Investment Fee Calculator: What Your Broker and Funds Cost Each Year
Our investment fee calculator adds up what your broker, robo-advisor and funds cost you each year, using the published prices of 13 Canadian online brokers and 4 robo-advisors as of October 22, 2026. On our active pattern of two Canadian trades and one US trade a month, six brokers charge $0 in commissions (options and transfer fees still apply) and the most expensive charge $359.64 a year. A robo-advisor on $50,000 costs from $185 to $415 a year with fund costs included. And on $100,000 over 30 years, a 2% yearly fee instead of 0.25% leaves you $227,594.89 less at a 6% example return.
Written by Sharad Gondaliya, CPA CPAChartered Professional Accountant, CPA Ontario No. 61040184
Financial reviewer: Neha Gupta, CFA CFA charterholderReview of this page scheduledAt a glance
What it answers. What you pay in a year for trading commissions, options contracts and account fees at each of 13 Canadian online brokers, what a robo-advisor charges at your balance, and how much a higher fund fee takes from your money over 10, 20 or 30 years.
What you enter. Your Canadian and US stock and ETF trades a month, your options trades and contracts per trade, the amount you would invest with a robo-advisor, and two fee levels to compare on the same savings plan.
Brokers in one line. On two Canadian trades and one US trade a month, Questrade, Desjardins Online Brokerage, Wealthsimple, National Bank Direct Brokerage, Qtrade and BMO InvestorLine cost $0 a year in commissions, while TD Direct Investing and Scotia iTRADE cost $359.64 at their $9.99 standard commission. Options, transfer-out and some balance-based account fees still apply at the $0 brokers.
Robo-advisors in one line. On $50,000, the yearly cost with fund costs included is $185 at Questwealth Portfolios, $325 at Wealthsimple Managed Investing, $350 at RBC InvestEase and $415 at CI Direct Investing.
Fund fees in one line. A fund’s management expense ratio (MER) comes out of your return every year. On $100,000 at a 6% example return, a 1% fee leaves $155,483.09 less after 30 years than no fee, and a 2% fee leaves $270,907.72 less.
What it leaves out. Stock exchange, ECN and regulatory pass-through fees, options exercise and assignment fees, sign-up promotions and sales tax on management fees. Fees that depend on your balance are explained in section 6, because most can be waived.
Calculator 1: yearly broker cost. Enter how often you trade. The calculator totals commissions, options fees and any unavoidable account fee at all 13 brokers and sorts them from cheapest to most expensive.
Calculator 2: robo-advisor fees. Enter the amount you would invest. It adds each robo-advisor’s management fee to the fund costs it publishes for its core portfolios and shows the yearly total in dollars.
Calculator 3: fee drag over time. Enter a starting amount, a monthly contribution, a number of years, an example return and two fees. It grows both scenarios month by month at the return minus each fee and shows the gap at the end.
1. How to Use the Investment Fee Calculator
Canadian and US trades a month. Count every online buy or sell of a stock or ETF as one trade. A monthly purchase of one ETF is 12 trades a year. Selling one holding and buying another to rebalance is two trades. The broker calculator opens on our active pattern: two Canadian trades and one US trade a month, or 36 trades a year. If you trade only a few times a year, enter 1, divide the commission result by 12 to get the price of one trade, then multiply by your trades a year.
Options trades and contracts. One options order is one trade, however many contracts it covers. Enter the usual number of contracts per order, because some brokers charge a base fee per trade, some charge only per contract and some set a minimum per trade. The calculator applies each broker’s formula: the base fee plus the per-contract fee times your contracts, or the minimum if that is higher.
Amount for a robo-advisor. Enter the balance you expect to hold with the robo-advisor. The tool applies each provider’s published fee schedule to that amount and adds the fund costs inside its portfolios. The tool picks the tier from the amount you enter. Wealthsimple’s tiers count the assets you and your household hold in almost all Wealthsimple accounts, so if that total already reaches the $100,000 Premium tier, your real management fee is 0.4%, not the 0.5% Core rate the tool applies to a smaller amount.
Fee drag inputs. The third calculator needs a starting amount, a monthly contribution, the number of years, an example return before fees and two yearly fee levels. Use your fund’s MER for one fee and a cheaper alternative for the other. The return is an example assumption, not a forecast: please try a cautious figure as well as a hopeful one.
