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 | 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.
Saxo vs ActivTrades: both brokers support forex trading, available as CFDs or spot contracts, and both offer copy trading plus cryptocurrency derivatives (but not direct, delivered crypto). Where they differ is scope. Saxo lists about 70,000 tradeable symbols and 190 forex pairs, while ActivTrades offers 1,267 symbols and 49 pairs. For exchange-traded securities, both provide access to international shares, but only Saxo lets you buy U.S.-listed stocks like Apple; ActivTrades does not offer U.S. share dealing.
For range of investments, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its very wide market coverage. ActivTrades scores 4 stars and ranks #32, covering key markets but with a narrower selection. If you want the broadest choice of assets and the ability to trade U.S. stocks alongside forex, Saxo is the stronger fit; if you need a focused lineup with core markets, ActivTrades may suffice.
| 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 cover the essentials for trading platforms and tools. Each broker offers a free demo (paper) account, its own proprietary platform, a Windows desktop app, and a web-based platform. Both support copy trading and let you place trades directly from charts. Neither integrates DupliTrade or ZuluTrade, and the exact number of built-in technical indicators was not specified.
The biggest split is software choice and depth of features. ActivTrades supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which helps if you rely on MT-friendly add-ons or automated strategies. Saxo does not offer MT4 or MT5, but it provides 60 watchlist columns versus 11 at ActivTrades, and 20 drawing tools versus 15. Reflecting these differences, ForexBrokers.com rates Saxo 5 stars and ranks it #1 out of 63 for Trading Platforms and Tools, while ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #32. Choose Saxo for extensive in-platform tools and watchlist customization, or ActivTrades if MetaTrader access is a priority.
| 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.
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 | 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 |
| 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 | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | ||
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | ||
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Saxo | ActivTrades | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | ||
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | ||
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | ||
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| 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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