Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Investor 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, Interactive Investor 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 - Interactive Investor would cost £79.83 per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 per year.
12 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £107.76 per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 per year.
36 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £203.52 per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 per year.
120 trades per year - Interactive Investor would cost £59.88 / £538.68 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 - Interactive Investor 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.
For UK investors exploring the world of online brokerages, Interactive Investor and Saxo both present diverse investment options. Both platforms offer share trading, ETF trading, and the ability to trade funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. However, Saxo stands out with the additional option of CFD trading, while Interactive Investor does not provide this service. It's worth noting that neither Interactive Investor nor Saxo offers crypto trading, spread betting, or advisor services.
Despite having similar offerings, the platforms differ slightly in their ratings. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, both Interactive Investor and Saxo achieve a full 5-star rating for their investment choices. Yet, Saxo holds the top position, ranked #1 out of 18 brokers, while Interactive Investor follows closely, ranked #3. This distinction may appeal to those prioritizing top-ranked options in their investment platform selection.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | 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 examining the trading tools available for UK investors, Interactive Investor and Saxo both bring unique strengths to the table. Interactive Investor stands out with its feature to display corporate events such as earnings and dividends directly on charts, an option not available with Saxo. It also surpasses Saxo with a larger library of 104 technical indicators compared to Saxo's 64, providing more comprehensive charting capabilities. On the other hand, Saxo offers 20 drawing tools, slightly edging out Interactive Investor's 18, for those who prioritise creative chart annotation.
Both platforms allow users to add notes, index overlays, and stock overlays to charts, ensuring each trader can customise their experience. Additionally, the convenience of browser-based trading is available on both Interactive Investor and Saxo, alongside the ability to create alerts for stock price updates and access real-time market data. These shared features ensure that traders have timely information and versatility at their fingertips, making both platforms strong contenders for online trading solutions in the UK.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 64 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 20 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
For UK investors considering online brokers that support retirement accounts, both Interactive Investor and Saxo offer appealing options. Each platform provides access to Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), facilitating tax-efficient investment opportunities tailored for growth. Whether you seek to manage an ISA or plan for retirement with a SIPP, both brokers provide the essential account types, helping you make informed decisions for your financial future. However, the choice may ultimately rest on evaluating other factors like fees, trading tools, and customer support, which can differ between platforms.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing online brokers Interactive Investor and Saxo, both offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android users, ensuring accessibility for UK investors on the go. According to UK.StockBrokers.com, the Saxo mobile app is rated a perfect 5 out of 5 stars, reflecting its top ranking among 18 brokers for mobile app performance. Meanwhile, Interactive Investor’s mobile app is highly regarded as well, with a commendable 4.5 out of 5 stars, placing it in the 7th position in the same comparison. Both platforms cater well to mobile investors, but Saxo's app achieves the highest acclaim for its features and user experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners seeking educational resources, both Interactive Investor and Saxo offer client webinars, which are also available on demand. Interactive Investor excels in providing education across a broader range of investment topics, such as share trading, funds, and retirement—a feature that Saxo lacks. Both brokers share an impressive 5-star rating for beginner education by UK.StockBrokers.com, but Interactive Investor edges out with a commendable #2 ranking compared to Saxo's #3 among 18 brokers. This distinction makes Interactive Investor a slightly more comprehensive choice for novice investors eager to expand their knowledge base.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
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 comparing the market research features of Interactive Investor and Saxo, both platforms cater to the needs of UK investors by offering a range of research options. They each provide research reports for funds, and users can examine portfolio allocation by asset class with both services. Investors will find comprehensive research opportunities for shares, ETFs, funds, and bonds available on both platforms. However, Saxo stands out by providing research on CFDs, which Interactive Investor does not offer. Overall, if CFDs research is essential to your investment decisions, Saxo may prove more beneficial, while Interactive Investor remains a competitive choice for traditional asset classes.
| Feature |
Interactive Investor
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | No | 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 Investor or Saxo? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Interactive Investor to be a better trading platform overall.
The standout feature at Interactive Investor (ii) is its low flat-rate fees. Other investment platforms typically favour percentage fees for fund investing, although more brokers are now opting for flat fees. Our view is that Interactive Investor is a great platform for any investor, offering a wide range of investments for cheap prices on the whole.
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Saxo
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When comparing online brokers, neither Interactive Investor nor Saxo offer crypto trading options for their investors, making them less suitable for those specifically looking to trade cryptocurrencies.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Investor | Saxo | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Saxo Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Interactive Investor | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | No | Yes | |
| 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 | No | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Investor | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £3.99 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £3.99 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £79.83 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £107.76 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £203.52 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £59.88 / £538.68 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £396 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £71.85 | 0.4% + 0% commission: £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £59.88 - £143.88 | Up to £800 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £143.88 | £500 to £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £143.88 | Up to £1,998 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £143.88 | £1,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | £3.99 | €20 minimum | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | £3.99 | €20 minimum | |
| ETFs - Fee | £3.99 | From $1 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | £3.99 | From $1 / £3 / €10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £49 | £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Investor | Saxo | |
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| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Interactive Investor | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 104 | 64 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 18 | 20 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Interactive Investor | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | No | Yes | |
| 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 Investor | 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 Investor | Saxo | |
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| Review | Interactive Investor Review | Saxo Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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