Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs Admirals, 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 Saxo and Admirals, several factors can inform potential users about the trustworthiness and history of these online brokers. Saxo, established in 1992, holds a strong position with a Trust Score rating of 99, making it highly trusted according to ForexBrokers.com. As a bank, Saxo boasts 7 Tier-1 licenses and 1 Tier-2 license, indicators of its secure and reliable standing in the financial industry. While not publicly traded, Saxo's long history and regulatory accolades underscore its credibility.
Admirals, founded in 2001, also scores well with a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 93. Though not a bank, Admirals maintains 4 Tier-1 and 3 Tier-2 licenses, reflecting its commitment to trust and transparency. Like Saxo, Admirals is not listed on any stock exchanges, yet its regulatory compliance illustrates its dedication to safeguarding client interests. Overall, both brokers hold substantial trust ratings, offering secure platforms for trading, each with its unique strengths in regulatory compliance.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2001 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Saxo and Admirals both offer competitive commissions and fees, but they go about it differently. Admirals lists a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.8 pips on its Trade account, with similar pricing on its Zero account. Saxo’s average EUR/USD spreads as of November 2023 were 1.1 pips on its Classic account, 1.0 on Platinum, and 0.9 on VIP, with minimums roughly 0.2 pips lower (for example, Classic minimum 0.9). Saxo is commission-free for forex; however, traders doing under 50,000 units per month pay a $3-per-side ticket fee. For share trading, Saxo waives custody fees if you opt into securities lending.
Saxo’s pricing can improve notably as you move up its tiers: Classic has a $0 minimum deposit; Platinum requires $200,000 (AUD 300,000 in Australia for forex) or enough loyalty points from trading volume; VIP requires $1,000,000 or very high trading volume and offers the biggest savings. In short, Admirals delivers sharp, straightforward spreads out of the gate, while Saxo can be especially cost-effective for high-volume or high-balance clients who qualify for Platinum or VIP.
Ratings and rankings: Saxo is rated 5 out of 5 stars for commissions and fees and ranks #9 out of 63 brokers. Admirals is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #18 out of 63 brokers.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.1 | 0.8 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.8 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Saxo delivers a much wider range of investments than Admirals. Saxo lists about 71,000 tradeable symbols and 190 forex pairs, while Admirals offers around 8,702 symbols and 82 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. Each also lets you buy exchange-traded stocks on U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple or Vodafone). For crypto, both provide exposure via cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual coins.
There are a few key differences. Admirals includes copy trading, which Saxo does not. For overall range of investments, ForexBrokers.com rates Saxo at 5 stars and ranks it 3rd out of 63 brokers, while Admirals earns 4.5 stars and ranks 20th. In short, pick Saxo if you want the broadest selection of markets; choose Admirals if copy trading is on your wishlist while still having a large lineup of assets.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 8702 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 82 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Admirals both check the key boxes for platform access: each offers a free demo account, a proprietary (in‑house) platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based terminal. Both also let you place trades straight from a chart. Key differences: Admirals supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, while Saxo does not. If you want the MetaTrader ecosystem or social-style features, Admirals has the edge; if you’re focused on a broker-built experience, Saxo stands out.
According to ForexBrokers.com, Saxo earns 5 stars for Trading Platforms and Tools and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers, while Admirals earns 4 stars and ranks #19. In short, Saxo is a top pick for traders who value an advanced in-house platform, whereas Admirals suits those who prefer MT4/MT5 and copy trading. Both offer demo accounts, making it easy to try their platforms before committing.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Both Saxo and Admirals offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with stock and forex price alerts, trendline drawing on charts, and auto‑saved annotations. The standout difference is watchlist syncing: Saxo syncs your watchlists between the mobile app and your online account, while Admirals does not, meaning changes on one device won’t update the other at Admirals.
Charting depth is another separator. Saxo packs 64 technical studies in its app versus 30 at Admirals, giving you more ways to analyze price action. Independent reviews reflect this gap: in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers, while Admirals earns 4 stars and ranks #23. If you want deeper charting and seamless watchlists, choose Saxo; if fewer indicators and manual watchlist updates are acceptable, Admirals remains a capable option.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| 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.
When it comes to market research, both Saxo and Admirals provide daily market commentary and access to high-caliber forex news from sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters. While both platforms offer tools for sentiment-based trading and economic calendars that help track global events, they differ in their selection of additional research tools. Saxo stands out by offering tools from Autochartist, known for its technical and fundamental analysis capabilities. In comparison, Admirals does not have Autochartist tools, but it includes instruments from Trading Central and Acuity Trading, enhancing their ability in technical analytics and market signals.
Saxo and Admirals both provide a comprehensive market research experience, yet Saxo receives a perfect 5-star rating and ranks first among 63 brokers for research excellence, as per ForexBrokers.com. Admirals, while robust with its offerings from services like TipRanks and Acuity Trading, holds a 4-star rating and is positioned 15th in the same category. These distinctions highlight Saxo’s leading edge in research tools, while Admirals offers a strong array of additional resources for traders seeking variety in their market analysis tools.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing Saxo vs Admirals for beginner education, both brokers offer plenty to get you started. Each runs monthly client webinars and provides more than 10 beginner videos that explain trading basics and platform tips, plus at least 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to level up. Their libraries cover forex and CFDs topics, so newcomers can learn essentials like leverage, spreads, and risk management through videos and recorded webinars.
On scores, Saxo earns 5 stars for Education, while Admirals has 4 stars. However, ForexBrokers.com ranks Admirals #12 and Saxo #13 out of 63 brokers in the Education category. Bottom line: both are strong picks for beginners—choose Saxo if you want the higher star rating, or Admirals if you prefer the broker that ranks slightly higher in this category.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Admirals
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Admirals. Saxo finished with an overall rank of #3, while Admirals finished with an overall rank of #18.
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 |
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Admirals
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 |
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Comparing online brokers, Saxo and Admirals do not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Compared to online broker Admirals, online broker Saxo supports bank wire transfers but not ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill, while Admirals does support ACH/SEPA and its availability of PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires was not specified.
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 | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | Admirals Review |
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| Regulation | Saxo | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2001 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Saxo | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| 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 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | Yes |
| Investments | Saxo | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 8702 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 82 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| 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 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.1 | 0.8 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.8 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Saxo | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Saxo | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Saxo | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Saxo | Admirals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Admirals Review |
| Overall | Saxo | Admirals | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 93 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | Admirals Review |
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