Choosing the right trading platform can make a big difference in how easily and affordably you can invest. Questrade and Qtrade are two of Canada’s most popular online brokerages, each offering commission-free stock, ETF and options trading, registered accounts and a range of tools for different investing styles.
In this guide, we compare Questrade vs. Qtrade on fees, features, investment products and user experience to help you decide which platform is the better fit for your financial goals.
Questrade vs Qtrade: An overview
Questrade
Qtrade
Founded in
1999
2000
Best for
Go with this platform if you want commission-free trading for many types of securities.
Go with this platform if you want commission-free trading and access to educational tools and online tutorials.
After-hours trading
Yes, from 4:00 am to 9:30 am and 4 pm to 8 pm ET on US exchanges and between 4:15 pm and 5 pm ET on Canadian exchanges
Limited, between 8:30 am and 9:29 am ET, and between 4:00 am and 5:00 pm ET on US market trades
Minimum deposit
Self-directed investing account: $0
Questwealth Portfolio: Typically $250
$0
Fractional shares
Yes, for eligible US securities
No
Customer support
Available via phone, email, live chat and in person at Questrade’s North York location
Questrade is an online brokerage that provides self-directed investing and a managed portfolio service called Questwealth Portfolios. Through its web and mobile platforms, clients can trade stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, bonds and other securities. Questrade also offers commission-free stock, ETF and options purchases, registered accounts for tax-deferred or tax-free growth and an advanced trading platform called Questrade Edge for more experienced investors.
What is Qtrade?
Qtrade is an online brokerage operated by Aviso Wealth that offers both self-directed and managed investing options through Qtrade Guided Portfolios. It provides access to stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options and other securities through its web platform and mobile app. Qtrade also offers promotions for new customers, cashback, portfolio analytics and planning features designed to help investors make informed decisions.
Questrade vs Qtrade: Investment products
Both Questrade and Qtrade provide a range of investment products suited to different types of investors, from beginners to active traders. Here’s a breakdown of what you can trade on each platform.
Questrade
Stocks
ETFs
Options
GICs
IPOs
CFDs
Mutual funds
Bonds
FX
International equities
Precious metals
Qtrade
Stocks
Mutual funds
ETFs
Crypto ETFs
Options
Bonds
New issues
GICs
Who’s the winner?
Questrade for its wider range of investment options, such as precious metals and international equities.
Questrade vs. Qtrade: Fees
Fee type
Questrade
Qtrade
Account fee
$0
$0
Trading fees
Stocks: $0
ETFs: $0
Options: $0 + $0.99 per contract
Precious metals: $19.95 USD/trade
Bonds, IPOs and GICs: $0 (min. $5,000 purchase)
Mutual funds: $9.95/trade
International equities: 1% of the trade value
Stocks: $0
ETFs: $0
Options: $0 + $0.75 per contract
Mutual funds: $0
Management fee
0.2%–0.25%
$2,000–$100,000: 0.60%
Next $400,000: 0.50%
Next $500,000: 0.40%
Above $1 million: 0.35%
Currency conversion fee
1.5%
Not published
Withdrawal fee
$0 (up to $50,000 CAD or $25,000 USD)
$0
Deposit fee
$0
$0
Inactivity fee
$0
$0
Account transfer fee
$150
$150
Who’s the winner?
Questrade. While both platforms offer no account or commission fees on stocks, bonds and options, Questrade has a lower management fee.
Questrade vs Qtrade: Account types
Questrade and Qtrade offer the same types of accounts to suit different investing goals, including:
TFSA
FHSA
RRSP
RESP
RRIF
LIRA
LIF
Margin
Cash (including trusts, company accounts and joint accounts)
Both brokerages also let you hold and trade in CAD and USD, but they handle it differently. With Questrade, you can hold both currencies within a single account, making it easier to trade US securities without converting your funds each time. Qtrade, on the other hand, generally requires separate CAD and USD accounts if you want to hold both currencies.
Who’s the winner?
Questrade. Although both brokerages offer the same account types, Questrade offers more flexibility when it comes to managing multiple currencies in one place.
Questrade vs Qtrade: Margin accounts
Questrade offers margin accounts for individuals, couples and corporations, while Qtrade only provides a standard margin account. With Questrade’s margin account, you can trade stocks, options, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds and GICs and even engage in short selling, while Qtrade’s margin account only allows the trading of stocks listed on senior stock exchanges in Canada and the US.
Margin interest rates at Questrade and Qtrade are based on their prime rates, which are:
Questrade: Starts at 4.45% for CAD and 6.75% for USD
Qtrade: Starts at 4.45% for CAD and 6.75% for USD
The main difference between the margin accounts Questrade and Qtrade offers is Questrade’s Margin Power feature. This allows investors to link their TFSA to their margin account and use its equity to increase their buying power without actually moving the funds.
