XM Group vs Octa 2025
In this head to head comparison of XM Group vs Octa, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of XM Group 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.
XM Group and Octa are both well-known online brokers, each established in the early 2010s; XM Group in 2009 and Octa in 2011. Neither broker is publicly traded or operates as a bank. However, their trustworthiness, as assessed by ForexBrokers.com, varies significantly. XM Group earns a Trust Score of 88, placing it in the "trusted" category, while Octa scores 72, indicating an "average risk" level.
When it comes to regulatory credentials, XM Group holds more Tier-1 licenses — four in total, reflecting a high level of trust according to industry standards. Meanwhile, Octa holds just one Tier-1 license. Both brokers hold one Tier-2 license each, showing a reliable level of trust. These differences reflect XM Group’s stronger regulatory standing in comparison to Octa.
Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
---|---|---|
Year Founded | 2009 | 2011 |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
Bank | No | No |
Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 |
Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
When comparing the commissions and fees of online brokers, XM Group and Octa both offer competitive options, but with distinct differences. XM Group's standard account tends to have higher spreads, and it does not publish average spreads for its commission-based XM Zero account. This lack of transparency can make it challenging for traders to assess overall costs accurately. XM Group is rated 4 stars for commissions and fees, ranking 33rd out of 62 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com.
On the other hand, Octa has made significant strides in improving its pricing structure, positioning itself closer to the lowest-cost brokers for MetaTrader platforms. Notably, Octa offers a no-slippage policy on 97.5% of executed orders and does not charge overnight carry costs. However, its restrictions may affect high-frequency traders. Like XM Group, Octa also garners a 4-star rating for commissions and fees but ranks slightly higher at 28th out of 62 brokers.
Octa’s commission and fee depend largely on the account type and the jurisdiction under which it operates. European clients are catered to under the EU entity with MT5 platforms, while international clients can choose between entities in South Africa and offshore in Mwali, with options on MT4, MT5, and OctaTrader platforms. The firm provides varying spread pricing, with the EU entity offering average spreads of 0.5 pips for the EUR/USD pair, slightly more competitive than the 0.9 pips average for foreign entities. Despite these improvements, the absence of a specified date range for its spread data makes it challenging to make precise comparisons.
Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $5 | $25 |
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | 0.9 |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When it comes to the range of investments offered by XM Group and Octa, there are notable differences that can impact a trader's decision. XM Group provides a significantly broader selection with 1,394 tradeable symbols, including 55 forex pairs, compared to Octa's 257 symbols and 35 forex pairs. Additionally, XM Group supports direct trading of exchange-traded securities in both U.S. and international markets, allowing clients to buy shares like Apple and Vodafone, a feature Octa does not extend to U.S. markets. While both brokers offer forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts and provide copy trading options, neither supports the purchase of actual delivered cryptocurrencies, only derivatives.
These differences contribute to XM Group's higher rating of 4.5 stars for the range of investments, while Octa receives 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com, XM Group's array of investment options ranks it at #23 out of 62 brokers, significantly ahead of Octa, which is ranked #52. Both brokers provide the essentials for forex and derivative trading, but XM Group stands out for investors seeking extensive market access and a wider selection of tradeable assets.
Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
---|---|---|
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 257 |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 35 |
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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). | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of XM Group and Octa, both brokers cater well to beginners and seasoned traders alike by offering a variety of platforms and features. XM Group and Octa both provide users with the ability to engage in simulated trading through free virtual demo accounts, allowing traders to practice their strategies without any financial risk. While XM Group relies on popular third-party platforms like MetaTrader 4 and 5, Octa stands out with its proprietary platform developed in-house. However, both brokers support Windows-based desktop downloads and web-based platforms, along with the convenience of trading directly from stock charts.
Both XM Group and Octa support copy trading and access to numerous charting tools, including 15 drawing tools. While neither offers DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, they still facilitate an engaging trading experience with seven customizable fields for watch lists. Rated equally with four stars for their trading platforms and tools, XM Group holds a slight edge in rankings, coming in at number 30 compared to Octa at number 37 among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com. This nuanced distinction highlights XM Group's broader appeal and accepted performance in trading tools, yet Octa remains a credible choice with its unique offerings.
Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
---|---|---|
Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
Proprietary Platform | No | 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 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps offered by XM Group and Octa, both provide apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices. They offer useful features like stock or forex price alerts and the ability to create watchlists with real-time quotes. Users can also draw trendlines on charts and view multiple time frames, such as daily, weekly, or intraday, all accessible from their mobile devices.
