Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs Vanguard UK Investor, 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, Vanguard UK Investor 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.
Saxo offers a far broader investment menu than Vanguard UK Investor. With Saxo, you can trade shares, crypto, ETFs, CFDs, funds, corporate bonds, government bonds (gilts), and investment trusts. Vanguard UK Investor focuses on ETFs and funds only; it does not offer share dealing, crypto, CFDs, corporate or government bonds, or investment trusts.
UK.StockBrokers.com rates Saxo 5/5 stars for investment choices and ranks it #1 out of 21 brokers, while Vanguard UK Investor earns 3.5/5 stars and ranks #18. If you want access to many markets and instruments, Saxo is the better fit; if you prefer a simple, fund-led approach and may want adviser services, Vanguard UK Investor is more suitable.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Share Trading | Yes | No |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No |
| Spread Betting | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Investment Choices |
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Low-cost US and UK shares.
Professional’s Gateway to the World’s Markets.
For charting, Saxo offers 20 drawing tools and 64 technical indicators, while Vanguard UK Investor offers none. Neither broker can display corporate events on charts or let you add notes or index overlays. Saxo does allow stock overlays; Vanguard does not.
Both provide a browser-based trading platform. Saxo supports custom price alerts; Vanguard UK Investor does not. Neither offers real-time market data. If you want richer charting and alerts in your web browser, Saxo is the stronger pick; if you only need a simple platform for buy-and-hold investing without advanced tools, Vanguard UK Investor may suffice.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 |
| Charting - Notes | No | No |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
When comparing Saxo and Vanguard UK Investor, both online brokers provide Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), making them viable choices for UK investors planning for retirement. These accounts offer tax-efficient ways to manage your investments, whether you're looking to save for the future with an ISA or set up a pension through a SIPP. Saxo and Vanguard UK Investor ensure a comprehensive selection of retirement account options suitable for various financial goals.
Dive deeper: Best SIPP Providers, Best Stocks and Shares ISA Providers.
When comparing mobile app offerings of Saxo and Vanguard UK Investor, both platforms provide apps for iPhone and Android devices, catering to a wide range of users. However, Saxo's app receives a five-star rating from UK.StockBrokers.com, leading the pack with its top-ranked position out of 21 UK brokers. In contrast, Vanguard UK Investor's mobile app earns a 3.5-star rating and stands at the 19th spot, indicating room for improvement. This makes Saxo a preferred choice for those seeking a superior mobile trading experience.
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps UK.
For UK beginner investors comparing online brokers, Saxo offers a stronger learning experience than Vanguard UK Investor: Saxo runs live client webinars and keeps them on demand, while Vanguard provides no webinars. Saxo’s education spans share trading, funds and retirement; Vanguard covers funds and retirement but not share trading. This gap is reflected in UK.StockBrokers.com’s scores—Saxo earns 5/5 stars and ranks 3rd of 21 for beginner education, versus Vanguard UK Investor’s 3.5/5 stars and 17th place.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best UK Trading Platforms for Beginners.
When comparing the market research features of Saxo and Vanguard UK Investor, both platforms provide research reports for funds and the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class. Saxo goes a step further by offering comprehensive research across a wider range of investment options, including stocks, ETFs, funds, and bonds. Meanwhile, Vanguard UK Investor mirrors Saxo's offerings in ETFs and funds research but lacks detailed insights into stocks and bonds. For those prioritizing extensive research options in their investment journey, Saxo emerges as a more versatile choice compared to Vanguard UK Investor.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No |
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
Which broker is better overall, Saxo or Vanguard UK Investor? After collecting more than 900 data points over a 10-week period, we found Saxo to be a better trading platform overall.
Saxo’ trading platform is highly sophisticated and offers a huge range of international shares and funds. The biggest downside is the cost, as its charges are higher than its U.K. competitors. It's best suited for experienced investors rather than beginners.
| Feature |
Saxo
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Vanguard UK Investor
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Charges & Fees |
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| Mobile App |
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| Website |
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In the Saxo vs Vanguard UK Investor comparison, only Saxo offers cryptocurrency trading, while Vanguard UK Investor does not support crypto.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Saxo | Vanguard UK Investor | |
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| Review | Saxo Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
| Investments | Saxo | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | Yes | |
| SIPP | Yes | Yes | |
| Share Trading | Yes | No | |
| CFD Trading | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Bonds - Corporate | Yes | No | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) | Yes | No | |
| Investment Trusts | Yes | No | |
| Spread Betting | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | |||
| Advisor Services | No | Yes |
| Trading Fees | Saxo | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | £0 | £500 | |
| Share Trading: 0-9 Deals/ Month | $1 / £3 / €3 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 10-19 Deals/ Month | $1 / £3 / €3 | N/A | |
| Share Trading: 20+ Deals/ Month | $1 / £3 / €3 | N/A | |
| 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 | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | £48 - £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £250K-£500K | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £500,000 - £1m | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | £375 | |
| Annual Platform Fee (Funds): £1m and over | 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.1% | £375 | |
| Bonds - Corporate - Fee | €20 minimum | N/A | |
| Bonds - Government (Gilts) - Fee | €20 minimum | N/A | |
| ETFs - Fee | From $1 | £0 | |
| Investment Trusts - Fee | 0.03/0.06/0.08% | N/A | |
| Telephone Dealing Fee | £50 | N/A |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Education Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Platforms & Tools | Saxo | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 20 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | No | |
| Charting - Display Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Overlays | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | No |
| Research | Saxo | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Shares | Yes | No | |
| Research - CFDs | |||
| Research - Funds | Yes | Yes | |
| Fund Research - Research Reports | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Bonds | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Allocation Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Saxo | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Share Trading) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Overall Summary | Saxo | Vanguard UK Investor | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Review | Saxo Review | Vanguard UK Investor Review | |
| Winner | check_circle |
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