Best Self-Directed Brokers in Canada
Wealthsimple Trade
Best for Beginners
Completely free for Canadian stocks and ETFs
Fractional shares available for big names
1.5% currency conversion fee on US trades
Questrade
Best Overall Value
Low commissions for selling ($4.95 - $9.95)
Hold USD in your RRSP and TFSA accounts
Advanced tools for serious traders
National Bank Direct Brokerage
Best Bank Platform
Zero commission on all stocks and ETFs
Solid bank-level security and integration
Minimum balance requirement to waive flat fee
How to Start Self-Directed Investing
Open an Account
Choose between a non-registered account, or tax-advantaged ones like a TFSA or RRSP. Most sign-ups take less than 10 minutes online.
Fund Your Account
Connect your bank account and transfer funds. Most brokers support Interac e-Transfers for instant funding up to certain limits.
Define Your Strategy
Are you a value investor? A dividend seeker? Or a "set and forget" ETF investor?
For beginners, we highly recommend broad-market ETFs (like VGRO or XEQT) which provide instant diversification across thousands of global companies.