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Saxo Bank vs AvaTrade : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Saxo Bank

Saxo Bank

VS
AvaTrade

AvaTrade

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Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

STP broker

Market maker

Years of Existence / Established Year

1992

2006

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1 million+ clients

4 Million


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FSA, FCA, MAS, JFSA, SFC, ASIC, DFSA, FINMA, MiFID

FFAJ, CySEC, ISA, IIROC, ADGM, FSRA, CBI,BVI FSC, FSCA, ASIC

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Prime-of-Prime Broker 2024, Best Trading Platform 2024, Best Forex Broker 2024, Best CFD Broker 2023 and Best DMA/Professional Trading Account 2023

Best Forex Trading App in Europe- 2024, Best Affiliate program LATAM -2024, Most Trusted Trading Platform -2024, Most Trusted Broker -2024, Top 10 Hot Brand of the year -2024

Security Measures

Danish Depositor and Investor Guarantee Scheme DGS upto EUR 100,000 per depositor

Avaprotect

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

over 71,000 financial instruments including Turbos

1000+ trading instruments

Currency Pairs

Yes

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Yes

Indices

No

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

Yes

CFDs

Yes

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

Yes

Futures

Yes

No

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

No

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

Yes

Precious Metals

No

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

No

No


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

No

Yes

MT5

No

Yes

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

Yes

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Saxo investor, SaxoTrader GO, SaxoTrader PRO

Ava trade app

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

Saxo account, Joint account, Corporate account, Professional account

Retail, standard, and professional

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

No

Yes

Minimum Deposit

$0

$100

Leverage Available

1:50-1:100

1:10 to 1:400

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on the assets class

Depends on the asset type

Commission (per account type)

$0

$0

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners to experienced


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

VAN bank transfer, Bank transfer, Telegraphic transfer, Credit/ debit card

Credit card, debit card, wire transfer, and e-wallets

Withdrawal Methods

Telegraphic Transfer, MEPS

Credit card, debit card, wire transfer, and e-wallets

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

Skrill, Neteller, WebMoney,


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Saxo Academy Trading Education, Market Analysis and Insights, Webinars, Trading Strategies and Ideas, Saxo TV Market News and Analysis

Trading platform tutorials, Trading rules, Webniars, Blogs, Trading online strategies


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Stocks - $1, ETFs-$1, Bonds- 0.05%, Mutual funds- $0, Spread on Major forex pairs- from 0.7 to 0.9 pips

Spread: 0.9 pips

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Typical

Per Lot Fees

NA

NA

Options Contract Fees

$0.75

NA

Futures Contract Fees

$1

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

NA

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

1:1000

1:400


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$50 inactive for 3 month

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

100 EUR per ISIN

NA

Advisory Fees

NA

NA

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

NA

NA

Account Opening Fee

NA

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

NA

NA

Deposit Fee

Plus or minus 0.25%

$0

Currency Conversion Fee

$0

NA

Withdrawal Fee

$0 bank fees may apply

$0


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Varies by instrument

Sunday Night (GMT) until Friday night (GMT)


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Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

24/5

24/7

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: +33 1 78 94 56 40, +44 (0)207 151 2100, +39 02 3668 2929, +31 (0)20 225 5900, +41 58 317 95 00. E-mail: [email protected], Live chat

Phone: +1 212 9419609, E-mail upon request , Live chat

Support Languages

24+

14+


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Copenhagen, Denmark

Five Lamps Place Amien Street Dublin 1, IE

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.
If minimizing trading costs is your top priority, Saxo Bank might be more attractive due to its lower commissions. Meanwhile, AvaTrade justifies its moderate fees with more robust tools and professional-grade features.
Saxo Bank uses a digital-first onboarding approach with clear instructions and fast ID verification. AvaTrade goes a step further with manual checks and optional account tiers, ideal for serious professionals.
New traders may find Saxo Bank interface more welcoming, while AvaTrade appeals to experienced users looking for tools like heatmaps, screeners, and market sentiment overlays.
For market veterans, Saxo Bank brings the tools they need. New investors might find AvaTrade more approachable and cost-effective.