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.
Your capital is at risk.
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, Saxo offers better pricing than Barclays for share dealing.
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.
Saxo and Barclays both let UK investors trade shares, ETFs, funds, corporate and government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. They differ on newer or leveraged products: Saxo offers cryptocurrency trading and CFDs, while Barclays does not. Details on spread betting aren’t provided for either broker.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates both at 5/5, with Saxo ranked #2 out of 21 (Barclays’ rank not listed). In short: choose Saxo if you want crypto or CFDs alongside traditional assets; choose Barclays if you prefer a traditional range plus access to advisor services.
| Feature |
Saxo
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Barclays
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | 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.
Saxo vs Barclays: For trading tools, Saxo’s platform offers far more for chart analysis. You get 20 drawing tools, 64 technical indicators and the ability to add stock overlays. Barclays has no drawing tools or indicators and doesn’t support stock overlays. Both brokers provide browser-based platforms and let you set price alerts, but neither shows corporate events on charts, supports index overlays, allows adding notes to charts, or supplies real-time market data.
For UK investors who want to study price action and build trading setups on charts, Saxo is the stronger pick. If you only need a simple web platform to place trades and basic alerts, Barclays can suffice—just remember that with either provider you’ll be working without real-time market data or corporate events plotted on charts.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | 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.
Saxo vs Barclays for UK mobile trading: both provide iPhone and Android apps, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates Saxo’s app 5 stars and Barclays 2.5 stars. Saxo is ranked #1 out of 21 brokers for Mobile Apps, while Barclays is not ranked (N/A), making Saxo the clearer pick if app quality and ratings on iOS and Android matter to you.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners comparing investment education, Saxo stands out by offering client webinars and on-demand replays, while Barclays does not provide webinars. Both cover the essentials—share trading, funds, and retirement—but Saxo edges ahead on quality, earning a 5-star beginner education rating from UK.StockBrokers.com versus Barclays’ 4.5 stars. Saxo is also ranked #2 out of 21 brokers for beginner education, whereas Barclays has no published ranking. If live and catch up learning matter to you, Saxo is the stronger pick; if you mainly want guides on core topics, either broker will do.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features offered by online brokers Saxo and Barclays, both platforms provide extensive resources for UK investors. Saxo and Barclays each offer research reports for funds, allowing users to make informed investment decisions. Additionally, both brokers provide tools to view portfolio allocation by asset class, helping investors maintain a balanced approach. In the realm of investment research, Saxo and Barclays cover shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds, ensuring investors have access to comprehensive insights across different asset types.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Barclays
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| 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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| Mobile App |
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Online broker Saxo offers crypto trading, whereas Barclays does not, making Saxo the preferable option for investors seeking cryptocurrency exposure.
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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 | |
| Mutual 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 | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Saxo | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | $1 / £3 / €3 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | $1 / £3 / €3 | £6 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | $1 / £3 / €3 | £6 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | |||
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £0 - £250,000 | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | £0 - £525 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | £525 - £650 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | £650 - £850 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | £850 and up | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | €20 minimum | £6 | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | €20 minimum | £6 | |
| ETFs - Fee | From $1 | £6 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | 0.03/0.06/0.08% | £6 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £25 |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
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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 | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Saxo | Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| 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) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | 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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