Investing · Broker review
Qtrade Direct Investing review
The service-quality leader finally went commission-free in 2026 — premium support at challenger pricing is a combination nobody else offers.
Best for: Investors who want $0 trades but refuse to give up a broker that answers the phone
Pros
- Newly $0 on stocks, ETFs and mutual funds — the old $8.75 rate is gone
- Options at $0.75/contract with no base commission — cheapest contract rate outside WS
- Perennial winner of service and usability rankings
- Full registered lineup including RRIF, LIF and LIRA; free DRIPs
- Transfer fees reimbursed to $150 on $15,000+
Cons
- USD-side registered accounts cost US$15/quarter each
- No fractional shares
- Credit-union heritage means less brand recognition — and no banking ecosystem
Who Qtrade is
Qtrade Direct Investing is the brokerage arm of Aviso, the credit-union system’s wealth platform — which is why millions of Canadians have met it through their credit union without knowing the brand. It has spent a decade winning service and usability awards against both banks and challengers.
In 2026 it made its big move: commissions to zero across stocks, ETFs and mutual funds for all clients. The premium-service broker now costs the same as the apps. It’s a CIRO dealer and CIPF member.
Pricing after the big change
Stocks, ETFs and mutual funds: $0. Options: $0.75 a contract with no base fee. The legacy quarterly admin fee is gone from the current schedule; what remains is a $6/quarter paper-statement fee (waived on e-documents) and US$15/quarter per USD-side registered account — the one line where RBC, CIBC and NBDB beat it.
For a retiree drawing US dividends in an RRIF, that’s US$60/year against the hundreds the 1.5% FX skim would otherwise cost — worth paying, but worth knowing.
For retirees
Qtrade’s pitch to the drawdown years is simple: everything works, and someone answers. Full RRIF/LIF support with free scheduled payments, free DRIPs, and the field’s best service reputation — which stops being a soft factor the first time something goes wrong with a six-figure registered transfer.
It’s the broker we’d point at the investor who finds Questrade’s self-serve culture thin and the big banks’ pricing insulting.
Frequently asked questions
What does Qtrade Direct Investing charge to trade?
Stocks and ETFs: $0 on stocks, ETFs and mutual funds — newly commission-free across the board. Options: $0.75/contract, no base commission. Account fees: No quarterly admin fee on the current schedule; transfer out $150. Figures verified at Qtrade Direct Investing's own pricing pages on June 10, 2026 — compare the whole field on our Best online brokers ranking.
Which registered accounts does Qtrade Direct Investing offer? Can it hold a RRIF?
TFSA, RRSP, RRIF, FHSA, RESP, LIRA, LIF. Yes — RRIF support means an RRSP here can convert at 71 and stay put, with no forced transfer at exactly the wrong moment. See the RRIF minimum calculator for what the drawdown schedule looks like.
Is my money safe at Qtrade Direct Investing?
CIRO dealer, CIPF member — $1M per account category if the firm fails. CIPF covers up to $1M for general accounts, plus $1M for registered retirement accounts combined, plus $1M for RESPs — against the firm failing, never against investments losing value. For cash deposits (a different regime), see the CDIC coverage planner.
The bottom line
The 2026 fee cut removed the only argument against Qtrade. If service quality ranks anywhere on your list, it now offers the best support-per-dollar in Canadian investing — and the dollar is zero. See how it stacks in the full comparison.
Ready to compare Qtrade Direct Investing against the field?
The whole field, verified at the source and ranked.
This review is for educational purposes only and is not investment advice. Commissions, FX rates, account fees and offers shown were verified at the broker's own published pricing on June 10, 2026 and change without notice. Our editorial rating reflects costs, account lineup, currency handling and service — it is never paid for. CIPF protects against member-firm insolvency, never market losses. Confirm current terms on the broker's site before opening an account. See our methodology.