Qtrade vs Questrade (2026): Which Canadian Broker Wins?

Qtrade and Questrade are the two main self-directed Canadian brokers besides the bank-owned ones (TD Direct, RBC Direct) and the newer Wealthsimple Trade. They overlap heavily in account types and target audience. Here’s the head-to-head for 2026.

At-a-glance comparison

Qtrade vs Questrade — full comparison (May 2026)

	Qtrade Direct Investing	Questrade
Stock commission	$8.75 ($6.95 active)	$0.01/share, $4.95–$9.95
ETF buy commission	$0 on 100+ free list, $8.75 elsewhere	$0 on any ETF
ETF sell commission	$0 on free list	$4.95–$9.95
USD account (free)	Yes	Yes
TFSA	Yes	Yes
RRSP / Spousal RRSP	Yes	Yes
FHSA	Yes	Yes
RESP	Yes	Yes
LIRA / LIF / RRIF	Yes	Yes
RDSP	Yes	Yes
Joint / Corporate	Yes	Yes
Norbert's Gambit	Yes (manual call)	Yes — best documented
Inactivity fee	$25/quarter under $25K + low activity	$24.95/quarter under $5K + low activity
Account minimum	No min for cash/registered, $1K margin	No min for cash/registered, $1K margin
Fund screening tools	Better	Adequate
Mobile app	Functional, slightly cleaner	Functional, more features
Owned by	Aviso Wealth (credit unions)	Privately held (Questrade Financial Group)

Where Questrade wins

1. Free ETF buys on any ETF

Qtrade has a curated list of 100+ commission-free ETFs. Questrade has zero commission on ANY ETF buy. If you want to hold a specific ETF that isn’t on Qtrade’s free list, you’d pay $8.75 at Qtrade vs $0 at Questrade.

For investors with non-mainstream ETF strategies, Questrade is broader.

2. Best Norbert’s Gambit support

Both support Norbert’s Gambit, but Questrade has the most documented and refined process in Canada. Their phone reps know the gambit cold; the journaling is reliable.

3. Slightly bigger client base

Questrade has roughly $30B+ AUM vs Qtrade’s $20B. Operational scale typically translates to more development resources, faster feature rollouts, and more responsive support.

4. Promo offers more aggressive

Questrade’s $50–$250 sign-up cashback is more substantial than Qtrade’s typical promotional offerings.

Where Qtrade wins

1. Free SELLS on the free ETF list

Qtrade is free for both buy AND sell on its curated list. Questrade is free buy only, $4.95–$9.95 sell. For investors who actively rebalance ETFs from Qtrade’s list, this saves real money.

A typical buy-and-hold investor doesn’t sell often, so the difference is small. But for investors who rebalance quarterly or trade tactically, Qtrade’s free sell becomes meaningful.

2. Better fund-screening tools

Qtrade’s research suite includes Morningstar fund analysis and screening tools that are more polished than Questrade’s. For investors doing deep research before buying, Qtrade’s tools are slightly stronger.

3. Credit union ecosystem

If you bank with Vancity, Coast Capital, Servus, or another major Canadian credit union, your accounts may already be linked to the Aviso ecosystem. Qtrade integrates more cleanly with credit union banking than Questrade does with any specific bank.

4. Lower active-trader stock commission

Qtrade Active ($6.95 stock commission for active traders making 150+ trades/quarter) undercuts Questrade’s max $9.95 commission. For day traders and active stock traders, this saves measurable money.

Decision framework

Pick Questrade if:

• You want to invest in any ETF (not just Qtrade’s free list)
• You’ll use Norbert’s Gambit
• You’re not a credit union member
• You want the broader broker ecosystem

Pick Qtrade if:

• You only invest in mainstream ETFs (likely on Qtrade’s free list)
• You actively rebalance and want zero-cost sells
• You’re a credit union member
• You want better fund research tools

Real cost comparison: 5-year buy-and-hold ETF investor

Scenario: You contribute $1,000/month to ETFs (XEQT or VFV). You rebalance once per year. Time horizon: 5 years.

Questrade:

• 60 buys at $0 each = $0
• 5 rebalance sells at ~$5 each = $25
• Total commissions: ~$25

Qtrade (using free-list ETFs):

• 60 buys at $0 each = $0
• 5 rebalance sells at $0 each = $0
• Total commissions: $0

Qtrade wins for the buy-and-hold rebalancing investor — by ~$25 over 5 years on this scenario. Negligible in absolute terms; matters if extrapolated over decades.

Real cost comparison: Active US stock trader

Scenario: You make 30 US stock trades per year for 5 years.

Questrade:

• 150 trades at ~$5 each = $750 in commissions

Qtrade (active trader rate):

• 150 trades at $6.95 each = $1,043 in commissions

Questrade wins here, despite Qtrade’s “active” tier — the volume threshold (150 trades/quarter) is high enough that most active traders pay full $8.75.

My take

For 80% of self-directed Canadian investors, Questrade is the right choice between these two. The combination of free buys on any ETF, broader account flexibility, better Norbert’s Gambit, and bigger ecosystem outweighs Qtrade’s slight advantages.

Qtrade makes sense for two specific groups:

1. Credit union members who want to keep banking and brokerage in the same Aviso/Desjardins ecosystem
2. Buy-and-hold ETF investors who only hold from Qtrade’s free list and want zero rebalance costs

For everyone else, Questrade is the default.

If you’re considering self-directed investing more broadly, also see Wealthsimple vs Questrade — Wealthsimple’s free buys AND sells on any stock or ETF make it the most flexible commission-wise, especially for beginners.

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Read next

• Questrade Review — full hands-on review
• Wealthsimple vs Questrade — broader broker comparison
• Norbert’s Gambit at Questrade — the killer feature
• Best Canadian ETFs — what to buy