Collections / Brokers that accept Canadian residents
Questrade vs Wealthsimple
A directory Keep / Gain / Lose map for Canada brokerage / self-directed trading — options fees, FX, and registered accounts. Not a ranking, not a “#1,” not a cheapest-broker shootout, and not financial advice. Published commissions are fee facts, not signals.
What this page answers
People searching questrade vs wealthsimple usually want a Canada-resident fit split between two live brokerage listings: equities commissions, US equity options fees, CAD options / index options where published, FX, TFSA / RRSP / FHSA, residency / eligibility, and optional managed or Plus products. This page is a directory comparison — it repeats fee facts already sourced on our live reviews and rechecked on official pages. We do not invent hands-on claims. We do not promise profit. We do not tell you which broker to open.
Both products are brokers (accounts you can open), not charting SaaS seats. Confirm commissions and eligibility on each official site before you apply. Related Canada collection: brokers that accept Canadian residents. For Keep / Gain / Lose neighbor maps, see Questrade alternatives and Wealthsimple alternatives. Neighbor notes only — not third table columns: Interactive Brokers (Canada entity), tastytrade (Canada NOT SUPPORTED), and Thinkorswim (Canadian eligibility unverified on that review).
Who each is for
- Questrade — Canada self-directed brokerage with published $0 equities, $0 US equity options, and dated CAD / US index options rows.Start here if the job is a Canada-focused brokerage with TFSA / RRSP / FHSA on official account-types, dual-currency accounts, $0 online stock/ETF commissions, $0 US equity options, CAD 0.99 CAD equity options, and US index options at US$0.99/contract from market open 2026-09-28 (now in effect on this page’s 2026-09-29 recheck; offers capture 2026-09-25). Optional Questrade Plus is $19.99/month on pricing. Skip if you need a U.S.-resident retail on-ramp (Photo ID Help: U.S. residents unable to open accounts in most cases) or assumed $0 on every options product. Live review; empty
affiliate_url— CTA goes to the official site. - Wealthsimple — Canada-resident brokerage with Trade $0 equities / US$0 equity options plus optional managed Invest.Start here if the job is a Canada-resident brokerage with TFSA / RRSP / FHSA on Trade, $0 commissions on listed stocks/ETFs, US$0 equity/ETF options, and optional managed Invest (Core 0.50% / Premium 0.40% AUM) on the same firm — offers capture 2026-09-11; Trade / Invest fee pages rechecked 2026-09-29. Skip if you need a U.S.-residency broker on-ramp (Help: live in Canada) or assumed free index options / futures. Live review; empty
affiliate_url— CTA goes to the official site.
Canada self-directed retail — options ladder vs Trade + Invest
Both products are brokerage / commissions trading platforms for Canada residents — accounts you can open — not payoff diagram builders and not SaaS Pro seats sold separately from the broker. Official Questrade marketing centers self-directed commissions, optional Plus, and registered account types. Official Wealthsimple marketing centers Trade commissions, client tiers (Core / Premium / Generation), and optional managed Invest on the same firm. Treat packaging labels as vendor marketing and confirm-on-the-product when you apply — this directory does not rank which packaging is better.
- Questrade leans self-directed Canada brokerage with a published options fee ladder ($0 US equity; CAD 0.99 CAD-listed; US$0.99 US index from 2026-09-28), FX 1.5%, exercise $24.95, and optional Plus at $19.99/mo.
- Wealthsimple leans Canada-resident Trade at $0 equities and US$0 equity/ETF options, with published index/futures rows, tiered USD account FX, and optional managed Invest AUM on the same firm.
Skip Questrade if you mainly want Wealthsimple’s managed Invest AUM packaging as the primary story, assumed $0 CAD / US index options, or a U.S.-resident on-ramp. Skip Wealthsimple if you mainly want Questrade’s dated CAD / US index options ladder + Plus cashback / journaling packaging, or assumed free index options / futures. Neither listing is a ranking of who is cheapest.
