Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Questrade 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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Questrade and Octa are online brokers with different backgrounds: Questrade was founded in 2000, while Octa began in 2011. Neither firm is publicly traded and neither operates as a bank, factors that can matter to investors evaluating corporate transparency and protections.
On regulation and safety, both brokers hold one Tier-1 license (considered highly trusted by ForexBrokers.com). Octa also holds one Tier-2 license, while Questrade has none. According to ForexBrokers.com’s Trust Score (out of 99), Questrade scores 85, which falls into the “trusted” range (80–89). Octa scores 73, placing it in the “average risk” range (70–79). These scores can help you weigh each broker’s regulatory standing and overall trust profile.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When comparing commissions and fees, Octa comes out ahead of Questrade for most everyday forex traders. Octa earns a 4 out of 5 star rating and ranks #27 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees, while Questrade holds a 3.5 out of 5 star rating and ranks #34 out of 36. In simple terms, Octa has moved closer to the low-cost end of the market, while Questrade’s pricing is more expensive for many trades.
Questrade Global uses spread-only pricing, so trading costs are built into the bid-ask spread rather than shown as a separate commission. Questrade says spreads can be as low as 0.8 pips, but typical major-pair spreads were closer to 2.1 to 2.5 pips at the time of review, which can make a standard lot trade cost around $20. Its CFD pricing can be even pricier, since a small spread is added to a $9.95 USD trading fee per unit, plus overnight financing charges. Octa, by contrast, offers tighter average spreads on some account types, such as 0.5 pips for EUR/USD in the EU entity and 0.9 pips for international entities, with no overnight carry costs and no slippage on most executed orders.
Overall, Octa is the better choice if you want lower trading costs and simpler pricing, while Questrade may be less appealing for active forex and CFD traders because its spreads and added fees can push up the total cost of each trade. If keeping commissions and fees low is your main goal, Octa is the more competitive option in this comparison.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.8 or higher | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
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When it comes to the range of investments, Questrade offers a wider selection than Octa. Questrade provides access to 675 tradeable symbols and 110 forex pairs, while Octa has 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Both brokers offer forex trading, but neither lets clients buy U.S.-listed exchange-traded securities directly. Questrade also does not offer international exchange-traded shares, copy trading, or cryptocurrency trading of any kind.
Octa has a smaller overall lineup, but it does include some features Questrade does not. It offers international exchange-traded securities, copy trading, and cryptocurrency CFDs. Still, Questrade is rated higher for investment range, earning 5 stars and ranking #12 out of 36 brokers, compared with Octa’s 3.5 stars and #34 ranking.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 675 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Questrade and Octa both give traders a choice of platform types, including a free paper trading account, a proprietary platform, a Windows desktop app, and a web-based platform. Each also lets you place trades directly from a chart, which can make active trading easier. In ForexBrokers.com’s Trading Platforms and Tools review, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars, showing that each offers a solid set of trading features for everyday use.
The bigger difference is in third-party tools. Octa supports copy trading plus MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which may appeal to traders who want more platform choices or prefer to follow other traders. Questrade does not offer copy trading, MT4, or MT5, so its tools are more focused on its own platform setup. In the same ForexBrokers.com ranking, Questrade places at #29 out of 36 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools, while Octa comes in at #31 out of 36.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
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) | 64 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Questrade and Octa both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each includes price alerts, trendline drawing, and automatic saving for chart drawings. That means either broker can work well if you want to trade or track markets from your phone. Questrade stands out a bit more for charting tools, with 64 technical studies in its mobile app compared with 30 at Octa. Questrade also lets watchlists sync between the mobile app and online account, while Octa does not.
In terms of ratings, Octa scores slightly higher for mobile trading apps at 4 out of 5 stars, while Questrade is rated 3.5 stars. However, both brokers sit near the bottom of ForexBrokers.com’s mobile app rankings out of 36 brokers, with Questrade at #29 and Octa at #30. If you want stronger charting and synced watchlists, Questrade has the edge; if a slightly higher app rating matters more, Octa leads by a small margin.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 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, Octa has a clear edge over Questrade. Octa offers daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, and an economic calendar with upcoming global events, while Questrade does not provide these features. Both brokers include Autochartist tools, but Questrade also adds Trading Central and TipRanks research, which Octa does not.
Looking at overall research quality, Octa is rated 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #24 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Questrade’s 3.5-star rating and #35 ranking. If you want more frequent market updates and broader news coverage, Octa is the stronger choice, while Questrade may still appeal to traders who value Trading Central and TipRanks alongside Autochartist.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | Yes | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners looking for trading education, Octa offers more learning content than Questrade in several key areas. Octa provides forex and CFD education with at least 10 dedicated pieces, plus monthly educational webinars and 10 or more beginner and advanced trading videos. Questrade, by contrast, does not meet those marks for forex or CFD education, does not offer monthly educational webinars, and does not have 10 beginner or 10 advanced trading videos focused on trading topics.
That said, Questrade still earns a 3.5-star Education rating and ranks #28 out of 36 brokers in the ForexBrokers.com Education category, while Octa scores 4 stars but ranks #32 out of 36. In simple terms, Octa is the better choice for hands-on learning resources aimed at new traders, while Questrade offers less beginner-focused education despite its slightly stronger category ranking.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | No | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Questrade is better than Octa. Questrade finished with an overall rank of #29, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #35.
Earning an 85 Trust Score, Questrade Global is a secure, CIRO-regulated platform ideal for Canadians wanting forex and stocks in one place. However, with live EUR/USD spreads going as high as 2.1 to 2.5 pips, cost-conscious day traders might find better value with cheaper alternatives.
| Feature |
Questrade
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Octa
|
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 |
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In the Questrade vs Octa comparison for cryptocurrency trading, neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) crypto, but only Octa offers cryptocurrency CFD trading while Questrade does not.
In the Questrade vs Octa comparison of deposit and withdrawal options, both lack ACH/SEPA and PayPal but support bank wires, only Octa supports Skrill, and Visa/Mastercard availability isn’t specified for either.
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 | Questrade | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Questrade | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| 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) | No |
| Investments | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 675 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | No | 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). |
| Cost | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.8 or higher | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Questrade | 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 | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | Yes | No | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Client sentiment data | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Education | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Questrade | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Questrade Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | Questrade | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review | Octa Review |
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