CMC Markets vs Questrade : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

CMC Markets

Questrade

Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

Market maker

ECN

Years of Existence / Established Year

1989

1999

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

265k+

Info not available

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FCA, ASIC, CIRO, MAS, FMA

CIRO

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Mobile Trading Platform, No.1 Most Currency Pairs, Best for CFDs -2024, No.1 Web Platform, Best Forex Broker, Best In-House Analysts 2023

DALBAR seal of service excellence in 2024 for the 6th consecutive year Canada's #1 rated online broker by MoneySense

Security Measures

FSCS

CIPF

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

12,000+ tradable instruments including shares, Treasuries

GICs IPOs

Currency Pairs

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Precious Metals

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Equities

Yes

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

Yes

MT5

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

CMC web platform, iOS and Android app

All-in-One Platforms Questrade Trading Quest MobileAdvanced Trading Platforms Questrade Edge Mobile Questrade Edge Questrade Global

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

Spread betting, CFD account , FX active, Corporate account

Tax-Free Savings Account - TFSA Registered Retirement Savings Plan - RRSP First Home Savings Account - FHSA Registered Education Savings Plan - RESP

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

$250

Leverage Available

30:1 to 1:500

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

No information

Varies by instrument

Commission (per account type)

Standard - No commission, FX active account- $2.50

Casual Traders (Basic) Stocks - $4.95 to $9.95 Options - $9.95 + $1 / contract ETFs - Free(sell 1c/share min $4.95 to max $9.95)Options and day traders (Fixed) Stocks - $4.95 to $9.95 Options - $4.95 + $0.75 / contract ETFs - Free (sell for $4.95 per trade)Volume traders (Variable) Stocks - $4.95 to $9.95 (min $0.01 to max $6.95) Options - $6.95 + $0.75 / contract ETFs - Buy for free (sell 1c/share min $4.95 to max $9.95)

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Professional and retail traders

Beginners

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking

Instant deposit (Visa & Interac Debit cards) - CAD only Online banking bill payment - CAD only Pre-authorized deposit - CAD & USD Transfers from other brokers - CAD & USD Wire transfer - CAD & USD Non-certified cheque - CAD & USD Stock certificate

Withdrawal Methods

Bank transfer, Debit/credit card, Online banking

EFTs (CAD or USD) Wire transfers (CAD or USD)

Other E-Wallets Supported

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Learn spread betting, Learn to trade CFDs, Learn forex trading, technical indicators, Fundamental analysis, Webinars & events, Platform guides, Trading guides

TradingView TipRanks OptionsPlay Multileg options trading

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

CFD trading -US shares from $10; FX active - US shares from $10; Typical STP: Spread of 1.2 pips, Typical ECN: Spread of 0.2 pips, Spread- starts from 0.0 to 0.6 pips, Overnight holding costs: 0.0027%

Stocks 1C / share (min $4.95 to max $9.95) ETFs Buy Free. Sell 1C / share (min $4.95 to max $9.95) Mutual funds - $9.95 per trade International equities - 1% of trade value Precious metals - $19.95 / trade Notes & debentures - $0.10 per $1,000 par value FX & CFDs - pips as low as 0.08

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Fixed/Variable

Fixed

Per Lot Fees

$2.50

$1 per contract for options

Options Contract Fees

$9.95 + $1 / contract

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

$5.00 per $100,000 in nominal value

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Crude Oil Brent $0.02 per unit, Apple Inc $0.41 per unit, US 30 $1.50 per unit, GBP/USD $0.00015 per

Maximum Leverage

1:500

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

ASX Dynamic Data package $41.25 a month (non-professional investors) $118.80 a month, International Data service fees (US) $11, International Data service fees (NZ) $11, Live Data package Free

Advisory Fees

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

estatement - free Copy of statement - $20 Unclaimed property - $29.95 per quarter Regular mail - $10

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

Portfolio fees 0.25% with a balance of $1000 - $99,999 0.20% with a balance of $100,000+

Deposit Fee

CAD EFT upto $50,000 - free USD EFT upto $25,000 - free CAD Wire transfer - $20 USD wire transfer - $30 International wire transfer - $40

Currency Conversion Fee

0.50%

1.50%

Withdrawal Fee

EFTs - Free Wire transfer - $20 CAD for CAD wire $30 USD for USD wire $40 USD/CAD for international wires

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Depends on the instrument offer

North Americal Stock Markets 9:30am to 4pm ET Pre-market hours - 7am to 9:30am Post-market hours - 4pm to 8pm

Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm

24x5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Email: [email protected], Phone: +44 (0)20 7170 8200

Toll-free Canada - 1.866.980.9590 From US - 1.416.227.6911FX & CFDs Chat hours: Monday - Thursday 8:3-am to 8pm EST, Friday 8:30am to 5:30pm EST Ph: 416.227.6913 Toll-free Canada - 1.866.980.9591

Support Languages

12+

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

CMC Markets UK plc, 133 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7BX, United Kingdom

Toronto, Ontario Canada

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.

Both CMC Markets and Questrade offer affordable fee structures, but CMC Markets generally edges out with no inactivity fees and lower commissions on standard trades, whereas Questrade shines with bundled research and platform access.

CMC Markets uses a digital-first onboarding approach with clear instructions and fast ID verification. Questrade goes a step further with manual checks and optional account tiers, ideal for serious professionals.

New traders may find CMC Markets interface more welcoming, while Questrade appeals to experienced users looking for tools like heatmaps, screeners, and market sentiment overlays.

For market veterans, CMC Markets brings the tools they need. New investors might find Questrade more approachable and cost-effective.

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