Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Tickmill 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.
Comparing online brokers Tickmill and Octa: Tickmill was founded in 2014, while Octa launched in 2011. Neither is publicly traded or a bank. According to the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score scale (90–99 highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, below 59 not trusted), Tickmill scores 85/99 (trusted) and Octa scores 73/99 (average risk).
In terms of regulation, Tickmill holds 2 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses, whereas Octa holds 1 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 license. Because Tier-1 regulators are considered highly trusted and Tier-2 trusted by ForexBrokers.com, Tickmill offers wider high-grade oversight and a higher trust rating. Octa still maintains recognized licensing, but with fewer top-tier approvals and a lower trust category.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2011 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Tickmill edges out Octa for cost-conscious, high-volume traders. Tickmill earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #10 of 63 for Commissions & Fees (ForexBrokers.com), while Octa scores 4/5 stars and ranks #26 of 63. Both aim for low pricing, but Tickmill’s structure and published all-in costs make it easier to gauge what you’ll pay, especially on popular pairs like EUR/USD.
Tickmill offers two accounts. The Classic account is commission-free but carries wider average spreads (1.76 pips as of August 2023). The Raw account (minimum $100) charges $3 per side per 100,000 units ($6 per standard lot) and lists a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips (October 2023). After the recent commission increase, the estimated all-in cost on EUR/USD comes to about 0.71 pips, based on spreads recorded during normal market conditions. Despite the higher commission, Tickmill remains compelling for active and algorithmic traders who value tight spreads plus predictable per-trade costs.
Octa has improved its pricing and is catching up to low-cost MetaTrader brokers. It reports no slippage on 97.5% of orders and no overnight carry costs, though some rules can limit high-frequency strategies. Fees depend on your account type and the Octa entity you use: the EU entity (MT5) lists a 0.5-pip average spread on EUR/USD, while foreign entities list about 0.9 pips. Because Octa does not publish a date range for its typical spread data, it’s harder to make an exact like-for-like comparison with rivals.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $25 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 0.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | 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.
Tickmill and Octa both give traders access to forex as CFDs or spot contracts, and both support copy trading as well as cryptocurrency CFDs. Neither broker lets clients buy delivered cryptocurrency or U.S.-listed exchange traded securities as real shares. In the Range of Investments category, both are rated 3.5 out of 5 stars, so each offers a similar overall experience for traders looking mainly for leveraged products.
Where Tickmill stands out is variety: it lists 637 tradeable symbols and 62 forex pairs, compared with Octa’s 300 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Octa does have one extra advantage for share investors, since it offers exchange traded securities on international exchanges, while Tickmill does not. That said, Tickmill is ranked slightly higher by ForexBrokers.com for Range of Investments, placing #30 out of 63 brokers versus Octa’s #33.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 300 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 62 | 35 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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.
Tickmill and Octa both make it easy to get started with a free demo account for paper trading. Each supports Windows desktop and web-based platforms, plus popular MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5). Octa also offers its own proprietary platform, while Tickmill focuses on MetaTrader. Both brokers include copy trading and let you place orders directly from charts, which helps speed up execution and testing strategies.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, both earn 4 out of 5 stars from ForexBrokers.com. In the category rankings, Tickmill places #24 out of 63 brokers, while Octa ranks #30. Specific counts for built-in technical indicators and watchlist columns were not provided. If you want an in-house platform alongside MT4 and MT5, Octa has that option; if you prefer to stick with MetaTrader across devices, Tickmill fits the bill.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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) | 97 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Tickmill and Octa both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each is rated 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. Tickmill has a slight edge in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps ranking, placing #25 out of 63 brokers, while Octa comes in at #29. For charting, Tickmill gives mobile users access to 97 technical studies, compared with 30 on Octa, making Tickmill the stronger choice for traders who want more chart tools on the go.
Octa stands out for two mobile features that Tickmill does not offer: price alerts and auto-saving chart drawings. Tickmill, however, supports watchlist symbol syncing, so changes made on mobile or online stay in sync, while Octa does not. Both apps let users draw trendlines and both have iPhone and Android apps, so the main differences come down to alerts, watchlist syncing, and the number of technical studies available.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | No | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Tickmill and Octa both offer useful daily market commentary and an economic calendar, and each earns a 4-star rating for research. That said, Tickmill has a slight edge in overall research quality, ranking #19 out of 63 brokers compared with Octa’s #24. Tickmill also stands out for its Acuity Trading tools, while Octa does not offer them.
Octa has the stronger news setup, with forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus Autochartist tools for technical and fundamental ideas. Tickmill does not provide those two features, and neither broker includes Trading Central, sentiment tools, or TipRanks research. For traders who want more third-party news and chart analysis, Octa has more to offer, while Tickmill may appeal to those who value Acuity Trading alongside solid core market updates.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | Yes |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Tickmill vs Octa for beginner education: both brokers provide a clear path for learning forex and CFDs. Each meets the threshold of 10+ educational pieces and goes further with at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, plus online client webinars at least once a month. If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll find step-by-step videos and live sessions at both brokers to help you build confidence and skills.
Both Tickmill and Octa are rated 4 out of 5 stars for Education. That said, ForexBrokers.com ranks Tickmill higher (#14 of 63) than Octa (#32 of 63). In plain terms, you’ll get plenty of beginner-friendly content at either broker, but Tickmill’s higher placement suggests a slight edge in overall course depth and structure.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
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 Tickmill is better than Octa. Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #34.
Tickmill is a run-of-the-mill MetaTrader broker that offers a limited selection of tradeable securities. The broker does offer very competitive commission-based pricing for professionals through its VIP and Pro accounts.
| Feature |
Tickmill
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Octa
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 |
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Online brokers Tickmill and Octa do not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both allow traders to trade cryptocurrency via CFDs.
Tickmill vs Octa payment options for deposits and withdrawals: both lack ACH/SEPA but support bank wire transfers; Tickmill also offers PayPal and Skrill, while Octa offers Skrill only, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not 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 | Tickmill | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Octa Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | Octa | |
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| Regulation | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2011 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | 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 | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Tickmill | 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) | Tickmill | 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 | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 300 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 62 | 35 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | 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 | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 0.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $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 | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 97 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 97 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | No | Yes |
| Research | Tickmill | 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 | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Tickmill | Octa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Octa Review |
| Overall | Tickmill | Octa | |
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| Trust Score | 85 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Octa Review |
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