To invest in the stock market on your own, using company shares or exchange-traded funds (ETFs), you need an online brokerage account. There are several platforms to choose from: the platforms of the major Canadian banks and independent platforms such as Qtrade Investissement Direct.
Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or expert investor, Qtrade has the tools, features, and support you need to achieve your goals. In this evaluation, we explore the services offered, the types of investments available, the advantages and disadvantages, and more.
Qtrade Investissement Direct (Qtrade) is an online brokerage platform that enables Canadian investors to invest in the stock market independently. It was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.
Qtrade offers a trading platform for independent investors and professionally designed, guided portfolios tailored to your financial goals. In this review, we focus primarily on the online brokerage platform, which has consistently ranked #1 among online investment platforms in Canada since its launch.
The Qtrade platform is available on desktop and mobile device, and enables trading in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, bonds, mutual funds, guaranteed investment certificates (GICs), and much more.
Qtrade, a division of the independent wealth management company Aviso Wealth, is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF) and regulated by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC).
From April 1 to October 31, 2025, Qtrade is offering a special deal for new customers.
By using the promotional code OFFER2025 when opening your account, you can receive a $50 sign-up bonus by depositing at least $1,000 within 60 days of opening. Offer applies to up to 3 new accounts, for a maximum bonus of $150.
To benefit from this offer, you must:
As mentioned above, Qtrade offers two main services for Canadian investors:
The Qtrade trading platform is an online brokerage platform for independent investors. It allows you to trade a wide variety of financial products, from stocks to bonds, in several types of Canadian and U.S. dollar accounts.
Qtrade offers first-rate customer service and educational resources. In addition to offering tools to help you make the most of your investments, such as :
More recently, two new features have been launched on Qtrade Direct Investing :
Finally, Qtrade offers a trial account so you can discover the platform, features and analysis tools.
Qtrade Accompanied Portfolios are professionally designed investment portfolios tailored to your financial goals. It’s an automated service that you don’t need to monitor or manage. In fact, the experts regularly monitor and rebalance your portfolio to ensure that it always meets your needs. If you have any problems, you can always contact a customer service team.
A wide variety of investment accounts are available at Qtrade: non-registered and registered accounts. To start trading, there is no minimum deposit required. And all major trading accounts are available in Canadian or U.S. dollars.
With non-registered accounts, you can trade stocks and ETFs using a cash account, but also invest with leverage using a margin account.
With registered accounts, you can grow your investments tax-free.
The Qtrade trading platform provides access to a wide selection of investments:
Qtrade is not a fee-free trading platform, but it does have some of the lowest fees in Canada. For example, it offers over 100 commission-free ETFs. What’s more, although Qtrade charges an administration fee of $25 per quarter, this is waived if you meet certain conditions.
Reduced fees are offered to young investors and “Investor Plus” clients (more than 150 transactions per quarter or over $500,000 in assets).
Administration fees are waived if at least one of the following conditions is met:
Qtrade offers quality customer service. In fact, Qtrade ranks first among online brokers when it comes to customer service.
Pros:
Cons:
To open your account, you’ll need government identification, your social insurance number and information about your income and assets.
Then follow these steps:
In short, Qtrade is one of the best trading platforms in Canada. It enables Canadian investors to invest independently on the stock market in equities and ETFs, in addition to other investment choices. Qtrade is a secure platform, a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund(CIPF) and regulated by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada(IIROC). Open your Qtrade account today and start investing!
Qtrade is an online brokerage platform for independent stock market investing. In particular, it offers a trading platform for autonomous investors and professionally designed accompanied portfolios.
Qtrade is a division of Aviso Wealth, one of Canada’s largest independent wealth management companies with over $95 billion in assets.
Yes, Qtrade is a secure online brokerage platform. It has been in existence for over 20 years and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Qtrade is a member of FCPI and regulated byOCRI.
Yes, Qtrade is available in Canada. In fact, Qtrade is recognized as one of the best trading platforms in Canada.
Savings are here (if you don’t see the sign-up form, please click here):
