Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
BMO InvestorLine vs Trading 212
BMO InvestorLine vs Trading 212: the differences
| Compare |  BMO InvestorLine | Trading 212 ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | CA$0 | £0 |
| Account fee | CA$0 | £0 |
| Inactivity fee | CA$0 | £0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | £1 |
| Regulators | Not confirmed | Financial Conduct Authority, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) |
| Investor protection | Not confirmed | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.4% to 1.6% | Not confirmed |
| Margin rate | 8.75% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | CA$0.90 | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | $0 EFT, $10 wire | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | Trading 212 App, Web Platform |
| Account types | Not confirmed | ISA, SIPP, Joint |
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Key differences
- BMO InvestorLine scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.3.
- Founded is lower at BMO InvestorLine: 1988 vs 2006.
- Markets: only BMO InvestorLine offers Options, Bonds, Funds.
- Markets: only Trading 212 offers Forex, CFDs.
- Features: only BMO InvestorLine offers Options.
- Features: only Trading 212 offers Fractional shares, Demo account.
Our verdict on each
BMO InvestorLine
BMO InvestorLine suits Canadian investors who want a bank-backed broker without account or inactivity charges, trading stocks and ETFs commission free. What sets it apart is the pairing of a CAD 0 stock trade fee with a CAD 0 account fee, though currency conversion and options add cost.
Trading 212
Trading 212 suits UK and European beginners who want flat costs: a stock trade fee of £0, an account fee of £0 and an ISA, SIPP and joint account. Forex and CFDs share the same menu, so the easy entry is the reason to look closer, not to trade heavily.
Score breakdown
| Area | BMO InvestorLine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Commission-free stock and ETF trades, no account fee and no inactivity fee, with options and margin priced separately at CAD 0.90 and 8.75%. | 9.3HigherCharges sit at the floor: £0 on a trade, £0 on the account, £0 when idle. |
| Offer | 9.2 | 9.2 |
| Trust | 9.6Higher | 9.5 |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | BMO InvestorLine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 43 of 490 | 74 of 490 |
| Low-fee brokers | 6 of 11 | 9 of 11 |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | BMO InvestorLine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32 |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Where these facts come from
BMO InvestorLine
- finder.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- newsroom.bmo.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- hellosafe.ca: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- stockwatch.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- wowa.ca: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Trading 212
- en.wikipedia.org: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | BMO InvestorLine | Trading 212 |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app, Options | Fractional shares, Demo account, Mobile app |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | Trading 212 Markets Ltd |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Cyprus |
| Founded | 1988Lower | 2006 |
| Support channels | Phone, Chat | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | BMO InvestorLine | Trading 212 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | £1lowest quarter | £25 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.4% to 1.6%at the median | Not confirmed | 0.4 |
| Margin rate | 8.75%below the median | Not confirmed | 8.79% |
| Options contract fee | CA$0.90at the median | Not confirmed | CA$0.90 |
Median across 25 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
BMO InvestorLine
Pros
- Stock and ETF trades cost CAD 0 and the account fee is CAD 0, so holding a portfolio costs nothing.
- The inactivity fee is CAD 0, so an untouched account is not charged.
- Support runs on phone and chat, giving a phone line and live chat.
Cons
- Margin borrowing is priced at 8.75%, so a leveraged position carries a borrowing cost.
- Options contracts carry a fee of CAD 0.90 each.
- Currency conversion is the hidden cost, at 0.4% to 1.6%, and deposits and withdrawals run $0 EFT, $10 wire.
Trading 212
Pros
- Nothing to pay for holding or for going quiet: the account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0.
- Trading shares costs £0, the same stock trade fee eToro lists at $0, so the trade price is not the reason to move.
- The entry of £1 sits under the $5 Vantage asks for, which matters for a first transfer.
Cons
- The market list pairs shares and ETFs with forex and CFDs in stocks, etfs and forex, so a platform aimed at beginners, beginners, also carries leveraged products.
- The fee sheet is the easy part: retail accounts lose money at 70.15% across the brokers compared, and a £0 trade cost does not remove that risk.
- The money side runs through Trading 212 Markets Ltd in Cyprus, registered with the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission as MiCA CASP 21380045KC28948FNE32, so a UK saver is dealing with a Cyprus entity alongside the UK one.
Who each suits
BMO InvestorLine
Who it suits
- Investors who want a long term stock, ETF, bond and fund portfolio without a standing account charge.
- Traders who mainly trade Canadian equities and want phone and chat support for questions.
- Anyone already inside a bank relationship who values a long operating history.
Who should look elsewhere
- Day traders who live in currencies other than the Canadian dollar and would feel the 0.4% to 1.6% on every conversion.
- Options buyers who place frequent contracts and would pay CAD 0.90 each time.
- Leveraged traders, because margin costs 8.75%.
Trading 212
Who it suits
- Beginners and small regular investors who want a low bar to entry, since the minimum deposit is £1 and the app and demo account in fractional shares, demo account and mobile app support a cautious start.
- UK and European savers who care about holding cost, because the account fee of £0 and the inactivity fee of £0 leave the account free to sit and free to open.
- Savers who want a tax-wrapped and shared holding together, since isa, sipp and joint covers an ISA, a SIPP and a joint account under one provider.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for forex and CFD traders who want a deeper market list: Trading 212 stops at stocks, etfs and forex, while eToro and Vantage cover more of the leveraged side.
- Not for anyone who needs a no-cost opening: CFI takes a minimum deposit of $0 against the £1 asked here.
- Not for savers who want a bigger spread of wrappers: the account range is listed as isa, sipp and joint, which does not stretch to every tax-sheltered account type.
Questions about each
BMO InvestorLine
How much does it cost to open and hold a BMO InvestorLine account?+
The account fee is CAD 0 and the inactivity fee is CAD 0, so there is no standing or dormant charge on the account. Stock and ETF trades themselves cost CAD 0. The costs that do appear are on currency conversion, options and margin.
What does it cost to trade a stock or an ETF?+
Stock and ETF trades are commission free, priced at CAD 0. The platform is listed as a commission-free model. Costs appear elsewhere: currency conversion at 0.4% to 1.6%, options at CAD 0.90 per contract, and margin at 8.75%.
Trading 212
What is the minimum deposit to open a Trading 212 account?+
The published minimum deposit is £1, low enough to open and fund in one step. That entry sits under the €4.64 level seen across the brokers compared here, and under the $5 Vantage asks for, so a small first transfer is enough to get going.
Does Trading 212 charge for keeping an account open or leaving it idle?+
The account fee reads £0 and the inactivity fee reads £0, so neither holding the account nor letting it sit dormant is billed on the published sheet. The €10 inactivity level across the brokers compared sits well above that floor, which is where dormant-account charges usually show up.