The best alternatives to Saxo Bank are
- Swissquote - Swiss investment bank
- DEGIRO - Dutch discount broker
- 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 | DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.9 |
| Fees score | 2.9 | 2.3 | 5.0 | 4.3 |
| Account opening score | 2.6 | 4.0 | 1.3 | 3.4 |
| Deposit and withdrawal score | 4.8 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 2.5 |
| Web platform score | 4.5 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.3 |
| Markets and products score | 5.0 | 4.9 | 3.6 | 5.0 |
| Visit broker | Visit broker |
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Waiting list and longer account opening time |
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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
- DEGIRO is recommended for price-sensitive buy-and-hold investors and traders looking only to carry out transactions
- 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 63 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.
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 is a Danish investment bank founded in 1992, providing online trading and investments. 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. In the different regions, its subsidiaries are present in the form of separate legal entities. The services offered by each entity might change slightly especially in case of their fees and products available to trade. In this review, we tested Saxo Bank UK.
Saxo Bank is considered safe because it has a long track record, has a banking background, and is regulated by top-tier financial authorities.
Saxo stops accepting customers in the MENA region between May and August 2020. This is because of COVID-19 and the higher volume of account openings.
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. The fees for forex, mutual funds and stock index CFDs are low, while they are average for real stocks, ETFs or stock CFDs. Bond, options and futures fees are high.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low fund fees | • Inactivity fee |
| • No withdrawal fee | • High bond, options and futures fees |
| • Transparent fee structure | |
| • Lower fees for Platinum and VIP clients |
| Saxo Bank | Swissquote | DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US stock | $10.0 | $25.0 | $0.6 | $1.0 |
| UK stock | $9.6 | $30.0 | $2.4 | $7.2 |
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 of the world. 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 | • Relatively slow account verification |
| • Available in almost every country | • MENA customers are temporarily not accepted |
| Saxo Bank | Swissquote | DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $10,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 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 | None |
| • Free withdrawal | |
| • No deposit fee |
| Saxo Bank | Swissquote | DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank Transfer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/Debit card | No | No | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $10 | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
Saxo Bank's web trading platform is one of the best among online brokers. It's easy to use, but also provides features favored by professionals, such as an advanced order panel. On the negative side, there is no two-step login.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • No two-step (safer) login |
| • Clear fee report | |
| • Good search function |
| Saxo Bank | Swissquote | DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.5 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.3 |
| Mobile platform score | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| Desktop platform score | 4.5 | - | - | 3.0 |
Learn more about Saxo Bank's web trading platform in the detailed Saxo Bank review.
Markets and products
Saxo Bank's product portfolio is great. It covers all asset classes and a lot of markets globally. Mutual funds and crypto are the only areas where its selection could be improved.
| Saxo Bank | Swissquote | DEGIRO | Interactive Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
Saxo Bank is a great broker, providing a complex and good service.
Saxo 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 responding 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 | 2.9 |
| 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 UK-based and offers CFDs and forex. It is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK's financial authority.
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 it has a long track record.
For clarity, in this review we focus on the Swiss entity, but also discuss services of the UK arm, especially in the case of CFD and forex trading. To make it clear which company we are talking about, we will refer to the Swiss entity as "Swissquote (CH)" and to the UK-based entity as "Swissquote Forex (UK)".
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 doesn't charge an inactivity fee and you can trade an impressive selection of funds for favorable fees. On the other hand, trading fees are generally high, including for stocks and ETFs, and there is a fee for withdrawing your money.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low forex fees | • High trading fees |
| • Low fund fees | • High stock and ETF fees |
| • No inactivity fee | • High bond fees |
| Swissquote | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $50.2 | $20.2 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $60.5 | $19.7 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $15.8 | $15.7 |
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, although we encountered some technical difficulties during the identification process. There is no minimum deposit for trading accounts, but a high minimum for forex and robo-advisory accounts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Technical difficulties |
| • 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 | 1-3 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.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Quick deposit and withdrawal - within 3 days | • Credit/Debit card withdrawal not available |
| • Several account base currencies for forex account |
| 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 a there is a clear overview of trading fees, but you may run into some bugs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Clear fee report | • Account login and search function bugs |
| • Good customizability (for charts, workspace) | • Easy to get lost among functions |
| • Available in several languages |
| Swissquote | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.2 | 4.5 |
| Mobile platform score | 4.7 | 4.5 |
| Desktop platform score | - | 4.5 |
Learn more about Swissquote's web trading platform in the detailed Swissquote review.
Markets and products
At Swissquote (CH) you have access to many markets and trade with a lot of different product types. At Swissquote Forex (UK) you can trade only forex and some CFDs.
| 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 asset classes 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 comes for 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 | 2.3 |
| Recommended for | Affluent investors who value safety and are OK with higher fees |
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Saxo Bank alternatives
DEGIRO
Disclaimer: As of March 25, 2020, DEGIRO has introduced a temporary waiting list for new client registrations, until further notice. This is due to the surge of new registrations amid the ongoing heavy market volatility. Because of this situation, the account creation process may take much longer, although it is uncertain how long exactly. We will update the review as we find out more details. Be also aware that investing involves a risk of loss.
DEGIRO is a Dutch online discount broker. It is privately owned and was established in 2008 by former employees of another brokerage company.