Reading the results. The broker table lists every broker from lowest to highest yearly cost and names the cheapest, or all of them when several tie at $0. The robo table shows the management fee, the fund costs and the total in dollars. The fee drag tool shows both ending values and the difference. A tie at $0 is common on stock trades, so the deciding costs are often the ones in sections 5 to 7.
What you need
- Your last 12 months of trade confirmations, or a fair guess of trades a month
- How many of those trades were in US-listed stocks or ETFs
- Your options orders and contracts per order, if you trade options
- Your account balances, by account type
- Your broker’s fee schedule for account and transfer fees
- The MER of each fund you hold, from its Fund Facts or ETF Facts document
- Your robo-advisor balance and its fee tier, if you use one
What you get
- A yearly cost at all 13 brokers for your own trading pattern
- Commissions, options fees and account fees shown separately
- Yearly robo-advisor costs in dollars at any balance
- The split between management fees and fund costs
- The dollar gap between two fee levels over any number of years
- Static reference tables below for every broker, robo-advisor and fee level
2. The Rules Behind the Numbers
Three ways brokers price a stock trade. Seven of the 13 brokers charge $0 commission on online Canadian and US stock and ETF trades: Wealthsimple, Questrade, Webull, Qtrade, National Bank Direct Brokerage, BMO InvestorLine and Desjardins Online Brokerage. Pass-through fees such as the SEC fee on US sales can still apply at several of them, and Webull adds a $0.70 monthly account fee. Two charge per share with a minimum: Interactive Brokers Canada charges CAD 0.01 a share with a CAD 1.00 minimum on Canadian trades, and moomoo Canada charges CA$0.0149 a share with a CA$1.49 minimum. Four charge a flat fee per trade: CIBC Investor’s Edge $6.95, RBC Direct Investing $9.95, and TD Direct Investing and Scotia iTRADE $9.99.
The 40-share order. Per-share pricing needs a share count, so every trade in our tables is a $2,000 order of 40 shares, the same order our broker rating methodology uses. At Interactive Brokers, 40 shares at CAD 0.01 is $0.40, so the CAD 1.00 minimum applies. At moomoo, 40 shares at CA$0.0149 is $0.596, so the CA$1.49 minimum applies. Once an order has enough shares to pass the minimum, it costs more at these two brokers, while a flat-fee broker charges the same.
Trading fee calculator: the options and account fee formulas
Options. Cost per trade = the base fee plus the per-contract fee times the contracts, or the broker’s minimum if that is higher. Yearly cost = cost per trade x trades a month x 12. Our options pattern is four US equity options trades a month of two contracts each, the profile behind our options score. Prices quoted in US dollars, such as US$0.65 a contract, are shown as published.
Account fees. The broker calculator adds only a recurring fee that applies at a typical balance and cannot be waived on published terms. Of the 13 brokers, only Webull has one: $0.70 a month per account, or $8.40 a year. Balance-based and activity-based fees at other brokers are listed in section 6, with the waivers.
Robo-advisors. Management fee = your balance x the rate in the provider’s schedule, applied to the whole balance under a flat tier or slice by slice under a marginal schedule (section 8 shows each one). Fund costs = your balance x the highest MER each provider publishes for its core portfolios, as our robo score does.
Fee drag. Each scenario grows monthly at (return minus fee) / 12, with contributions added at the end of each month. A 6% return with a 2% fee grows at 4% / 12, or 0.333333% a month. The fee is charged on the whole balance, not just on the gain, which is why the gap widens every year.
What is not counted. ECN fees on direct-routed orders, exchange and regulatory fees such as the SEC fee on US sales (Questrade lists it at 0.0000206 times the trade value), ADR custody fees, options exercise and assignment fees, paper statement fees, promotions, and sales tax on management fees. Any of these can add to a real bill, so check your trade confirmations.
- The broker calculator multiplies your monthly Canadian and US trades by 12 and by each broker’s price for a 40-share order.
- It prices each options trade with the base fee, per-contract fee and minimum, then multiplies by your options trades a year.
- It adds any unavoidable recurring account fee.
- It sorts the 13 totals from lowest to highest and names the cheapest broker or brokers.
