OQtima vs Tickmill: Which Broker Is Better in 2026?
Tickmill wins for traders who prioritise regulatory strength, with FCA licence 717270 and CySEC 278/15 both register-verified alongside four other licences, versus OQtima's two verified licences and no tier-1 regulator at all. The deciding trade-off runs in one direction on trust and nearly ties on cost: Tickmill's Raw account charges $3 per lot per side at 0.0-pip spreads, while OQtima's ECN+ charges $1.50 per side at an average of 0.12 pips on EUR/USD, making OQtima marginally cheaper in all-in terms. Tickmill adds TradingView and a proprietary platform that OQtima cannot match, plus a structured education offering where OQtima has nothing. OQtima counters with 900-plus instruments versus Tickmill's 180-plus, and a slightly lower all-in spread cost. Pick Tickmill if regulatory pedigree and platform variety matter more than squeezing the last fraction of a pip. Pick OQtima if you are an EU-based cost-focused trader who wants the widest instrument range and can verify you are onboarded under the CySEC entity.
OQtima vs Tickmill: Head-to-Head Data
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Regulation | Financial Services Authority (FSA) Seychelles, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission | Financial Services Authority (FSA) Seychelles, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), Labuan FSA |
| Min Deposit | $100 | $100 |
| Spread From | 0 pips | 0 pips |
| Avg Spread (EUR/USD) | - | 0.1 pips (EUR/USD) |
| Commission | Commission-free (no commission) | Raw: $3/lot/side; TradingView Raw: $3.5/lot/side; Classic: Zero (FX & Precious Metals only for Raw) |
| Platforms | MT5, MT4, WebTrader, Desktop | MT5, MT4, TradingView, WebTrader |
| Max Leverage | 1:1000 | 1:1000 |
| Instruments | 900+ instruments across both MT4 and MT5 | 180+ instruments (CFDs on forex, stock indices, commodities, bonds, cryptocurrencies) |
| Account Types | ECN+, OQtimaOne | Classic, Raw, TradingView Raw |
| Withdrawal Time | Monday to Friday, 9 am–3 pm Eastern European Standard Time | Within 1 working day by Tickmill; arrival varies: Skrill/Neteller instant, cards up to 8 days, bank wire 2–7 days |
| Founded | 2022 | 2014 |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | United Kingdom |
Fees and Trading Costs - OQtima is marginally cheaper all-in on raw ECN pricing, but the gap is narrow
OQtima's ECN+ account averages 0.12 pips on EUR/USD with a $1.50 per-side commission ($3.00 round turn), producing an all-in equivalent of roughly 0.42 pips. Tickmill's Raw account starts from 0.0 pips with a $3.00 per-side commission ($6.00 round turn), landing at around 0.60 pips equivalent all-in.
That makes OQtima the cheaper option for active forex traders on a per-trade basis, though the difference is small enough that execution quality and slippage will matter more in practice. Both brokers charge zero deposit and withdrawal fees on their side.
- Feature: Spread from · OQtima (ECN+): 0.0 pips · OQtima (OQtimaOne): 1.0 pips · Tickmill (Raw): 0.0 pips · Tickmill (Classic): 1.6 pips
- Feature: EUR/USD avg spread · OQtima (ECN+): 0.12 pips · OQtima (OQtimaOne): 1.12 pips · Tickmill (Raw): Not published for EUR/USD; AUD/USD typical 0.1 pips · Tickmill (Classic): Not published
- Feature: Commission · OQtima (ECN+): $1.50/lot/side ($3.00 round turn) · OQtima (OQtimaOne): None · Tickmill (Raw): $3.00/lot/side ($6.00 round turn) · Tickmill (Classic): None
- Feature: Minimum deposit · OQtima (ECN+): $100 · OQtima (OQtimaOne): $100 · Tickmill (Raw): $100 · Tickmill (Classic): $100
- Feature: Inactivity fee · OQtima (ECN+): None found · OQtima (OQtimaOne): None found · Tickmill (Raw): None found · Tickmill (Classic): None found
Tickmill also offers a TradingView Raw account, which carries a slightly higher $3.50 per-side commission. Neither broker publishes spread data for indices or metals in a directly comparable format, so traders focused on those asset classes should open a demo account with each broker before committing.
Regulation and Trust - Tickmill holds a materially stronger regulatory footprint, led by a verified FCA licence
Tickmill holds five licences across major and offshore jurisdictions. The most important is FCA licence 717270, verified as active on the UK register, which places UK clients under FSCS protection up to £85,000 per person.