DEGIRO is regulated by top-tier financial authorities, the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and the Dutch Central Bank (DNB). It is registered with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Amsterdam.
Recommended for price-sensitive buy-and-hold investors and traders looking only to carry out transactions
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • One of the lowest fees on the market | • Waiting list for new accounts |
| • Regulated by multiple top-tier regulators | • Limited research and education |
| • Easy to use web and mobile trading platform | • No forex trading |
Fees
DEGIRO has low trading and non-trading fees. In most asset classes, it is the best on the market. There are some ETFs that you can trade once a month for free, which is a great deal for buy-and-hold investors.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Low trading fees | • Higher trading fees for Asian and smaller European stock exchanges |
| • Low non-trading fees | |
| • Low stock and ETF fees |
| DEGIRO | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $1.4 | $20.2 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $5.3 | $19.7 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | - | $15.7 |
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
At DEGIRO, no minimum deposit is required. On the other hand, as of March 25, 2020, DEGIRO has introduced a waiting list for new accounts. To test this, we have applied for multiple accounts, but sadly we are still on the waiting list and could not proceed.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Slow |
| • No minimum deposit | • None of the test accounts have been onboarded yet |
| DEGIRO | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $10,000 |
| Time to open account | >3 days | 1-3 days |
If you are interested more in DEGIRO minimum deposit, this overview will help you.
Deposit and withdrawal
DEGIRO deposits and withdrawals are free of charge via bank transfer. On the other hand, you cannot deposit with credit or debit card.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Free withdrawal | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • No deposit fee | |
| • Several account base currencies |
| DEGIRO | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank Transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Credit/Debit card | No | No |
| Electronic wallets | No | No |
| Withdrawal fee | $0 | $0 |
Web trading platform
DEGIRO's web platform is simple and easy to use. Even beginners can easily navigate it and buy stocks. On the negative side, you cannot set price alerts.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Clear fee report | • No price alerts |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| DEGIRO | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 3.9 | 4.5 |
| Mobile platform score | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Desktop platform score | - | 4.5 |
Learn more about DEGIRO's web trading platform in the detailed DEGIRO review.
Markets and products
At DEGIRO you can access many markets and trade with a lot of different products. CFD and forex are not available.
| DEGIRO | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | Yes | Yes |
| ETF | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | No | Yes |
| Fund | Yes | Yes |
| Bond | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| CFD | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
DEGIRO is a good choice if you want a simple platform and don’t want to spend too much on fees.
It is far cheaper than its big European competitors and only TradeStation Global comes close to competing with DEGIRO's fees. The account opening process is also fast, you will usually have your account ready to use within a day. It is also one of the best trading platforms for Europeans.
However, its low prices come with some shortfalls. Education and research tools are limited, there is no forex trading, and you can only deposit and withdraw money by bank transfer. Also, there is a waiting list for new accounts at the moment.
All in all, DEGIRO is a great online broker. There is no minimum deposit and no inactivity fee, so feel free to go ahead and give it a try.
| DEGIRO | |
|---|---|
| Summary | DEGIRO is a Dutch discount broker established in 2008. It is regulated by the Dutch FMA. As of March 25, 2020, DEGIRO introduced a waiting list for new customers. Longer than usual account opening times are expected. |
| Fees score | 5.0 |
| Recommended for | Price-sensitive buy-and-hold investors and traders looking only to carry out transactions |
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, the broker is considered safe. Also, 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 |
|---|---|
| • Wide range of products | • Extremely complex desktop trading platform |
| • Many great research tools | • Complicated account opening process |
| • Regulated by several authorities | • High inactivity fee |
Fees
Interactive Brokers has low trading fees and 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 |
| • Low stock and ETF fees | |
| • Low financing rate | |
| • Free stock and ETF trading for US clients |
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple benchmark fee | $2.2 | $20.2 |
| Vodafone benchmark fee | $14.9 | $19.7 |
| EURUSD benchmark fee | $17.9 | $15.7 |
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 online registration is complicated and account verification takes around 2 business days.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Fully digital | • Not user-friendly |
| • No minimum deposit for most accounts types | • Confusing messages throughout the process |
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | $10,000 |
| Time to open account | 1-3 days | 1-3 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 drawbacks are that you can only use bank transfer and the process is not user-friendly.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • No deposit fee | • Credit/Debit card not available |
| • Several account base currencies | • Not user-friendly |
| • 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. On the negative side, it is not customizable.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • User-friendly | • Limited customizability (for charts, workspace) |
| • Clear fee report | |
| • Two-step (safer) login |
| Interactive Brokers | Saxo Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Web platform score | 4.3 | 4.5 |
| Mobile platform score | 3.5 | 4.5 |
| Desktop platform score | 3.0 | 4.5 |
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, with every product type 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 for advanced traders.
On the plus side, IB has a vast range of markets and products available, with diverse research tools and low costs.
There are some drawbacks though: there is a high inactivity fee and the account opening process is complicated. The desktop platform is complex and hard-to-understand, especially for beginners.
If you have experience navigating complex platforms and you like 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 | 4.3 |
| 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 |
| DEGIRO | Dutch discount broker | Price-sensitive buy-and-hold investors and traders looking only to carry out transactions |
| Interactive Brokers | US discount broker | Traders looking for low fees and a professional trading environment |
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