Who’s the winner?
Questrade. Its margin account offers a wider range of tradable securities and includes the Margin Power feature for greater flexibility and leverage.
Questrade vs Qtrade: Investor experience
Questrade offers two platforms — the standard Questrade platform and Questrade Edge, which is designed for active traders and experienced investors, featuring advanced charting tools, customizable layouts and more sophisticated order types. This means the brokerage can effectively cater to both beginners and advanced traders.
In contrast, Qtrade is more tailored to beginners as it emphasizes ease of use and provides guided support, with user-friendly web and mobile platforms, portfolio simulation tools and educational resources that teach new investors about diversification, risk and long-term planning.
Both platforms also have their own robo-advisor services that help beginners start investing with minimal effort. Questrade’s Questwealth Portfolios builds and manages a diversified ETF portfolio automatically, while Qtrade Guided Portfolios assists new investors in creating and maintaining a balanced portfolio with guided recommendations and automatic rebalancing.
Who’s the winner?
Questrade. Although beginners can take advantage of either platform’s robo-advisor services, more advanced investors may find Qtrade limiting.
Questrade vs. Qtrade: Learning and tools
Questrade and Qtrade both offer a variety of educational resources and tools to help investors improve their skills, but they cater to slightly different needs.
Questrade offers a broader range of resources, including webinars, third-party research tools and market insights, which can benefit both new and more advanced investors. Some of its notable resources include:
OptionsPlay
Seeking Alpha
Passiv
Morning Brief
TipRanks
SeekingAlpha
IPO Centre
TradingView
VectoreVEst
Wealthica
Qtrade focuses on beginners, providing structured tutorials, step-by-step guides and portfolio planning tools that make it easier to learn investing fundamentals. Here are some of the platform’s educational resources:
Morningstar Analyst Ratings
Morning News Call
Portfolio Score
Portfolio Simulator
Portfolio Creator
Goal Planning
Watchlists
Recognia
Who’s the winner?
Questrade. While both brokerages provide educational resources and investment tools, Questrade offers a wider selection tailored to both beginner and advanced investors.
Questrade vs. Qtrade: Canadian regulatory bodies
Both Questrade and Qtrade (under its parent company, Aviso Financial) are registered dealers with the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), which oversees investment dealers and trading activity. They’re also members of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF), which protects eligible assets up to $1 million in the event of a broker’s insolvency.
Who’s the winner?
It’s a tie. Both brokerages are regulated and insured.
Questrade vs. Qtrade: Security features
Questrade offers advanced security features, including Digicert verification to help confirm safe transactions, alerts for suspicious logins, Touch ID/Face ID login and a PIN system to save time on security questions when contacting customer support. Questrade also has an Online Security Guarantee, offering 100% reimbursement for any unauthorized transactions.
Qtrade emphasizes a multi-layered approach to online security through 256-bit encryption, trusted digital certificates and powerful firewalls to protect client data. All accounts require two-factor authentication and users can set up trusted devices so any login from a new device triggers alerts and approval requirements. Qtrade also offers an Internet Security Guarantee, reimbursing account holders for losses from unauthorized online activity as long as clients follow best security practices.
Who’s the winner?
It’s a tie. Both Questrade and Qtrade meet industry standards for account security and client protection.
Questrade vs Qtrade: Market data
Questrade provides comprehensive market data, including Level 1 quotes with the best bid and ask prices and last trade, as well as Level 2 market data for securities listed on Canadian and US exchanges through an optional paid subscription for its Questrade Edge platform.
Level 2 data can be useful for analyzing market depth, timing trades and making more informed investment decisions by showing the full order book beyond the best bid and ask prices.
Qtrade offers Level 1 data for real-time quotes and free Level 2 quotes for Canadian exchanges during order execution. This means you can see market depth at the moment you place a trade, but you don’t have ongoing access to the full order book like you do with Questrade.
Who’s the winner?
Questrade. Its paid Level 2 data covers both Canadian and US markets and provides full, continuous access to the order book.
How do the mobile apps for Questrade vs. Qtrade compare?
Both Questrade and Qtrade offer mobile apps for Android and iOS. On Questrade’s app, QuestMobile, users can trade on the go, access real-time market data and set up customizable alerts for price changes and trading activity. Questrade also has an app for its advanced trading platform called Edge Mobile, which enables users to execute complex orders like straddles and bracket orders.
Qtrade’s mobile app also offers trading on the go, real-time market data and a customizable watchlist so users can monitor their preferred stocks.
