Qtrade Direct Investing review

A stock trade costs CAD 0 and the account fee is CAD 0, so dealing and holding carry no commission between them. For a buy and hold investor the fee is not what drives the outcome, market prices are. The account is therefore straightforward to cost before any money goes in.

An options contract costs CAD 0, and options sit inside the stocks, etfs and options list, so the contract price is the figure to check. Share dealing is separate and runs at CAD 0, while the account fee is CAD 0. Nothing further is listed for a direct investing account.

The regulators listed for the brand are Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) and Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). That pairs the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization with the Canadian Investor Protection Fund, so the account sits inside the Canadian framework rather than a UK or European one. A reader outside Canada should weigh the jurisdiction, not just the fee.

The listed markets are stocks, etfs and options. That gives you individual shares and ETFs alongside options, bonds and funds, which covers most of a long term holding plan. The range stops there, so forex, CFDs and crypto sit outside what the account offers.

Trading runs on web and mobile, so the same account works in a browser and on a phone. A mobile app and a demo account are both listed among the account features, which is enough to place an order and rehearse one before committing money.

The listed audience is experienced and beginners, so the account is pitched at both newcomers and experienced investors. Fees do not change with experience: the stock trade fee is CAD 0 and the account fee is CAD 0, so a first investment and a long running one sit on the same pricing.

Support runs on email, phone and help centre, which covers email, a phone line and a help centre. That gives you a written answer or a direct route to a person without leaving the account. Live chat is not among the listed channels, so a fast typed answer is not part of the offer.

Across the stock brokers listed, the site median for retail accounts that lose money is 72.03%. That figure is a category level one rather than anything specific to Qtrade, and it is the reason a commission-free account still needs a plan behind it.