TradingCritique

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

Broker Name

Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers

VS
Questrade

Questrade

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Broker Overview

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

Market maker

ECN

Years of Existence / Established Year

1993

1999

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

3.12M

Info not available


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Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

SEC, FINRA, NYSE, FCA, FINMA, CFTC, MAS, SFC, CBI, IIROC, JFSA, MiFiD

CIRO

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Best Online Broker for Advanced Traders in 2024, Professional Trading 2024, #1 Best Online Broker in 2023, Best for Advanced Traders, Best Online Broker in 2024, Best Stock Broker for International Trading

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

Security Measures

SIPC

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)

150 Markets including Forecast and event contracts, Spot currencies,US spot Gold, Hedge funds

GICs IPOs

Currency Pairs

Yes

Yes

Commodities

No

Yes

Indices

No

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

Yes

Yes

CFDs

No

Yes

ETFs

Yes

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Yes

Options

Yes

Yes

Futures

Yes

No

Bonds

Yes

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

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

No

No

MT5

No

No

cTrader

No

No

Social Trading

No

No

Copy Trading

Yes

No

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

IBKR global Trader, Client Portal, Desktop, Mobile, Trader workstation, APIs, Forecast Trader, IMPACT

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.)

Individual, Joint, Trust, IRA and UGMA/UTMA Accounts, Non-Professional Advisor Accounts, Family Office Accounts, Small Business Accounts, Advisor Accounts, Money Manager Accounts, Broker & FCM Accounts, Proprietary Trading Group Accounts, Hedge Fund & Mutual Fund Accounts, Compliance Officers, Administrators, Institutional Hedge Fund Investors

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

10:1 to 50:1

NA

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

EUR 5,000,000

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)

Beginner to advanced traders

Beginners


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Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

ACH transfer, Link a new bank account, Bank wire, Transfer from wise balance, Scan a check , Mail a check, SEPA

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

ACH, Check, Direct debit, Transfer to wise balance, Canadian ETF transfer, SEPA

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

Other E-Wallets Supported

No

No


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Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Yes

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

Traders' Academy (Online Courses), IBKR Webinars, Market Insights and Analysis, Trader's University (Video Tutorials), IBKR Quant Blog (Quantitative Trading), Customer Education (Trading Guides)

TradingView TipRanks OptionsPlay Multileg options trading


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Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

IBKR Lite: Commission-free U.S. stocks, ETFs, and specific mutual funds, IBKR Pro: $0.005 per share, minimum $1 per trade

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 spread

Fixed

Per Lot Fees

NA

$1 per contract for options

Options Contract Fees

$0.65/contract

$9.95 + $1 / contract

Futures Contract Fees

$0.85

NA

Markup Fees on Spread

$1.50

NA

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

NA

NA

Maximum Leverage

50:1

NA


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Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

$0

$0

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

NA

$0

Advisory Fees

It depends up on the account type

$0

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

over $10 million free

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

$0.03

1.50%

Withdrawal Fee

$10 outgoing wire transfer fee

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)

Yes

No


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Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

9:30 AM - 4:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday Overnight trading hours: 8:00 PM ET - 3:50 AM ET, Sunday through Friday

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)

24/7

24x5

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Phone: 1 (888) 919-0022, E-mail: [email protected], Live chat

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

33

2


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Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Greenwich, Connecticut

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.
Interactive Brokers stands out for its zero-commission trading model, appealing to cost-conscious investors. In contrast, Questrade offers more comprehensive services with slightly higher fees, especially for advanced tools and asset classes.
Creating an account with Interactive Brokers is generally faster and more user-friendly, often taking just a few minutes, while Questrade requires more detailed steps and identity verification, which may suit more cautious investors.
If you're trading on-the-go, Interactive Brokers mobile platform is fluid and intuitive. Questrade desktop and web apps are more robust, making them suitable for in-depth trading sessions.
Interactive Brokers supports complex strategies and asset diversity, while Questrade offers clarity and low-cost access for long-term holders.