Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Freetrade vs Saxo UK, 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 UK 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.
Freetrade and Saxo UK both cover the essentials for UK investors, offering share trading, ETFs, funds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. The big differences are in specialist markets: Saxo UK adds crypto trading, CFD trading, and corporate bonds, while Freetrade does not. Advisor services are not offered by either, and spread betting availability wasn’t specified for either broker in the information provided.
For investment choice, UK.StockBrokers.com rates Freetrade at 4.5/5 (ranked 9th of 21) and Saxo UK at 5/5 (ranked 2nd of 21). If you want straightforward access to core investments, Freetrade may suit; if you need a wider range that includes crypto, CFDs, and corporate bonds, Saxo UK is the stronger fit.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Saxo UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Freetrade vs Saxo UK: when it comes to trading tools and charting features for UK investors, both brokers offer a browser-based trading platform and price alerts. However, neither platform displays corporate events on charts, supports notes or index overlays, or provides real-time market data.
The big gap is in charting depth. Freetrade has no drawing tools or technical indicators and doesn’t support stock overlays, making it more suited to straightforward investing. Saxo UK offers 20 drawing tools, 64 technical indicators, and stock overlays, which better supports in-platform analysis before placing trades.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Saxo UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 64 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 20 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
Freetrade and Saxo UK both offer key UK investing and retirement accounts: a Stocks and Shares ISA for tax-efficient investing and a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) for building your pension. Whether you want an ISA to shelter gains and dividends or a SIPP for flexible retirement saving, either broker provides these options. Your choice may hinge on fees, investment range, and platform experience, as both Freetrade and Saxo UK support ISA and SIPP accounts.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Freetrade and Saxo UK both offer iPhone and Android trading apps for UK investors, but their scores differ: UK.StockBrokers.com rates Freetrade’s app 4.5/5 and ranks it 7th out of 21 brokers, while Saxo UK earns 5/5 and the #1 spot. If you want the highest-rated mobile app, Saxo UK leads, though Freetrade remains a solid choice across iOS and Android.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
Freetrade vs Saxo UK: For beginner investor education, Saxo UK runs client webinars and offers on‑demand replays, while Freetrade has no webinars. Both brokers cover share trading, funds and retirement, but UK.StockBrokers.com rates Saxo UK higher for beginners (5/5 stars; 2nd of 21) than Freetrade (4/5; 13th of 21). If you want live lessons and easy catch‑up, Saxo UK is the better fit; if you just need straightforward topic guides, Freetrade still covers the basics.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Saxo UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| 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.
Comparing Freetrade vs Saxo UK for market research, both let you see portfolio allocation by asset class, but Freetrade lacks built-in research on shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds and does not provide research reports for funds. Saxo UK, by contrast, offers research on shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds, plus research reports for funds, making it the stronger option if you want guidance inside the platform.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Saxo UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | No | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Freetrade or Saxo UK? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Freetrade to be a better trading platform overall.
Overall Freetrade is a great platform to help you get to grips with investing. Costs are low, and its user-friendly mobile app offers great investment inspiration. Sophisticated investors, however, may find that other platforms offer a wider range of investment options and tools.
| Feature |
Freetrade
|
Saxo UK
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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Freetrade does not offer crypto trading, whereas Saxo UK does, so investors seeking cryptocurrency access should choose Saxo UK.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Freetrade | Saxo UK | |
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| Review | Freetrade Review | Saxo UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Freetrade | Saxo UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Freetrade | Saxo UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | $1 / £3 / €3 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | $1 / £3 / €3 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | $1 / £3 / €3 | |
| 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 | £59.88 | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £59.88 | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £59.88 | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £59.88 | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | €20 minimum | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £0 | €20 minimum | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | From $1 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | 0.03/0.06/0.08% | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | Freetrade | Saxo UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Freetrade | Saxo UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 64 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 20 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Freetrade | Saxo UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | No | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | No | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Freetrade | Saxo UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Freetrade | Saxo UK | |
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| Review | Freetrade Review | Saxo UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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