Compare table
Commissions below are from official public pages as captured on each listing’s offers / last_verified date (Questrade offers 2026-09-25; Wealthsimple offers 2026-09-11; this page rechecked official pricing 2026-09-29). Standing dollars still match those live reviews on the recheck — we did not silently rewrite tool-review offers[]. They are not a score. Confirm before you open an account or place a trade.
Pricing recheck (2026-09-29) — match. Questrade pricing + transaction fees still show Free stocks/ETFs, CAD options CAD 0.99, US index USD $0.99/contract from market open 2026-09-28 (now in effect), FX 1.5%, Plus $19.99/mo. Wealthsimple en-ca/pricing + legal/fees/trade + legal/fees/invest still show Trade equities $0, equity/ETF options US$0, SPX/SPXW US$1, futures US$1, FX 1.5% without USD account, USD account Core $10 + tax, Invest Core 0.50% / Premium 0.40%. No delta requiring offer rewrites.
| Questrade | Wealthsimple | |
|---|---|---|
| Directory status | Live review (last_verified 2026-09-25) | Live review (last_verified 2026-09-11) |
| Primary job | Use a broker — Canada self-directed brokerage + registered accounts (+ optional Plus) | Use a broker — Canada-resident brokerage + registered accounts (+ optional managed Invest) |
| Equities commissions | CAD & US listed stocks/ETFs online $0 / Free | Listed US & Canadian stocks/ETFs $0 |
| US equity / ETF options | $0/contract (all customers; Plus CAD 0.05 cashback is a benefit, not a commission) | US$0/contract (Core / Premium / Generation) |
| CAD / index options | CAD equity options CAD 0.99/contract; US index US$0.99/contract from market open 2026-09-28 (in effect on 2026-09-29 recheck) | Index ladder on Trade schedule — SPX/SPXW US$1; VIX US$1; XSP US$0.25; RUT/RUTW US$0.50; NDX US$1.00; DJX US$0.25 (CAD-listed options row not typed as a standing $0 equity-options claim here) |
| FX / USD cash | Currency conversion USD/CAD 1.5%; dual-currency accounts marketed; online journaling $9.95/request (free unlimited with Plus) | FX from CAD without USD account 1.5%; USD-account cash conversions tiered 1.5% / 1.0% / 0.5% / 0% by size; USD account Core $10/mo + tax after trial |
| Registered accounts | TFSA / RRSP / FHSA (+ RESP, LIRA, RRIF, cash, margin on account-types) | TFSA / RRSP / FHSA (+ other registered / non-registered types on Trade) |
| Residency / eligibility | Canadian brokerage; Photo ID Help — U.S. residents unable to open accounts in most cases | Canada residents only (Help eligibility — live in Canada, SIN, age of majority) |
| Optional / managed products | Questrade Plus $19.99/mo; Questwealth Portfolios marketed (managed AUM ladder unverified as standing offers on the live review) | Managed Invest Core 0.50% / Premium 0.40% AUM (Generation 0.2%–0.4% on schedule) |
| Skip if | You need a U.S.-resident on-ramp, assumed $0 CAD / US index options, or Wealthsimple’s managed Invest AUM as the primary story | You need a U.S.-resident on-ramp, assumed free index options / futures, or Questrade’s dated CAD / US index + Plus packaging as the primary story |
| Official / CTA | Try Questrade | Try Wealthsimple |
Questrade and Wealthsimple links use the official sites (empty affiliate_url on both directory listings — no FTT tracked deep link). This directory may earn a commission if you buy through links. There is no affiliate link on this page yet. This button goes to the official homepage. This directory may earn a commission if you buy through links. There is no affiliate link on this page yet. This button goes to the official homepage.
Keep Questrade when…
Keep Questrade when the job is a Canada self-directed brokerage with published $0 stock/ETF commissions, $0 US equity options, CAD 0.99 CAD equity options, US index options at US$0.99/contract from market open 2026-09-28, FX 1.5%, exercise $24.95, and TFSA / RRSP / FHSA on account-types (offers last_verified 2026-09-25; transaction schedule rechecked 2026-09-29). Optional Plus at $19.99/month adds published cashback / free journaling language — not a requirement to use the base schedule.
