Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs Trade Nation, 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 to Trade Nation, there are some noteworthy differences in their level of regulatory trust and history. Founded in 1992, Saxo is a well-established online broker that doubles as a bank, although it is not publicly traded. Trade Nation was established more recently in 2014 and is not a bank or publicly listed either. Saxo stands out for its exceptional Trust Score rating of 99 out of 99 as per ForexBrokers.com, reflecting its reputation as a highly trusted broker.
In terms of regulatory licenses, Saxo secures a strong position with 7 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 licenses, indicating a high level of trust. On the other hand, Trade Nation holds 2 Tier-1 and 1 Tier-2 licenses, earning it a respectable Trust Score of 85. While Trade Nation is considered trusted, Saxo's more substantial regulatory profile and history make it a preferred choice for those prioritizing security and trust in their online trading activities.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2014 |
| 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 |
When comparing online brokers Saxo and Trade Nation in terms of commissions and fees, both shine with a 5-star rating but have distinct pricing models. For traders who maintain large volumes and balances, Saxo offers some of the most competitive pricing in the industry. Their Platinum and VIP accounts provide closer to industry average spreads, with Classic accounts having slightly higher average spreads on the EUR/USD, ranging from 0.9 to 1.1 pips. While Saxo follows a commission-free structure, a $3 ticket fee applies to traders with foreign exchange transactions under 50,000 units monthly.
Trade Nation, ranked #7 out of 63 brokers for commissions and fees, employs a unique fixed-spread pricing model which appeals to traders seeking predictability. Their fixed spread for EUR/USD is 0.6 pips, temporarily widening to 1.4 pips during daily rollover periods. This pricing approach translates to a true average near 1 pip. Trade Nation's account types vary, with their MetaTrader-based Raw Spread account incurring a $3.50 commission per side per standard lot, whereas their proprietary TN Trader account offers competitive all-in costs with fixed spreads.
Despite some variations in their fee structures, both Saxo and Trade Nation excel in providing competitive pricing for their clientele. Saxo ranks #9 out of 63 brokers according to ForexBrokers.com in the Commissions and Fees category, while Trade Nation's consistent 5-star rating places it at rank #7, reflecting its advantageous standing within the brokerage landscape.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 0.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.6 |
| 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 Trade Nation: range of investments. Saxo offers a far broader selection, with about 70,000 tradeable symbols and 190 forex pairs, compared with Trade Nation’s roughly 1,000 symbols and 46 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot. Reflecting this gap, ForexBrokers.com rates Saxo 5/5 stars for Range of Investments (ranked #3 of 63), while Trade Nation scores 3.5/5 stars (ranked #39 of 63).
There are key product differences. Saxo provides exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges, so clients can buy real shares such as Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Vodafone (London Stock Exchange: VOD-GB). Trade Nation does not offer exchange-traded shares. Both brokers support copy trading, do not offer delivered cryptocurrency, and do offer cryptocurrency derivatives. If you want the widest selection including direct shares, Saxo is the stronger choice; if you mainly want a simpler lineup focused on CFDs, forex, copy trading, and crypto derivatives, Trade Nation may suit.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 70000 | 1000 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 46 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| 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 Trade Nation both provide free demo accounts, proprietary platforms, and access via Windows desktop and web browsers. Each supports copy trading. Platform extras differ: Trade Nation offers MetaTrader 4 (MT4), while Saxo does not, and neither broker supports MT5, DupliTrade, or ZuluTrade. For charting, Saxo lets you place trades directly from charts, whereas Trade Nation does not. Drawing tools vary—Saxo lists 20, while Trade Nation lists 39. Watchlists are far deeper at Saxo with 60 available columns versus 14 at Trade Nation.
When it comes to ratings, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com, while Trade Nation holds 4 stars and ranks #45. In short, Saxo suits traders who want advanced platform features, in-chart trading, and extensive watchlist controls. Trade Nation is a good fit for those who prefer MT4 and want a wider set of drawing tools, but don’t need trading directly from charts or as many watchlist fields.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| DupliTrade | No | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 115 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 39 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 60 | 14 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both the Saxo mobile app and Trade Nation mobile app are available for iPhone and Android. Each app supports price alerts, watchlists that sync with your online account, and watchlists with real-time quotes. On the charts, both let you draw trendlines, switch among multiple time frames (intraday, daily, weekly), and they auto-save your drawings so you can pick up where you left off.
For charting tools, Saxo includes 64 technical studies, while Trade Nation offers 99. Despite that edge in indicators, Saxo earns stronger marks overall: 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps and a #2 ranking out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, compared with Trade Nation’s 4 stars and #46 ranking. If you want more indicators built in, Trade Nation is appealing; if you want an app with higher expert ratings and standings, Saxo is the better pick.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 99 |
| 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 Trade Nation both deliver daily market commentary and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, or Dow Jones. Each broker also offers a sentiment tool that shows the ratio of long versus short positions. The differences show up in the toolkits: Saxo includes Autochartist for technical and fundamental screening, while Trade Nation does not. Neither integrates Trading Central. Trade Nation does add research from Acuity Trading (Signal Centre); Saxo does not. Saxo also provides an economic calendar, whereas Trade Nation lacks one.
Independent testing by ForexBrokers.com places Saxo at the top of the field for research, with a 5-star score and a #1 ranking out of 63 brokers. Trade Nation earns 3.5 stars and ranks #43 out of 63. If you want the widest set of research features—news, sentiment, Autochartist, and an economic calendar—Saxo is the better fit. If you mainly need daily commentary, premium news, sentiment, and Acuity Trading signals, Trade Nation gets the job done.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources for beginners offered by online brokers Saxo and Trade Nation, there are notable differences to consider. Both brokers provide a generous selection of educational material, including at least 10 articles, videos, or webinars focused on forex or CFDs. They each offer a variety of beginner and advanced educational videos designed to cater to traders at all levels. Moreover, both Saxo and Trade Nation supply an investor dictionary with explanations for more than 50 investing terms, making them a sound choice for those looking to understand the basics.
However, Saxo stands out in several ways. They host monthly online educational webinars, which Trade Nation does not offer, and they also provide a searchable archive of previously recorded webinars for client reference. This added layer of accessibility enhances the learning experience for those who prefer structured and ongoing education. As a result, Saxo has been rated 5 stars for education, significantly higher than Trade Nation’s 3.5 stars. According to ForexBrokers.com rankings, Saxo is placed at a respectable #13 out of 63 brokers in the education category, while Trade Nation holds the #41 spot. These differences make Saxo a more attractive option for beginners seeking a comprehensive and supportive learning environment.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | 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 Trade Nation. Saxo finished with an overall rank of #3, while Trade Nation finished with an overall rank of #34.
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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Trade Nation
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 |
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While neither Saxo nor Trade Nation provides the option to purchase actual cryptocurrency for delivery, both platforms offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both Saxo and Trade Nation support Visa, Mastercard, and bank wire transfers for deposits and withdrawals, but only Trade Nation offers Skrill as a payment option, while neither broker supports ACH, SEPA transfers, or PayPal.
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 | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | Trade Nation Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | Trade Nation | |
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| Regulation | Saxo | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2014 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| 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 | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Saxo | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| 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) |
| Investments | Saxo | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 70000 | 1000 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 46 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | 1.1 | 0.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.9 | 0.6 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Saxo | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Saxo | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 60 | 14 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 115 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 39 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | No |
| Mobile Trading | Saxo | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 99 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Research | Saxo | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Education | Saxo | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Saxo | Trade Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Trade Nation Review |
| Overall | Saxo | Trade Nation | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | Trade Nation Review |
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