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Compare the best online trading platforms in Canada
Summary
Thinking about DIY investing? This article lists popular online discount brokerages in Canada and helps you decide which brokerage and trading platform suits your needs by comparing key aspects and features in these sections:
If you're looking for the best trading platforms in Canada, you're not alone. A growing number of investors are switching to self-directed online brokerages and trading platforms. By empowering investors to manage their own portfolios, online brokerages have exploded in popularity.
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New and experienced investors are using self-directed online discount brokerages’ (also known as direct investing or discount brokerages) online trading platforms. Investors are empowered by their ability to buy and sell stocks, Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and more, on their own, and to manage their own portfolios.
And there are other benefits, such as:
- Increased to trading due to lower costs
- mobile apps
- ophisticated tools and resources
- And more
Here’s a list of some of the most frequently used online discount brokerages in Canada, plus information about how to choose the one that’s right for you.
Popular discount brokerages in Canada
TD Direct investing online trading platforms
- TD Easy TradeTM
- WebB roker
- Active Trader
- Advanced D ashboard
- TD Mobile App
Other popular Canadian discount brokerages
- BMO
- CIBC
- Questrade
- RBC
- Scotia
- Wealthsimple
Pick the online brokerage that aligns with your needs
Online brokerages let you trade a wide variety of investments, including stocks, Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), mutual funds, and more. Each platform has different featuresthat aligns with your needs and goals.
For example:
- Are you a new investor with a smaller budget, looking for a way to dip your toe into trading and learn as you go?
- Are you an experienced investor who needs sophisticated tools to manage a complex portfolio?
- What types of assets and accounts do you want to invest in?
- Do you want to trade at your desk or on the go?
- What level of customer support do you need?
The following key attributes can help you compare:
- Pricing
- Education and support
- Trading platform – the website or app where you invest
- Account types offered
- Investment types (securities) you can buy or sell
- Market data and research tools
Use the tables below to compare online brokerages based on these attributes.
Pricing
Each online brokerage has its own pricing structure. For example, some require you to keep a minimum amount in your account and charge you if you fall below that amount. Others don’t. Some platforms:
- Offer a certain number of free trades per year
- Have flat fees
- Offer lower-per share fees for high volume traders
- Offer a tiered structure
Consider your budget and investment strategy as you go through the pricing section. For example, if you’re new to investing and want to try it out, or if you’d like to make small trades economically, you may want a platform with zero commission fees and the ability to buy partial shares. Compare your needs with the pricing structures listed in the table below.
(These platforms and brokerages are listed in no particular order.)
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Online Trading Platform |
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Admin Fees (Registered Account) |
Admin Fees (Non-Registered Account) |
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TD Direct Investing online trading platforms: *WebBroker *Active Trader *Advanced Dashboard *TD Mobile App |
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TD Easy TradeTM |
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BMO *InvestorLine Self-Directed *InvestorLine adviceDirect *SmartFolio *Invest App |
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Standard Trader
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$0 |
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CIBC *CIBC Investor’s Edge *CIBC Mobile Wealth |
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Questrade *Questrade Trading *QuestMobile *Questrade Edge *Questrade Edge Mobile *Questrade Global |
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RBC Direct Investing *RBC Direct Investing Online *Trading Dashboard *RBC Mobile *GoSmart |
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Commission-free Mutual Funds - Buy, sell and switch all mutual funds, commission-free Stocks - less than 150 trades per quarter: $9.95 per online or mobile trade 150+ trades per quarter: $6.95 per online or mobile trade Active trader pricing - $6.95 flat fee per online stock or ETF trade for clients with 150+ trades per quarter |
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Wealthsimple |
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Education and support
Access to education is crucial for investors who are just getting started. Online brokerages offer a range of education, from static learning through videos, articles, and webinars to interactive learning modules or live tutorials.
Similarly, customer support is critical for all self-directed investors and ranges from online FAQs and help centres to telephone support. Here’s what the online brokerage firms on our list offer.
(These platforms are listed in no particular order.)
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TD Easy TradeTM |
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Wealthsimple |
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BMO Investor Line *InvestorLine Self-Directed *InvestorLine adviceDirect *SmartFolio *Invest App |
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CIBC Investor's Edge *CIBC Investor’s Edge *CIBC Mobile Wealth |
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QuesTrade *Questrade Trading *QuestMobile *Questrade Edge *Questrade Edge Mobile *Questrade Global |
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RBC Direct Investing *RBC Direct Investing Online *Trading Dashboard *RBC Mobile *GoSmart |
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Scotia iTrade *Scotia Online *Trading Desk *Trade Pro *Scotia iTRADE App |
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Wealthsimple |
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Trading platform: the website or app where you invest
A trading platform is the website or app you use to buy and sell investments, monitor your portfolio, and move money in and out of your account. For new investors especially, it should be easy to navigate and understand. A robust trading platform will give you the tools you need – to do research, build watchlists, set up alerts, get real-time data, make trades, and more – based on your experience or comfort level and investment goals.
