Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs XTB, 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 XTB, it's clear that both have strong reputations, but they differ in several key areas. Saxo, founded in 1992, operates as a bank and is privately owned. It commands a top Trust Score rating of 99 from ForexBrokers.com, thanks in part to its seven Tier-1 licenses—indicating a high level of reliability. Meanwhile, XTB, founded a decade later in 2002, is publicly traded, which offers investors a layer of transparency. XTB achieves a Trust Score of 96, bolstered by its two Tier-1 and two Tier-2 licenses, showcasing its solid standing in the market.
Both brokers provide an array of trading services and maintain high trust levels, but Saxo's status as a bank and its extensive Tier-1 licensing set it apart as a highly dependable choice. XTB, however, stands out for those who prefer a publicly traded company that combines transparency with a strong regulatory foundation. Each broker, with its distinct background and regulatory credentials, caters to different trader preferences and risk tolerances.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2002 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | Yes |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Saxo targets high-volume traders and large balances with very competitive pricing, while XTB aims for straightforward, spread-only pricing that’s in line with the industry average. For ratings, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees, whereas XTB earns 4.5 stars and ranks #13 out of 63.
Saxo’s forex trading is commission-free (spread-only), 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 on Classic, 1.0 on Platinum, and 0.9 on VIP, with minimums about 0.2 pips lower. In practice, Platinum and VIP pricing sits closer to the industry average, while Classic runs slightly higher. The Classic account has a $0 minimum deposit; Platinum requires $200,000 (AUD 300,000 in Australia) or an upgrade via loyalty points (for example, roughly $40 million in FX volume can unlock Platinum for 12 months). VIP is reserved for $1,000,000 deposits or an upgrade path around $167 million in FX volume, and includes extras like analyst access; Saxo also waives custody fees on share trading when you opt into securities lending.
XTB’s Standard account is spread-only with an average EUR/USD spread of about 1.0 pip (Q4 2023). The commission-based Professional account is reserved for elective professionals in the U.K. and EU and is being phased out in most regions. Minimum deposits start at 250 in your base currency, and the Standard account tends to be cheaper for smaller trade sizes, while pricing converges at higher volumes. Active traders can join XTB’s Lower Spread Group for spread rebates ranging from 5% to 30% once you reach volume tiers starting at 20 lots per month and up to 1000 lots.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 0.92 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.92 |
| 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 vs XTB: both brokers cover a wide range of investments, including forex available as CFDs and spot contracts. Saxo lists about 71,000 tradeable instruments and 190 forex pairs, while XTB offers around 7,184 instruments and 71 forex pairs. Each lets you buy exchange-traded stocks on U.S. markets (like Apple) and on international exchanges (such as Vodafone), so you can build a global share portfolio alongside forex, indices, commodities, and more.
Neither broker offers copy trading, and neither lets you buy actual crypto, though both provide crypto CFDs for price speculation. For Range of Investments, both earn 5 stars from ForexBrokers.com, with Saxo ranked #3 of 63 brokers and XTB ranked #14. In simple terms, Saxo delivers a much larger lineup for investors who want maximum choice, while XTB covers the key markets many traders use day to day.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 7184 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 71 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| 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 XTB both make it easy to get started with a free demo (paper) account and each offers its own in-house trading platform. You can trade on the web or via a Windows desktop app with either broker, and both let you place orders directly from a chart. Neither broker supports copy trading, and neither offers MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5.
For platform quality and tools, Saxo has the edge: it earned 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools on ForexBrokers.com. XTB is close behind with 4.5 stars and a #9 ranking. If you want one of the highest-rated platform experiences, Saxo stands out; if you prefer a strong, user-friendly alternative, XTB is a solid pick.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 61 | 39 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Saxo and XTB both deliver full-featured mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines, and auto-saving for chart drawings. The biggest difference is watchlist syncing: Saxo syncs watchlists between the app and the web platform, while XTB does not. For charting depth, Saxo includes 64 technical studies compared with XTB’s 39.
In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, Saxo’s mobile app earned 5 stars and ranked #3 out of 63 brokers, while XTB received 4.5 stars and ranked #8. Traders who want more indicators and seamless watchlist syncing may prefer Saxo, whereas XTB remains a strong choice if you’re comfortable with fewer studies and no cross-device watchlist sync.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 39 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Saxo and XTB both deliver strong market research: each provides daily market commentary, top-tier forex news (from sources like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones), a trader sentiment tool, and a detailed economic calendar. Both earn 5 stars for Research, but they’re ranked differently by ForexBrokers.com: Saxo is #1 out of 63 brokers, while XTB sits at #9, giving Saxo a slight edge for research depth and execution.
Key difference: Saxo includes Autochartist for technical and fundamental idea generation, while XTB does not. Neither broker offers Trading Central, TipRanks, or tools from Acuity Trading (such as Signal Centre). If you value built-in pattern recognition and trade ideas via Autochartist, Saxo stands out; if you only need high-quality news, sentiment, and an economic calendar, both platforms cover the essentials.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Saxo and XTB both shine for beginner education. Each broker hosts client webinars at least once a month and offers 10+ beginner videos that explain trading basics in simple terms. Their libraries also include 10+ advanced video lessons so you can keep learning as you progress. Education quality is top-tier, with both brokers earning 5 out of 5 stars from ForexBrokers.com. If you’re choosing strictly by ranking, XTB sits slightly ahead at #11 for Education, while Saxo is close behind at #12.
Both brokers cover key forex and CFD topics across videos, articles, and archived webinars, helping new traders understand markets, platforms, and risk management. For a beginner who wants frequent live sessions plus a deep on‑demand library, you’ll be well served with either pick; choose XTB if a slightly higher ranking matters to you, or Saxo if you prefer its style and platform ecosystem.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
XTB
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 XTB. Saxo finished with an overall rank of #3, while XTB finished with an overall rank of #7.
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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XTB
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|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 |
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Saxo vs XTB: Neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.
In a Saxo vs XTB comparison of deposit and withdrawal methods, both online brokers do not offer ACH/SEPA and both support bank wire transfers, but XTB additionally accepts PayPal and Skrill while Saxo does not, and Visa/Mastercard availability for both is 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 | XTB | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | XTB Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | XTB | |
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| Regulation | Saxo | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2002 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | 1 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Saxo | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 7184 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 71 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| 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 | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 0.92 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 0.92 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | Yes |
| Funding | Saxo | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| 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 | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Saxo | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 61 | 39 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Saxo | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 39 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Saxo | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Saxo | XTB | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | XTB Review |
| Overall | Saxo | XTB | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 96 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | XTB Review |
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