Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IFC Markets 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.
IFC Markets, established in 2006, and Octa, founded in 2011, offer online trading services but come with varying levels of trust and regulation as per ForexBrokers.com ratings. IFC Markets has a Trust Score of 73, positioning it at an average risk level. It holds one Tier-2 license, indicating a trusted regulatory stance. In contrast, Octa holds a similar Tier-2 license and boasts a Trust Score of 72, also categorizing it within the average risk bracket. However, Octa does hold a Tier-1 license, marking it with a slightly higher regulatory endorsement in terms of trust.
Neither IFC Markets nor Octa is publicly traded or operates as a bank, which may influence their market perception compared to more publicly accountable or bank-affiliated institutions. Potential traders should weigh these aspects when choosing a broker to ensure their trading aligns with personal risk preferences and regulatory comfort levels.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of IFC Markets and Octa, both brokers offer competitive options for their users but cater to different priorities. Although average spread data isn't available for IFC Markets, it has secured a 4-star rating in this category and ranks #39 out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. This suggests that users generally find IFC Markets to offer fair pricing, though specifics on spreads or fees remain elusive.
Octa, on the other hand, has made strides in improving its fee structure over time. Rated 4 stars and ranking #29 among 62 brokers, it competes closely with some of the lowest-cost MetaTrader brokers. Though past pricing issues were a concern, Octa now boasts significant advantages such as no slippage on 97.5% of executed orders and no overnight carry costs. However, prospective traders should be aware of restrictions that may impact high-frequency trading strategies.
At Octa, the fees and spreads you encounter will largely depend on your chosen account type and the regulatory entity overseeing it. With different entities serving clients from regions like the EU, South Africa, and Mwali, spread pricing and platform options (MT4, MT5, and OctaTrader) may vary. Notably, Octa's EU entity lists a slightly tighter spread for EUR/USD, averaging 0.5 pips compared to 0.9 pips under its other entities, though no date range for this data is provided. This evolving pricing model reflects Octa's ambition to remain dynamic and appealing to a wide range of trading needs.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $25 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.44 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the investment options available through IFC Markets and Octa, both online brokers allow forex trading via CFD or spot contracts. IFC Markets stands out with a wider variety, offering 630 tradeable symbols compared to Octa's 300. In terms of forex pairs specifically, IFC Markets provides 49 pairs while Octa offers 35. Neither broker allows clients to purchase exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges like Apple shares, but both provide access to international securities such as Vodafone shares from the London Stock Exchange.
Both IFC Markets and Octa feature options for copy trading, giving clients the ability to replicate other traders' strategies. However, neither platform supports purchasing actual cryptocurrencies, instead offering cryptocurrency derivatives. For their range of investments, both brokers receive a rating of 3.5 stars out of five. Notably, ForexBrokers.com ranks IFC Markets slightly higher at 43rd out of 62 brokers, while Octa is ranked 52nd in the same category.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 35 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Looking to compare the trading platforms and tools of IFC Markets and Octa? Both brokers offer an impressive range of features that cater to both beginner and experienced traders. Whether you're using a desktop or a web browser, both IFC Markets and Octa provide convenient access through a Windows-based platform and a web-based platform. Traders can also explore simulated trading via free virtual demo accounts offered by each broker. As for the platforms, both companies have developed proprietary platforms in-house and also support popular options like MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), but neither offer DupliTrade or ZuluTrade. Additionally, if you're into copy trading, both brokers have you covered.
Charting enthusiasts will appreciate the array of tools provided by both IFC Markets and Octa, including an equal offering of 15 drawing tools for detailed analysis. Both platforms enhance user experience by allowing trades to be made directly from stock charts. When it comes to watchlists, each offers seven fields to help keep your investments organized. With these features, both IFC Markets and Octa receive a solid four-star rating for their trading platforms and tools. However, in terms of ranking by ForexBrokers.com, IFC Markets edges out slightly at #36, compared to Octa's #37 among 62 brokers evaluated.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 |
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When choosing between IFC Markets and Octa for mobile trading, both brokers provide essential features for a modern trading experience. Each offers iPhone and Android apps, so you can trade on the go no matter what device you prefer. Both brokers also enable stock or forex price alerts and give you the ability to draw trendlines on charts. You can choose from 30 technical studies to enhance your charting experience, and both platforms allow viewing across various time frames. Additionally, the IFC Markets and Octa apps auto-save drawings on your charts, ensuring your work is preserved. Furthermore, both brokers let you create a watchlist with real-time quotes, offering convenience and ease in tracking your favorite markets.