Here’s a comparison of the trading platforms of the Canadian discount brokerages on our list:
(These platforms are listed in no particular order.)
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Brokerage |
Mobile App |
Trading Platforms |
Advanced Platform for active traders |
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TD Direct Investing online trading platforms: *TD Mobile App *WebBroker *Advanced Dashboard |
TD App lets you:
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WebBroker lets you:
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Advanced Dashboard provides access to:
Active Trader, TD's most powerful platform best suited for active U.S. options traders enables access to:
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TD Easy TradeTM |
TD Easy TradeTM app lets you:
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BMO *InvestorLine Self-Directed *InvestorLine adviceDirect *SmartFolio *Invest App |
The BMO Invest app lets you:
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BMO Investorline lets you:
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BMO Active Trader provides access to:
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CIBC Investor's Edge *CIBC Investor’s Edge *CIBC Mobile Wealth |
CIBC Mobile Wealth lets you:
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CIBC Investor's Edge lets you:
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CIBC Investor's Edge provides access to:
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Questrade *Questrade Trading *QuestMobile *Questrade Edge *Questrade Edge Mobile *Questrade Global |
Quest Mobile lets you:
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Questrade Trading lets you:
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Questrade Edge provides access to
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RBC Direct Investing *RBC Direct Investing Online *Trading Dashboard *RBC Mobile *GoSmart |
RBC Mobile App lets you:
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RBC Direct Investing lets you:
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RBC Direct Investing's active trader program allows you to access:
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Scotia iTrade *Scotia Online *Trading Desk *Trade Pro *Scotia iTRADE App |
ITrade App lets you:
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Scotia Online lets you:
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Scotia iTrade’s Trade Pro provides access to:
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Wealthsimple |
Wealthsimple Trade app lets you:
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Wealthsimple trade lets you:
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Wealthsimple Trade Plus provides access to:
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Account types
Choose a platform with account types that are a good fit for your financial goals. Take your personal circumstances and goals into consideration. How much time do you have to invest? Are you looking for tax benefits? Accounts offered by online brokerage platforms may include:
Registered accounts
Registered accounts offer tax-efficient opportunities to help you achieve goals such as buying your first home, saving for retirement or education or other goals and include:
- TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account)
- FHSA (First-Home Savings Account)
- RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan)
- RESP (Registered Education Savings Plan)
- RRIF- Registered Retirement Income Fun
- RDSP - Registered Disability Savings Plan
Registered accounts have contribution limits. Check to see if you have contribution space.
Non-registered investment accounts
Non-registered investment accounts are useful for short and long-term goals and give you access to tax-efficient opportunities through income like dividends, interest, and capital gains. Non-registered U.S. dollar accounts also let you hold and earn interest on U.S. funds while reducing or avoiding foreign-exchange fees
Locked in accounts
- Locked in accounts, such as a LIRA (Locked-in Retirement Account), heavily restrict withdrawals, which you can only make based on based on specific conditions
Corporate and non-personal accounts
- Accounts typically used by businesses, corporations, and other legal entities, such as holding companies, trusts, and more
Here's a comparison of account types offered by the online brokerage firms on our list.
(These platforms are listed in no particular order.)
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Brokerage |
Registered accounts |
Non- Registered accounts |
Locked in |
Corporate and non-personal |
USD Accounts |
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TD Direct Investing online trading platforms: *WebBroker *Active Trader *Advanced Dashboard *TD Mobile App |
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TD Easy TradeTM |
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BMO *InvestorLine Self-Directed *InvestorLine adviceDirect *SmartFolio *Invest Ap |
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CIBC *CIBC Investor’s Edge *CIBC Mobile Wealth |
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Questrade *Questrade Trading *QuestMobile *Questrade Edge *Questrade Edge Mobile *Questrade Global |
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RBC Direct Investing *RBC Direct Investing Online *Trading Dashboard *RBC Mobile *GoSmart |
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Scotia iTrade *Scotia Online *Trading Desk *Trade Pro *Scotia iTRADE App |
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Wealthsimple |
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Investment types (securities) you can buy and sell
Securities are the investment types that you can buy and sell. A variety of investment types – including equities, such as stocks; debt securities, such as bonds; and derivatives, such as options – helps you manage risk and achieve consistent long-term returns. If you’re new to investing, just two investment types: stocks and ETFs , will give you a mix of accessibility, flexibility, diversification, and the potential for long-term growth.
Here are the securities you can trade in across our list of online brokerage firms.
