Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
IG vs Saxo
What sets them apart
| Compare |  IG |  Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | £0 | $1 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Crypto, Spread betting | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Bonds, Funds |
| Regulators | Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC | Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69% | 64% |
| Platforms | Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView | SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | CHF 0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.25% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $2 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free deposits and withdrawals |
| Account types | Not confirmed | Joint, Corporate |
| Interest on cash | 2.5% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Account fee (€0), Investor protection (EU ICS up to EUR 20,000).
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Key differences
- IG scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.3.
- Regulators: only IG offers Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), SIPC.
- Regulators: only Saxo offers Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Markets: only IG offers Crypto, Spread betting.
- Markets: only Saxo offers Bonds, Funds.
- Platforms: only IG offers Mobile trading, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime.
- Platforms: only Saxo offers SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader.
- Pricing model: only IG offers Commission free.
- Pricing model: only Saxo offers Low fees.
Our verdict on each
IG
IG suits traders who want shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting under a single roof, with an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5% on uninvested balances. Share dealing runs commission-free, while the retail loss rate is 69%.
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 | IG | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Higher | 9.1Account fee and inactivity fee are both €0 and €0, and the minimum deposit is CHF 0. Stock trades cost $1. |
| Offer | 9.6HigherCommission-free share dealing, a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of €0 and cash interest of 2.5%. | 9.3 |
| Trust | 9.5 | 9.5 |
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | IG | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Bonds | No | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
| Spread betting | Yes | No |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | IG | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 48 of 471 | 78 of 471 |
| Forex brokers | 18 of 147 | 33 of 147 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 16 of 145 | 31 of 145 |
| CFD brokers | 14 of 122 | 25 of 122 |
| Options trading platforms | 12 of 103 | 23 of 103 |
| Futures trading platforms | 13 of 82 | 21 of 82 |
Where these facts come from
IG
- ig.com: 8 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
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IG | Saxo |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Mobile app, Fractional shares | Demo account, Fractional shares, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Low fees |
| Legal entity | IG Europe GmbH | Saxo Bank A/S |
| Headquarters | Germany | Denmark |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1992 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IG | Saxo | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | €0at the median | €0at the median | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €0below the median | €2.45 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 69%below the median | 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 |
| Interest on cash | 2.5%below the median | Not confirmed | 3% |
Median across 52 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
IG
Pros
- Markets list stocks, etfs and forex, so shares, ETFs, forex, contracts for difference, options, futures, crypto and spread betting sit together.
- Regulated by Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, with client protection of EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
- Platform choice runs Mobile trading, L2 Dealer and ProRealTime.
Cons
- Retail accounts that lose money come to 69%.
- The commission-free model in commission free applies to share dealing, and it does not extend to trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options or futures.
- Accounts sit with IG Europe GmbH in Germany, so compensation stops at EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
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
IG
Who it suits
- Traders who want stocks, etfs and forex reachable from the same account rather than several platforms.
- Share buyers who want dealing on a commission-free basis, since commission free covers their trades.
- EU clients who weight regulation and compensation, given Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC and EU ICS up to EUR 20,000.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a platform built around share dealing and crypto alone should compare CFI, whose stocks, etfs and forex is a shorter, simpler list.
- Investors priced in dollars rather than euros should weigh eToro, where the stock trade fee is $0.
- Anyone weighing only the account charge should know Vantage lists $0, so IG's €0 is not the only way to hold an account cheaply.
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
IG
What does it cost to trade shares with IG?+
Share dealing runs on a commission-free model, with a stock trade fee of £0 and an account fee of €0. Those are the two figures that matter for holding and trading, and both sit at the floor of the site tables. Trading costs on forex, contracts for difference, options and futures are quoted apart from share dealing.
Who regulates IG and is my money protected?+
The regulators are Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and SIPC, and the licences listed are MiCA CASP 213800HFC5G4V293BN91 and SIPC member 71021. Client protection in the EU is EU ICS up to EUR 20,000, so a claim against the firm is covered only up to that ceiling. Any balance above the cap is your own exposure.
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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