Here’s a look at each app’s user ratings on the Apple App Store and Google Play:
QuestMobile
Questrade Edge Mobile
Qtrade Direct Investing
Apple App Store rating
4.7/5 based on over 19,000 ratings
4.6/5 based on over 4,800 ratings
3.6/5 based on 381 ratings
Google Play rating
4.7/5 based on over 12,000 ratings
4.6/5 based on over 4,100 ratings
4.1/5 based on 324 ratings
Accurate as of February 6, 2026.
Who’s the winner?
Questrade offers two mobile apps, both with a higher rating and a greater volume of user reviews than Qtrade’s app.
Other features we like about Questrade vs. Qtrade
Trial account
Qtrade offers a 30-day trial account that lets prospective clients explore the platform before opening a funded account. The trial provides view-only access to research and analysis features, but trades can’t be placed. Questrade no longer offers a trial account.
Automatic contributions
Questrade and Qtrade allow you to set up automatic contributions from a linked bank account, helping you keep your investment plan on track. Choose the amount you want to contribute and the frequency from weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.
Dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs)
Questrade and Qtrade both offer dividend reinvestment plans for eligible Canadian and US stocks and ETFs. With a DRIP, any cash dividends you receive will be automatically used to purchase additional shares of the same security, helping your investments grow through compounding over time.
What does Reddit think of the Questrade vs. Qtrade debate?
On Reddit, the Questrade vs Qtrade debate is mixed, with opinions varying based on user experience and trading style. Many users like Questrade’s modern platform, wide range of tradable securities and low fees.
Qtrade, on the other hand, is often described as reliable and stable, though some find its interface dated and slow compared with Questrade. One user also mentioned having to pay a $100 account closure fee with Qtrade for closing their account within the first year of opening it, but many users like the cashback and signup bonus offers that the platform provides.
Who’s the final winner?
Questrade and Qtrade cater to different types of investors. Questrade excels with its broad range of tradable securities, advanced trading features and tools that support both beginners and experienced investors.
Qtrade, on the other hand, is designed for newcomers, offering a simple interface, guided portfolio options and educational resources to help investors learn as they go.
Ultimately, Questrade is better suited for investors seeking flexibility and advanced tools, while Qtrade is ideal for those who prefer a more guided, beginner-friendly experience.
For active traders and investors who want more features and investment options, the winner is Questrade.
For beginners and casual investors, the winner is Qtrade.
Alternatives to Questrade and Qtrade
While Questrade and Qtrade are two strong options for Canadian investors, they’re not the only brokerages worth exploring. Here are some of the best trading platforms and apps in Canada to consider.
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers is a global brokerage known for its advanced trading tools, low fees and access to international markets. It’s ideal for active traders and those looking to trade a wide range of securities, including stocks, options, ETFs, cryptocurrency and forex, though beginners may find the platform complex.
Moomoo
Moomoo offers low-cost trading on stocks, ETFs and options using a per-share pricing model, along with a user-friendly mobile app and access to real-time market data. It’s a good choice for investors seeking a modern platform with research tools and educational resources.
CIBC Investor’s Edge
CIBC Investor’s Edge is a Canadian bank-owned brokerage that combines competitive fees with easy integration to CIBC banking accounts. It’s best suited for investors who prefer a simple, reliable platform and value the security and convenience of trading with a major Canadian bank.
Bottom line
Ultimately, choosing the right brokerage depends on your investing experience and goals. Questrade stands out for its low fees, broad range of tradable securities, advanced trading tools and extensive research and educational resources, making it ideal for both new and experienced investors.
Qtrade is a strong option for beginners who prefer guided tutorials, portfolio planning tools and an easy-to-use interface, though more advanced investors may find its offerings limiting over time. And, if you’re not sure how to get started, read our guide to online trading in Canada for step-by-step instructions.
Frequently asked questions about Questrade vs. Qtrade
Questrade is typically only available to Canadian residents, but the broker may make an exemption for Canadian expats residing in the US with active RRSP accounts. International residents can only open a margin account. To open a Qtrade account, you must be residing in Canada.
To open a Questrade account, you must be a Canadian resident, at least 18 years old and have a valid SIN, government-issued photo ID, email and phone number.
To open a Qtrade account, you must be a Canadian resident, at least 18 years old and have a valid SIN, government-issued photo ID and details of your income, assets and net worth.
Yes, you can open an account with both Questrade and Qtrade if you want to take advantage of each brokerage's unique tools, features, and research resources.
It depends. If your holdings are in a registered account like a TFSA, RRSP or RESP, then you won't have to pay tax on any interest you earn. If not, you'll have to declare the interest you earn when you file your taxes.
Sources
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Rebecca Low is a writer for Finder. She has contributed to a range of digital publications, including income.ca, Indeed, and Expatden, writing on topics like personal finance, career development, and travel.
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What does Reddit think of the Questrade vs. Qtrade debate?