Two very different brokers — know what you are comparing
- Saxo Bank "Classic": a tier-1 regulated broker (FINMA Switzerland, FCA, ASIC, MAS) with bank-grade security and institutional custody — and an institutional-style fee schedule that charges small orders extra.
- PU Prime "Standard": an offshore / mid-tier regulated retail broker (FSA Seychelles, FSCA South Africa) advertising up to 1:500–1:1000 leverage, a $50 minimum deposit, and zero ticket fees at any size.
- Regulation is part of the price: Saxo's tier-1 oversight and client-money segregation are protections PU Prime does not offer at the same level. That safety is a feature you pay for in fees — decide consciously whether the trade-off fits your situation. This page is a cost comparison, not a recommendation.
- The question this page answers is narrow and practical: for a trader opening with less than $2,000 and trading small sizes, which account's fee structure eats less of the account?
The table everyone publishes: headline spread comparison
| Asset | Saxo Bank (Classic) | PU Prime (Standard) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| EURUSD (major FX) | ~0.9 – 1.0 pips (variable, no commission) | ~1.3 – 1.5 pips (variable, no commission) | Saxo |
| Brent Oil (energy CFD) | ~0.04 – 0.05 pts ($40–50 / standard lot) | ~0.03 – 0.04 pts ($30–40 / standard lot) | PU Prime |
| XAGUSD (silver CFD) | ~0.035 – 0.040 USD | ~0.040 – 0.050 USD | Saxo |
| US100 (Nasdaq CFD) | ~1.0 – 1.5 pts | ~1.8 – 2.5 pts | Saxo |
| US30 (Dow Jones CFD) | ~2.0 – 3.0 pts | ~3.0 – 4.5 pts | Saxo |
Key trading conditions — the fine print
| Feature | Saxo Bank (Classic) | PU Prime (Standard) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 (country-dependent, usually $0–$2,000) | $50 |
| Max leverage | 1:30 (EU/UK ESMA) / up to 1:100 international | Up to 1:500 / 1:1000 (offshore entity) |
| Commissions | Included in spread (CFDs/FX) — but see ticket fees | Included in spread (Standard account) |
| Inactivity / account fees | Yes (if inactive for 6+ months) | Yes (inactivity fee after 90 days) |
| Micro-lot trading (0.01) | Penalized by ticket fees / minimum order sizes | Supported, zero ticket fees |
| Regulation & trust | FINMA (Switzerland), FCA, ASIC, MAS (tier-1) | FSA (Seychelles), FSCA (South Africa) |
Saxo ticket fees explained — the cost most tables forget
- FX pairs: Saxo charges a minimum ticket fee — typically $3 per side, $6 round-turn — on trades below 50,000 units (0.5 lots). The spread comparison above never shows it.
- The small-account reality: on a 0.1-lot (10,000 unit) EUR/USD trade, that $6 round-turn adds 0.6 pips of effective cost. On a 0.01-lot micro trade it adds 6.0 pips — more than six times the entire spread.
- Commodities and metals: Saxo enforces strict minimum order sizes (e.g. 100 oz minimum on silver) or applies flat $10–15 minimum transaction fees on small commodity CFD volumes.
- PU Prime's alternative: micro-lot trading down to 0.01 lots with zero ticket fees — the entire cost sits in the variable spread, at any size.
Small-account alert
A small account trading at high frequency needs a performance of 8% or more per month — just to cover fees.
On a $2,000 account, 20 trades a month cost $100–150 in spreads, ticket fees, financing and swap — that is 5–7.5% of the account with zero profit and zero loss on the trades themselves. Add slippage and spread widening and the honest hurdle is 8%+. Almost no retail strategy compounds that month after month. The conclusion 99% of traders never hear: small accounts must run a low-frequency, high-R:R style — or they will not survive, regardless of which broker they pick.
