Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG vs Saxo, 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, IG 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.
IG vs Saxo for UK investors: both brokers offer share trading, ETFs, CFDs, and investment trusts. Only IG offers crypto trading. Saxo, meanwhile, adds funds plus access to corporate bonds and UK government bonds (gilts). Neither broker provides adviser services.
UK.StockBrokers.com rates both brokers 5 stars for investment choices, but Saxo ranks #1 out of 21 brokers while IG ranks #11. In short: choose IG if you want crypto alongside shares and ETFs; choose Saxo if you need funds and bond markets, including gilts.
| Feature |
IG
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Saxo
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|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | 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.
IG vs Saxo: For charting tools, IG lets you display corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) directly on charts, while Saxo does not. Saxo counters with a larger library of technical indicators (64 vs 33) and a touch more drawing tools (20 vs 19). Both platforms support adding notes to charts and offer index and stock overlays, making them useful for visual analysis.
For platform features, UK traders get a browser-based trading platform, real-time market data, and price alerts with both IG and Saxo. If seeing corporate events on the chart matters to you, IG is the better fit; if you prioritise more indicators and drawing tools, Saxo has the edge.
| Feature |
IG
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 64 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 20 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
For UK investors seeking online brokers with retirement account options, both IG and Saxo provide appealing choices. Each offers Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making them suitable for retirement planning. This dual offering allows investors to benefit from tax-efficient ISAs and take control of their retirement savings through SIPPs. Whether you choose IG or Saxo, both brokers cater to those looking to build a secure financial future through diverse investment accounts tailored for UK users.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile app offerings of IG and Saxo for UK users, both brokers provide apps for iPhone and Android devices. UK.StockBrokers.com rates both IG and Saxo's mobile applications highly, each receiving a full 5-star rating. However, Saxo takes the lead in overall rankings, achieving the top spot out of 21 brokers for its mobile apps, while IG follows closely behind in second place. These rankings suggest that while both apps deliver excellent performance, Saxo slightly edges out IG in terms of overall mobile app experience. For UK investors seeking a reliable and user-friendly trading platform on their mobile devices, either broker's app would be a solid choice.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
IG vs Saxo for beginner education in the UK: both brokers run client webinars and keep them on demand, but neither provides dedicated share trading lessons. IG goes further with education on funds and retirement, while Saxo does not cover these topics. Although both earn 5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com, IG ranks #1 out of 21 brokers for beginner education and Saxo ranks #3—making IG the stronger choice if you want webinars plus guidance on funds and retirement.
| Feature |
IG
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
IG vs Saxo for market research: Both online brokers offer research reports for funds and let UK investors see portfolio allocation by asset class. Each platform includes shares and ETF research. The key difference is depth of coverage—Saxo also provides dedicated research on funds and bonds, while IG does not cover those categories. If you want broader bond and fund analysis, Saxo is stronger; if your focus is shares and ETFs with clear allocation insights, IG will meet the mark.
| Feature |
IG
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, IG or Saxo? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found IG to be a better trading platform overall.
IG is an investment platform aimed at experienced investors looking to make frequent trades on the stock market, with thousands of shares, trusts and ETFs to trade. It offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use trading platform that is used by both private and professional investors.
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Saxo
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In the IG vs Saxo online broker comparison, IG offers cryptocurrency trading, while Saxo does not.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Saxo | |
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| Review | IG Review | Saxo Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | IG | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| 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 | N/A | Up to £800 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | £500 to £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | Up to £1,998 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | £1,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | €20 minimum | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | €20 minimum | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | From $1 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | From $1 / £3 / €10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Saxo | |
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| Platforms & Tools | IG | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 64 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 20 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | IG | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | IG | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | IG | Saxo | |
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| Review | IG Review | Saxo Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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