(These platforms are listed in no particular order)
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Online Trading Platform |
Investment Types (Securities) |
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TD Direct Investing online trading platforms: *WebBroker *Active Trader *Advanced Dashboard *TD Mobile App |
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TD Easy Trade |
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BMO Investor Line *InvestorLine Self-Directed *InvestorLine adviceDirect *SmartFolio *Invest App |
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CIBC *CIBC Investor’s Edge *CIBC Mobile Wealth |
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Questrade *Questrade Trading *QuestMobile *Questrade Edge *Questrade Edge Mobile *Questrade Global |
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RBC Direct Investing *RBC Direct Investing Online *Trading Dashboard *RBC Mobile *GoSmart |
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Scotia iTrade *Scotia Online *Trading Desk *Trade Pro *Scotia iTRADE App |
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Wealthsimple |
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Market data and research tools
Before you make an investment in a stock or ETF, you need to understand whether its profile and performance align with your goals. Access to reliable data can help you make informed decisions and contribute to your investments’ growth over the long term. Market data comes in a range of forms, from real-time data and quotes to research reports to analyst ratings, and more. If you’re new to investing, fundamental company data like revenue, debt levels and competitive advantages is very helpful. So are basic market performance metrics and an understanding of broad economic indicators such as interest rates and industry trends.
Research tools such as watchlists, charting tools, and performance reporting can help you track and screen the companies you’re interested in. If you’re a new investor, p lanning and watchlist tools, as well as educational resources to help build your financial literacy and confidence, may also be helpful .
Here are some of the research reports and tools offered by the brokerages on our list:
(These platforms are listed in no particular order.)
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OnlineTrading Platform |
Research report |
Tools |
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TD Direct Investing *WebBroker *Active Trader *Advanced Dashboard *TD Mobile App |
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TD Easy TradeTM |
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BMO Investor Line *InvestorLine Self-Directed *InvestorLine adviceDirect *SmartFolio *Invest Ap |
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CIBC *CIBC Investor’s Edge *CIBC Mobile Wealth |
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Questrade *Questrade Trading *QuestMobile *Questrade Edge *Questrade Edge Mobile *Questrade Global |
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RBC Direct Investing *RBC Direct Investing Online *Trading Dashboard *RBC Mobile *GoSmart |
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Scotia iTrade *Scotia Online *Trading Desk *Trade Pro *Scotia iTRADE App |
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Wealthsimple |
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Online trading platform FAQs
How do I decide which online investing app or website to use?
Do you want to invest at your desk or on the go from wherever you are? If you want access anytime, an app might be best for you. App, desktop, or combination (some firms offer both) – it should be easy to navigate and understand. If you’re considering an app, things to look for might include:
- Simple design
- In-app help and learning resources to help add to your knowledge and build confidence
- Information that’s there when you need it to help with a specific step or action
Desktop or app, it may be helpful if there’s customer support and learning resources at hand for when you need help navigating or using specific features.
What type of educational/market research should I look for in an online investing app or website?
Online investing apps and websites offer a range of learning resources. New investors may benefit from step-by-step , along with videos, articles, and webinars.
For seasoned investors, tools such as advanced charting and earnings analyzers can be incredibly valuable. However, for novice investors, they may feel overwhelming and add extra complexity. So, if you are a beginner, you might want to consider simple tools that will help you learn and make decisions, such as watchlists to track your favourite stocks, real-time quotes and price alerts to help you make decisions, and a goal planning tool to set goals and track your progress.
How do I decide which accounts to open? What should I consider?
It’s a good idea to invest in accounts that support your life and financial goals. You might also consider the amount of time you have to invest (your time horizon). For example, are you saving for a trip or building an emergency fund? Are you making a long or short-term investment? Here are some of the core registered accounts you might want to consider, plus an unregistered cash trading account:
- TFSA – Tax-Free Savings Account, great for saving for a trip or building an emergency fund
- FHSA – First-Home Savings Account, great for first-time home buyers
- RRSP – Registered Retirement Savings Plan, to help you prepare for retirement
- Cash trading account – ideal for when you have filled up your contribution room or want flexible access
The information contained herein has been provided by TD Direct Investing and is for information purposes only. The information has been drawn from sources believed to be reliable and last updated in January 2026.
The information contained herein has been provided by TD Direct Investing and is for information purposes only. The information has been drawn from sources believed to be reliable. The information does not provide financial, legal, tax or investment advice. Particular investment, tax, or trading strategies should be evaluated relative to each individual's objectives and risk tolerance. The information contained herein is current as of March 2nd, 2026.
TD Easy Trade™ is a service of TD Direct Investing, a division of TD Waterhouse Canada Inc., a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.
TD Direct Investing is a division of TD Waterhouse Canada Inc., a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank.
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