- The robo calculator applies each fee schedule to your amount and adds fund costs at the published MER.
- The fee drag calculator grows two copies of your plan, one at each fee, and reports the difference.
3. Worked Examples: Three Hypothetical Investors
Each example uses the same prices and formulas as the calculators on this page. The people are invented to show the arithmetic.
This example is hypothetical. Maya has $20,000 in a TFSA and buys one Canadian ETF every month, a 40-share order each time. She wants to know what her broker costs her.
- At TD Direct Investing she pays $119.88 a year ($9.99 x 12 trades).
- That is 0.5994% of her $20,000 balance every year ($119.88 / $20,000), before any fund costs.
- Over 10 years at the same pace, the commissions alone total $1,198.80 ($119.88 x 10), before counting the growth that money would have earned.
- At Interactive Brokers she pays $12.00 a year (40 shares x CAD 0.01 = $0.40, so the CAD 1.00 minimum applies, x 12). At moomoo she pays $17.88 ($1.49 x 12).
- At Questrade, Wealthsimple, Desjardins, National Bank, Qtrade or BMO she pays $0 in commissions and account fees. At Webull she pays $8.40, the account fee ($0.70 x 12).
- If she prefers to stay with TD, its TD Easy Trade service gives each client the first 100 stock and ETF trades of the calendar year at $0, then charges $9.99 a trade, so her 12 trades would cost $0 there.
This example is hypothetical. Dev trades US equity options four times a month, two contracts per order, or 48 trades a year.
- At Desjardins Online Brokerage, two contracts at $1.25 is $2.50, below the $8.75 minimum, so each trade costs $8.75. His year: $8.75 x 48 = $420.00.
- At National Bank Direct Brokerage, the $6.25 minimum applies: $6.25 x 48 = $300.00.
- At Interactive Brokers, two contracts at US$0.65 is US$1.30, above the US$1 minimum: US$1.30 x 48 = US$62.40.
- At TD Direct Investing, each trade costs $9.99 + ($1.25 x 2) = $12.49, so his year costs $599.52 ($12.49 x 48).
- At Wealthsimple and Questrade, US equity options cost $0 per contract with no base fee, so his year costs $0 in commissions. Exercise fees, such as Questrade’s $24.95 or Wealthsimple’s US$45 for an early exercise, still apply if he uses them.
- If he moves up to 10 contracts per order, the minimums stop mattering: National Bank and Desjardins both charge $12.50 a trade ($1.25 x 10), or $600.00 a year, and Interactive Brokers charges US$6.50 a trade, or US$312.00 a year.
This example is hypothetical. Lena wants a robo-advisor for $50,000 and compares the four we rank.
- Questwealth Portfolios: 0.25% x $50,000 = $125 management fee, plus fund costs of up to 0.12% ($60), for $185 a year, or 0.37%.
- Wealthsimple Managed Investing (Core tier): 0.5% x $50,000 = $250, plus up to 0.15% ($75), for $325, or 0.65%.
- RBC InvestEase: 0.50% x $50,000 = $250, plus up to 0.20% ($100), for $350, or 0.70%.
- CI Direct Investing: 0.60% x $50,000 = $300, plus up to 0.23% ($115), for $415, or 0.83%.
- The gap between the lowest and highest is $230 a year ($415 – $185).
- Entered in the fee drag calculator for 20 years at a 6% example return with no further deposits, 0.37% grows her $50,000 to $153,759.52 and 0.83% grows it to $140,302.66, a gap of $13,456.86. Fee tiers can change these rates as a balance grows, so treat this as an estimate.
4. Brokerage Fee Calculator Canada: Yearly Costs at 13 Brokers
This static table shows the yearly totals the brokerage fee calculator above gives for three common patterns. Brokers are listed in the order of our overall ranking, with the overall score from our October 23, 2026 scoring. Every total includes the account fee column, and prices are as of October 22, 2026.
