Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs IG, 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 - Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 per year, while IG would cost £136 per year.
12 trades per year - Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 per year, while IG would cost £96 per year.
36 trades per year - Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 per year, while IG would cost £108 per year.
120 trades per year - Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £396 per year, while IG would cost £360 per year.
3 fund trades per year - Saxo would cost £0 per year, while IG 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.
When it comes to investment choices, both Saxo and IG offer a range of options for investors. Saxo excels with offerings such as share trading, ETFs, CFDs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and investment trusts. However, it does not support crypto trading, spread betting, or advisor services. IG, on the other hand, provides share trading, ETFs, CFDs, and investment trusts, but lacks options for crypto trading, spread betting, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds, and advisor services.
Rated 5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, Saxo stands out as the top choice for investment options among 18 brokers. In contrast, IG earns a respectable 4.5 stars and ranks 10th, marking it as a solid contender but with a more limited selection compared to Saxo. Investors seeking diverse opportunities might find Saxo more appealing, especially if interested in bonds or funds, areas where IG does not participate.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
IG
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes |
| 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 it comes to trading tools, Saxo and IG each offer a robust set of features tailored to traders' needs, yet they differ in certain aspects. Saxo stands out with the ability to include index and stock overlays on charts, a feature not available with IG. Additionally, Saxo provides 64 technical indicators and 20 drawing tools, giving traders a comprehensive toolkit for chart analysis. In comparison, IG offers 33 technical indicators and 19 drawing tools, slightly less than its counterpart. Both platforms allow users to add notes to charts and feature browser-based trading platforms.
A unique advantage IG holds over Saxo is the ability to display corporate events, such as earnings, splits, and dividends, directly on charts, a feature missing in Saxo's offerings. Despite this, both platforms excel in supporting real-time market data and customizable stock price alerts, ensuring traders stay informed and responsive to market changes. Whether prioritizing charting intricacies or the visualization of company events, traders can select the platform aligning with their personal trading strategy.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
IG
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 33 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 19 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
When comparing online brokers Saxo and IG for retirement account options, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making them attractive choices for individuals planning for the future. Saxo and IG's availability of both ISAs and SIPPs provides flexibility for investors looking to grow their savings with tax-efficient solutions. Choosing between the two may ultimately depend on other features and services each broker offers, but rest assured that both meet essential retirement planning needs.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
Both Saxo and IG offer robust mobile apps for iPhone and Android, catering to diverse trading needs with high-quality platforms. Saxo stands out with a top ranking of #1 among 18 brokers according to UK.StockBrokers.com, boasting a perfect 5-star rating for its mobile app. Similarly, IG maintains an impressive presence with a 5-star rating, holding a respectable #6 position in the mobile app rankings. Whether you're using an iPhone or Android device, both brokers provide reliable options for convenient and effective trading on the go.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
When comparing Saxo and IG for their educational resources geared towards beginner investors, both online brokers excel, offering client webinars that are available live and on-demand. However, their educational content diverges beyond webinars. IG provides education on share trading and retirement, areas where Saxo does not currently offer instruction. Neither broker covers the topic of funds. Despite these differences in educational content, both Saxo and IG receive a commendable 5-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com for their beginner education. However, Saxo shines slightly brighter, ranking 2nd out of 18 brokers, while IG holds the 7th position.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
IG
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | No | No |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing Saxo and IG for their market research features, Saxo stands out by offering comprehensive research reports across various investment areas. Both Saxo and IG provide research reports for funds and shares, as well as insights into ETFs and CFDs; however, Saxo goes a step further with exclusive research on funds and bonds, which IG does not offer. Additionally, Saxo enables users to see portfolio allocation by asset class, a valuable feature not available with IG. These distinctions make Saxo a more robust choice for investors seeking in-depth market research and portfolio analysis.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
IG
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
Which broker is better overall, Saxo or IG? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Saxo to be a better trading platform overall.
Saxo Markets’ 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.
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IG
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When comparing online brokers Saxo and IG, neither offers crypto trading, making them equal in that aspect.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Saxo | IG | |
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| Review | Saxo Review | IG Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Saxo | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Funds | Yes | No | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Saxo | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | From £3 or 0.08% | £0-£10 | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | From £3 or 0.08% | £3 | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | From £3 or 0.08% | £3 | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 | £136 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 | £96 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 | £108 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £396 | £360 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | 0.4% + 0% commission: £120 | N/A | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | Up to £800 | £0 / £96 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £500 to £1,000 | £0 / £96 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | Up to £1,998 | £0 / £96 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £1,000 | £0 / £96 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | €20 minimum | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | €20 minimum | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | From $1 | £0 - £8 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | From $1 / £3 / €10 | £0 - £8 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | IG | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Saxo | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 33 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 19 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| Research | Saxo | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | Yes | No | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | No |
| Education | Saxo | IG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | No | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Saxo | IG | |
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| Review | Saxo Review | IG Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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