Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
eToro vs Saxo
What sets them apart
| Compare |  eToro |  Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | $0Lower | $1 |
| Account fee | $0 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto, Futures | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Bonds, Funds |
| Regulators | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), SIPC | Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) |
| Account types | ISA | Joint, Corporate |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | CHF 0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 64% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.25% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $2 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free deposits and withdrawals |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader |
Same on both: Investor protection (EU ICS up to EUR 20,000).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Saxo scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.2.
- Regulators: only eToro offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), SIPC.
- Regulators: only Saxo offers Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Founded is lower at Saxo: 1992 vs 2007.
- Stock trade fee is lower at eToro: $0 vs $1.
- Markets: only eToro offers Crypto.
- Markets: only Saxo offers Options, Bonds, Funds.
- Account types: only eToro offers ISA.
- Account types: only Saxo offers Joint, Corporate.
- Features: only eToro offers Crypto, Copy trading.
Our verdict on each
eToro
eToro suits readers who want to hold shares, ETFs, crypto, forex and CFDs in one app without paying commission on trades. Costs look light on the standard account, with a stock trade fee of $0 and account fee of $0, though the account fee applies to the virtual portfolio rather than every standard account.
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 | eToro | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherCommission-free pricing with a stock trade fee of $0 and account fee of $0, but currency conversion on non-USD balances sits outside that headline. | 9.1Account fee and inactivity fee are both €0 and €0, and the minimum deposit is CHF 0. Stock trades cost $1. |
| Offer | 8.8 | 9.3Higher |
| Trust | 9.3 | 9.5Higher |
Pick eToro if, pick Saxo if
Pick eToro if stock trade fee matter most.
Pick Saxo if offer matter most.
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | eToro | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | No | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Account types | eToro | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | Yes | No |
| Joint | No | Yes |
| Corporate | No | Yes |
Sources behind this comparison
eToro
- etoro.com: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Saxo
- home.saxo: 6 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokerchooser.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- bestbrokers.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- landofforex.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- moneyland.ch: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | eToro | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 6 of 471 | 78 of 471 |
| Forex brokers | 4 of 147 | 33 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 4 of 145 | 31 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 4 of 122 | 25 of 122 |
| Futures trading platforms | 2 of 82 | 21 of 82 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | eToro | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Crypto, Demo account, Fractional shares, Copy trading, Mobile appCovers more | Demo account, Fractional shares, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Low fees |
| Audience | Beginners | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | eToro (Europe) Ltd | Saxo Bank A/S |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | Denmark |
| Founded | 2007 | 1992Lower |
| Support channels | Help centre | Not confirmed |
Robo-advisors
| Fact | eToro | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee | 0% | Not confirmed |
| Minimum investment | $500 | Not confirmed |
| Portfolio types | ETF, ESG, Cash, Crypto | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | eToro | Saxo | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | $0at the median | $1highest quarter | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €0below the median | €2.45 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 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
eToro
Pros
- No commission on share dealing: stock trade fees are $0
- No account fee on the standard dealing account: $0
- Regulated in Cyprus by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, and a SIPC member in the US
Cons
- A separate management fee of 0% applies to the managed portfolio service, so headline dealing costs are not the whole bill
- Support runs on help centre only, so there is no stated phone or live chat route for account problems
- The same commission-free model at XTB comes with a stated stock trade fee of €0, so commission alone does not separate the two
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
eToro
Who it suits
- Beginners who want commission-free share dealing plus fractional shares
- Readers who want stocks, ETFs, crypto, forex and CFDs in one place
- Anyone saving in a currency other than US dollars who wants to watch the cost of conversion
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want a stated phone or live chat support channel, since support runs on help centre
- Day traders who judge a broker on spreads alone, as no spread figure is listed
- Anyone wanting managed portfolios at no cost, since the management fee is 0%
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
eToro
What does it cost to buy shares with eToro?+
The stock trade fee is $0, and the account fee is $0. Both sit at the low end of the market, and eToro is ranked at 1 on trade fees and 1 on account fees among the brands compared here. Currency conversion can still apply if your balance is not in the account currency.
Is there an account fee on the standard eToro account?+
The account fee is $0 for the standard dealing account, which is why eToro places at 1 out of 138 brands on that measure. The managed portfolio service is charged differently, at a management fee of 0%, so treat the dealing and portfolio costs as two separate lines.
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.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- eToro vs Nexo
- eToro vs Nectaro
- eToro vs flatex Online-Broker (DE)
- eToro vs TradeStation
- eToro vs Finhabits
- eToro vs Charles Schwab
- eToro vs ChoiceTrade
- eToro vs Freetrade
- eToro vs AJ Bell
- eToro vs Merrill Edge
- eToro vs Moneyfarm
- eToro vs SoFi
- eToro vs Acorns Checking
- eToro vs Trading 212
- eToro vs Lime Financial
- eToro vs IG
- eToro vs InvestEngine
- Saxo vs ActivTrades
- eToro vs DKB (Deutsche Kreditbank)
- eToro vs XTB
- Saxo vs NAGA
- eToro vs UNest
- Saxo vs Bitpanda
- eToro vs Revolut
- Saxo vs Robinhood
- eToro vs S Broker
- Saxo vs EBC Financial Group