| Rank | Broker | Overall score | One Canadian trade | One US trade | Unavoidable account fee a year | Buy-and-hold: 1 Canadian trade a month | Active: 2 Canadian and 1 US trade a month | Options: 4 trades a month, 2 contracts each |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Questrade | 4.3 / 5 | $0 | $0 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 2 | Desjardins Online Brokerage (Disnat) | 4.3 / 5 | $0 | $0 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $420.00 |
| 3 | Interactive Brokers Canada | 4.2 / 5 | CAD 1.00 | USD 1.00 | $0.00 | $12.00 | $36.00 | $62.40 |
| 4 | Wealthsimple | 4.2 / 5 | $0 | $0 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 5 | National Bank Direct Brokerage | 4.2 / 5 | $0 | $0 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $300.00 |
| 6 | Qtrade Direct Investing | 4.0 / 5 | $0 | $0 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $72.00 |
| 7 | BMO InvestorLine | 3.8 / 5 | $0 | $0 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $86.40 |
| 8 | moomoo Canada | 3.7 / 5 | CA$1.49 | US$1.99 | $0.00 | $17.88 | $59.64 | $62.40 |
| 9 | Webull Canada | 3.2 / 5 | $0 | $0 | $8.40 | $8.40 | $8.40 | $103.44 |
| 10 | CIBC Investor’s Edge | 2.8 / 5 | $6.95 | $6.95 | $0.00 | $83.40 | $250.20 | $453.60 |
| 11 | RBC Direct Investing | 2.7 / 5 | $9.95 | $9.95 | $0.00 | $119.40 | $358.20 | $597.60 |
| 12 | Scotia iTRADE | 2.6 / 5 | $9.99 | US$9.99 | $0.00 | $119.88 | $359.64 | $599.52 |
| 13 | TD Direct Investing | 2.4 / 5 | $9.99 | $9.99 | $0.00 | $119.88 | $359.64 | $599.52 |
Reading the table. Six brokers cost $0 on both stock patterns, so for an ETF buyer the choice comes down to everything else. Our overall score weighs cost at 35%, account types at 15%, US investing at 15%, platform features at 15%, cash and margin at 10% and safety at 10%, which is why two $0 brokers can sit at different ranks. The full rules are on our broker methodology page, and the ranked list with pros and cons is on our best online brokers in Canada page. Webull’s $8.40 is its account fee of $0.70 a month; with a TFSA and an RRSP it doubles to $16.80.
The bank-broker $0 programs. Each flat-fee bank broker has a way to lower the bill. TD Easy Trade gives each client the first 100 stock and ETF trades of the calendar year free, then charges $9.99, so our 36-trade active pattern costs $0 there. RBC GoSmart includes 50 stock and ETF trades a year at $0 across GoSmart TFSA, FHSA and RRSP accounts but does not offer options, and RBC charges $0 on more than 50 select ETFs in all accounts. Scotia iTRADE gives up to 100 $0 trades a year with a Scotiabank Ultimate Package (50 with Preferred), effective September 1, 2026, and charges $0 on more than 200 ETFs; other online trades cost $9.99. CIBC charges $0 to investors aged 18 to 24 with a CIBC Smart Start chequing account, $5.95 to students with Smart for Students, and $0 on more than 180 ETFs. TD Direct Investing charges $0 on select ETFs in digital trades.
Active-trader pricing. At 150 or more trades a quarter, the flat fees fall: $7.00 at TD Direct Investing, $6.95 at RBC, $4.95 at CIBC and $4.99 at Scotia iTRADE (based on the prior quarter). For a trader making 50 Canadian trades a month, or 600 a year, that is $4,200.00 at TD ($7.00 x 600), $4,170.00 at RBC, $2,970.00 at CIBC and $2,994.00 at Scotia. The same 600 trades cost $600.00 at Interactive Brokers on 40-share orders, $894.00 at moomoo ($1.49 x 600) and $0 in commissions at the seven brokers on our commission-free trading platforms list, where Webull’s $8.40 account fee still applies.
Bigger orders at per-share brokers. The minimum sets the price on small orders. A 500-share Canadian order costs $5.00 at Interactive Brokers (500 x CAD 0.01), capped at 0.5% of the trade value, and $7.45 at moomoo (500 x CA$0.0149). On US trades, Interactive Brokers charges USD 0.005 a share with a USD 1.00 minimum and a 1% cap, and moomoo charges US$0.0099 a share with a US$1.99 minimum. If you buy many low-priced shares, per-share pricing can cost more than a flat fee, so work out the cost at your usual share count before you choose.