Gain vs switching to Wealthsimple: keep Questrade’s dated CAD / US index options ladder and Plus packaging without treating managed Invest AUM as the primary product. Lose or watch out: you do not get Wealthsimple’s published managed Invest Core 0.50% / Premium 0.40% AUM story as the same-firm secondary product framing here; CAD options and US index options are not free; U.S. residents unable to open accounts in most cases on Photo ID Help. Plus free-to-try language through 2026-09-30 on Options FAQ is body/FAQ only — not a standing offers[] SKU.
Keep Wealthsimple when…
Keep Wealthsimple when the job is a Canada-resident brokerage with TFSA / RRSP / FHSA on Trade, $0 stock/ETF commissions, US$0 equity/ETF options, published index/futures rows, and optional managed Invest at Core 0.50% / Premium 0.40% AUM (offers last_verified 2026-09-11; official fee pages rechecked 2026-09-29).
Gain vs switching to Questrade: keep Wealthsimple’s Trade + managed Invest packaging on one firm and the US$0 equity/ETF options framing without Plus as a monthly add-on. Lose or watch out: you do not get Questrade’s published CAD 0.99 / US index US$0.99 ladder as the primary options story; index options and futures are not free; FX 1.5% without a USD account (and Core USD account $10/mo + tax) can dominate small US trades; eligibility is Canada residents only.
Neighbor note — Interactive Brokers / tastytrade / Thinkorswim
Interactive Brokers (global Pro/Lite + Interactive Brokers Canada TFSA/RRSP/FHSA), tastytrade (U.S. commissions; Canada NOT SUPPORTED), and Thinkorswim (Schwab platform suite; Canadian eligibility unverified) appear on the live reviews and alternatives maps as neighbors. They are not third columns on this table and not ranking claims here. Soft-deprioritize Market Chameleon — this page does not deepen MC. If you chart on TradingView, Questrade is named on TradingView’s official pages for broker connections; Wealthsimple is not named there. For Keep / Gain / Lose maps, see Questrade alternatives and Wealthsimple alternatives.
How to use this comparison
- Pick the packaging job: self-directed options fee ladder + optional Plus (Questrade), or Trade $0 / US$0 equity options + optional managed Invest (Wealthsimple).
- Check residency first — both are Canada stories; neither is a U.S. retail on-ramp. Confirm Photo ID / Help eligibility before you apply.
- Read the live reviews for Questrade and Wealthsimple, plus Questrade alternatives and Wealthsimple alternatives.
- Browse use a brokerage account and brokers that accept Canadian residents for every tagged listing. Confirm commissions on official pages before you apply.
Official sources used
- Questrade — live review sources on /tools/questrade/ (questrade.com/pricing, transaction fees, Options FAQ, account-types, Photo ID Help). Claims on this comparison only repeat what that review already sourced, plus a 2026-09-29 recheck that still shows Free stocks/ETFs, US equity options $0, CAD options CAD 0.99, US index US$0.99 from market open 2026-09-28, FX 1.5%, Plus $19.99/mo. Empty affiliate_url.
- Wealthsimple — live review sources on /tools/wealthsimple/ (en-ca/pricing, legal/fees/trade, legal/fees/invest, Help eligibility). Standing dollars (offers last_verified 2026-09-11; rechecked 2026-09-29): equities $0; equity/ETF options US$0; SPX/SPXW US$1; futures US$1; Invest Core 0.50% / Premium 0.40%; USD account Core $10 + tax. Empty affiliate_url.
Third-party video roundups and vendor-vs marketing pages are demand signal or vendor framing only. They are not a source of prices, rankings, or advice on this page.
Canada note
Both listings are Canada brokerage / registered-account stories on brokers that accept Canadian residents. Wealthsimple Help requires living in Canada. Questrade Photo ID Help says U.S. residents, in most cases, are unable to open accounts. TFSA / RRSP / FHSA appear on both official account-type surfaces for eligible clients — contribution room and tax treatment are outside this directory. Do not invent brokers-in-us availability for either listing. Confirm entity and fees on official sites before you apply.
