Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers 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, Interactive Brokers 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.
Interactive Brokers vs Saxo for UK investors: both brokers offer a wide range of investment choices, including shares, ETFs, funds, corporate bonds, gilts, and investment trusts. The key differences are product access—Interactive Brokers supports crypto trading while Saxo does not, and Saxo offers CFD trading while Interactive Brokers does not. Spread betting is not specified in the information provided. Neither broker offers advisor services.
UK.StockBrokers.com rates both providers 5 stars for investment choices, with Saxo ranked #1 of 21 brokers and Interactive Brokers #2. If crypto access matters, Interactive Brokers may suit you; if you need CFDs, Saxo may be the better fit. For straightforward share dealing and ETFs, both platforms cover the essentials.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | 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.
Interactive Brokers and Saxo both offer browser-based platforms with price alerts, but their charting tools differ. Neither broker displays corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends) on charts. Interactive Brokers supplies 16 drawing tools and 94 technical indicators, while Saxo provides 20 drawing tools and 64 indicators. Saxo also lets you add notes and apply index and stock overlays; Interactive Brokers does not.
For UK traders, choose based on what you value most: Interactive Brokers suits those who prioritise a larger set of indicators, whereas Saxo may appeal if you want more drawing tools, chart notes, overlays, and real-time market data.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 64 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 16 | 20 |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
When comparing online brokers Interactive Brokers and Saxo for UK investors interested in retirement accounts, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). This means that whether you choose Interactive Brokers or Saxo, you will have access to tax-efficient saving options that can help you plan for your retirement by allowing you to invest in a wide range of financial markets. Both companies provide these essential accounts, enabling you to make informed decisions on where best to build your retirement savings. With both brokers offering these key investment vehicles, your choice depends on other personal preferences and additional services each broker provides.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
For UK investors seeking a mobile trading platform, both Interactive Brokers and Saxo offer convenient solutions with apps available for iPhone and Android devices. Their mobile applications have garnered top ratings from UK.StockBrokers.com, both earning an impressive five-star assessment. However, when delving into rankings among 21 evaluated brokers, Saxo clinches the top spot for mobile apps, while Interactive Brokers secures the fourth position. Whether prioritizing app features or overall industry ranking, both services present excellent options for the discerning trader.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing Interactive Brokers vs Saxo, both brokers run educational client webinars and keep sessions available on-demand, but Interactive Brokers adds more topic coverage with courses on share trading, funds, and retirement—areas Saxo doesn’t currently teach. While each earns a 5-star beginner education rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, their positions differ: Saxo ranks 3rd out of 21 brokers, and Interactive Brokers ranks 8th. If you mainly want on-demand webinars, either works well; if you want guidance across shares, funds, and retirement, Interactive Brokers has the edge.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When it comes to market research features, both Interactive Brokers and Saxo offer a wide array of resources for UK investors. Whether you're diving into research reports for funds, analyzing your portfolio allocation by asset class, or exploring various investment vehicles like shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds, both platforms have you covered. Interactive Brokers provides in-depth insights as does Saxo, which means traders can confidently make informed decisions with either broker, having all the necessary tools at their disposal to explore and understand their investment options thoroughly.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Interactive Brokers or Saxo? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Brokers to be a better trading platform overall.
Interactive Brokers is a sophisticated trading platform aimed at confident and institutional-grade investors. For newer investors, Interactive Brokers is more intimidating, though it's worth exploring the platform to see if you could save money or access more investments compared to other brokers.
| Feature |
Interactive Brokers
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Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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| Ease of Use |
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Interactive Brokers stands out from Saxo by offering crypto trading, a feature not available with Saxo, making it a preferable choice for investors interested in digital currencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Saxo | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Saxo Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Brokers | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | ||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3 | 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) | |||
| 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 | £0 | Up to £800 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | £0 | £500 to £1,000 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | £0 | Up to £1,998 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | £0 | £1,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | €20 minimum | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | 0.1% (for <10,000 EUR) 0.025% (for >10,000 EUR) | €20 minimum | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3 | From $1 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3 | From $1 / £3 / €10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £25 | £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Saxo | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Brokers | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 94 | 64 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 16 | 20 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Brokers | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Interactive Brokers | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Interactive Brokers | Saxo | |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Saxo Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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