CySEC licence 278/15 is also register-verified, covering EEA clients with up to EUR 20,000 through the Investor Compensation Fund. The Seychelles FSA licence (SD008) and Labuan FSA licence (MB/18/0028) are both verified on their respective registers.
The FSCA claim (FSP 49464) could not be confirmed on the public register. Tickmill's overall trust score is 8/10.
OQtima holds two verified licences. CySEC licence 406/21 is confirmed active on the Cyprus register, providing ICF coverage up to EUR 20,000 for clients onboarded under the EU entity (oqtima.eu).
Seychelles FSA licence SD109 is verified on the FSA register. OQtima holds no tier-1 regulator - no FCA, no ASIC, no CFTC equivalent. A Japanese regulatory warning is on file, which is a material concern for clients in that market. OQtima's trust score is 6/10.
The critical practical point for OQtima is that the main website defaults most international visitors to the Seychelles entity, not the CySEC entity. Traders must actively verify which entity holds their account.
With Tickmill, UK clients are served directly by the FCA-regulated entity with no ambiguity. Both brokers use segregated client funds, and both apply negative balance protection across entities.
Trustpilot data should be read carefully for both brokers. OQtima holds a 4.6 score from 232 reviews. Tickmill's Trustpilot rating was suspended following the removal of fake reviews, making that signal unreliable for either direction.
Platforms and Tools - Tickmill's TradingView integration is the most meaningful platform difference
OQtima offers MT4 and MT5 only, available via desktop, WebTrader, and mobile. There is no proprietary platform, no cTrader, and no TradingView integration. The MT4/MT5 combination is functional and well-understood, with hosting on Equinix servers and advertised latency of 1 millisecond.
Both platforms support hedging, scalping, and Expert Advisors on all account types. A free VPS is available for traders depositing $3,000 or more, or trading at least 5 standard lots per month.
Tickmill offers MT4, MT5, TradingView (via the TradingView Raw account, USD base currency only), and its own Tickmill Trader proprietary platform. The free Advanced Trading Toolkit for MT4/MT5 adds 100-plus technical indicators, 50-plus drawing tools, a Sentiment Trader, Alarm Manager, Correlation Matrix, and Trade Terminal - none of which are available through OQtima's standard MT setup. Tickmill also offers a BeeksFX VPS at a 20% client discount.
On research, both brokers score equally (8/10) and both include Trading Central-powered tools. OQtima includes the economic calendar, Featured Ideas signals, Market Buzz sentiment analysis, and Alpha Generation indicators. Tickmill's research suite is similarly described as comprehensive.
On education, Tickmill scores 6/10 while OQtima scores 2/10 - there is no structured education centre, no courses, and no webinars at OQtima. Traders who want guided learning materials should go to Tickmill.
On instrument count, OQtima covers 900-plus instruments across its platform. Tickmill lists 180-plus CFD instruments. This is a significant gap if breadth of coverage matters to you, though the quality and tradeable liquidity of specific instruments matter more than headline counts.
Which Should You Choose?
The active forex scalper or EA trader. OQtima's ECN+ account is marginally cheaper all-in on EUR/USD, and its 900-plus instrument range gives more flexibility if you want to diversify strategies. The catch is that the cost advantage only materialises if you are onboarded under the CySEC entity.
If you land under the Seychelles entity, the protection difference compared with Tickmill's FCA or CySEC-regulated offering becomes significant. Cost-focused EU-resident scalpers should look at OQtima ECN+ first, verify their entity, and compare live execution on a demo before funding.
The experienced trader who values regulation above all. Tickmill is the clear choice. FCA 717270 gives UK clients FSCS protection that OQtima simply cannot match. The verified multi-regulator structure means fewer questions about which entity applies.
The $6 round-turn commission is higher than OQtima's $3.00, but the regulatory premium is real and measurable. Add TradingView access and the Advanced Trading Toolkit, and Tickmill is the better-built platform ecosystem for traders who are not purely optimising on basis points.
The newer or developing trader. Tickmill wins this profile by default. A 6/10 education score versus OQtima's 2/10 means Tickmill actually has learning resources to offer. The stronger regulatory framework also means less risk of navigating a complaint process under an offshore entity.
OQtima's zero education offering is a genuine gap that cannot be addressed by its competitive spreads.