True total cost on a small account (0.1 lot and micro trades)
| Asset | Saxo Classic (spread + ticket fee) | PU Prime Standard (spread only) | Real winner for small traders |
|---|---|---|---|
| EURUSD | ~0.9 pips + 0.6–6.0 pips ticket fee = 1.5 – 6.9+ pips | ~1.3 – 1.5 pips (no ticket fee) | PU Prime |
| XAGUSD (silver) | ~0.035 spread + small-order commission | ~0.040 spread (no commission) | PU Prime |
| Brent Oil | ~0.04 spread + minimum-order / ticket surcharge | ~0.03 – 0.04 spread (no commission) | PU Prime |
| US100 / US30 | Fixed point spread (minimum lot requirements apply) | Point spread only (micro lots supported) | Tie / PU Prime |
Why big accounts pick the PU Prime ECN tier over Saxo
- Ultra-low commission: $2.00 round-turn per lot undercuts the $6.00–$7.00 most prime/ECN brokers (IC Markets, Pepperstone) charge — the cheapest total round-turn cost in this comparison.
- Capital efficiency: deposit $10,000, access up to 1:1000 leverage, and keep the remaining $90,000 in yield-bearing assets elsewhere — instead of locking it inside the broker account.
- No ticket-fee penalties and no custody overhead: the fee wall Saxo imposes on micro-trades disappears at standard lots, but Saxo still charges 0.12–0.25% p.a. custody on non-CFD assets depending on residency.
Large accounts ($10k+): PU Prime ECN vs Saxo Platinum / VIP
| Asset | PU Prime ECN ($10k min deposit) | Saxo Bank (Platinum/VIP tier) | Head-to-head winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| EURUSD | 0.0 – 0.2 pips + $2.00/lot commission (~0.4 pips total) | 0.4 – 0.7 pips (no commission on standard lots) | PU Prime ECN |
| XAGUSD (silver) | 0.01 – 0.02 USD spread + $2.00/lot commission | ~0.025 USD spread (ticket fees waived at size) | PU Prime ECN |
| Brent Oil | ~0.02 pts spread + $2.00/lot commission | ~0.03 – 0.04 pts spread | PU Prime ECN |
| US100 / US30 | Raw index spread (~0.8 – 1.0 pts) + low commission | ~1.0 – 1.2 pts (no ticket fee penalty) | PU Prime ECN |
| Leverage available | Up to 1:1000 | Up to 1:30 (EU/UK) or 1:100 (global) | PU Prime ECN |
| Custody / overhead fees | $0 (no holding fees for active accounts) | 0.12% – 0.25% p.a. custody on non-CFD assets | PU Prime ECN |
Last updated: September 2026. Saxo figures are illustrative estimates from the published Saxo rate card (Classic and Platinum tiers); PU Prime figures from the published Standard and ECN rate cards. Spreads are typical variable-market values — broker pricing changes, so verify current rates with the broker before acting on any number here. Full methodology and a month of trading costed out trade by trade in the real broker fees breakdown.
Why big accounts ($10k+) pick the PU Prime ECN tier over Saxo
- PU Prime's ECN account (minimum deposit $10,000) offers raw spreads starting at 0.0 pips with a $2.00 round-turn commission per lot — undercutting the $6.00–$7.00 most prime/ECN brokers (IC Markets, Pepperstone) charge.
- Capital efficiency: up to 1:1000 leverage means a trader can deposit $10,000 and keep the remaining $90,000 in yield-bearing assets elsewhere, instead of locking the full amount inside the broker account (1:30 under EU/UK ESMA rules).
- Saxo's Platinum / VIP tiers eliminate ticket fees on standard lot sizes and tighten spreads further — but custody fees (0.12–0.25% p.a. on non-CFD assets) and jurisdiction-dependent platform retainers remain.
- For high-frequency, algorithmic or scalping strategies at full-lot size, the $2.00 round-turn ECN commission is the cheapest total cost in this entire comparison.
The conclusion for sub-$2,000 accounts: trade less, aim bigger
- THE FINDING 99% OF TRADERS MISS (repeated in the tables above on purpose): a small account with high trading frequency needs a performance of 8% or more per month just to cover fees.
