3 best brokerage signup bonuses
- Best overall signup bonus: Wealthsimple
- Best signup bonus for getting free trades: Questrade
- Runner-up for getting free trades: Qtrade
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Best brokerage signup bonuses in 2023
Enjoy perks like free trades and cash rewards when you open a stock trading account with these online brokers.
Want to start buying and selling stocks? You could score free trades, low fees or other rewards by signing up for an account with a stock broker that offers a special bonus for first-time clients. We’ve done the research and put together a list of the best brokerage account bonuses in Canada—and other promotional offers you may want to check out.
Best overall signup bonus
Wealthsimple
Finder rating: 3.7 / 5 ★★★★★
Get $25 when you open a Wealthsimple account and fund at least $150.
Wealthsimple is a self-directed brokerage that lets you trade stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with zero commissions, zero account fees and no minimum balance. You can sign up for an account within minutes and start buying and selling stocks on Wealthsimple's user-friendly online platform or its highly-rated mobile app.
- Free stock and ETF trades
- Zero account fees and no minimum balance
- Offers fractional stock trading
- Trade around 40 cryptocurrencies with Wealthsimple Crypto (free to signup)
- With Wealthsimple Plus ($10/month), you can get USD accounts, waived foreign-exchange fees on trades, unlimited price-change alerts and instant deposits of up to $5,000.
- Limited to stocks and ETFs. Does not support options, bonds or OTC Market trades.
- Unless you subscribe to Wealthsimple Plus, instant deposits are limited to $1,500 maximum.
| Stock Trading Fee | $0 |
|---|---|
| Account Fee | $0 |
| FX Fee | 1.50% |
| Min. Deposit | $0 |
Best signup bonus for getting free trades
Questrade
Finder rating: 4.3 / 5 ★★★★★
Get $50 in free trades when you fund your account with a minimum of $1,000.
Questrade offers both self-directed and professionally-managed investment portfolios. Established in 1999, this online investment platform and mobile app lets you invest in stocks, bonds, ETFs, GICs, forex, mutual funds, precious metals and more. ETF trades are free, and there are no account fees.
- Wide range of securities and many account types
- Free ETF trades
- No account maintenance fees
- Supports options trading
- Access to OTC Markets stocks
- Requires a minimum upfront investment of $1,000
- Does not support fractional trading
| Stock Trading Fee | $4.95-$9.95 |
|---|---|
| Account Fee | $0 |
| FX Fee | 1.45% |
| Min. Deposit | $1,000 |
Runner-up for getting free trades
Qtrade Direct Investing
Finder rating: 3.7 / 5 ★★★★★
Get up to $150 sign-up bonus. Use promo code BONUS150. Conditions apply. Ends June 30, 2023.
Another established online Canadian brokerage on our list, Qtrade lets you buy and sell Canadian and US stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds and GICs. Take advantage of Qtrade's solid market research and screening tools to find good investment opportunities. The quarterly account fee is waived if you hold a minimum balance of $25,000, and there are discounted fees for active traders.
- No minimum deposit to open an account
- Mutual funds are free to trade
- Around 100 ETFs are free to trade (fees apply for other ETFs)
- Lower fees for active traders
- Supports options trading
- Quarterly account fee of $25 if you don't hold a balance of $25,000+
- Does not support trading commodities or cryptocurrency
- No access to foreign markets
| Stock Trading Fee | $6.95 - $8.75 |
|---|---|
| Account Fee | $0 - $25 |
| FX Fee | 0.90% for positions under $9,999.00 |
| Min. Deposit | $0 |
Compare all signup bonuses
Here’s a list of signup bonuses and promotional deals offered by popular Canadian stock brokers including the ones above. Before creating an account, read the terms carefully to make sure you meet any eligibility requirements (for example, you may need to make a minimum deposit to qualify for a bonus).
| Provider | Highest signup bonus | Requirements | Lowest signup bonus | Requirements | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AvaTrade | $2,000+ | Deposit $10,000 USD (contact broker for larger deposits) | $40 | Minimum deposit is $200USD | Read more |
| BMO InvestorLine adviceDirect | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Read more |
| CIBC Investor’s Edge | Free Canadian and US trades, waived annual fee (ongoing benefit) | Must be between 18 and 24 years old | N/A | N/A | Read more |
| Interactive Brokers | $1,000 ($1 for every $100 deposited) | Must be referred by another account holder and deposit $100,000 | $1 | Must be referred by another account holder and deposit $100 | Read more |
| National Bank Direct Brokerage | Waived $100 annual fee (ongoing benefit) | Must be no older than 30 or an eligible professional | N/A | N/A | Read more |
| Qtrade | $150 sign-up bonus | Open an account by June 30, 2023 and transfer in at least $1000 and make at least 1 qualifying trade within 60 days of account opening | N/A | N/A | Read more |
| Questrade | 5 free trades | Open an account by Dec 31 2022 and deposit at least $1,000 | N/A | N/A | Read more |
| Scotia iTRADE | 10 free trades | Deposit at least $1,000. Must be a newcomer to Canada. | N/A | N/A | Read more |
| Wealthsimple | Get $25 when you open a Wealthsimple account and fund at least $150. | Deposit $150 | N/A | N/A | Read more |
Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of futures, stocks, ETFs, options or any specific provider, service or offering. It should not be relied upon as investment advice or construed as providing recommendations of any kind. Futures, stocks, ETFs and options trading involves substantial risk of loss and therefore are not appropriate for all investors. Trading forex on leverage comes with a higher risk of losing money rapidly. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before making any trades.
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