Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs ActivTrades, 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.
When comparing online brokers Saxo and ActivTrades, potential clients may find the regulatory background a key factor in their decision-making process. Saxo, founded in 1992, holds a top-tier position with a Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com, making it one of the most trusted online brokers. Notably, Saxo is a bank and holds 7 Tier-1 licenses, emphasizing its standing in financial security and oversight. In contrast, ActivTrades, established in 2001, is not a bank but maintains an admirable Trust Score of 81, categorizing it as a trusted broker. ActivTrades holds 2 Tier-1 licenses, reflecting its commitment to maintaining high regulatory standards.
Neither Saxo nor ActivTrades are publicly traded, which may influence transparency levels expected by some investors. Saxo further distinguishes itself with an additional Tier-2 license, while ActivTrades also holds a Tier-2 license. This indicates that while both brokers operate within trusted parameters, Saxo offers a stronger regulatory framework, potentially making it a preferred choice for those prioritizing security and trust in their trading experience.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Saxo and ActivTrades both keep forex trading costs competitive, but they cater to different needs. Saxo earns 5 stars for Commissions and Fees and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #21. For EUR/USD, ActivTrades reported a 0.98-pip average spread in May 2024. Saxo’s average spreads (Nov 2023) were 1.1 pips on Classic, 1.0 on Platinum, and 0.9 on VIP, with minimums about 0.2 pips lower. Spreads fluctuate with market conditions for both brokers.
Saxo is commission-free on forex (spread-only pricing), with a $3-per-side ticket fee if you trade under 50,000 units per month. Its tiered accounts can significantly lower your costs if you qualify: Classic now has a $0 minimum deposit; Platinum requires $200,000 (AUD 300,000 in Australia) or enough loyalty points; VIP requires $1,000,000 or very high trading volume. While Saxo’s Classic pricing is slightly above the industry average and Platinum/VIP closer to average, active and high-volume traders who reach top tiers can see some of the most competitive overall pricing. Saxo also waives custody fees for share trading if you opt into securities lending.
ActivTrades offers one main Individual account plus Professional and Islamic options, but no separate high-volume tier or active-trader discounts; spreads are the same across account types and can widen during rollover. Overall, its spreads are slightly better than the industry average, though not the very lowest. If you need volume-based discounts, Saxo may edge ahead; if you prefer a straightforward setup without tier requirements, ActivTrades is a simple, cost-conscious choice.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 1.08 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.92 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Saxo stands out with 71,000 tradeable symbols and 190 forex pairs, compared with ActivTrades’ 1,267 symbols and 49 pairs. Both let you trade forex (as CFDs or via spot), and both support cryptocurrency CFDs, though neither lets you buy actual crypto. On overall range of investments, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com; ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #25.
For exchange-traded shares (not CFDs), Saxo lets clients buy U.S. stocks like Apple and international listings such as Vodafone, while ActivTrades offers international shares but not U.S. stocks. Copy trading is available at ActivTrades but not at Saxo. In short, choose Saxo if you want the widest market access and share dealing across U.S. and global exchanges, while ActivTrades suits traders who value copy trading alongside a solid menu of CFDs, spot forex, and crypto CFDs.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 49 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
Saxo and ActivTrades both let you practice with a free demo (paper) account, and each offers its own proprietary platform alongside a Windows desktop download and a web-based platform. You can place trades directly from charts with either broker. The big differences are copy trading and MetaTrader support: ActivTrades supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Saxo does not support copy trading and doesn’t offer MT4 or MT5.
Counts for built-in technical indicators and watch list columns aren’t specified here. Independent reviews from ForexBrokers.com rate Saxo higher for Trading Platforms and Tools, at 5 stars and ranked #3 of 63 brokers, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #26. In short, choose Saxo if you want a top-rated, in-house platform experience, or go with ActivTrades if MT4/MT5 and copy trading are priorities.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 61 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Comparing the Saxo mobile trading app to ActivTrades: both offer iPhone and Android apps and support price alerts. According to ForexBrokers.com, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while ActivTrades scores 4 stars and ranks #21. That gap points to Saxo delivering a stronger overall mobile experience.
Feature-wise, Saxo syncs watchlists between mobile and web, but ActivTrades does not. For charting tools, Saxo provides 64 technical studies versus 30 on ActivTrades. Both apps let you draw trendlines and auto-save your drawings. If you want deeper charting and seamless watchlist sync, Saxo is the better fit; if you just need alerts and core charting on iPhone or Android, ActivTrades gets the job done.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Saxo and ActivTrades both deliver daily market commentary and stream forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg or Reuters. Each broker also provides a sentiment tool to see long/short positioning across instruments and an economic calendar for global events. Neither broker integrates Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading.
Where they differ is in advanced tools: Saxo includes Autochartist for technical and fundamental ideas, while ActivTrades does not. That gap shows in independent ratings—ForexBrokers.com scores Saxo 5 stars for Research and ranks it #1 out of 63 brokers, compared with ActivTrades at 4 stars and #26. If you want the most complete research experience with premium news and helpful sentiment data, Saxo stands out; if you need core research features without extras, ActivTrades is a capable choice.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | No |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Saxo vs ActivTrades for beginner trading education: both brokers make it easy to get started with learning. Each hosts ongoing client webinars at least once a month and offers a large library of beginner videos (10+), plus plenty of advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. That mix gives new traders a clear path from basic concepts to more advanced strategies, with content delivered through easy-to-follow videos and live sessions.
When it comes to quality scores, Saxo stands out: it earns 5 stars for Education and ranks 12th out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. ActivTrades also performs well, with 4 stars and a 30th-place ranking. If top-rated education is a priority, Saxo has the edge; if you want accessible webinars and lots of beginner-friendly videos, ActivTrades remains a solid pick.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Saxo is better than ActivTrades. Saxo finished with an overall rank of #3, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.
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
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ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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Comparing online brokers Saxo and ActivTrades for cryptocurrency, neither offers buying actual delivered crypto, while both provide access to trade cryptocurrency via CFDs.
In a funding-methods comparison, both Saxo and ActivTrades support bank wire transfers and do not support ACH/SEPA or PayPal for deposits and withdrawals, while only ActivTrades offers Skrill (Saxo does not).
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 | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
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| Regulation | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | ||
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 1 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA 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 |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 1.08 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 61 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | No | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Saxo Review | ActivTrades Review |
| Overall | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | ActivTrades Review |
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