Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs Trading 212, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Founded in 1992, Saxo enjoys a strong reputation as a financial institution with its status as a bank and is known for its high level of trustworthiness in the online brokerage industry. Notably, Saxo holds an impressive seven Tier-1 licenses, indicating a high level of regulatory compliance and safety. Backed by a near-perfect Trust Score of 99 out of 99 by ForexBrokers.com, Saxo is regarded as highly trusted, giving potential clients peace of mind when choosing their broker.
In comparison, Trading 212, established in 2004, is not a bank and operates as a private company. While it holds two Tier-1 licenses, it doesn't have any Tier-2 licenses. With a Trust Score of 79, Trading 212 is categorized as an average risk broker according to ForexBrokers.com’s ratings. This shows that while Trading 212 may be a solid choice for some, it might not offer the same level of regulatory assurance as Saxo, which is a key factor for cautious investors.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2004 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
When comparing Saxo and Trading 212 in terms of commissions and fees, Saxo stands out for offering excellent all-around pricing, especially for active and high-volume traders, as well as those maintaining significant account balances. Saxo's pricing features average spreads for the EUR/USD at 1.1 pips for Classic accounts, 1.0 pips for Platinum, and 0.9 pips for VIP accounts, with discounts available through its loyalty program. The minimum deposit requirements vary, with the Classic account starting at $0 and the VIP account requiring a $1,000,000 minimum or volume-based qualification. Saxo also waives custody fees for share trading through securities lending and operates commission-free, except for traders with less than 50,000 units traded monthly. Saxo earns a 5-star rating for its commission structure and ranks 9th out of 62 brokers in this category.
On the other hand, Trading 212, with its Invest and CFD accounts, offers zero-commission trading but applies spreads to CFD and forex trades. The Invest account requires a mere 1 euro deposit, while the CFD account starts at 10 euros. However, even with its zero-commission promise, Trading 212's average spread for the EUR/USD pair sits at 1.9 pips, which is notably higher than the industry standard. This higher spread places Trading 212 at a disadvantage when compared to top competitors in the CFD and forex markets. Trading 212 receives a 4-star rating for commissions and fees and holds the 43rd position among 62 brokers.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €10 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 1.9 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 1.9 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When considering the available range of investments, both Saxo and Trading 212 offer a comprehensive suite for traders and investors. Saxo provides access to an impressive 70,000 tradeable symbols, including 190 forex pairs, whereas Trading 212 offers over 8,025 symbols with 146 forex pairs. Both brokers allow the purchase of exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, enabling clients to invest directly in companies like Apple on the NASDAQ or Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange. Additionally, both platforms facilitate forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts and provide the opportunity to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
While both Saxo and Trading 212 receive a stellar five-star rating for their range of investments, they differ in terms of rankings by ForexBrokers.com within their category; Saxo claims the #3 spot, while Trading 212 is positioned at #15. A distinguishing feature for Saxo is its offering of copy trading services, which Trading 212 currently does not provide. Despite this difference, both brokers present a formidable array of investing opportunities that cater to diverse trading strategies and preferences.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 70000 | 8025 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 146 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Both Saxo and Trading 212 offer traders powerful, easy-to-use platforms with virtual demo accounts for practice, catering to beginners and experienced traders. Saxo provides a comprehensive offering with its exclusive, in-house developed trading platform available on both desktop and web, while Trading 212's proprietary platform is available as a web-based version only. While neither broker supports popular platforms like MetaTrader 4 or 5, or features like DupliTrade and ZuluTrade, both enable traders to place trades directly from stock charts and are well-equipped with trading tools, including 20 drawing tools each for charting. However, when it comes to technical indicators, there are no specific numbers indicated.