- On a $2,000 account, an active month of 20 trades costs $100–150 in spreads, ticket fees, financing and swap — 5–7.5% of the account with zero profit and zero loss on the trades themselves. Add slippage and spread widening and the honest hurdle is 8%+. Almost no retail strategy compounds that month after month.
- So the small-account style is forced, not optional: low frequency, high reward-to-risk. A $6 round-turn ticket fee on a trade targeting $200 of profit is 3% — noise. The same fee on a $20 target surrenders 30% of the edge before the spread is even paid.
- Whichever broker you pick, the strategy has to survive the fee stack. Cost your own trade mix in the real fee calculator, then rehearse a low-frequency, high-R:R approach in the simulator before funding anything.
Practice this — risk-free
The WallStreet Billionaire simulator runs your trades against real historical charts with a virtual balance. Build the habit the fee math demands: fewer trades, bigger reward-to-risk, winners held longer. Run 10 high-R:R trades in the simulator and compare the result to what 20 small trades would have cost you at a real broker.
Can you win?Turn practice into prize money
Same charts, same 15 trades, shared starting balance — the winner takes 8× their buy-in in real money, 2nd gets 3×, 3rd gets 2×. Start with a free 5-trade demo run, or buy into a €5, €25 or €50 division.
Ready for the real market?
Practiced until your numbers are green? Open a live account with a regulated broker — and start small.
Frequently asked questions
Is Saxo or PU Prime cheaper for a $500 account?+
PU Prime, by a wide margin. Saxo's $6 round-turn minimum ticket fee adds 6.0 pips of cost to a 0.01-lot EUR/USD trade — on top of the spread. PU Prime charges no ticket fee at any size, supports micro lots down to 0.01, and requires only a $50 deposit. On headline spreads Saxo is tighter, but not by 6 pips.
What is Saxo's ticket fee and when does it apply?+
Saxo charges a minimum ticket fee of roughly $3 per side ($6 round-turn) on FX trades below 50,000 units (0.5 lots). On a 0.1-lot trade that adds 0.6 pips of effective cost; on a 0.01-lot micro trade it adds 6.0 pips. Saxo also enforces strict minimum order sizes on commodity CFDs (e.g. 100 oz on silver) or applies flat $10–15 minimum transaction fees on small volumes.
Is PU Prime safe and well regulated?+
PU Prime is regulated by the FSA (Seychelles) and FSCA (South Africa) — mid-tier, not the tier-1 league of Saxo's FINMA, FCA, ASIC and MAS. Lower cost and higher leverage come with weaker regulatory protection and recourse. Whether that trade-off is acceptable is a personal decision; this page compares costs, not safety. Nothing here is financial advice.
Which broker is better for a $10,000+ account?+
For active full-lot trading, PU Prime's ECN tier is hard to beat: raw spreads from 0.0 pips plus $2.00 round-turn commission per lot, no custody fees, and leverage up to 1:1000. Saxo Platinum waives ticket fees on standard lots and offers tier-1 security — but adds custody fees of 0.12–0.25% p.a. on non-CFD assets and other jurisdiction-dependent overheads.
How much performance do I need just to cover fees on a small account?+
Roughly 8% per month if you trade frequently. 20 trades a month on a $2,000 account generate $100–150 of spread, ticket-fee, financing and swap costs — 5–7.5% of the account before slippage. That is the core finding of this comparison: small accounts must run a low-frequency, high-R:R style, or they will not survive regardless of the broker they choose.
Last updated: September 2026. Written and maintained by the WallStreet Billionaire research team, the same traders and engineers who build the simulator every guide on this site points to.
Data & methodology: pricing figures are illustrative estimates based on the published Saxo rate card as of August 2026 — spreads, commissions, CFD financing (8% p.a.) and FX swap (rate differential ± 0.65% markup). Broker pricing changes; verify current rates with the broker before acting on any number here.
Every guide pairs written strategy analysis with an interactive calculator so you can test the claim with your own numbers, then rehearse it risk-free in the simulator. Educational content only — not financial advice. See our imprint.