Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
CFI vs Saxo
What sets them apart
| Compare |  CFI |  Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | CHF 0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Bonds, Funds |
| Regulators | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, FCA | Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 66% | 64% |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | No deposit fees | Free deposits and withdrawals |
| Platforms | MT5, TradingView, CFI Multi Asset, CFI Trading App | SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader |
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | $1 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.25% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $2 |
| Account types | Not confirmed | Joint, Corporate |
Same on both: Investor protection (EU ICS up to EUR 20,000).
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Key differences
- CFI scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 9.3.
- Regulators: only CFI offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Regulators: only Saxo offers Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA).
- Founded is lower at Saxo: 1992 vs 1998.
- Markets: only CFI offers Crypto.
- Markets: only Saxo offers Options, Futures, Bonds.
- Platforms: only CFI offers MT5, TradingView, CFI Multi Asset.
- Platforms: only Saxo offers SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader.
- Features: only Saxo offers Fractional shares.
- Pricing model: only CFI offers Commission free.
Our verdict on each
CFI
CFI suits traders who want one account covering stocks, etfs and forex on a commission-free model commission free, with a minimum deposit of $0 and a Cyprus entity licensed by Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA. Note that 66% of retail accounts lose money, and protection under the EU scheme is limited.
Saxo
Saxo suits investors who want a Danish bank with no account or inactivity charge and a wide market list, but the stock trade fee is $1 and the FX fee is 0.25%. Costs stay predictable for long holders, less so for frequent traders.
Score breakdown
| Area | CFI | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.7Higher | 9.1Account fee and inactivity fee are both €0 and €0, and the minimum deposit is CHF 0. Stock trades cost $1. |
| Offer | 9.6Higher | 9.3 |
| Trust | 9.4 | 9.5Higher |
Availability and regulation
| Country | CFI | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ||
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | |
| Denmark | Not confirmed |
What each covers
| Markets | CFI | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Futures | No | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
How they place
| Ranking | CFI | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 43 of 471 | 78 of 471 |
| Forex brokers | 15 of 147 | 33 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 13 of 145 | 31 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 13 of 122 | 25 of 122 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | CFI | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app | Demo account, Fractional shares, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Low fees |
| Legal entity | Credit Financier Invest (CFI) Ltd | Saxo Bank A/S |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Denmark |
| Founded | 1998 | 1992Lower |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | CFI | Saxo | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | $1highest quarter | $0 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0at the median | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €0below the median | €2.45 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 66%lowest quarter | 64%lowest quarter | 72.05% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.25%below the median | 0.45% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $2highest quarter | $0.625 |
Median across 91 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
CFI
Pros
- No minimum deposit, at $0, and No deposit fees, so funding does not cost a fee and the account can open at any size.
- Regulated on both sides of Europe: Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA, with the Cyprus entity named as Credit Financier Invest (CFI) Ltd.
- A single account covers stocks, etfs and forex rather than forcing separate apps per asset class.
Cons
- Protection caps out at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 on the Cyprus entity, so balances above that sit outside the scheme.
- 66% of retail accounts lose money, which is the risk that matters most for anyone sizing a position.
- Leverage sits alongside shares and ETFs in stocks, etfs and forex, so a single account mixes instruments with very different risk levels.
Saxo
Pros
- Account fee and inactivity fee are both €0 and €0
- Minimum deposit is CHF 0 and deposits and withdrawals carry no charge
- Regulated in Denmark by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority and in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority
Cons
- Stock trade fee of $1 sits well above the site median of €0
- FX fee of 0.25% applies on top of trading costs
- Investor protection is limited to the EU scheme at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000
Who each suits
CFI
Who it suits
- People who want stocks, etfs and forex held in one place instead of several broker accounts.
- Traders who prefer the commission-free model commission free and a minimum deposit of $0 over a larger entry threshold.
- Savers who want a Cyprus or UK regulated option, given Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and FCA and the Cyprus licence 179/12.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone wanting a wider asset list, since stocks, etfs and forex runs to futures as well and CFI's list is stocks, etfs and forex.
- EU traders who want a rival with a low entry point, such as XTB at €0.
- Traders put off by losses in the retail book, where 66% lose money and the median here is 70.15%.
Saxo
Who it suits
- Investors holding stocks and ETFs long term who want no account or inactivity charge
- Traders who need forex, options, futures and CFDs on one account
- Joint and corporate account holders
Who should look elsewhere
- Beginners wanting commission-free share dealing, where eToro charges $0 per trade
- Small-balance traders unwilling to meet the Vantage minimum deposit of $5
- Frequent currency converters put off by the 0.25% FX fee
Questions about each
CFI
What is the minimum deposit to open a CFI account?+
The minimum deposit is $0, so an account can be opened at any size and a first deposit does not have to clear a threshold. For comparison, Vantage lists $5 and XTB €0. The median minimum across the brands ranked is €4.64, and the highest reaches €26,308.87. CFI places 1 of 213 on that measure.
Does CFI charge commission on trades?+
CFI trades on a commission-free model, commission free, so positions are opened without a per-trade commission charge. The cost of a trade therefore sits in the spread and the market rather than in a commission line. Commission-free models are common in the field, appearing for 69.8% of the brands compared. Low-fee models sit alongside them at 40.5%.
Saxo
What does Saxo charge to hold an account?+
The account fee is €0 and the inactivity fee is €0, so there is no annual or dormancy charge. Saxo ranks 1 of 138 on account fee and 1 of 56 on inactivity fee. That makes it a straightforward choice for long-term holdings.
How much does it cost to buy a stock?+
Stock trades cost $1 through Saxo. That places it at 107 of 161 on this measure, and above the site median of €0. Active share traders should weigh that before opening.
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