Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of OANDA vs Octa, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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OANDA and Octa are online brokers with different backgrounds and regulatory footprints. OANDA was founded in 1996, while Octa started in 2011. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank.
On regulation, OANDA holds seven Tier-1 licenses and zero Tier-2 licenses, earning a 92/99 ForexBrokers.com Trust Score—classified as highly trusted (90–99). Octa holds one Tier-1 and one Tier-2 license with a 73/99 Trust Score—rated average risk (70–79). In an OANDA vs Octa comparison, traders prioritizing top-tier regulation may prefer OANDA’s wider Tier-1 coverage, while Octa offers a more limited but regulated alternative.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
OANDA and Octa both earn 4 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees, but Octa ranks slightly higher overall in this category, placing #27 out of 36 brokers, compared with OANDA at #31 out of 36. OANDA’s pricing is generally on the expensive side, with average EUR/USD spreads of 1.61 pips on its standard pricing in July 2024. It does offer lower core pricing, but that setup comes with a commission of $5 per side per $100,000 traded and a $10,000 minimum deposit, so it is usually best for traders who value execution and can meet the deposit requirement.
Octa has made clear progress on trading costs and now competes more closely with lower-cost MetaTrader brokers. Its EUR/USD average spread is listed at 0.5 pips for EU clients and 0.9 pips for clients under its non-EU entities, although Octa does not give a date range for these figures, which makes them harder to verify. Octa also stands out for no overnight carry costs and no slippage on 97.5% of orders, but some traders may find its account and platform limits less flexible.
In simple terms, OANDA may suit traders who want very small trade sizes and strong order execution, while Octa is the better-looking choice for lower everyday trading costs. Still, neither broker is a true bargain leader, and the best fit will depend on account type, trading style, and which entity regulates the account.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.68 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
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When it comes to range of investments, OANDA offers more choice than Octa. Both brokers support forex trading as a CFD or spot contract, and both provide copy trading plus international exchange-traded securities. But OANDA stands out with 4,172 tradeable symbols and 69 forex pairs, compared with Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. OANDA also lets clients buy actual cryptocurrency, while Octa only offers crypto CFDs.
For U.S.-listed shares, OANDA allows direct access to exchange-traded securities such as Apple on the NASDAQ, while Octa does not. Octa does offer some access to international exchange-traded stocks, but OANDA still comes out ahead overall. That difference is reflected in their ratings and rankings for range of investments: OANDA scores 4.5 out of 5 and ranks #20 out of 36 brokers, while Octa scores 3.5 out of 5 and ranks #34.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
OANDA and Octa both give traders a strong set of platform choices, including a free demo account, a built-in platform, Windows desktop software, and a web-based platform you can use in your browser. Each broker also supports copy trading, MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), and trading directly from a chart, which makes either one a practical fit for traders who want flexibility and familiar tools.
Where they differ is in overall recognition. Both OANDA and Octa are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools, but OANDA holds the better ForexBrokers.com ranking in this category at No. 16 out of 36 brokers, compared with Octa at No. 31. That suggests OANDA has a slight edge in platform and tool quality, even though both brokers cover the same key features.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
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OANDA and Octa both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each app includes price alerts, 30 technical studies, trendline drawing, and auto-saving for chart drawings. One area where they are the same is watchlist syncing: neither broker syncs watchlists between the mobile app and the online account. For traders who want the basics covered on the go, both apps provide a similar set of core tools.
The bigger difference shows up in ratings and rankings. OANDA earns a 5-star score for Mobile Trading Apps and ranks #7 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Octa scores 4 stars and ranks #30. That makes OANDA the stronger choice overall for mobile trading, even though both brokers offer the same app availability and many of the same charting features.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When it comes to market research, OANDA and Octa both give traders daily market commentary, forex news from top sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, Autochartist tools, and an economic calendar for tracking major global events. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading research tools. The key difference is that OANDA also includes a sentiment tool that shows the share of long and short positions across currency pairs and other instruments, while Octa does not.
Overall, OANDA has the stronger research offering. It earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #4 out of 36 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, compared with Octa’s 4 stars and #24 ranking. For traders who want deeper market insights and a wider set of research features, OANDA has the edge.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | 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.
For beginners looking to learn forex or CFD trading, both OANDA and Octa provide a solid set of educational tools. Each broker offers at least 10 educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs, hosts online educational webinars at least once a month, and has 10 or more beginner videos as well as 10 or more advanced videos for more experienced traders. That means either platform can help new traders start building knowledge through articles, videos, and live learning sessions.
OANDA stands out as the stronger choice for education overall. It earns a 5-star Education rating and ranks #18 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Education category, while Octa receives 4 stars and ranks #32. In simple terms, both brokers offer useful learning content, but OANDA appears to give beginners a slightly better educational experience and deeper support as they progress.
| Feature |
OANDA
|
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 OANDA is better than Octa. OANDA finished with an overall rank of #13, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #35.
A trusted global brand, OANDA stands out for its reputation and quality market research. Its regulatory track record is strong, and its support for third-party features bolsters its overall offering.
| Feature |
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Octa
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| Trust Score | 92 | 73 |
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In the OANDA vs Octa online broker comparison, OANDA lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency and also trade crypto CFDs, whereas Octa offers only cryptocurrency CFDs and does not support purchasing real, delivered crypto.
Comparing OANDA vs Octa for deposits and withdrawals: OANDA supports ACH/SEPA transfers, PayPal, Skrill, and bank wires, while Octa offers Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | OANDA | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | OANDA | Octa | |
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| Regulation | OANDA | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 92 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | OANDA | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | |||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | Yes | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | OANDA | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | OANDA | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 4172 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 69 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | OANDA | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.68 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 1.69 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | No | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | OANDA | 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 | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | OANDA | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | OANDA | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 89 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | OANDA | 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 | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | OANDA | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | OANDA | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | OANDA | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | OANDA Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | OANDA | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 92 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | OANDA Review | Octa Review |
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