Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Trading 212 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, Trading 212 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 - Trading 212 would cost £0 per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 per year.
12 trades per year - Trading 212 would cost £0 per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 per year.
36 trades per year - Trading 212 would cost £0 per year, while Saxo would cost 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 per year.
120 trades per year - Trading 212 would cost £0 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 - Trading 212 would cost £1 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.
Trading 212 and Saxo both offer users in the UK a variety of investment options, but there are key differences in their offerings. Trading 212 provides opportunities for share trading, ETFs, CFD trading, and investment trusts. However, it lacks options in trading crypto, funds, corporate bonds, and government bonds, and doesn't offer advisory services. On the other hand, Saxo not only covers share trading, ETFs, CFDs, and investment trusts but also extends its services to include funds, corporate and government bonds, though it, too, doesn't offer crypto trading or advisory services.
When it comes to investment choices, Trading 212 is rated 4.5 stars by UK.StockBrokers.com, ranking 16th out of 21 brokers. Saxo surpasses this with a top rating of 5 stars, securing the position as the number one option among these brokers. For UK investors eager to leverage a wider array of financial instruments, Saxo may present a more comprehensive investing platform compared to Trading 212, although both platforms offer competitive solutions for various investment needs.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | 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.
Comparing Trading 212 and Saxo for trading tools, both platforms show similar capabilities in certain areas, but also have distinct differences. Trading 212 stands out with an impressive 106 technical indicators compared to Saxo's 64, and it offers more drawing tools, boasting 27 to Saxo’s 20. Both platforms provide the ability to add notes to charts and host browser-based trading platforms, ensuring versatile functionality for online traders. Additionally, users can create alerts for stock price updates on both platforms, supported by real-time market data.
However, Saxo holds an edge in certain functionalities that Trading 212 lacks, like the ability to add both index and stock overlays to charts, enhancing chart analysis options. Neither platform provides the feature to display corporate events such as earnings, splits, or dividends on their charts. For UK traders, the choice between these platforms may come down to the specific charting features they prioritize and their personal trading style.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 64 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 27 | 20 |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
When comparing online brokers Trading 212 and Saxo for UK investors interested in retirement accounts, both platforms offer Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs), allowing you to save and invest tax-efficiently. However, if you're looking to invest in a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), Saxo is the better choice, as Trading 212 does not currently provide this option. Therefore, if your focus includes building a retirement portfolio through a SIPP, Saxo serves as a more comprehensive solution compared to Trading 212, which offers only ISA accounts.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing the mobile apps of online brokers Trading 212 and Saxo, both platforms provide iPhone and Android apps, offering convenient trading on the go. According to ratings by UK.StockBrokers.com, both apps receive a perfect score of 5 stars, reflecting their quality and user satisfaction. However, in terms of overall rankings among 21 brokers, Saxo takes the top spot at #1 for its mobile app, while Trading 212 closely follows at #3. This suggests that while both apps are highly rated, Saxo's mobile trading app seems to have a slight edge in the competitive landscape.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginners exploring educational resources in online trading, Trading 212 and Saxo each offer distinct experiences. Trading 212 provides targeted education specifically in share trading and funds, earning a respectable 4-star beginner education rating from UK.StockBrokers.com and ranking #13 out of 21 brokers. Conversely, Saxo excels with its highly rated educational client webinars, which are available live and also archived for convenient on-demand access. However, Saxo does not offer education on specific topics like share trading or funds. Despite this, Saxo's broader educational approach earns it a top-tier 5-star rating and a #3 position in the same ranking. Whether prioritizing convenient access to webinars or targeted topic instruction may guide a beginner’s choice between the two platforms.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Retirement) | No | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of Trading 212 and Saxo for UK investors, Saxo provides a broader range of options. Both platforms allow users to see portfolio allocation by asset class and offer research on shares, ETFs, and CFDs. However, Saxo stands out by providing detailed research reports for funds and bonds, an area where Trading 212 falls short as it does not offer these insights. Overall, while both brokers provide useful tools for many investment types, Saxo offers more comprehensive research features, particularly for those interested in funds and bonds.
| Feature |
Trading 212
|
Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Trading 212 or Saxo? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Trading 212 to be a better trading platform overall.
Trading 212 offers commission-free share dealing and is a great option for those looking to simply execute share or ETF trades. Novice investors or those looking for more diversification through mutual funds may find better options elsewhere.
| Feature |
Trading 212
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Saxo
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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Both Trading 212 and Saxo do not offer crypto trading, making them similar choices for investors seeking platforms without cryptocurrency options.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Trading 212 | Saxo | |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | Saxo Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Trading 212 | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | No | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Funds | No | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | No | Yes | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | No | Yes | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | Yes | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | No |
| Trading Fees | Trading 212 | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £1 | £0 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | £0 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | £0 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | £0 | From £3 or 0.08% | |
| 5 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £51 | |
| 12 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £72 | |
| 36 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £144 | |
| 120 trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | 0.12% + 0.08% (or £3) per trade: a minimum of £396 | |
| 3 fund trades per year (£30k portfolio) | £0 | 0.4% + 0% commission: £120 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £0 - £250,000 | £0 | Up to £800 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £250K-£500K | £0 | £500 to £1,000 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £500,000 - £1m | £0 | Up to £1,998 | |
| Annual Custody Fee: £1m and over | £0 | £1,000 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | N/A | €20 minimum | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | N/A | €20 minimum | |
| ETFs - Fee | 0 | From $1 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | 0 | From $1 / £3 / €10 | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | N/A | £50 |
| Broker Screenshots | Trading 212 | Saxo | |
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| Platforms & Tools | Trading 212 | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 106 | 64 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 27 | 20 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes |
| Research | Trading 212 | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - CFDs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Funds | No | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | No | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Trading 212 | Saxo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | No | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes |
| Overall Summary | Trading 212 | Saxo | |
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| Review | Trading 212 Review | Saxo Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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