Freetrade vs TD Direct Investing : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

Freetrade

TD Direct Investing

Broker Overview

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

STP broker

None

Years of Existence / Established Year

2016

1984

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

1.5 M

17 M

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FCA

CIPF, CIRO

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online trading platform 2024

No major awards listed

Security Measures

Yes

CIPF

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

6200+ U.S Treasury Bills, Investment trust

Fixed income investments, GICs

Currency Pairs

Commodities

Indices

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

CFDs

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)

Yes

Equities

Yes

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

MT5

cTrader

Social Trading

Yes

Copy Trading

Yes

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Freetrade web and mobile trading platform

TD app, web trader, Advanced dashboard, TD active trader

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Account Types & Conditions

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

General investment account, Stocks and shares ISA, Personal pension account

Margin account, cash trading account, TFSA, RSP, RESP, RIF, LIRA, LIF, RDSP

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

Leverage Available

100:1

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

depends on asset class

Depends on asset types

Commission (per account type)

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

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners and experienced traders

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Bank transfer, debit card, Apple pay, google pay

Direct bank account, Check

Withdrawal Methods

Linked bank account

SWIP, Wire payment

Other E-Wallets Supported

Apple pay , google pay

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

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

Learn (Trading Education), Freetrade Blog (Market Insights), Webinars, Investing Guides, Video Tutorials, Community Forum

Learning Centre - Investing Education, Market Insights and Analysis, Webinars, Investing Guides, Video Tutorials, TD Direct Investing Community Forum

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

FX fee of 0.59%

Commission -mutual funds- $0 , IPOs, Equities- $7.00- $9.99, Stock - $3- $43, Bonds- $40 + $1.50/1,000

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Variable

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

$9.99 + $1.25 per contract

Futures Contract Fees

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

100:1

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Statement or Document Fee

$2-$5

Account Opening Fee

Applicable, Depends on account types

Account Maintenance Fee

£10.97

$25 per quarter

Deposit Fee

£5

$17.50 U.S

Currency Conversion Fee

Exchange rate + 0.99%

2.50%

Withdrawal Fee

£5

$30-$100

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Monday to Friday: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM GMT Monday to Friday: 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET (2:30 PM - 9:00 PM GMT) European Market Hours- Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM CET (8:00 AM - 4:30 PM GMT)

Pre-market trading hours (8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. ET) and after-hours trading (4 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET)

Customer Support

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

24/5

Monday to Friday, 7 am to 10 pm ET

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Help hub, community forum, E-mail, Social media

Phone: 1-800-465-5463, , Book an appointment

Support Languages

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Level 2, The Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, England, E1 6QL

66 Wellington Street West, Toronto, ON M5K 1A2

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.

Freetrade is known for competitive pricing on basic trades, especially for beginners. However, TD Direct Investing fee structure, though slightly higher, covers a broader range of services, making it more suitable for active traders.

Freetrade makes starting out easy with a simple application, especially for retail clients. TD Direct Investing platform, while requiring more effort to join, allows experienced traders to customize their accounts from the start.

New traders may find Freetrade interface more welcoming, while TD Direct Investing appeals to experienced users looking for tools like heatmaps, screeners, and market sentiment overlays.

For market veterans, Freetrade brings the tools they need. New investors might find TD Direct Investing more approachable and cost-effective.

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