The best alternatives to Saxo Bank are
- Swissquote - Swiss investment bank
- TradeStation Global - UK-based global stockbroker
- CapTrader - Global stockbroker
- Interactive Brokers - US discount broker
Let's see in a bit more detail how the Saxo Bank alternatives compare to Saxo Bank and each other:
| Saxo Bank | Swissquote | TradeStation Global | CapTrader | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.9 |
| Fees score | 3.1 stars | 2.2 stars | 4.0 stars | 3.5 stars | 4.2 stars |
| Account opening score | 2.5 stars | 4.0 stars | 2.8 stars | 1.5 stars | 3.4 stars |
| Deposit and withdrawal score | 4.8 stars | 4.6 stars | 3.5 stars | 3.0 stars | 3.5 stars |
| Web platform score | 5.0 stars | 4.3 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.5 stars |
| Markets and products score | 5.0 stars | 5.0 stars | 5.0 stars | 5.0 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker | Visit broker |
Why are these brokers considered good alternatives to Saxo Bank? There are many areas based on which Saxo Bank can be compared with others. When we say a given online broker is a good alternative to Saxo Bank we mean these brokers are comparable in the following areas:
- The products they offer, meaning you can buy mostly the same things, i.e. stocks, CFDs, options, etc.
- The type of clients they target, i.e. beginners, experienced investors, or day traders.
Saxo Bank alternatives recommendations
Brokers are different in a number of ways, which means each of them may be suitable for different people. Here's how they compare overall:
- Saxo Bank is recommended for investors and traders looking for a great trading platform and solid research
- Swissquote is recommended for affluent investors who value safety and are ok with higher fees
- TradeStation Global is recommended for traders and investors looking for low fees and a wide selection of products
- CapTrader is recommended for investors and traders looking for low fees and sophisticated trading platforms
- Interactive Brokers is recommended for traders looking for low fees and a professional trading environment
Important factors of finding Saxo Bank alternatives
So far BrokerChooser has reviewed 84 online brokers in detail, which gives this comparison a solid starting point.
Not only that, but all of these brokers are reviewed using the exact same broker review methodology, which makes everything easily comparable. For each broker, we
- open a live account
- check over 100 criteria, with weighting based on readers' preferences
- refresh data regularly
Whether Saxo Bank or one of its alternatives is the best choice for you is on the following five broker characteristics that most interest people:
Fees. There are different types of fees that your online brokerage may charge, and both the number and the size of these fees may vary significantly from broker to broker. Both of these aspects can impact your returns and your overall experience. The amounts Saxo Bank charges you are considered average. When picking an alternative, you could prioritize brokers that are cheaper than Saxo Bank.
Account opening. To open an account some brokers require at least €50,000 to be invested, while others don't set a minimum first-time deposit. The time it takes to open your account can be very different as well. At Saxo Bank, the account opening is slower than average, so if you consider this important some Saxo Bank alternatives can be a good choice.
Deposit/withdrawal. The number of ways that you can deposit or withdraw money to or from your account matters a lot. For example, while you can make a deposit with a credit card at Saxo Bank, this might not be the case at its alternatives.
Web trading platform. While online brokers are usually available on various platforms like mobile apps, tablet apps or desktop software, most people use them through their web platform in a browser. User-friendly trading platforms that offer many different resources can significantly increase your trading comfort.
Markets and products. A lot of people have specific products they would like to invest in. Knowing whether stocks, forex, mutual funds, and other products are available at the given Saxo Bank alternative is a must.
Now let's dive into the details of how Saxo Bank and its alternatives perform in the most important areas!
Saxo Bank alternatives
Saxo Bank
Saxo Bank, a Danish investment bank founded in 1992, provides online trading and investment services. The company is regulated by several financial authorities globally, including the Danish Financial Services Agency (FSA) and the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Saxo Bank is a global service provider and its subsidiaries are present in the form of separate legal entities in different regions of the world. The services offered by the various entities may differ slightly, especially with respect to fees and product portfolios. In this review, we tested Saxo Bank UK.
Saxo Bank is considered safe because it has a long track record, a banking background and is regulated by top-tier financial authorities.
