Pick the investor you are. We add up a year of commissions and account fees at that balance, then score each broker on cost, accounts, US investing, features and welcome offers.
Up to $5,000 cash back — 5% back on $1,000–$10,000, then $550 to $5,000 by deposit tier, plus $100 if you fund $25,000+ in your first 30 days. Ends Jan 5, 2027
1% transfer match, up to $20,000 — Register for the match, then transfer $25,000+ from another institution within 30 days. Paid in 24 monthly instalments.
Yearly cost
$0
$25,000 · 24 trades a year
Stock & ETF trade
$0
Canadian and US stocks and ETFs
Currency conversion
1.5%
USD accounts $10/month on Core; free from $100,000 in assets
Account fees
$0
No account or inactivity fees
$0 commissions on Canadian and US stocks and ETFs
Fractional shares and automatic dividend reinvestment
Free shares + 30 days commission-free — 30 days of commission-free trading, then 10 free shares with a $1,000 net deposit or 30 with $8,000, held 30 days. Terms last published July 2026 — confirm before opening.
Yearly cost
$35.76
24 × $1.49
Stock & ETF trade
$1.49 per order
Minimum per Canadian order ($0.49 commission + $1 platform fee); US orders from US$1.99
Questrade Self-Directed Investing has the highest WalletReturn score (91/100): $0 stock and ETF commissions, $0 US equity options commissions. Qtrade Direct Investing (88) and Interactive Brokers Canada (83) follow.
Which brokers have $0 commissions in Canada?
Wealthsimple, Questrade, Qtrade, National Bank, BMO InvestorLine, Disnat, Webull charge $0 to buy and sell Canadian and US stocks and ETFs online. TD Easy Trade includes 100 free trades a year.
How much do big-bank brokerages charge per trade?
RBC Direct Investing charges $9.95, TD Direct Investing and Scotia iTRADE $9.99 and CIBC Investor’s Edge $6.95 per online trade. BMO InvestorLine and National Bank charge $0. At 24 trades a year, a $9.99 commission costs about $240.
Which broker is best for buying US stocks?
Interactive Brokers Canada has the cheapest currency conversion (About 0.002% of the amount (US$2 minimum per conversion)). Questrade offers free USD accounts, including in TFSAs and RRSPs, so you can hold US dollars instead of converting on every trade.
WalletReturn is independent. We may earn a commission when you open an account through some links; that never changes our scores or our numbers. Fees and offers change — confirm them with the provider before you open an account. This is general information, not investment advice. Investments are not guaranteed; CIPF protection covers missing client property if a member firm fails, not market losses.