Saxo shines with a more detailed and customizable experience thanks to its 60 available columns for watch lists, contrasted with Trading 212's five, offering traders more freedom to personalize their interfaces. Notably, Saxo supports copy trading, catering to investors interested in mirroring seasoned traders' strategies, a feature Trading 212 lacks. The user-friendliness and depth of Saxo's platform have earned it a five-star rating and the top spot among 62 brokers on ForexBrokers.com for its rich trading platforms and tools. Trading 212, while ranked 21st, still receives a respectable four-star rating for its effective yet less extensive platform.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 54 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 20 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 60 | 5 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing the mobile trading apps of Saxo and Trading 212, both platforms offer rich features for iPhone and Android users. Both apps support essential functionalities like stock and forex price alerts, watchlist symbol syncing, and allow users to draw trendlines on charts. These apps also accommodate various time frames, such as daily, weekly, and intraday, and can autosave any drawings on charts. Additionally, creating watchlists with real-time quotes is straightforward on both platforms, ensuring that traders stay updated with market changes.
However, differences emerge in certain aspects. Saxo offers 64 technical studies for chart analysis, while Trading 212 provides a broader selection with 104 studies. Despite the higher number of studies, Saxo receives a higher rating of 5 stars for its mobile trading app, compared to Trading 212's 4 stars. In the overall ranking by ForexBrokers.com, Saxo shines at the #2 spot out of 62 brokers, whereas Trading 212 is ranked at #17. These rankings and ratings reflect user preference and satisfaction, highlighting Saxo's app as slightly more favored among traders.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 104 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing Saxo to Trading 212 for market research offerings, Saxo stands out with its comprehensive daily market commentary and access to top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones for forex news. In contrast, Trading 212 provides forex news from similar esteemed sources but lacks daily market commentary. Additionally, Saxo users can benefit from technical analysis tools provided by Autochartist and a sentiment-based trading tool that displays the ratio of long or short positions across currency pairs, both features that Trading 212 users miss out on.
Both Saxo and Trading 212 offer economic calendars to track significant global events, though Saxo receives a 5-star rating for research from ForexBrokers.com, significantly higher than Trading 212's 3.5-star rating. This distinction is reflected in Saxo's top-ranked position out of 62 brokers in the research category, where it secures the number one spot, while Trading 212 is placed at number 46. These differences highlight Saxo's superior market research capabilities compared to Trading 212, catering to the needs of traders seeking in-depth analysis tools and insights.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing Saxo and Trading 212 for educational resources aimed at beginners in forex and CFDs, both platforms are commendable. They each provide a wealth of learning materials, including over ten articles, videos, and archived webinars focused on forex and CFDs. Additionally, both Saxo and Trading 212 offer monthly online educational webinars and have a searchable archive for previously recorded sessions. This makes them both accessible options for learners who wish to catch up on missed content or revisit complex topics at their own pace.
Furthermore, Saxo and Trading 212 cater to all levels of traders by offering at least ten beginner-friendly educational videos as well as an equal number of videos suitable for advanced traders. Each platform also includes an extensive investor dictionary, presenting definitions for more than fifty investing terms to help demystify trading jargon. However, despite these similarities, Saxo stands out with a higher education rating of five stars and a ForexBrokers.com ranking of 13th out of 62 brokers, compared to Trading 212's 3.5-star rating and 20th place ranking. This suggests that Saxo may provide a slightly stronger educational experience for its users.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Saxo is better than Trading 212. Saxo finished with an overall rank of #3, while Trading 212 finished with an overall rank of #31.
Saxo is an exclusive multi-asset broker with brilliant research and a superb trading platform experience – as well as a stunning selection of over 40,000 securities.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trading 212
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 79 |
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Both Saxo and Trading 212 do not provide the option to purchase actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but they do offer the ability to buy cryptocurrency derivatives.
While both Saxo and Trading 212 support deposits and withdrawals via Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, Trading 212 additionally offers ACH, SEPA, and PayPal options, which are not available with Saxo.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
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| Regulation | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 79 | |
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2004 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 70000 | 8025 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 146 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 1.9 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 1.9 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | €10 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | No | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 60 | 5 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 54 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 20 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 104 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Saxo Review | Trading 212 Review |
| Overall | Saxo | Trading 212 | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 79 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | Trading 212 Review |
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