Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs Tickmill, 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 Tickmill stand out with their strong regulatory standings, though they differ in certain key aspects. Saxo, founded in 1992, is also a licensed bank, which adds a layer of security for investors. With 7 Tier-1 licenses—licenses considered to be of the highest trust—Saxo establishes itself as a leader in the industry. In fact, Saxo's Trust Score is a stellar 99 out of 99, reflecting its highly trusted status according to ForexBrokers.com. While not publicly traded, Saxo offers a reassuring depth of regulatory oversight.
Tickmill, on the other hand, was founded in 2014 and, while it's not a bank, it manages to hold its ground with a robust suite of licenses. The broker possesses 2 Tier-1 and 2 Tier-2 licenses, both of which are indicative of a respectable level of trust. With a Trust Score of 86 out of 99, Tickmill is classified as a trusted broker by ForexBrokers.com, although it doesn't quite reach the same high trust level as Saxo. Both brokers provide valuable options for traders, yet Saxo edges out with more comprehensive regulatory credentials.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2014 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
Saxo and Tickmill both earn 5/5 stars for commissions and fees, but they land in different spots on ForexBrokers.com’s list: Saxo ranks #8 of 63, while Tickmill ranks #10 of 63. The key difference is how you pay. Saxo is mostly spread-only for forex (commission-free), with a small ticket fee if you trade under 50,000 units per month. Tickmill’s Raw account uses a low per-trade commission that can deliver a very competitive all-in cost. Your choice largely comes down to account size, trading volume, and whether you prefer spread-only pricing or a mix of tight spreads plus commission.
For Saxo, average EUR/USD spreads as of November 2023 were 1.1 pips (Classic), 1.0 pips (Platinum), and 0.9 pips (VIP), with minimums about 0.2 pips lower. Classic pricing is slightly higher than the industry average, while Platinum and VIP are closer to it—making Saxo especially appealing to active or high-volume traders who can unlock the lower tiers. The Classic account now has a $0 minimum deposit. Platinum typically requires $200,000 (AUD 300,000 in Australia) or a volume-based upgrade, and VIP is for $1,000,000 deposits or very high trading volumes (about $167 million in forex) and includes premium perks. Saxo is commission-free for forex, except for a $3-per-side ticket fee if you trade less than 50,000 units per month, and it waives custody fees for share trading when you opt into securities lending.
Tickmill keeps it simple with two choices: Classic (spread-only) and Raw (low spreads plus commission). The Classic account has higher average spreads (about 1.76 pips on EUR/USD as of August 2023). The Raw account—now the main low-cost option—charges $3 per side per 100,000 units and listed a typical EUR/USD spread of 0.11 pips in October 2023. After the commission increase, the typical all-in cost on EUR/USD works out to about 0.71 pips under normal market conditions. The Raw account’s $100 minimum keeps the entry bar low, which helps active traders capture Tickmill’s most competitive pricing.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 1.70 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.70 |
| 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.
Saxo and Tickmill both support forex trading as CFDs and spot. When it comes to total markets, Saxo lists about 71,000 tradeable symbols and 190 forex pairs, while Tickmill offers 637 symbols and 63 forex pairs. Saxo also lets clients buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges (like Apple) and on international exchanges (like Vodafone), not just CFDs; Tickmill does not offer exchange-traded shares. Both brokers provide cryptocurrency as CFDs only; neither sells actual, delivered crypto. For social features, Tickmill supports copy trading, whereas Saxo does not.
These differences show up in third-party ratings: for Range of Investments, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill scores 3.5 stars and ranks #30. Choose Saxo if you want a very wide product lineup and direct stock access, and consider Tickmill if you prefer a leaner selection with copy trading and a focus on forex and CFDs.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Tickmill
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|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 637 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 63 |
| 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.
In this Saxo vs Tickmill comparison of trading platforms and tools, both brokers provide a free demo account, Windows desktop and web platforms, and the ability to place trades directly from charts. The main differences are platform choice and extras: Saxo offers its own in-house platform but does not support MetaTrader or copy trading, while Tickmill does not have a proprietary platform yet supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 and includes copy trading.
For ratings, Saxo earns 5/5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill scores 4/5 stars and ranks #24. Choose Saxo if you want a streamlined proprietary platform experience; pick Tickmill if you prefer MT4 or MT5 and want copy trading alongside web and desktop access.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 | 91 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Saxo and Tickmill both offer iPhone and Android mobile trading apps with stock and forex price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto‑saved chart annotations. Where they differ is depth and convenience: Saxo’s app includes 64 technical studies versus 30 on Tickmill, and Saxo syncs watchlists across devices while Tickmill does not. If you want richer charting tools and seamless watchlist syncing between mobile and web, Saxo stands out; Tickmill covers the essentials but with fewer indicators and no cross‑device watchlist sync.
Independent ratings back this up: Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps on ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #25. For traders comparing Saxo vs Tickmill, Saxo is the better pick for advanced mobile charting and continuity, whereas Tickmill suits users who simply need a solid, straightforward app.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 vs Tickmill for market research: both brokers deliver daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources (such as Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones), sentiment tools that show long/short ratios, and an economic calendar. The big difference is recognition and overall depth. Saxo is rated 5 stars for Research and ranked #1 out of 63 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill is rated 4 stars and ranked #19.
Tool coverage also sets them apart. Saxo includes Autochartist for technical and fundamental pattern spotting, but does not offer Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. Tickmill does not include Autochartist or Trading Central, yet it adds Acuity Trading’s Signal Centre for actionable ideas. Choose Saxo if you want the highest-rated research experience with Autochartist; pick Tickmill if you prefer Acuity-powered signals alongside daily analysis and premium news.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Comparing Saxo vs Tickmill for beginner education, both brokers make it easy to learn the basics of forex and CFDs. Each runs client webinars at least once a month and offers 10+ beginner videos, so new traders can get up to speed on core topics like how trades work and how to manage risk. Both also include 10+ advanced videos, giving you room to grow as your skills improve.
Saxo edges ahead on quality: it earns 5 stars for Education and is ranked #12 out of 63 brokers in the Education category by ForexBrokers.com, while Tickmill holds 4 stars and ranks #14. If you want the highest-rated learning library with regular webinars and plenty of beginner-friendly videos, Saxo is the better pick. If you’re fine with slightly lower ratings but still want frequent webinars and ample beginner content, Tickmill is a strong alternative.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Tickmill
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 Tickmill. Saxo finished with an overall rank of #3, while Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23.
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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Tickmill
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| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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In the Saxo vs Tickmill comparison, neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFDs for trading.
Comparing online brokers Saxo and Tickmill for deposits and withdrawals: both support bank wire transfers and do not offer ACH or SEPA, but Tickmill additionally supports PayPal and Skrill whereas Saxo offers neither.
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 | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | Tickmill Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | Tickmill | |
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| Regulation | Saxo | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Saxo | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Saxo | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 637 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 63 | |
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 1.70 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.70 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Saxo | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 61 | 91 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Saxo | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Saxo | Tickmill | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tickmill Review |
| Overall | Saxo | Tickmill | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | Tickmill Review |
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