Saxo vs XTB

Saxo or XTB – which is better for UK traders 2026? Compare Saxo and XTB in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

Saxo vs XTB Comparison Table 2026
Saxo XTB
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4
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4.8
Saxo is ranked #25 among CFD brokers. XTB is ranked #2 among CFD brokers.
Review
Review
Saxo Markets is a renowned trading brokerage, investment firm, and regulated bank. Featuring over 72,000 trading instruments, alongside investment products and managed portfolios, it provides abundant opportunities for clients. This reputable brand ensures transparent pricing and is protected by top-tier regulations from more than ten agencies, including FINMA, FCA, and ASIC. Established in Poland in 2002, XTB caters to over a million clients worldwide. This forex and CFD broker offers a robust regulatory framework, a diverse range of assets, and prioritises trader satisfaction. It provides an intuitive proprietary platform equipped with excellent tools to support aspiring traders.
66% of retail accounts lose money. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money
Pros
  • Saxo offers traders genuine multi-asset access through a single account. Our tests showed seamless trading in FX, CFDs, stocks, ETFs, futures, options, and bonds across over 70,000 instruments, all without needing to switch platforms.
  • Execution was robust during live tests. Saxo's FX order statistics showed average fills at 9–10ms, with approximately 99.3–99.5% completing in under 50ms. This performance aligned with the rapid, precise fills observed on major FX and index CFDs.
  • Research tools excel with Autochartist integration. It offers filters by pattern type, asset class, and timeframes from 15 minutes to daily, with probability bands reaching over 70%, ensuring genuine utility.
  • XTB offers a diverse array of instruments, including CFDs on shares, indices, ETFs, commodities, forex, crypto, real shares, real ETFs, and share dealing, along with newly introduced Investment Plans. This allows XTB to serve both short-term traders and long-term investors efficiently.
  • The xStation platform stands out with its user-friendly design and intuitive tools, such as adaptable news feeds, sentiment heatmaps, and a trader calculator. These features streamline the learning process for new traders.
  • XTB offers a superb array of educational resources, such as training videos and articles, embedded within the platform to assist traders of all experience levels.
  • XTB has raised interest rates on uninvested funds and introduced zero-fee ISAs (for ETFs and real shares, or 0.2% on trades over €100k) for UK clients, offering access to a wide array of markets.
  • Setting up an XTB account is straightforward and fully online, requiring only a few minutes. This simplicity eases new traders into the world of trading.
  • Top-notch customer support, available 24/5, includes a welcoming live chat with response times under two minutes during tests.
  • XTB processes withdrawals swiftly, paying within 3 business days, subject to the method and amount.
Cons
  • Our analysis shows classic account pricing is costly for traders. The EUR/USD pair typically incurs all-in spreads of 0.8–0.9 pips. Consequently, traders with smaller volumes will often face higher costs compared to leading ECN-style brokers.
  • Withdrawals are dependable but sluggish. Saxo handled requests within 1-2 business days, but transfers typically reached our bank in 4-5 days due to correspondent banking and SHA fees.
  • Saxo offers speed but is not ideal for ultra-tight scalping. Around 55-60% of EUR/USD orders experience zero slippage. However, about 20% encounter negative slippage, especially noticeable during news events and in higher-latency conditions of 300-400ms.
  • XTB lacks a raw spread account, a feature increasingly offered by competitors such as Pepperstone. This omission might not satisfy traders seeking the most competitive spreads.
  • The demo account lasts only four weeks, posing a challenge for traders wanting to fully explore the xStation platform and refine short-term strategies before investing actual money.
  • XTB has stopped supporting MT4, restricting traders to its own platform, xStation. This decision may discourage experienced traders accustomed to using the MetaTrader suite.
  • Trading fees are competitive, with average EUR/USD spreads of about 1 pip. However, they are not as low as the most affordable brokers, such as IC Markets. Additionally, an inactivity fee applies after a year.
  • The research tools at XTB are commendable but have the potential to excel further. Enhancing them with access to top-tier third-party services like Autochartist, Trading Central, and TipRanks would significantly elevate their offering.
  • It is frustrating that XTB products do not allow traders to modify the default leverage level. Manually adjusting leverage can greatly reduce risk in forex and CFD trading.
