Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs AvaTrade, 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.
Founded in 1992, Saxo is a well-established online broker with a reputation for trustworthiness. Holding seven Tier-1 licenses, Saxo is considered highly reliable by ForexBrokers.com, earning a perfect Trust Score of 99. Additionally, Saxo operates as a bank, further bolstering its credibility. Although it is not publicly traded, its comprehensive regulatory credentials make it a go-to choice for many investors.
On the other hand, AvaTrade was founded in 2006 and is not a bank, but it still offers a solid level of security in the online trading world. AvaTrade holds four Tier-1 licenses and three Tier-2 licenses, earning a commendable Trust Score of 94 from ForexBrokers.com. Like Saxo, AvaTrade is privately held. With multiple trusted licenses, AvaTrade provides a reliable platform for traders seeking safe and secure investment opportunities.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2006 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 3 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
On commissions and fees, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63, while AvaTrade earns 4.5 stars and ranks #14 (ForexBrokers.com, Commissions and Fees category). In headline pricing, Saxo’s average EUR/USD spreads (Nov 2023) run 1.1 pips on Classic, 1.0 on Platinum, and 0.9 on VIP. AvaTrade’s standard EUR/USD spread was 0.9 pips (June 2024), and drops to 0.6 pips on its Professional account for eligible traders.
Saxo is spread-only for forex and charges no commission, with one exception: if you trade under 50,000 units per month, there’s a $3-per-side ticket fee. Minimum spreads were about 0.2 pips lower than the above averages during the period. Pricing on Saxo’s Platinum and VIP tiers is closer to the industry average, while Classic is slightly higher. The Classic account minimum deposit is $0; Platinum requires $200,000 (AUD 300,000 for Australia forex), and VIP requires $1,000,000 or qualifying volume via Saxo’s loyalty program (for example, ~$40M in forex volume to reach Platinum; ~$167M to reach VIP for one year). Saxo also waives custody fees for share trading if you opt into securities lending.
AvaTrade’s standard account pricing sits near the industry average at 0.9 pips on EUR/USD, which can be a touch higher than the very cheapest entry-level rivals. Traders who qualify as elected professionals can access 0.6-pip spreads on the Professional account, making AvaTrade more competitive for experienced, eligible clients.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 0.93 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.61 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Both Saxo and AvaTrade let you trade forex as CFDs or spot. The big difference is scope: Saxo lists about 71,000 tradeable symbols, including around 190 forex pairs, and you can buy exchange‑traded shares directly on U.S. and international markets (like Apple on Nasdaq or Vodafone in London). AvaTrade offers about 1,260 symbols with 53 forex pairs; it does not provide direct share dealing on U.S. or international exchanges. Both brokers offer cryptocurrency CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual crypto.
For range of investments, ForexBrokers.com rates Saxo 5 stars and ranks it 3rd out of 63 brokers, while AvaTrade earns 4 stars and ranks 26th. Choose Saxo if you want the widest product list and access to real stocks alongside forex and CFDs. Pick AvaTrade if copy trading matters to you (it’s available at AvaTrade but not at Saxo) and you’re comfortable trading mainly CFDs across a smaller, easy-to-navigate lineup.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 1260 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 53 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| 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 AvaTrade both check key boxes for platform access: each offers a free demo account, an in-house trading platform, a Windows desktop download, a web platform, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. The big differences are tools and integrations. AvaTrade supports copy trading and offers MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which appeals to traders who want expert advisors or the familiar MT layout. Saxo does not support MT4 or MT5 and does not offer copy trading, instead focusing on its own platform suite.
On quality, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com, while AvaTrade earns 4.5 stars and ranks #13. Both include strong charting and watchlist features, though specific counts for indicators and watchlist columns weren’t provided. If you value MetaTrader and social/copy trading, AvaTrade is a clear fit; if you want a high-rated, in-house platform experience, Saxo stands out.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 80 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Saxo and AvaTrade both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports stock and forex price alerts and keeps your watchlists synced between mobile and web. For charting, Saxo includes 64 technical studies while AvaTrade offers 73. Both let you draw a trendline, but only Saxo auto-saves chart drawings. In ratings from ForexBrokers.com, Saxo’s mobile app scores 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers; AvaTrade’s app scores 4.5 stars and ranks #13.
If you want a highly rated mobile trading app with auto-saved chart annotations and synced watchlists, Saxo is a strong choice. If you prefer having more built-in technical studies in your mobile charts while still getting iPhone and Android support, price alerts, and synced watchlists, AvaTrade may fit better.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 73 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Saxo vs AvaTrade: for market research, both brokers cover the basics well, but they differ in key tools. Saxo delivers daily market commentary, while AvaTrade does not. Each offers forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg/Reuters-style feeds, plus an economic calendar. For analysis add‑ons, Saxo integrates Autochartist, whereas AvaTrade connects to Trading Central. Both brokers include sentiment tools that show the long/short split across instruments, and neither uses TipRanks or Acuity Trading.
Independent ratings reflect these differences: Saxo earns 5 stars for Research and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com; AvaTrade earns 4 stars and ranks #28. Choose Saxo if you value daily commentary and Autochartist pattern/idea generation. Pick AvaTrade if you prefer Trading Central’s research suite alongside headline news and an economic calendar.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes |
| Autochartist | Yes | No |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Saxo and AvaTrade both deliver beginner-friendly forex and CFD education. Each provides at least 10 dedicated learning pieces, plus live client webinars at least once a month. New traders will find 10+ beginner videos at both brokers, along with 10+ advanced videos to grow beyond the basics.
For quality, Saxo is rated 5 out of 5 stars for Education, while AvaTrade earns 4 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s Education category ranking of 63 brokers, AvaTrade places #2 and Saxo is #12. In short, choose Saxo if you prioritize top-rated educational quality, or AvaTrade if you want a higher-ranked education hub—both are strong options for beginners.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
AvaTrade
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 AvaTrade. Saxo finished with an overall rank of #3, while AvaTrade finished with an overall rank of #15.
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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AvaTrade
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 94 |
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In this comparison, online brokers Saxo and AvaTrade do not support purchasing actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading for investors seeking exposure without owning the underlying asset.
Saxo vs AvaTrade: both brokers do not support ACH or SEPA transfers but do accept bank wire transfers, while only AvaTrade supports PayPal and Skrill; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.
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 | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 94 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | AvaTrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | AvaTrade | |
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| Regulation | Saxo | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 94 | |
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2006 | |
| 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 | 1 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Saxo | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Saxo | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 1260 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 0.93 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.61 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Saxo | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Saxo | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 61 | 80 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Saxo | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 73 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Saxo | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | No | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | Yes | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Saxo | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Saxo | AvaTrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | AvaTrade Review |
| Overall | Saxo | AvaTrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 94 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | AvaTrade Review |
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