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 comes out ahead of Octa on commissions and fees, especially for most retail forex traders. XTB is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #13 out of 36 brokers for this category. It offers a spread-only Standard account, which is usually the better choice for smaller trades, plus a commission-based Professional account for eligible clients in the U.K. and Europe. Based on Q4 2023 data, XTB’s average EUR/USD spread was 1 pip, and active traders can get spread rebates through its Lower Spread Group program, with discounts of 5% to 30% depending on trading volume.
Octa has improved its pricing and now competes more closely with low-cost MetaTrader brokers, but it still ranks lower than XTB. Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #28 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Its pricing depends on the entity and account type you use: EU clients generally see an average EUR/USD spread of 0.5 pips, while international entities list about 0.9 pips. Octa also says there are no overnight carry costs and no slippage on 97.5% of executed orders, though its spread data does not include a date range, which makes it harder to compare directly.
In simple terms, XTB offers clearer pricing and better overall value for most traders, while Octa can be cheaper on some spreads depending on the account and region. If you want a broker with stronger ratings and a better placement in the commissions and fees category, XTB is the stronger pick. If your focus is low spread pricing and you are comfortable with Octa’s account and entity setup, Octa may still be worth a look.
| 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 | N/A | 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, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more variety in one account. XTB supports forex trading as both CFDs and spot contracts, with 71 forex pairs and 10,521 tradeable symbols overall. It also lets clients buy real shares on both U.S. and international exchanges, and it offers both actual cryptocurrency purchases and crypto CFDs. By comparison, Octa also supports forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, but it has fewer markets available, with 35 forex pairs and 300 tradeable symbols. Octa does offer international exchange-traded securities and crypto CFDs, but it does not support U.S. listed shares or real cryptocurrency purchases.
These differences show up clearly in third-party ratings as well. XTB earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #15 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa scores 3.5 stars and ranks #35. Octa does have one feature XTB does not: copy trading. Still, for investors focused on choice, market access, and the ability to buy actual shares and crypto, XTB has the broader investment range overall.
| 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, and the ability to trade directly from a chart. Each broker also offers its own in-house trading platform, so users can choose a broker-made setup instead of relying only on third-party software. For beginners and active traders alike, this means both firms cover the basics of online trading platforms and tools.
The main difference is in desktop software and extra features. Octa offers a Windows desktop platform, plus MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and copy trading, while XTB does not. XTB, however, earns a slightly higher score for trading platforms and tools, with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a #9 ranking out of 36 brokers, compared with Octa’s 4 stars and #33 ranking. This makes XTB the stronger pick overall for platform quality, while Octa may appeal more to traders who want MT4, MT5, and copy trading.
| 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 make it easy to trade on the go, since each offers iPhone and Android apps, price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving for chart drawings. That means both brokers give mobile users the basic tools they need to follow markets and manage trades from a phone or tablet.
Where XTB pulls ahead is in the details. Its app includes watchlist syncing between mobile and web, while Octa does not, so XTB makes it simpler to keep track of the same symbols across devices. XTB also offers far more chart studies, with 104 technical studies compared with Octa’s 30. These extra features help explain why XTB earns a higher mobile app rating of 4.5 stars and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers, while Octa is rated 4 stars and ranks #31.
| 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 daily market commentary and an economic calendar, so each platform offers useful basic research for keeping up with major news and scheduled events. XTB also stands out with a sentiment tool that shows the share of long and short positions across markets, which can help traders gauge how others are positioned. Octa does not offer that sentiment feature, but it does add forex news from top-tier sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones, plus Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental analysis.
In overall research quality, XTB has the edge. It is rated 5 stars for Research and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers, while Octa is rated 4 stars and ranks #25. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools, so the main difference comes down to XTB’s stronger research score and sentiment feature versus Octa’s premium news feed and Autochartist support.
| 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.
When it comes to learning tools for beginners, XTB and Octa both give traders a solid range of educational content. Each broker offers forex and CFD education with at least 10 learning pieces, plus online client webinars held at least once a month. They also each provide 10 or more beginner videos and 10 or more advanced videos, so new traders and more experienced users can both find material that matches their level.
That said, XTB stands out clearly on quality and recognition. XTB is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Education and ranks #11 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #34 out of 36. For beginners choosing between the two, both brokers offer useful learning support, but XTB appears to deliver the stronger overall educational experience.
| 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 #37.
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 | N/A | 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 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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