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

Broker Name

HFM

HFM

VS
Questrade

Questrade

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Broker Overview

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

Market maker broker

ECN

Years of Existence / Established Year

2010

1999

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

2500000 clients

Info not available


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FSC, CySEC, DFSA, FCA, ISA, FSCA, MAS, CMA, FMA

CIRO

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Global Affliiate Programs 2024, Best Trading Accounts Global, Best Stock Broker 2023, Best Trading Platform Broker

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

Security Measures

Civil Liability insurance program with a limit of €5,000,000

CIPF

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

No

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Yes


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Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Over 500 markets including energies

GICs IPOs

Currency Pairs

Yes

Yes

Commodities

Yes

Yes

Indices

Yes

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

Yes

CFDs

Yes

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

No

Yes

Futures

No

No

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

No

Yes

Fractional Shares

No

No

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

No

No

Precious Metals

Yes

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

No

No

Equities

No

Yes


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Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

Yes

MT4

Yes

No

MT5

Yes

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

Yes

No

Copy Trading

Yes

No

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

HFM Platform, Web trading, Mobile trading

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

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes


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Account Types & Conditions

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

Cent, Zero, Pro , Premium, Corporate, Joint 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

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Yes

No

Minimum Deposit

$0

$250

Leverage Available

1:1000- 1:2000

NA

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

60/ 200 Standard lots per position depends on account types

Varies by instrument

Commission (per account type)

$0

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)

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Bank Transfers, Wire transfers, Credit/Debit cards,Crypto, e-Wallets

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 Transfers, Wire transfers, Credit/Debit cards,Crypto, e-Wallets

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

Other E-Wallets Supported

FasaPay, Neteller

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

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

Webinars, eBooks and Guides, Video Tutorials

TradingView TipRanks OptionsPlay Multileg options trading


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Spread: starts from 0.0- 1.2 pips, commissions: $0.03 per 1k lot, Commission for Forex: $0.03 - $3, gold: $7- $14

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)

Variable

Fixed

Per Lot Fees

NA

$1 per contract for options

Options Contract Fees

NA

$9.95 + $1 / contract

Futures Contract Fees

NA

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

$0

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

34:20:00

NA


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$10 inactive for 90 days

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

$0

$0

Advisory Fees

NA

$0

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

$0

Yes

Statement or Document Fee

NA

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

Account Opening Fee

$0

$0

Account Maintenance Fee

$0

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

Deposit Fee

$0

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

1.50%

Withdrawal Fee

$0

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


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Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

No

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Varies by instrument

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


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Customer Support

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

24/5

24x5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Live support: Available 24/5, Email : [email protected], Phone: +44-203 097 85 71

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

27+

2


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

financial hub of Limassol, Cyprus

Toronto, Ontario Canada

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

No

No


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.
While HFM maintains low trading fees with no minimum deposit, Questrade includes some charges for premium features and certain asset trades, making HFM the better option for budget-focused traders.
HFM offers a quick and paperless account setup that appeals to traders on the go, whereas Questrade more involved onboarding process adds an extra layer of safety and regulatory checks.
New traders may find HFM interface more welcoming, while Questrade appeals to experienced users looking for tools like heatmaps, screeners, and market sentiment overlays.
HFM supports complex strategies and asset diversity, while Questrade offers clarity and low-cost access for long-term holders.