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 offer competitive pricing, but they cater to different trader profiles. For commissions and fees, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers, reflecting strong value for active and high-balance clients. ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #29 out of 63, with pricing that beats the industry average but doesn’t target high-volume discounts.
Saxo’s forex pricing is spread-only for most traders, with a $3-per-side ticket fee if you trade under 50,000 units per month. As of November 2023, average EUR/USD spreads were 1.1 pips (Classic), 1.0 pips (Platinum), and 0.9 pips (VIP), with minimums roughly 0.2 pips lower (e.g., Classic min 0.9). The Classic account now has a $0 minimum deposit, while Platinum requires $200,000 and VIP $1,000,000—both tiers can also be reached via volume-based loyalty upgrades. Saxo also waives custody fees for share trading if you opt into securities lending.
ActivTrades keeps pricing simple with one main Individual account plus Professional and Islamic options, but there’s no special tier for high-volume traders and no active-trader pricing. Spreads are the same across account types. Average EUR/USD spreads were 0.98 pips in May 2024, and—as with most brokers—actual spreads can vary and widen during rollover. Fees depend on the assets and platform you choose, making ActivTrades a straightforward pick for standard accounts rather than elite volume discounts.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
ActivTrades
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 0.98 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A |
| 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 vs ActivTrades: For range of investments, Saxo offers far more instruments, with about 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 spot, and both offer cryptocurrency CFDs (but not the actual coins). Each provides access to exchange-traded shares on international markets; only Saxo also lets you buy U.S.-listed stocks directly. Copy trading is available at ActivTrades, but not at Saxo.
Saxo earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades gets 4 stars and ranks #32. Choose Saxo if you want a very wide selection and the ability to buy shares on U.S. and global exchanges; pick ActivTrades if you value copy trading and are comfortable with a smaller, focused lineup of markets.
| 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.
Both Saxo and ActivTrades offer a free demo account for paper trading. Each broker provides a proprietary trading platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based platform. Both also let you place trades directly from charts, streamlining the path from analysis to execution.
The key differences are platform choice and social features. Saxo does not offer copy trading, MT4, or MT5, while ActivTrades supports copy trading and provides both MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) in addition to its own platform. For Trading Platforms and Tools, ForexBrokers.com rates Saxo 5 stars with a #1 ranking out of 63 brokers, whereas ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #32. Choose Saxo if you want a top-rated in-house platform experience; pick ActivTrades if you prefer MetaTrader and copy trading options.
| 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.
Saxo and ActivTrades both deliver capable mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports forex and stock price alerts, trendline drawing on charts, and auto-saving your annotations. Where they differ is watchlists and chart depth: Saxo syncs your watchlists across mobile and web, while ActivTrades does not. For technical analysis, Saxo includes 64 built-in studies compared with 30 on ActivTrades, giving active chart users more choice.
Independent ratings also tilt in Saxo’s favor. According to ForexBrokers.com, Saxo’s mobile app earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps; ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #19. If you want a synced experience with a larger set of indicators, Saxo is the stronger pick. If you just need dependable alerts and core chart tools on the go, ActivTrades covers the essentials.
| 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 strong day‑to‑day research for traders. Each offers daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, plus a helpful economic calendar to track key events. Both brokers also include a sentiment tool that shows the share of long versus short positions, which can help you gauge crowd behavior.
The key difference is in built-in research add-ons: Saxo provides Autochartist for technical and fundamental insights, while ActivTrades does not. Neither broker includes Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading tools. According to ForexBrokers.com, Saxo earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers, whereas ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #31. If you want more advanced, integrated analysis, Saxo is the stronger pick; if you just need core commentary, news, and calendars, ActivTrades still covers the essentials.
| 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.
Comparing education for beginners at Saxo and ActivTrades, both brokers make it easy to start learning with ongoing online client webinars (at least one each month) and sizable video libraries. Each offers at least 10 beginner videos to cover trading basics and platform use, plus at least 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. This mix helps new traders build confidence step by step.
Where they differ is overall quality and recognition. Saxo is rated 5 stars for Education and ranks #13 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds 4 stars and ranks #38. If you want the most polished, wide-ranging learning path, Saxo has the edge; if you prefer straightforward lessons and steady webinars, ActivTrades still delivers solid support for getting started.
| 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 #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
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ActivTrades
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|---|---|---|
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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 | 0.98 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | N/A | |
| 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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