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 competitive pricing, but they take different approaches to commissions and fees. XTB mainly uses a spread-only Standard account, while its commission-based Professional account is limited to eligible clients in the U.K. and Europe and is being phased out in many regions. Based on Q4 2023 data, XTB’s average EUR/USD spread was 1 pip, which is about average for the industry, though not quite as low as the best-priced brokers. XTB also offers active trader rebates through its Lower Spread Group, with spread discounts of 5% to 30% for higher trading volumes. XTB is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and is ranked #13 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
Octa has made clear progress on pricing and now competes more closely with low-cost MetaTrader brokers. Its fees depend on the account type and the broker entity you use, with EU clients getting one setup and international clients often getting different options. Octa lists an average EUR/USD spread of 0.5 pips for its EU entity and 0.9 pips for its international entities, and it also advertises no overnight carry costs and no slippage on 97.5% of executed orders. However, because Octa does not provide a date range for its spread data, it is harder to compare directly with other brokers. Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and is ranked #26 out of 36 brokers for Commissions and Fees.
In simple terms, XTB is the better-rated broker for commissions and fees overall, while Octa may look cheaper on spreads in some regions. If you want a broker with a stronger overall score and clearer pricing context, XTB has the edge; if your focus is low listed spreads and you are comfortable with Octa’s account differences by entity, Octa can still be appealing.
| 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 wider range of investments than Octa, making it the stronger choice for traders who want more variety. XTB supports forex trading, 10,900 tradeable symbols, and 71 forex pairs, plus access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international markets. Octa also offers forex trading and international shares, but with just 300 tradeable symbols and 35 forex pairs, its selection is much smaller. Neither broker lets you buy actual cryptocurrency, though both do offer crypto CFDs.
One clear difference is that Octa includes copy trading, while XTB does not. For range of investments, XTB is rated 5 stars and ranked #14 out of 36 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa’s 3.5 stars and #33 ranking. If a broad choice of markets and instruments is your priority, XTB has the edge.
| 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 good range of platform options, including a free demo account, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based trading platform. Both brokers also let users place trades directly from charts, which can make it easier to act quickly while watching price movement. Based on ForexBrokers.com, XTB scores higher in this category, with 4.5 out of 5 stars and a rank of #9 out of 36 brokers, while Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranked #30.
One key difference is that Octa supports copy trading, MetaTrader 4, and MetaTrader 5, while XTB does not offer these tools. That may make Octa a better fit for traders who want to follow other investors or use the popular MetaTrader platforms. XTB, on the other hand, may appeal to traders who prefer its own in-house platform and a stronger overall rating for trading platforms and tools.
| 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 offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each app includes stock and forex price alerts plus the ability to draw trendlines on charts. Both also auto-save chart drawings, which makes it easier to pick up where you left off. However, neither broker offers watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made in the mobile app do not carry over to the online account.
Where XTB stands out is in charting and overall app quality. Its mobile app offers 39 technical studies, compared with 30 at Octa, and it earns a higher Mobile Trading Apps rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars versus Octa’s 4 stars. XTB is also ranked higher by ForexBrokers.com, coming in at #8 out of 36 brokers, while Octa is ranked #29.
| 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 #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 | 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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