Recommended for investors and traders looking for a great trading platform and solid research
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Great trading platform | • High bond, options and futures fees |
| • Outstanding research | • High minimum deposit |
| • Broad product portfolio | • Lacks live chat and 24/7 availability |
Fees
Saxo Bank has average trading and non-trading fees overall. Trading fees vary greatly between different asset classes.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low forex fees | • Inactivity fee |
| • Low fund fees | • High bond, options and futures fees |
| • No withdrawal fee |
| Saxo Bank | Swissquote | TradeStation Global | CapTrader | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $10.0 | $25.0 | $1.5 | $2.0 | $1.0 |
| UK stock | $10.4 | $32.5 | $2.4 | $10.4 | $7.8 |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k
Account opening
Saxo's account opening is fully digital, user-friendly and available in most countries. On the other hand, the minimum deposit is high in certain countries and account verification can take longer.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Minimum deposit is high in certain countries |
| • User-friendly | • Slow account verification |
| • Available in almost every country |
| Saxo Bank | Swissquote | TradeStation Global | CapTrader | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $10,000 | $0 | $1,000 | $2,400 | $0 |
| Time to open account | >3 days | 1 day | 1 day | >3 days | 1-3 days |
Learn more about Saxo Bank minimum deposit here.
Deposit and withdrawal
Saxo provides multiple deposit and withdrawal options free of charge on a user-friendly interface.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • Electronic wallets not available for deposit or withdrawal |
| • Free withdrawal | |
| • No deposit fee |
| Saxo Bank | Swissquote | TradeStation Global | CapTrader | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No | No | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
Saxo Bank's web trading platform is one of the best among online brokers. While it's easy to use, the platform also provides features tailored for professionals, such as an advanced order panel.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | None |
| • Clear fee report | |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| Saxo Bank | Swissquote | TradeStation Global | CapTrader | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 5.0 stars | 4.3 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.5 stars | 4.5 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 5.0 stars | 4.7 stars | 3.8 stars | 3.8 stars | 3.8 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 5.0 stars | 3.4 stars | 3.0 stars | 3.0 stars | 3.0 stars |
Learn more about Saxo Bank's web trading platform in the detailed Saxo Bank review.
Markets and products
Saxo Bank's product portfolio covers all asset classes and a lot of markets globally. Mutual funds and crypto are the only areas where the selection could be improved.
| Saxo Bank | Swissquote | TradeStation Global | CapTrader | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
Saxo Bank is a great broker, providing a complex and good service.
It offers a user-friendly and well-designed trading platform, backed by great research. The product portfolio covers all asset types and many international markets.
It has some drawbacks though. The fees for bonds, options and futures are high. There is also a high minimum deposit for certain countries. Lastly, there is no live chat or 24/7 customer support.
In general, Saxo Bank is one of the best online brokerage companies out there. By opening an account, you will get a broad, well-developed service constantly adapted to the needs of clients.
| Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Saxo Bank is a Danish investment bank. It is regulated by more than 10 financial authorities, including the top-tier UK FCA. |
| Fees score | 3.1 stars |
| Recommended for | Investors and traders looking for a great trading platform and solid research |
Saxo Bank alternatives
Swissquote
Swissquote is a Swiss investment bank established in 1996. It has two main trading arms: a Swiss unit for trading stocks, funds, options and futures, and a company in the UK for CFDs and forex.
Formally, Swissquote Bank Ltd is based in Switzerland and is regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA), the country's financial regulator.
The other entity, Swissquote Ltd, is Luxembourg and offers CFDs and forex trading. It is regulated by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), Luxembourg's regulator. The purpose of this entity is to grant access to the European markets after Brexit. The UK entity remained only for UK clients
Swissquote is considered safe because Swissquote Bank Ltd has a banking license, it is listed on the Swiss stock exchange, discloses detailed financials regularly and has a long track record.
Here, we focus mainly on the Swiss entity, sometimes referred to as "Swissquote (CH)". Throughout our content, we will refer to the Luxembourg-based entity as "Swissquote Europe (LUX)".