However, there are some differences between the two. XM Group stands out with its watchlist symbol syncing, allowing watchlists in the mobile app to sync with the client’s online account, a feature Octa lacks. Additionally, while XM Group does not auto-save drawings on charts, Octa does, adding a layer of convenience for users. Both apps have earned a four-star rating for their mobile trading services, but XM Group ranks higher at #27 compared to Octa's #36 in the Mobile Trading Apps category according to ForexBrokers.com, making XM Group a slightly more polished choice overall for mobile trading.
Feature |
XM Group
|
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 | No | Yes |
Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing XM Group and Octa for market research options, both offer daily market commentary and access to forex news from high-profile sources like Bloomberg and Reuters. However, XM Group shines with the inclusion of Trading Central tools for technical analysis and a sentiment-based trading tool that helps traders see the ratio of long or short positions across currency pairs. While Octa does provide tools from Autochartist, it lacks the sentiment-based tool that XM Group offers.
In terms of additional features, both brokers provide an economic calendar to keep traders informed about global news events, but neither offers market research from TipRanks or Acuity Trading. When it comes to overall research quality, XM Group takes a higher spot with a 5-star rating and an impressive ranking of #8 by ForexBrokers.com out of 62 brokers. Octa, on the other hand, receives a 4-star rating and is positioned at #26, making XM Group a more comprehensive choice for those prioritizing research capabilities.
Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
---|---|---|
Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
Autochartist | No | Yes |
Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | 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.
Both XM Group and Octa are committed to equipping beginners with valuable educational resources. Each offers a selection of more than 10 educational materials focused on forex and CFDs. These resources include engaging articles, insightful videos, and recorded webinars. You can join their monthly webinars to continue learning in real time. Additionally, they provide an archive of past webinars, ensuring beginners can access a wealth of information at their convenience. Both brokers cater to novice traders by offering over 10 beginner-focused videos, diving into the fundamentals of trading.
When it comes to catering to more experienced traders, both XM Group and Octa provide more than 10 advanced educational videos. However, a notable distinction is that Octa includes an investor dictionary with definitions for over 50 investing terms, a feature that XM Group doesn’t offer. Despite this, XM Group edges ahead with a perfect 5-star education rating and ranks 7th out of 62 brokers in ForexBrokers.com's Education category. In comparison, Octa receives a commendable 4-star rating and is ranked 41st. This comparison illustrates the robust educational support XM Group offers to beginners and seasoned traders alike, positioning it slightly ahead of Octa in this area.
Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
---|---|---|
Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that XM Group is better than Octa. XM Group finished with an overall rank of #17, while Octa finished with an overall rank of #47.
XM Group is a MetaTrader-only broker that offers a strong selection of high-quality educational content and market research.
Feature |
XM Group
|
Octa
|
---|---|---|
Overall Rating | ||
Trust Score | 88 | 72 |
Range of Investments | ||
Commissions & Fees | ||
Platform & Tools | ||
Research | ||
Mobile Trading | ||
Education |
Neither XM Group nor Octa provide the option to purchase actual cryptocurrency, but both offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both XM Group and Octa offer Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wire options for depositing or withdrawing account funds, while none support ACH, SEPA, or PayPal 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 5Overall Rating | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Overall Rating | |||
Commissions & Fees | |||
Range of Investments | |||
Platform & Tools | |||
Mobile Trading | |||
Research | |||
Education | |||
Trust Score | 88 | 72 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | XM Group Review | Octa Review |
Broker Screenshots | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Trading Platforms Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Mobile Trading Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Education Gallery (click to expand) |
Regulation | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Trust Score | 88 | 72 | |
Year Founded | 2009 | 2011 | |
Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
Bank | No | No | |
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
Tier-1 Licenses | 4 | 1 | |
Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | 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). | Yes | Yes |
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
Investments | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1394 | 257 | |
Forex Pairs (Total) | 55 | 35 | |
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | 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). | 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 | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.6 | 0.9 | |
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
Execution: Agency Broker | No | Yes | |
Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
Funding | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $5 | $25 | |
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
Trading Platforms | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Proprietary Platform | No | 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 | XM Group | 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 | XM Group | 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 | No | Yes | |
Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Research | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
Autochartist | No | Yes | |
Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | No | |
TipRanks | No | No | |
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | No | |
Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Education | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Major Forex Pairs | XM Group | 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 | XM Group Review | Octa Review |
Overall | XM Group | Octa | |
---|---|---|---|
Overall Rating | |||
Commissions & Fees | |||
Range of Investments | |||
Platform & Tools | |||
Mobile Trading | |||
Research | |||
Education | |||
Trust Score | 88 | 72 | |
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | XM Group Review | Octa Review |