Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of IG 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, IG 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.
IG vs Saxo UK: both UK brokers earn 5-star marks from UK.StockBrokers.com for investment choices, with Saxo UK ranked #2 of 21 and IG at #6. Each lets you trade shares, ETFs, CFDs, crypto, and investment trusts, and neither provides advisor services.
The key difference is product range beyond equities. Saxo UK adds funds plus both corporate and government bonds (gilts), while IG does not offer those. If you want funds or fixed-income options alongside shares and ETFs, Saxo UK has the edge. If you mainly trade shares, ETFs, CFDs, crypto, and investment trusts, IG covers those core needs.
| Feature |
IG
|
Saxo UK
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 IG and Saxo UK for trading tools, the key charting differences stand out. IG lets you display corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts, add notes, and apply index overlays; Saxo UK lacks those three features. Saxo UK edges IG on sheer tools with 20 drawing tools and 64 technical indicators, versus IG’s 19 drawing tools and 33 indicators. Both support stock overlays.
Both brokers offer a browser-based platform and price alerts. For market data, IG supplies real-time data, while Saxo UK does not—important if you want up-to-the-minute pricing. Choose IG if you value event markers, notes, overlays, and live data; choose Saxo UK if you prioritise a larger set of built-in indicators and drawing tools.
| Feature |
IG
|
Saxo UK
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
IG vs Saxo UK: both brokers offer a Stocks and Shares ISA and a SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension), giving UK investors tax-efficient ways to save and invest. With either provider you can open an ISA for tax-free investing each year and a SIPP for long-term pension saving, so your choice may come down to fees, ease of use, and investment range rather than account types.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
IG vs Saxo UK: both brokers offer iPhone and Android trading apps, and each scores 5/5 stars for mobile from UK.StockBrokers.com. For rankings, Saxo UK takes the top spot (#1 out of 21 brokers) while IG is a close second (#2 out of 21). If app performance is your priority, Saxo UK edges ahead; IG still delivers one of the best mobile trading experiences available in the UK.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing IG and Saxo UK, both brokers offer live educational webinars with recordings available on demand, and both provide learning on funds and retirement. Only Saxo UK adds share trading education, which IG lacks. Even so, each earns 5 stars for beginner education from UK.StockBrokers.com, with IG ranked #1 of 21 brokers and Saxo UK close behind at #2—so your choice may hinge on whether you want share trading lessons alongside webinars and long-term investing content.
| Feature |
IG
|
Saxo UK
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 UK: For UK investors comparing market research, both brokers provide research reports for funds, portfolio allocation by asset class, and in-platform analysis on shares and ETFs. The main difference is coverage breadth—Saxo UK adds dedicated research on funds and bonds, while IG does not offer those two research categories. If you focus on shares and ETFs, either works; if you want extra insight on funds and fixed income alongside allocation tools and reports, Saxo UK has the edge.
| Feature |
IG
|
Saxo UK
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 UK? 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 UK
|
|---|---|---|
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IG vs Saxo UK: both online brokers offer crypto trading, giving traders a choice between two established platforms for accessing cryptocurrency markets.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | IG | Saxo UK | |
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| Review | IG Review | Saxo UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | IG | Saxo UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 UK | |
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| Platforms & Tools | IG | Saxo UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 UK | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 UK | |
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| Review | IG Review | Saxo UK Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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