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 let you trade shares, ETFs, CFDs, crypto and investment trusts, and neither provides adviser services. The standout difference is fixed income and funds: Saxo adds funds plus access to corporate bonds and UK government bonds (gilts), while IG does not currently offer funds or bonds.
UK.StockBrokers.com rates both IG and Saxo 5 stars for investment choices, but ranks Saxo 1st of 21 brokers and IG 11th. If you want funds or bond markets alongside shares, ETFs, CFDs and crypto, Saxo is the more complete option; if your focus is only on those latter markets, either broker should suit.
| 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 | 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.
Comparing trading tools for UK traders, IG stands out for chart extras while Saxo leans on depth of indicators. IG lets you display corporate events on charts and add notes, plus apply index overlays; Saxo doesn’t support those three features. Both brokers offer stock overlays, browser-based platforms, and price alerts. For market data, IG provides real-time data, while Saxo does not.
On charting specifics, Saxo offers 20 drawing tools and 64 technical indicators, edging IG’s 19 drawing tools and 33 indicators. If you value more indicators and a slightly wider set of drawing tools, Saxo fits the bill. If you prioritise corporate events on charts, note-taking, index overlays, and real-time market data, IG is the better match.
| Feature |
IG
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Saxo
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|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 33 | 64 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 19 | 20 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
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 UK beginner investors: both online brokers offer live and on-demand educational webinars, plus helpful content on funds and retirement. The key difference is shares—IG does not provide share trading education, while Saxo does. UK.StockBrokers.com rates both 5 stars for beginner education, but ranks IG 1st out of 21 brokers and Saxo 3rd. If you want share trading lessons, Saxo fits the bill; if you’re after the highest-ranked overall education experience, IG comes out on top.
| Feature |
IG
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | No | Yes |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| 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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IG vs Saxo: both online brokers offer crypto trading, so traders can access cryptocurrency markets on either platform.
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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 | $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 | N/A | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | N/A | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | N/A | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | N/A | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | €20 minimum | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | €20 minimum | |
| ETFs - Fee | £0 | From $1 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £0 | 0.03/0.06/0.08% | |
| 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 | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No |
| 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 | Yes | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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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