentary, top-tier forex news from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus an economic calendar for upcoming events. The key differences are in tools. Octa includes Autochartist for pattern recognition and trade ideas, while XTB does not. XTB, however, offers a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long versus short positions across instruments, which Octa lacks. Neither broker adds Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading to their lineup.
According to ForexBrokers.com, XTB earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers, while Octa scores 4 stars and ranks #24. If you want higher-rated research with sentiment data alongside daily commentary and premium news, XTB is the stronger pick. If automated chart pattern analysis via Autochartist is a priority, Octa may suit you better.
| Feature |
XTB
|
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 | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Both XTB and Octa offer forex and CFD education that clears the 10-piece bar, making them friendly choices for beginners who want clear guidance. Each broker runs client webinars at least once a month and provides deep video libraries with 10+ beginner lessons and 10+ advanced lessons, so you can start with basics and move into more complex strategies at your own pace.
Where they differ is in quality scores. XTB earns 5 stars for Education and ranks #11 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa holds 4 stars and ranks #32. In short, both brokers deliver frequent webinars and plenty of video content, but XTB is the higher-rated pick for structured forex and CFD education, whereas Octa remains a solid option if you want a large, accessible learning library.
| 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 #34.
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’s offers comprehensive educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XTB
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Octa
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 72 |
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XTB vs Octa: neither online broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
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 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Octa | |
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| Regulation | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 72 | |
| 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 SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10900 | 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) | 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 | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.92 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 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 | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | XTB | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | 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) | 39 | 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 | No | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 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) | Yes | 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 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Octa Review |
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