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) - 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.
XTB offers a much wider range of investments than Octa, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more variety. XTB provides 10,900 tradeable symbols and 71 forex pairs, compared with Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither allows you to buy actual cryptocurrency.
When it comes to shares, XTB lets clients buy real exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while Octa only offers real shares on international exchanges. Octa does have copy trading, which XTB does not. Overall, XTB earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #14 out of 36 brokers, while Octa scores 3.5 stars and ranks #34, reflecting XTB’s broader investment selection.
| 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 give traders a flexible set of platform choices, including a free demo account, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop app, and a web-based platform. Each also lets users place trades directly from charts, which can make order entry faster and easier. In independent platform testing, XTB scores higher overall, with a 4.5-star rating and a #9 rank out of 36 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, compared with Octa’s 4-star rating and #31 rank.
The key difference is that Octa supports copy trading and offers both MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while XTB does not. That may make Octa a better fit for traders who want the familiar MetaTrader setup or prefer to follow other traders’ strategies. XTB, on the other hand, may appeal more to users who want a simpler platform lineup with strong in-house tools and a higher overall platform rating.
| 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.
XTB and Octa both make it easy to trade on the go, with iPhone and Android apps available for each broker. Each app also offers stock or forex price alerts, lets users draw trendlines on charts, and automatically saves those drawings. One limitation for both platforms is that watchlists do not sync between the mobile app and the online account, so changes made in one place will not carry over to the other.
When it comes to charting and overall app quality, XTB has the edge. Its mobile app includes 39 technical studies, compared with 30 at Octa, and XTB is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars for mobile trading apps, versus 4 stars for Octa. That stronger user rating is reflected in ForexBrokers.com’s rankings as well, where XTB places #8 out of 36 brokers for mobile trading apps, while Octa comes in at #30.
| 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 give traders useful market research basics, including daily market commentary, forex news from major sources, and an economic calendar that tracks key global events. This means both brokers can help you stay up to date on market-moving news and upcoming data releases. XTB also stands out with a sentiment tool that shows the share of long and short positions across instruments, which can be helpful for spotting how other traders are positioned.
Where the two differ is in extra research tools. Octa offers Autochartist, while XTB does not, and neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Even so, XTB has the edge overall for research, with a 5-star rating and a #9 ranking out of 36 brokers from ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa’s 4-star rating and #24 ranking.
| 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.
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’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 | 73 |
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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 | 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) | 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 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Octa Review |
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