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 |
When comparing commissions and fees, Saxo Bank stands out with its competitive pricing, earning a stellar 5-star rating. For active and high-volume traders, Saxo offers some of the lowest fees in the industry. Specifically, the average spread for the EUR/USD is 1.1 pips for Classic accounts, 1.0 pips for Platinum, and 0.9 pips for VIP accounts as of November 2023. Saxo waives custody fees for share trading for traders who participate in securities lending, enhancing its value proposition. The entry-level Classic account requires no minimum deposit, while the Platinum and VIP accounts necessitate $200,000 and $1,000,000, respectively. Notably, Saxo won the 2024 Annual Award for the #1 VIP Client Experience.
ActivTrades, while offering spreads that are slightly better than the industry average, doesn't match the low fees of the top-tier forex brokers. It provides an Individual Account, with Professional and Islamic options, but lacks account types specifically for high-volume traders or active trader pricing. The average spread for EUR/USD stands at 0.98 pips as of May 2024, which is commendable but not market-leading. The company's commissions and fees are primarily dependent on the asset being traded. The flexibility of asset availability also depends on the platform used.
In the ForexBrokers.com ranking of 63 brokers for the Commissions and Fees category, Saxo holds an impressive #9 position, reflecting its overall competitive pricing and benefits for different account tiers. In contrast, ActivTrades is ranked #28, with a still respectable 4-star rating, indicating decent but not top-of-the-line cost efficiency. Saxo's combination of low spreads for higher-tier accounts and no commissions for most forex trades positions it above ActivTrades in terms of trading cost advantages.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the investment offerings of Saxo and ActivTrades, Saxo stands out with a significant lead in tradeable symbols, boasting a staggering 70,000 compared to ActivTrades' 1,267. Both platforms provide opportunities for forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts, but Saxo's offering is substantially broader, with 190 forex pairs next to ActivTrades' 49. An additional advantage for Saxo clients is the access to exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, allowing them to invest in companies like Apple and Vodafone. In contrast, ActivTrades provides access to international exchanges but not the U.S. market.
Both brokers enable copy trading and allow investments in cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither facilitates the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. Saxo’s investment range is highly acclaimed, earning a five-star rating and ranking third out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades achieves a respectable four-star rating, placing 31st. This insight highlights Saxo as a comprehensive choice for investors seeking a wide array of investment opportunities across diverse markets.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 70000 | 1267 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 49 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| 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.
Saxo and ActivTrades both provide top-tier trading platforms and tools designed to cater to various trading needs. Both brokers offer simulated trading with virtual demo accounts, as well as proprietary platforms developed in-house, ensuring an intuitive trading experience. For those who prefer to trade on a Windows-based desktop, both Saxo and ActivTrades have software available for download. They also support trading through web-based platforms, making access seamless regardless of the trader’s setup. Whether you're interested in copy trading or trading directly from stock charts, you can find these features with both brokers. However, while ActivTrades offers popular options like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, Saxo does not. Neither broker supports DupliTrade or ZuluTrade at this time.
When it comes to charting tools, Saxo provides 20 drawing tools compared to ActivTrades' 15, offering a slightly more comprehensive set of options for analysis. Additionally, Saxo excels in customization for watch lists with 60 available fields, far outpacing ActivTrades, which offers 11. Despite these differences, both platforms remain user-friendly and efficient. Saxo is rated five stars and takes the top rank for trading platforms and tools by ForexBrokers.com, indicating superior features and execution. ActivTrades, with a four-star rating and a rank of 30, still provides a commendable experience but doesn’t quite reach the same level as Saxo. Overall, Saxo stands out as the more feature-rich and highly regarded option for traders seeking advanced tools and customization.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 60 | 11 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When comparing mobile trading apps from Saxo and ActivTrades, both offer apps for iPhone and Android users. They allow traders to set price alerts and draw trendlines on stock or forex charts. Both apps also provide real-time watchlists and the ability to view multiple time frames, ensuring traders have flexibility in their analysis. However, Saxo's app stands out with its impressive selection of 64 technical studies for charting, far surpassing ActivTrades, which offers just 30 studies. Additionally, Saxo's mobile app syncs watchlists with the client's online account, while ActivTrades lacks this syncing feature.
In terms of user ratings, Saxo's mobile app shines with a full 5-star rating and ranks as the second-best out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com. Meanwhile, the ActivTrades app holds a respectable 4-star rating and is ranked 19th. These ratings reflect Saxo's superior mobile trading experience compared to ActivTrades, making it a preferred choice for traders who highly value a seamless and comprehensive mobile platform.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 |
| 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.
Both Saxo and ActivTrades provide valuable market research tools for their users. Each broker offers daily market commentary and forex news from reputable sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. Saxo stands out by offering technical analysis and fundamental research tools from Autochartist, which are not available with ActivTrades. Both brokers provide a sentiment-based trading tool that displays the ratio of long or short positions across various instruments, ensuring traders have a clear view of market dynamics. Additionally, both Saxo and ActivTrades offer economic calendars to keep traders informed about global news events impacting the markets.
Despite some similarities between the two brokers, Saxo edges out ActivTrades in terms of market research offerings and overall rating. Saxo receives a perfect 5-star rating for research from ForexBrokers.com, ranking as the top broker out of 63 for this category. In comparison, ActivTrades holds a 4-star rating, placing it 30th in the same lineup. This distinction highlights Saxo's comprehensive approach to equipping traders with insightful and diverse research tools, appealing to both newcomers and seasoned investors alike.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes |
| 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 ActivTrades for educational resources aimed at beginner traders, both platforms deliver a strong foundation in forex and CFD education. Both Saxo and ActivTrades offer more than ten educational pieces that include articles, videos, and archived webinars, ensuring that newcomers have ample material to learn from. Online educational webinars are also a feature of both brokers, providing clients with at least one new session every month. Additionally, recorded webinars are archived and searchable on both platforms, allowing beginners to revisit past lessons at their convenience.
Saxo and ActivTrades both cater to traders at every level with their selection of educational videos. Each offers more than ten videos dedicated to beginner topics and another ten aimed at more advanced trading concepts. However, Saxo distinguishes itself with an investor dictionary featuring over 50 investing terms, a resource not provided by ActivTrades. In terms of educational quality, Saxo earns a five-star rating, while ActivTrades holds four stars. In the industry rankings by ForexBrokers.com, Saxo is placed at #13 out of 63 brokers for education, whereas ActivTrades sits at #38, showcasing Saxo's superior standing in delivering educational content to traders.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
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 #33.
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
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 81 |
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Both Saxo and ActivTrades do not provide the option to purchase actual, delivered cryptocurrency, but they both offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers Saxo and ActivTrades, neither offers ACH or SEPA transfers, PayPal is also not an option, but while both allow transactions via Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, only ActivTrades offers the additional funding flexibility of Skrill.
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 |
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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 | No | |
| 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 (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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 70000 | 1267 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 49 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 60 | 11 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 | |
| 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 Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 | |
| 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 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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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