E-Trade is a popular brokerage firm known for its commission-free stock trading and providing access to an extensive range of investment products. It offers user-friendly desktop, web and mobile trading platforms too, so you might be wondering, can I use E-Trade in Canada?
Is E-Trade available in Canada?
No, E-Trade is not available in Canada. While the broker previously offered investing services in Canada, it was acquired by Scotiabank in 2008 and became Scotia iTrade.
So if you’re searching for an online trading platform in Canada, check out the six E-Trade alternatives below.
E-Trade alternatives in Canada
Although you cannot sign up for an E-Trade account in Canada, you can sign up for the these alternative trading platforms below:
Interactive Brokers offers a comprehensive suite of trading tools for Canadian investors. Like E-Trade, it lets you trade an extensive range of assets, from stocks and ETFs to options and futures, while it also provides access to exchanges all around the world. It offers separate desktop and mobile apps to suit beginners or more experienced traders too, and advanced investors will appreciate the flexibility of using over 100 order types when placing trades.
Pros
Trade on 160 global exchanges
Lots of advanced features for experienced traders
Competitive trading commissions
Supports fractional share trading
Cons
Some features may be too complicated for beginners
Only 1 free withdrawal per month
Monthly Account Fee
$0
Account Types
RRSP, TFSA, Personal, Joint
Available Asset Types
Stocks, Bonds, Options, Index Funds, ETFs, Forex, Currencies, Futures
Get 100 free online stock and ETF trades when you open a new account & get up to $15,000 in cashback when you transfer funds from outside CIBC to your new or existing account. Valid until March 31, 2026. T&Cs apply.
With Investor's Edge offering a choice of account types, cash and margin trading, and access to a long list of securities, there are plenty of similarities between this platform and E-Trade. Unfortunately, CIBC Investor's Edge doesn't offer commission-free trading, but there are discounts available for active traders as well as students and young investors. And there is an excellent selection of research tools provided for investors, with research reports from CIBC Capital Markets, stock screeners and charting tools to help you choose your next investment.
Pros
User-friendly online and mobile trading platforms
Trade a wide range of securities
Useful research and analysis tools
Get 100 free trades when you open a new account and enter a promo code
Cons
Trading fees apply
Account fee if minimum balance requirements aren't met
Annoying to fund your account if you're not a CIBC banking customer
Like E-Trade, Questrade has generated headlines by offering $0 commission trading. You can trade stocks and ETFs commission-free, and options for as little as $0 per contract. Self-directed investors will appreciate Questrade's market news as well as analyst commentary and ratings, while a choice of a basic or a more advanced platform is a big plus. And if you'd rather someone else did the hard work for you, just like E-Trade, Questrade also offers access to a range of diversified managed portfolios.
Pros
$0 commission trading
Highly rated mobile apps
Managed Questwealth portfolios available
Supports fractional share trading
Cons
Doesn't support futures or crypto trading
$5,000 minimum investment for bonds and GICs
Signup Offer
Get free contracts, no commissions and a 30 day free trial of Questrade Plus. Use the offer code FREEOPTIONS.
Like E-Trade, Moomoo is a discount broker focused on delivering a smooth and user-friendly trading experience. It lets you trade US and Canadian stocks and ETFs as well as US options, with competitive commissions on all trades. Moomoo's mobile and desktop apps are simple to use, and with a paper trading account available too, you can test out your trades first before you put any real money at risk.
Pros
Low-fee broker
Highly rated mobile app
Free US Level 2 market data
Handy stock screeners and analysis tools
Cons
US and Canadian markets only
Not as many account types as some other platforms
Watch out for higher fees on large trades
Signup Offer
Get up to $4,600 in trading perks.
Monthly Account Fee
$0
Account Types
RRSP, TFSA, Personal, FHSA
Available Asset Types
Stocks, Options, ETFs
ETF Transaction Cost
USD$0.99/stock
Option Fee
US stocks and ETFs: USD$0.99/stock (min. US$1.99 per trade)
Get 5% cash back on every dollar you invest up to $15,000 and 1% cash back on any amount above that. Plus, new clients receive unlimited free trades. Use code QTRADE2025. Valid until January 5, 2026. T&Cs apply.
Qtrade recently announced that (just like E-Trade) it is now offering commission-free trading. You can trade stocks, ETFs and mutual funds commission-free, and trade options with zero commissions plus $0.75 per contract. The platform offers plenty of educational resources for new investors, plus analyst ratings and the latest market news to help inform your investing decisions. Add in screening tools and technical research and it's easy to see why Qtrade is a popular E-Trade alternative.
Pros
$0 commission trading
Handy portfolio analytics tools
Real-time quotes
Supports a wide range of account types
Cons
Doesn't support fractional shares
No futures or crypto trading
Signup Offer
Get 5% cash back on every dollar you invest up to $15,000 (up to $750 cash back) and 1% cash back on any amount above that (up to max. cash back of $2,000). Plus, new clients receive unlimited free trades. Use code QTRADE2025. Valid until January 5, 2026.
There are lots of good reasons why RBC Direct Investing is worth checking out if you're searching for E-Trade alternatives. This established platform lets you trade stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, bonds and more, and you can trade with a cash or margin account or choose from a variety of registered accounts. RBC's Trading Dashboard is completely customizable and offers advanced charting tools for experienced traders, while beginners will like expert-built lists of investment ideas and a paper trading account to test out their investing strategies.