Recommended for affluent investors who value safety and are ok with higher fees
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Access to many markets and products | • High trading fees |
| • No inactivity fee | • Confusing trading platform selection |
| • Rock-solid background | • Some research tools are not free |
Fees
Swissquote charges no inactivity fee and you can trade an impressive selection of funds for favorable fees. On the other hand, trading fees are generally high, including stocks and ETFs fees, and there is a fee for withdrawing your money.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low fund fees | • High stock and ETF fees |
| • No inactivity fee | • High bond fees |
| Swissquote | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $50.3 | $20.3 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $65.7 | $21.5 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $10.2 | $7.8 |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
Swissquote offers a fully digital account opening process, although we encountered wait times. There is no minimum deposit for trading accounts, but a high minimum for forex and robo-advisory accounts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Long wait times |
| • No minimum deposit for trading account | • Forex and robo-advisor accounts have high minimum |
| Swissquote | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $10,000 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | >3 days |
If you are interested more in Swissquote minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
Depositing at Swissquote is quick with credit/debit card and can be done in several base currencies. On the negative side, you can only withdraw money via bank transfer, and the Swiss entity charges fees.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Credit/Debit card available | • Swiss entity charges withdrawal and deposit fees |
| • Several account base currencies |
| Swissquote | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $10 | $0 |
Web trading platform
The Swissquote (CH) eTrading platform has a lot of functions, so many that sometimes it can get complicated. Customizability is good and there is a clear overview of trading fees, but it's easy to get lost on the platform.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Clear fee report | • Easy to get lost among functions |
| • Two-step (safer) login | |
| • Good search function |
| Swissquote | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.3 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 4.7 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.4 stars | 5.0 stars |
Learn more about Swissquote's web trading platform in the detailed Swissquote review.
Markets and products
At Swissquote (CH) you can access many markets and trade with a lot of different product types. At Swissquote Bank (LUX) you can trade forex and CFDs too.
| Swissquote | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
Swissquote is an investment bank with a rock-solid background:
- It is Swiss,
- it is listed on an exchange
- and it is a bank.
It has two main entities, one in the UK and one in Switzerland. If you open an account at the London-based entity you can trade forex and CFDs, while the Swiss entity gives you access to assets ranging from stocks to options.
Swissquote offers a broad range of products across many markets. There are many stocks, mutual funds, and a lot of different other types of products, from bonds to cryptos.
However, nothing is free: Swissquote's trading fees are relatively high.
All in all, Swissquote is a great stockbroker. As you can trade many products and no inactivity fee is charged, feel free to give it a try.
| Swissquote | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Swissquote is a Swiss online broker with a banking license. It is listed on the Swiss stock exchange and regulated by several authorities globally, including the top-tier UK FCA. |
| Fees score | 2.2 stars |
| Recommended for | Affluent investors who value safety and are OK with higher fees |
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Saxo Bank alternatives
TradeStation Global
TradeStation Global is a brand of TradeStation International Ltd, which is based in the UK and is regulated by the top-tier Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
TradeStation Global is a combined product offered by Interactive Brokers (IB) and TradeStation offered for clients outside the EU/EEA. Here are its most important elements:
- The account opening, deposit/withdrawal options, and available products are the same as at Interactive Brokers.
- You can use both Interactive Brokers's and TradeStation's own desktop platform.
- TradeStation Global charges its own fees, and offers its own customer support and educational tools.
Both Interactive Brokers and TradeStation are reputable brokers, regulated by top-tier financial authorities. While Interactive Brokers is listed on the NASDAQ, TradeStation itself is not: only TradeStation's parent company Monex is listed, on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Recommended for traders and investors looking for low fees and a wide selection of products
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low stock and ETF fees | • Only bank transfer allowed for deposit and withdrawal |
| • Wide range of products | • Complicated account opening |
| • Fast customer service | • Limited education materials |
Fees
TradeStation Global has low trading fees, especially for stocks and ETFs. There's no inactivity fee and the first withdrawal each month is free. However, mutual fund fees are high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low trading fees | • High fund fees |
| • Low non-trading fees | |
| • Low stock and ETF fees / Free stock trading |
| TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $3.3 | $20.3 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $5.5 | $21.5 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $7.4 | $7.8 |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
TradeStation Global's account opening is fully digital and fast, but the process is complicated, and there's a high $1,000 minimum deposit required in order to use TSG's own desktop platform.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fast | • $1,000 minimum deposit required for desktop platform |
| • Fully digital | • Not user-friendly |
| TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $1,000 | $10,000 |
| Time to open account | 1 day | >3 days |
If you are interested more in TradeStation Global minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
TradeStation Global offers many account base currency options and one free withdrawal per month. The main drawback is that you can only use bank transfer.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • Several account base currencies | |
| • No charge for the first withdrawal each month. |
| TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
You can use your TradeStation Global account to log in to the Interactive Brokers web trading platform. The TSG Client Portal is simple and easy to use even for beginners.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Clear fee report | |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.5 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.8 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.0 stars | 5.0 stars |
Learn more about TradeStation Global's web trading platform in the detailed TradeStation Global review.
