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.
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.
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 - IG would cost £136 per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 per year.
12 trades per year - IG would cost £96 per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 per year.
36 trades per year - IG would cost £108 per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 per year.
120 trades per year - IG would cost £360 per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £396 per year.
3 fund trades per year - IG would cost £0 per year, while Saxo 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.
IG and Saxo are both popular online brokers offering a range of investment options for individuals looking to diversify their portfolios. When it comes to share trading, both platforms offer this option to their users. However, those interested in trading cryptocurrencies or engaging in spread betting will be disappointed, as neither broker supports these investment types. Both IG and Saxo also provide opportunities for ETF and CFD trading, making them appealing to investors focusing on these areas. While IG does offer investment trusts, it lacks funds trading and the ability to trade corporate or government bonds, areas where Saxo expands its offerings, giving investors more diverse choices.
Rating-wise, IG earns a respectable 4.5 stars from UK.StockBrokers.com for its array of investment choices, ranking it 11th out of 18 brokers. Nevertheless, Saxo outshines IG with a 5-star rating, achieving the top position for investment choices according to the same source. While both brokers do not provide advisory services, Saxo's wider range of options, including funds and bonds, makes it a more comprehensive choice for investors seeking an extensive selection of trading instruments.
| Feature |
IG
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | No |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Investment Choices |
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Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
Low-cost US and UK shares.
When comparing IG and Saxo for their online trading tools, each platform has its unique strengths. IG stands out with the ability to display corporate events like earnings, splits, and dividends directly on charts, turning data into more insightful trading decisions. While Saxo lacks this feature, it compensates with an impressive 64 technical indicators (compared to IG's 33) and offers 20 drawing tools, a slight edge over IG's 19. Both brokers allow users to add notes to charts, ensuring your trading insights are never lost.
Both IG and Saxo provide modern, browser-based trading platforms with real-time market data, and they enable traders to create alerts for stock price updates. However, Saxo offers additional flexibility with the option to add both index and stock overlays to charts, a feature IG does not support. Traders must weigh these differences against their personal needs when choosing between the two platforms.
| 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 | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
When comparing online brokers IG and Saxo, both platforms offer attractive options for retirement accounts. IG provides Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), ensuring clients have diversified avenues for long-term investment growth. Similarly, Saxo supports both ISAs and SIPPs, making it equally competitive for those planning their retirement portfolios. Whether you choose IG or Saxo, both brokers cater to UK clients looking to maximize their savings and investment potential through tax-efficient retirement accounts.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both IG and Saxo offer mobile trading apps compatible with iPhone and Android devices. Each platform's app has received a stellar five-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, highlighting their robust features and user-friendly experiences. In terms of rankings among 18 brokers for mobile app offerings, Saxo clinches the top position at #1, with IG closely following at #2. Whether you choose IG or Saxo, both apps provide excellent performance for those looking to trade on the go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When it comes to educational resources for beginner investors, both IG and Saxo offer a robust selection. Each platform provides educational client webinars, which are also available on demand, making it easy for beginners to learn at their own pace. If you're interested in share trading, IG is the go-to, as they offer tailored education on this topic, whereas Saxo does not. Neither platform provides resources specifically for funds education, though IG leads with retirement-focused education, a subject Saxo does not cover. Both brokers have been highly rated by UK.StockBrokers.com with five stars for beginner education; however, IG takes the top spot as the number one ranked broker out of 18, while Saxo is close behind at number three.
| Feature |
IG
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | No | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When it comes to market research features, both IG and Saxo offer comprehensive research reports for funds, shares, ETFs, and CFDs, making them strong contenders in the online brokerage space. However, Saxo edges ahead by offering additional insights with funds research and the ability to see an in-depth portfolio allocation by asset class — features that IG lacks. Furthermore, Saxo provides research on bonds, which IG does not. If you're seeking a broker with extensive research capabilities, particularly in areas like bonds and investment portfolio analysis, Saxo might be the better choice for you.
| Feature |
IG
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | 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.
| Feature |
IG
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Saxo
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Both IG and Saxo do not offer crypto trading options for their users, focusing instead on a variety of other financial instruments.
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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 | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | IG | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0-£10 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £136 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £96 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £108 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £360 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £396 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | N/A | 0.4% + 0% commission: £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 / £96 | Up to £800 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 / £96 | £500 to £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 / £96 | Up to £1,998 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 / £96 | £1,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | €20 minimum | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | €20 minimum | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 - £8 | From $1 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 - £8 | From $1 / £3 / €10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | IG | Saxo | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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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 | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | IG | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | No | Yes |
| Education | IG | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | No | 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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