FAQ
- What does Questrade vs Wealthsimple cost / pricing?
- Both publish $0 online commissions on listed stocks & ETFs (CAD and US). Questrade standing options (offers last_verified 2026-09-25; official transaction schedule rechecked 2026-09-29): US equity options $0/contract; CAD equity options CAD 0.99/contract; US index options US$0.99/contract from market open 2026-09-28 (now in effect on the 2026-09-29 recheck); FX 1.5%; options exercise $24.95; optional Plus $19.99/month. Wealthsimple standing Trade (offers last_verified 2026-09-11; legal/fees/trade rechecked 2026-09-29): equity & ETF options US$0/contract; index options SPX/SPXW US$1 (other index rows on the schedule); futures US$1; FX 1.5% from a CAD account without a USD account; USD account Core $10/mo + tax; managed Invest Core 0.50% / Premium 0.40% AUM. Prefer Questrade when you want the published CAD options / US index ladder + Plus packaging; prefer Wealthsimple when you want US$0 equity/ETF options plus optional managed Invest on the same firm. Confirm before you trade — dollars here only repeat our directory captures.
- Questrade vs Wealthsimple for options traders — who fits?
- Fit map, not a ranking. Questrade’s published options story centers $0 US equity options, CAD 0.99 CAD-listed options, and US index options at US$0.99/contract (flat from market open 2026-09-28). Wealthsimple’s Trade schedule centers US$0 equity/ETF options with published index rows (SPX/SPXW US$1 and others) plus futures US$1. Both are Canada brokerage accounts with TFSA / RRSP / FHSA on official account-type marketing — not charting SaaS. See Keep / Gain / Lose above and each live review.
- Does Questrade or Wealthsimple work for Canada residents / U.S. residents?
- Both are Canada brokerage stories. Wealthsimple Help eligibility requires living in Canada (citizen or valid Canadian visa), age of majority, and a valid SIN — not licensed for people living outside Canada. Questrade is a Canadian brokerage with TFSA / RRSP / FHSA on account-types; official Photo ID Help says U.S. residents, in most cases, are unable to open Questrade accounts. Neither listing is a U.S. retail brokerage on-ramp. Confirm eligibility on official Help before you apply.
- Do both support TFSA / RRSP / FHSA?
- Yes on official marketing for eligible clients. Questrade account-types list TFSA, RRSP, FHSA, RESP, LIRA, RRIF, cash, margin, and others. Wealthsimple Trade lists TFSA, RRSP, FHSA, and other registered / non-registered types. Contribution room, tax treatment, and CRA rules are outside this directory comparison — confirm with CRA guidance and each broker’s account docs. Not financial advice.
- How do FX and USD accounts differ?
- Both publish 1.5% currency conversion in common CAD↔USD paths. Questrade: USD/CAD conversion 1.5% on the transaction schedule; dual-currency / journaling ($9.95 per online request, or free unlimited with Plus) is marketed as an alternate FX path. Wealthsimple: 1.5% when trading US-listed from a CAD account without a USD account; cash conversions into/out of a USD account are tiered 1.5% / 1.0% / 0.5% / 0% by size; USD account Core is $10/mo + tax after a published 30-day trial (complimentary on Premium / Generation). Confirm live fees on official pages before you convert.
- Is this a ranked Questrade vs Wealthsimple page?
- No. There is no “#1,” no star rating, and no paid placement order. Keep / Gain / Lose is a job-fit map against our live directory reviews — who should stay on each broker seat, what you gain or lose on a swap, and what public commissions look like. Dollars are directory captures only (Questrade offers 2026-09-25; Wealthsimple offers 2026-09-11; this page recheck 2026-09-29); confirm on the vendor site before you apply. This site is a directory of software and account products, not financial advice — commissions are fee facts, not a claim that switching brokers improves results.
Listings in this comparison
Order is Questrade → Wealthsimple. That order matches the search query, not a score.
Related collections: Tools for using a brokerage account · Brokers that accept Canadian residents. Neighbor maps: Questrade alternatives · Wealthsimple alternatives. Compare index: Comparisons.