Markets and products
With TradeStation Global, you can access the same range of product types and exchanges as at Interactive Brokers. This selection is one of the widest among online brokers.
| TradeStation Global | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
TradeStation Global has low stock/ETF fees, provides access to a lot of products and markets and has great customer support. The TradeStation Global desktop platform has great charting tools, plenty of indicators, highly customizable watchlists (Radar Screen) and a great programming tool (EasyLanguage).
On the other hand, the deposit and withdrawal process is not user-friendly and you can use only bank transfer. The account opening is complicated, and for full account verification to use the TSG desktop trading platform, a minimum deposit of $1,000 is required.
If you want access to IB's product range and an account without inactivity fees, feel free to try TradeStation Global.
| TradeStation Global | |
|---|---|
| Summary | TradeStation Global is an introducing broker of Interactive Brokers. This practically means that assets and cash are held with Interactive Brokers, but services like fees and customer support are provided by TradeStation Global. TradeStation Global is regulated by the top-tier UK FCA. |
| Fees score | 4.0 stars |
| Recommended for | Traders and investors looking for low fees and a wide selection of products |
Saxo Bank alternatives
CapTrader
CapTrader was founded in Germany in 1997. It is an introducing broker to Interactive Brokers (IB), one of the largest brokers in the world.
- The account opening and deposit/withdrawal options are very similar to Interactive Brokers
- The trading platforms and available products are exactly the same as at Interactive Brokers
- Fees, however, are charged by CapTrader, not by Interactive Brokers
- CapTrader offers its own customer support and educational tools
CapTrader is considered safe because it has a long track record and is regulated by top-tier financial authorities. After Brexit, European users of CapTrader are being served through the Irish licence of Interactive Brokers.
Recommended for investors and traders looking for low fees and sophisticated trading platforms
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low stock and ETF fees | • Complicated account opening |
| • Wide range of products | • Complex desktop trading platform |
| • Many great research tools | • High forex fees |
Fees
CapTrader has low stock and ETF fees, and margin rates are also low. On the other hand, forex, options and futures fees are high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low stock and ETF fees / Free stock trading | • High forex fees |
| • One free withdrawal per month | |
| • Low margin rates |
| CapTrader | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $4.3 | $20.3 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $21.5 | $21.5 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $14.3 | $7.8 |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
CapTrader's account opening is fully digital, but the positives stop there, as the process is complicated, account verification takes long, and there's a steep €2,000 minimum deposit.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Slow |
| • Not user-friendly | |
| • High minimum deposit of €2,000 |
| CapTrader | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $2,400 | $10,000 |
| Time to open account | >3 days | >3 days |
If you are interested more in CapTrader minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
CapTrader offers one free withdrawal per month and has a decent selection of account base currencies; however, it doesn't accept credit/debit cards and electronic wallets.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • One free withdrawal per month | • Electronic wallets not accepted |
| CapTrader | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
CapTrader's WebTrader web platform is user-friendly, has a clear fee report, and is accessible via a safe two-step login process.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | None |
| • Clear fee report | |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| CapTrader | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.5 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.8 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.0 stars | 5.0 stars |
Learn more about CapTrader's web trading platform in the detailed CapTrader review.
Markets and products
Through CapTrader, you can access an extremely wide range of markets, and virtually all product types imaginable.
| CapTrader | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
CapTrader is a global stockbroker for investors and traders, providing direct access to more than 1.2 million financial instruments in 33 countries. We recommend this broker mainly for advanced traders.