Awards
  • Best Forex Broker for Beginners 2022
  • Best Customer Service 2021
  • Best Forex Broker for Low Costs 2021
  • Best Mobile App for Investing 2020
  • #1 EMEA Bloomberg spot for FX accuracy in Q2 of 2020 and Q3 of 2018
  • Best Polish Forex Broker 2019
  • Best Execution Broker 2019
FCA Regulated
Yes Yes
Instruments
Forex, CFDs, indices, shares, commodities, cryptocurrencies, futures, options, warrants, bonds, ETFs CFDs on shares, Indices, ETFs, Raw Materials, Forex currencies, cryptocurrencies, Real shares, Real ETFs
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
Vary by asset 0.01 Lots
Regulator
DFSA, MAS, FCA, SFC, FINMA, AMF, CONSOB FCA, CySEC, KNF, DFSA, FSC
Mobile Apps
SaxoTraderGo (iOS, Android, Windows) iOS & Android
Trading App
Each year, XTB's app impresses with its sleek design and clear interface. It's fast, responsive, and full of practical features like integrated sentiment data, market news, economic calendars, and educational content. The intuitive order panel below the chart simplifies trade execution, including take profit and stop loss settings.
iOS App Rating
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4.6
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4.7
Android App Rating
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4.6
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4.1
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
4.5%
MetaTrader 4
No No
MetaTrader 5
No No
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
Yes No
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No No
STP Account
No Yes
ECN Account
Yes No
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No No
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
No Yes
Market Maker
No Yes
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No No
Trade Signals
Yes No
VPS Hosting
No No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No Yes
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No Yes
Inactivity Fee
€10 per 365 days
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • JPY
  • ZAR
  • TRY
  • SEK
  • NOK
  • DKK
  • CHF
  • HKD
  • SGD
  • PLN
  • CZK
  • AED
  • HUF
  • MXN
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Natural Gas
  • Oil
  • Copper
  • Corn
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Copper
  • Cotton
  • Sugar
  • Precious Metals
  • Gasoline
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Natural Gas
  • Nickel
  • Soybeans
  • Aluminium
  • Livestock
  • Corn
  • Palladium
  • Platinum
  • Wheat
  • Zinc
  • Lean Hogs
  • Cattle
CFD
Trade over 8,900 CFDs, including forex, stocks, indices, commodities, options, and bonds. Utilise advanced tools and signals to enhance your trading experience. XTB provides an extensive range of CFDs, including forex, indices, commodities, stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies, subject to location. EU and UK clients have leverage up to 1:30, whereas global users and pro traders can obtain up to 1:500. XTB excels in offering valuable resources and tutorials for short-term CFD trading strategies.
Leverage
1:30 1:30
FTSE Spread
1.2 pts (Variable) 1.8
GBPUSD Spread<
0.7 (var) 1.4
Oil Spread
0.03 0.03
Stocks Spread
0.10% (subject to min commission) 0.2%
Forex
Access top-tier liquidity across an extensive selection of 189 currency pairs and spot metals, as well as 130 forwards, with spreads starting as low as 0.4 pips. XTB offers over 60 currency pairs with competitive spreads, averaging 1 pip on major pairs. The xStation platform is user-friendly, featuring over 30 indicators in its charting package and a variety of order types, supporting diverse trading strategies and risk management.
Assets
40+ 70+
GBPUSD Spread
0.7 (varies by region) 1.4
EURUSD Spread
0.2 (varies by region) 1.0
EURGBP Spread
0.6 (varies by region) 1.4
Cryptocurrency
Engage in trading cryptocurrencies against leading fiat currencies, or adopt a longer-term strategy through ETNs. XTB provides a robust array of over 50 cryptocurrencies, featuring competitive spreads beginning at 0.22% on Bitcoin and leverage up to 1:5. The xStation platform facilitates trading with pairs like ETH/BTC and DSH/BTC. Traders can operate round-the-clock in a secure and transparent cryptocurrency trading environment.
Spread
Variable 0.22%
Coins
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • LTC
  • XRP
  • XTZ
  • SOL
  • ADA
  • DOT
  • ADA
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • DSH
  • EOS
  • ETH
  • IOTA
  • LTC
  • NEO
  • XRP
  • XLM
  • TRX
  • XEM
  • XLM
  • XMR
  • DOGE
  • BNB
  • LINK
  • UNI
  • DOT
  • XTZ
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
Saxo XTB
Review
Review
66% of retail accounts lose money. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 70% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money
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