Pros
Paper trading account provided
Trade 50+ ETFs commission-free
Real-time quotes
Access an extensive range of assets and account types
$9.95 ($6.95 if you place 150+ trades per quarter)
Option Fee
$6.95 to $9.95 (+$1.25 per contract)
Stock Trading Fee
$9.95
FX Fee
0.10% - 1.60%
Min. Deposit
$0
How does the E-Trade trading platform work?
E-Trade offers the following features to investors in the USA.
Tradeable assets
E-Trade users can use the platform to invest in stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, futures, bonds, CDs, IPOs and cryptocurrency. They can also access prebuilt portfolios of ETFs or mutual funds designed for conservative, moderate, aggressive, and income-generating strategies.
In Canada, Interactive Brokers offers access to a huge range of asset types as well as markets all around the world. And if you’re after prebuilt portfolios, Questrade’s range of Questwealth portfolios are well worth a look.
$0 commission trades
E-Trade is a discount brokerage that offers $0 commission trading. Users can take advantage of commission-free trading of stocks, options, mutual funds and ETFs.
In Canada, Questrade and Qtrade both provide $0 commission trading. Both platforms are worth checking out if you don’t want to worry about trading fees eating away at your profits.
Account types
E-Trade users in the USA can choose from cash or margin trading. The platform provides access to a variety of specialist accounts too, including IRA retirement accounts and small business retirement accounts. And because E-Trade is a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, it also offers 3 bank accounts—the Checking Account, Max-Rate Checking Account and Premium Savings Account.
Most Canadian brokers also offer a choice of accounts. For example, both CIBC Investor’s Edge and Interactive Brokers offer cash and margin trading, plus they also offer registered accounts like RRSPs, TFSAs and FHSAs.
Choice of trading platforms
If you’re looking for a simple and streamlined trading platform, E-Trade offers web and mobile options. It also offers Power E-Trade Pro, a suite of desktop, web-based and mobile trading apps with a host of advanced trading tools.
Most Canadian brokers offer a choice of online, mobile and desktop trading platforms. Some, like Interactive Brokers and Questrade, also offer separate platforms to suit beginners and more experienced traders.
Can you open an E-Trade trading account in another country?
No, you will need to be a US resident to open an account with E-Trade. You will need to provide a US residential address and a valid Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number when opening an account.
Can you use E-Trade in Canada?
If you’re a Canadian resident wondering whether you can use E-Trade, the answer is unfortunately no. If you want to invest online, you’ll need to compare brokers that accept Canadian users.
However, if you’re a US resident with an E-Trade account and you’re travelling to Canada, you should be able to access your account while away from home.
Which countries does E-Trade operate in?
E-Trade only operates in the United States. The broker previously operated in other markets, including Canada and Australia, but no longer operates in those countries.
What is the best E-Trade alternative in Canada?
We think Interactive Brokers and Moomoo are some of the best E-Trade alternatives in Canada.
With access to 160 global markets, Interactive Brokers is a great option if you want to invest in markets all around the world with competitive fees. We also like the fact that it offers a platform to suit newer investors, and a separate platform with advanced tools galore for more experienced traders.
Moomoo earns praise for its user-friendly trading platform, highly rated mobile app and low fees. We also appreciate its paper trading account, which gives you a chance to try out your trading strategies before putting any real money at risk.
That said, the best trading platform for you really depends on what you need in a broker. Your investing experience, how often you trade and what you want to trade will all impact your decision on which platform is right for you.
No. The E-Trade app is not available in Canada and E-Trade does not accept Canadian customers.
If you want to start investing from your mobile, you’ll need to compare Canadian stock trading apps. Happily, all of the brokers featured in this guide offer Android and iOS trading apps.
Bottom line
You can’t use E-Trade in Canada. But if you want to invest in stocks and other securities, there are plenty of reputable platforms you can use to get started. Once you know exactly what you need in a trading platform, you can start comparing E-Trade Canada alternatives to find the best brokerage for you.
Frequently asked questions about E-Trade
You'll need to consider your trading needs and prior investing experience to work out which stock trading platform is the best choice for you. Look for a broker with low or no commissions, a user-friendly trading platform, and access to the markets and assets you want to trade. You can also check out the best brokerage signup bonuses to help you choose between competing brokers.
E-Trade Canada was acquired by Scotiabank in 2008. The platform was relaunched in 2009 as Scotia iTrade.
The E-Trade mobile app is free to download from the App Store for iOS devices and Google Play for Android devices.
E-Trade is a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, which completed its acquisition of the brokerage firm in 2020. Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York.
Yes. With $0 commission trading and a user-friendly platform, E-Trade is generally considered to be a good platform for new investors. Unfortunately, it's not available in Canada, so Canadian investors will need to consider the E-Trade alternatives featured in this guide.
Tim Falk is a freelance writer for Finder. Over the course of his 15-year writing career, he has reported on a wide range of personal finance topics. Whether you're investing in stocks and ETFs, comparing savings accounts or choosing a credit card, Tim wants to make it easier for you to understand. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors.
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