On the plus side, CapTrader has low stock and ETF fees, a vast range of available markets and products, and diverse research tools.
There are some drawbacks, though. It charges high forex fees, and the account opening process is complicated. The desktop platform is complex and might be hard to get a handle on, especially for beginners.
If you have experience navigating complex platforms and enjoy transparent, low-cost trading, CapTrader could be a great fit for you.
| CapTrader | |
|---|---|
| Summary | CapTrader is a global stock broker for investors and traders, providing direct access to more than 1.2 million financial instruments in 33 countries. |
| Fees score | 3.5 stars |
| Recommended for | Investors and traders looking for low fees and sophisticated trading platforms |
Saxo Bank alternatives
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers was founded in 1978 and is one of the biggest US-based discount brokers. The broker is regulated by several financial authorities globally, including top-tier ones like the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
As it has licenses from multiple top-tier regulators, Interactive Brokers is considered safe. Having a long track record and publicly disclosed financials while being listed on a stock exchange are also great signs for its safety.
Recommended for traders looking for low fees and a professional trading environment
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low trading fees | • Complicated account opening process |
| • Wide range of products | • Complex desktop trading platform |
| • Many great research tools | • High forex fees |
Fees
Interactive Brokers has low trading fees; for US clients, stock and ETF trading is free. On the negative side, there is a high inactivity fee for non-US clients.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low trading fees | • Inactivity fee |
| • Free stock and ETF trading for US clients | |
| • Low margin rates |
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.3 | $20.3 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $16.3 | $21.5 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $7.4 | $7.8 |
Includes spreads, commissions and financing rate for opening a position, holding for a week, and closing.
Position sizes: $2k for stocks and $20k for FX
Account opening
IB's account opening process is fully digital and the required minimum deposit is low. On the negative side, the process is complicated, and account verification takes relatively long.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Not user-friendly |
| • No minimum deposit for most account types | • Confusing messages throughout the process |
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $10,000 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | >3 days |
If you are interested more in Interactive Brokers minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
Interactive Brokers offers many account base currency options and one free withdrawal per month. The main drawback is that you can only use bank transfer.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • Several account base currencies | |
| • First withdrawal each month free |
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
Interactive Brokers's web platform is simple and easy to use, even for beginners.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | None |
| • Clear fee report | |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.5 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Mobile platform score | 3.8 stars | 5.0 stars |
| Desktop platform score | 3.0 stars | 5.0 stars |
Learn more about Interactive Brokers's web trading platform in the detailed Interactive Brokers review.
Markets and products
Through Interactive Brokers, you can access an extremely wide range of markets, and all product types are available.
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
Interactive Brokers is one of the biggest US-based discount brokers, regulated by several top-tier regulators globally. We recommend this broker mainly for advanced traders.
On the plus side, IB has low fees, a vast range of available markets and products, and diverse research tools.
There are some drawbacks, though: there is a high forex fees, and the account opening process is complicated. The desktop platform is complex and hard to get a handle on, especially for beginners.
If you have experience navigating complex platforms and enjoy transparent, low-cost trading, Interactive Brokers could be a great fit for you.
| Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|
| Summary | Interactive Brokers is a US discount broker. It is listed on a stock exchange and regulated by several authorities, including top-tier ones like the FCA and the SEC. |
| Fees score | 4.2 stars |
| Recommended for | Traders looking for low fees and a professional trading environment |
Saxo Bank alternatives
Bottom line
Based on our analysis, there are several good alternatives to Saxo Bank. They all offer similar products and target similar customers. Here's a recap of the results in a table.
| Broker | Info | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Saxo Bank | Danish investment bank | Investors and traders looking for a great trading platform and solid research |
| Swissquote | Swiss investment bank | Affluent investors who value safety and are OK with higher fees |
| TradeStation Global | UK-based global stockbroker | Traders and investors looking for low fees and a wide selection of products |
| CapTrader | Global stockbroker | Investors and traders looking for low fees and sophisticated trading platforms |
| Interactive Brokers | US discount broker | Traders looking for low fees and a professional trading environment |
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