Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs Barclays, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, investment options, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Alongside the cost per trade, most UK online brokers also charge a monthly, quarterly, or annual management fee, which varies based on the account type and balance. Based on our thorough review, Barclays offers better pricing than Saxo for share dealing.
Assuming a £30,000 portfolio size, here are the total annual costs for share dealing with both brokers, given different monthly activity scenarios.
5 trades per year - Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 per year, while Barclays would cost £105 per year.
12 trades per year - Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £147 per year.
36 trades per year - Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £291 per year.
120 trades per year - Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £396 per year, while Barclays would cost £75 or £795 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Saxo would cost £0 per year, while Barclays would cost £0 per year.
What type of trader are you?
New to the world of investing? See our picks for the Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners. More experienced traders should read our guide to the Best UK Trading Platforms for Active Traders.
For UK investors exploring online brokers, Saxo and Barclays present comprehensive investment choices, each receiving a 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com. Both platforms enable share trading, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts, providing diverse options for those looking to build a varied portfolio. However, their offerings diverge in other areas. Saxo stands out by offering CFD trading, securing its top-ranked position (#1) among 21 brokers for investment choices, while Barclays does not provide this option. On the other hand, Barclays offers advisor services, unlike Saxo, ranking #9 in the same evaluation.
Neither broker supports crypto trading or spread betting, maintaining a traditional focus within their investment opportunities. Whether you require the breadth of Saxo's investment options or the advisory services from Barclays, both brokers cater to different investment needs while ensuring a solid foundation for your trading endeavours.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
When comparing Saxo and Barclays for online trading tools, UK users will find Saxo significantly more feature-rich. While neither broker displays corporate events like earnings or dividends on charts, Saxo provides an impressive array of 20 drawing tools and 64 technical indicators, far outpacing Barclays, which offers none. Saxo users can also add personal notes and employ both index and stock overlays, giving traders versatile options for customizing their analysis. In contrast, Barclays lacks these features.
Both Saxo and Barclays support browser-based trading platforms, simplifying access across devices. However, Saxo takes a substantial lead with real-time market data, allowing traders to react swiftly to market changes—a crucial advantage Barclays does not offer. Additionally, both brokers allow the creation of alerts for stock price updates, ensuring traders never miss a crucial movement. Overall, Saxo presents a more comprehensive toolkit for those keen on in-depth chart analysis and up-to-the-minute market data.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing online brokers Saxo and Barclays for UK retirement accounts, both platforms cater to individuals seeking tax-efficient savings options. Saxo and Barclays each provide ISA accounts, allowing users to save and invest up to the annual limit without paying tax on returns. In addition to ISAs, both brokers also offer Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) accounts, giving more control over pension investments with the added benefit of tax relief. Whether you choose Saxo or Barclays, both offer comprehensive solutions for growing your retirement savings while maximizing tax efficiencies.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors seeking top-tier mobile trading solutions, comparing Saxo and Barclays highlights significant differences. Both brokers provide iPhone and Android apps, ensuring wide accessibility. However, Saxo leads the pack with a 5-star mobile app rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, securing the #1 position among 21 brokers. Conversely, Barclays falls behind with a 2.5-star rating, landing at #21 in the same rankings. This contrast suggests Saxo's mobile services are highly sought after for their superior user experience, while Barclays may not meet the same benchmark of satisfaction for mobile users.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors looking at educational resources, Saxo and Barclays offer distinct advantages. Saxo shines with its top-tier rating of 5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, securing the impressive 3rd position out of 21 brokers, partly due to its engaging educational client webinars, which are also conveniently archived for on-demand viewing. While Saxo falls short on offering education specifically focused on share trading, funds, and retirement, Barclays fills this gap with resources on these crucial topics, earning a commendable 4.5-star rating and the 10th position overall. However, Barclays misses out on providing webinars, which could be a disadvantage for those who prefer learning through interactive sessions.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of Saxo and Barclays for UK investors, both platforms provide comprehensive research reports for funds, allowing users to make informed investment decisions. They each enable users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, enhancing transparency in investment management. Both Saxo and Barclays offer detailed research on shares, ETFs, and funds. However, a notable distinction is that Saxo provides research for Contracts for Difference (CFDs), which is absent in Barclays' offerings. Additionally, both Saxo and Barclays support research for bonds, catering to investors interested in fixed income instruments. Overall, while both brokers deliver extensive research tools, Saxo edges slightly ahead with its inclusion of CFDs research.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Saxo or Barclays? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Saxo to be a better trading platform overall.
Saxo’ trading platform is highly sophisticated and offers a huge range of international shares and funds. The biggest downside is the cost, as its charges are higher than its U.K. competitors. It's best suited for experienced investors rather than beginners.
| Feature |
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Barclays
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Neither Saxo nor Barclays currently offer crypto trading, making these online brokers similar in their exclusion of cryptocurrency investment options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Saxo | Barclays | |
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| Review | Saxo Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Saxo | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Saxo | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | From £3 or 0.08% | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | From £3 or 0.08% | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | From £3 or 0.08% | £6 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 | £105 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 | £75 or £147 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 | £75 or £291 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £396 | £75 or £795 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | 0.4% + 0% commission: £120 | £75 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | Up to £800 | £0 - £525 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £500 to £1,000 | £525 - £650 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | Up to £1,998 | £650 - £850 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £1,000 | £850 and up | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | €20 minimum | £6 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | €20 minimum | £6 | |
| ETFs - Fee | From $1 | £6 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | From $1 / £3 / €10 | £6 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | Barclays | |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Saxo | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Saxo | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Saxo | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Saxo | Barclays | |
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| Review | Saxo Review | Barclays Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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