However, there are some differences to consider, particularly in syncing features. IFC Markets offers watchlist symbol syncing between its mobile app and online account, ensuring any changes made in one location reflect in the other. On the other hand, Octa does not provide this syncing capability, which might be a key factor for traders who operate across multiple devices. In terms of user ratings, both mobile apps receive four stars out of five, reflecting similar levels of user satisfaction. Yet, Octa holds a better rank at #35 compared to IFC Markets' #52 in the Mobile Trading Apps category according to ForexBrokers.com, which may suggest a stronger overall preference among users.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing IFC Markets and Octa for market research, several distinctions emerge that cater to different trader needs. Both brokers provide daily market commentary and maintain an economic calendar, ensuring users have access to timely updates on economic events. However, Octa goes a step further by offering forex news from prestigious sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, while IFC Markets does not. Moreover, Octa provides tools from Autochartist, valuable for those interested in technical analysis and fundamental research, unlike IFC Markets. On the flip side, IFC Markets stands out with a sentiment-based trading tool, allowing traders to gauge market sentiment through long and short position ratios, which Octa does not offer.
Despite both platforms lacking offerings from TipRanks, Acuity Trading, and Trading Central, Octa takes the lead in research quality, boasting a 4-star rating and ranking 26th among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. IFC Markets, with a 3.5-star research rating and a 40th position ranking, trails Octa but still provides a solid foundation for market analysis. Depending on a trader's preferences for sentiment analysis or comprehensive news sources, both brokers offer distinct advantages to meet varied market research needs.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources offered by IFC Markets and Octa, both provide a solid foundation for beginners with over 10 educational pieces focused on forex or CFDs. These articles, videos, and archived tutorials support new traders in grasping essential concepts. Additionally, both brokers supply a series of over 10 beginner videos designed to guide novices through the trading process. IFC Markets also ranks slightly higher in overall education ratings according to ForexBrokers.com, coming in at #30 compared to Octa’s #41, and holding a 3.5-star rating versus Octa's 4-star rating.
However, one significant difference is in the availability of webinars. Octa hosts regular monthly webinars that are accessible online, along with a searchable archive of past sessions. This offers an interactive and ongoing learning platform for users who value live educational experiences. In contrast, IFC Markets does not offer webinars, live or archived. Both brokers extend their educational support to more seasoned traders with over 10 videos targeting advanced topics, and each provides an investor dictionary with definitions for at least 50 trading terms, enriching the learning experience for users at all levels.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that IFC Markets is better than Octa. IFC Markets finished with an overall rank of #45, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
IFC Markets is a well-established broker that has been in operation for 17 years. Forex traders at IFC Markets gain access to multiple trading platforms, a growing range of tradeable markets, and a balanced offering of research and educational content. However, IFC Markets’ Trust Score suffers due to the broker’s limited range of regulatory licenses.
| Feature |
IFC Markets
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 72 |
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Neither IFC Markets nor Octa offer the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both provide options for purchasing cryptocurrency derivatives.
In a comparison of online brokers, both IFC Markets and Octa do not support ACH or SEPA transfers and PayPal for deposits or withdrawals, while they offer Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire options, with Octa additionally supporting Skrill for fund transactions.
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 | IFC Markets | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | IFC Markets | Octa | |
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| Regulation | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 73 | 72 | |
| Year Founded | 2006 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 0 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | 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) | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 630 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 49 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | No | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | 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). |
| Cost | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.44 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $25 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 7 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 30 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 15 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | IFC Markets | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | IFC Markets | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 73 | 72 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Octa Review |
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