Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Saxo vs Trading 212
Saxo scores 9.3 and Trading 212 9.3 out of 10. Compare their differences and shared features below.
Where Saxo and Trading 212 differ
| Compare |  Saxo | Trading 212 ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | CHF 0 | £1 |
| Stock trade fee | $1 | £0 |
| Account fee | €0 | £0 |
| Inactivity fee | €0 | £0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Options, Futures, Bonds, FundsCovers more | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs |
| Regulators | Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Platforms | SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader | Trading 212 App, Web Platform |
| Account types | Joint, Corporate | ISA, SIPP, Joint |
| Retail accounts that lose money | 64% | Not confirmed |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.25% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | $2 | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Free deposits and withdrawals | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Regulators: only Saxo offers Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Regulators: only Trading 212 offers Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
- Founded is lower at Saxo: 1992 vs 2006.
- Markets: only Saxo offers Options, Futures, Bonds.
- Platforms: only Saxo offers SaxoInvestor, SaxoTrader.
- Platforms: only Trading 212 offers Trading 212 App, Web Platform.
- Account types: only Saxo offers Corporate.
- Account types: only Trading 212 offers ISA, SIPP.
- Pricing model: only Saxo offers Low fees.
- Pricing model: only Trading 212 offers Commission free.
Our verdict on each
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.
Trading 212
Trading 212 suits UK and European beginners who want flat costs: a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of £0 and an ISA, SIPP and joint account. Forex and CFDs share the same menu, so the easy entry is the reason to look closer, not to trade heavily.
Score breakdown
| Area | Saxo | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1Account fee and inactivity fee are both €0 and €0, and the minimum deposit is CHF 0. Stock trades cost $1. | 9.3HigherCharges sit at the floor: £0 on a trade, £0 on the account, £0 when idle. |
| Offer | 9.3Higher | 9.2 |
| Trust | 9.5 | 9.5 |
Feature by feature
| Markets | Saxo | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | No |
| Futures | Yes | No |
| Bonds | Yes | No |
| Funds | Yes | No |
| Account types | Saxo | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| ISA | No | Yes |
| SIPP | No | Yes |
| Joint | Yes | Yes |
| Corporate | Yes | No |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Saxo | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 81 of 474 | 86 of 474 |
| Investment platforms and apps | 22 of 91 | 24 of 91 |
| Forex brokers | 36 of 150 | 38 of 150 |
| Low-spread forex brokers | 35 of 149 | 37 of 149 |
| CFD brokers | 27 of 124 | 29 of 124 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Saxo | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ||
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32 |
| Denmark | Not confirmed |
Sources behind this comparison
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
Trading 212
- en.wikipedia.org: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Saxo | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Demo account, Fractional shares, Mobile app | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Low fees | Commission free |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Saxo Bank A/S | Trading 212 Markets Ltd |
| Headquarters | Denmark | Cyprus |
| Founded | 1992Lower | 2006 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Saxo | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail accounts that lose money | 64%lowest quarter | Not confirmed | 72.21% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.25%below the median | Not confirmed | 0.45% |
| Options contract fee | $2highest quarter | Not confirmed | $0.625 |
Median across 49 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
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
Trading 212
Pros
- Nothing to pay for holding or for going quiet: the account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0.
- Trading shares costs £0, the same stock trade fee eToro lists at $0, so the trade price is not the reason to move.
- The entry of £1 sits under the $5 Vantage asks for, which matters for a first transfer.
Cons
- The market list pairs shares and ETFs with forex and CFDs in stocks, etfs and forex, so a platform aimed at beginners, beginners, also carries leveraged products.
- The fee sheet is the easy part: retail accounts lose money at 70.15% across the brokers compared, and a £0 trade cost does not remove that risk.
- The money side runs through Trading 212 Markets Ltd in Cyprus, registered with the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission as MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32, so a UK saver is dealing with a Cyprus entity alongside the UK one.
Who each suits
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
Trading 212
Who it suits
- Beginners and small regular investors who want a low bar to entry, since the minimum deposit is £1 and the app and demo account in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app support a cautious start.
- UK and European savers who care about holding cost, because the account fee of £0 and the inactivity fee of £0 leave the account free to sit and free to open.
- Savers who want a tax-wrapped and shared holding together, since isa, sipp and joint covers an ISA, a SIPP and a joint account under one provider.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for forex and CFD traders who want a deeper market list: Trading 212 stops at stocks, etfs and forex, while eToro and Vantage cover more of the leveraged side.
- Not for anyone who needs a no-cost opening: CFI takes a minimum deposit of $0 against the £1 asked here.
- Not for savers who want a bigger spread of wrappers: the account range is listed as isa, sipp and joint, which does not stretch to every tax-sheltered account type.
Questions about each
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.
Trading 212
What is the minimum deposit to open a Trading 212 account?+
The published minimum deposit is £1, low enough to open and fund in one step. That entry sits under the €4.64 level seen across the brokers compared here, and under the $5 Vantage asks for, so a small first transfer is enough to get going.
Does Trading 212 charge for keeping an account open or leaving it idle?+
The account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0, so neither holding the account nor letting it sit dormant is billed on the published sheet. The €10 inactivity level across the brokers compared sits well above that floor, which is where dormant-account charges usually show up.
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