Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs Freetrade, 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, Freetrade offers better pricing than Saxo 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 vs Freetrade for UK investors: both offer share dealing, ETFs, funds and investment trusts, plus UK government bonds (gilts). Saxo adds crypto trading, CFD trading and corporate bonds, which Freetrade doesn’t currently offer. Information about spread betting isn’t provided here for either platform, and neither offers adviser services.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Saxo 5/5 stars and ranks it #1 out of 21 brokers, while Freetrade earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #17. If you want the widest range of products, Saxo has the edge; if you mainly need access to shares, ETFs, funds, investment trusts and gilts, Freetrade covers the essentials.
| Feature |
Saxo
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Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Saxo vs Freetrade: both offer browser-based platforms and price alerts, but neither provides real-time market data or the option to show corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts. You also won’t find chart notes or index overlays on either platform.
Where they differ is charting depth. Saxo includes 20 drawing tools, 64 technical indicators and supports stock overlays; Freetrade has no drawing tools, no indicators and no stock overlays. For UK investors who value richer charting for analysis, Saxo is the stronger choice, while Freetrade suits those who prefer a simpler, buy-and-hold approach without advanced chart features.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 in the UK, Saxo and Freetrade both provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making them suitable options for those seeking to manage their retirement savings tax-efficiently. Saxo, a seasoned player in the brokerage field, caters to experienced investors looking for a range of sophisticated investment choices within their ISAs and SIPPs. On the other hand, Freetrade appeals to newer investors with its user-friendly platform and straightforward pricing structure, offering accessible entry into retirement investing through these tax-efficient accounts. Both brokers support individuals in planning for their financial future by providing essential retirement account options tailored to different investment approaches.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Saxo vs Freetrade for UK investors: both online brokers offer iPhone and Android mobile trading apps, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates Saxo’s app at 5 stars and ranks it #1 out of 21 brokers, while Freetrade’s app holds 4.5 stars and ranks #12. If app quality and ease of use matter most, Saxo edges ahead, though both let you trade on the go across iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For beginner investors in the UK, Saxo offers a more complete education experience than Freetrade: Saxo runs client webinars and lets you watch them on demand, while Freetrade has no webinars. Both cover share trading, funds, and retirement. However, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Saxo higher for beginner education (5/5 stars, ranked 3rd of 21 brokers) than Freetrade (4/5 stars, ranked 16th of 21). If you want structured lessons plus webinars you can revisit anytime, Saxo is the stronger choice; if you just need core topic guides, Freetrade still covers the basics.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Saxo vs Freetrade: For UK investors comparing market research features, Saxo is the clear winner. Saxo provides research on shares, ETFs, funds and bonds, plus fund research reports, while Freetrade offers none of these research categories. Both platforms let you view your portfolio allocation by asset class, but if you want in‑app research to inform decisions, Saxo delivers; Freetrade suits those who only need simple allocation visibility.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Freetrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Saxo or Freetrade? 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 |
Saxo
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Freetrade
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|---|---|---|
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Saxo vs Freetrade: the online broker Saxo offers cryptocurrency trading, while Freetrade does not support crypto trading.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Saxo | Freetrade | |
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| Review | Saxo Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Saxo | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Saxo | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £1 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | $1 / £3 / €3 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | $1 / £3 / €3 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | $1 / £3 / €3 | £0 | |
| 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% | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | £59.88 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | £59.88 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | €20 minimum | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | €20 minimum | £0 | |
| ETFs - Fee | From $1 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | 0.03/0.06/0.08% | £0 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Platforms & Tools | Saxo | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | No | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Saxo | Freetrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Freetrade | |
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| Review | Saxo Review | Freetrade Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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