Found a cheaper broker for your pattern? Compare the full ranked list, then check what it would cost to move.
5. Options Fees by Broker
Options pricing varies more than stock pricing. The table below is ordered by our options ranking, which weighs options cost at 50%, platform features at 25%, cash and margin at 10%, safety at 10% and account types at 5%. Costs are for US equity options; prices quoted in US dollars are marked. The yearly column is contract fees only, so Webull shows US$95.04 here and $103.44 in section 4, where its $8.40 account fee is added.
| Options rank | Broker | Options score | Published pricing | 1 contract | 2 contracts | 5 contracts | 10 contracts | A year on our pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interactive Brokers Canada | 4.6 / 5 | US$0.65 a contract, US$1.00 minimum per order | US$1.00 | US$1.30 | US$3.25 | US$6.50 | US$62.40 |
| 2 | Wealthsimple | 4.3 / 5 | No base fee; US$0 a contract on equity and ETF options | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 3 | Questrade | 4.3 / 5 | $0 base and $0 a contract on US equity options | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 4 | Qtrade Direct Investing | 3.8 / 5 | $0 base plus $0.75 a contract | $0.75 | $1.50 | $3.75 | $7.50 | $72.00 |
| 5 | moomoo Canada | 3.7 / 5 | US$0.65 a contract, US$1.00 minimum per order | US$1.00 | US$1.30 | US$3.25 | US$6.50 | US$62.40 |
| 6 | BMO InvestorLine | 3.7 / 5 | $0.90 a contract, no base fee listed | $0.90 | $1.80 | $4.50 | $9.00 | $86.40 |
| 7 | Webull Canada | 3.4 / 5 | US$0.99 a contract, no base fee | US$0.99 | US$1.98 | US$4.95 | US$9.90 | US$95.04 |
| 8 | National Bank Direct Brokerage | 2.8 / 5 | $1.25 a contract, $6.25 minimum per trade | $6.25 | $6.25 | $6.25 | $12.50 | $300.00 |
| 9 | Desjardins Online Brokerage (Disnat) | 2.4 / 5 | $1.25 a contract, $8.75 minimum online | $8.75 | $8.75 | $8.75 | $12.50 | $420.00 |
| 10 | CIBC Investor’s Edge | 2.1 / 5 | $6.95 base plus $1.25 a contract | $8.20 | $9.45 | $13.20 | $19.45 | $453.60 |
| 11 | TD Direct Investing | 1.9 / 5 | $9.99 base plus $1.25 a contract | $11.24 | $12.49 | $16.24 | $22.49 | $599.52 |
| 12 | RBC Direct Investing | 1.8 / 5 | $9.95 base plus $1.25 a contract | $11.20 | $12.45 | $16.20 | $22.45 | $597.60 |
| 13 | Scotia iTRADE | 1.3 / 5 | $9.99 base plus $1.25 a contract | $11.24 | $12.49 | $16.24 | $22.49 | $599.52 |
Minimums decide small orders. At National Bank, the $6.25 minimum sets the price up to 5 contracts (5 x $1.25 = $6.25). At Desjardins, the $8.75 minimum sets it up to 7 contracts (7 x $1.25 = $8.75). National Bank also caps options trades under $2,000 at $19.95. A trader who buys one or two contracts at a time pays far more per contract at these two brokers than the headline $1.25 suggests.
Base fees decide the bank brokers. At CIBC, TD, RBC and Scotia, the base fee is most of the bill on small orders. At 10 contracts, TD’s $22.49 trade still works out to $2.249 a contract, and CIBC’s $19.45 trade to $1.945. Active traders pay less: $7.00 plus $1.25 a contract at TD, $6.95 plus $1.25 at RBC and $4.95 plus $1.25 at CIBC with 150 or more trades a quarter, and $4.99 plus $1.25 at Scotia iTRADE if you qualify. RBC GoSmart does not offer options.
Canadian options and index options. Questrade charges $0 base and CA$0.99 a contract on Canadian options, so our pattern on Canadian options would cost $95.04 there (48 x $1.98). Interactive Brokers charges CAD 1.25 a contract with a CAD 1.50 minimum, or $120.00 a year on the same pattern (48 x $2.50). On US index options, Questrade charges US$0.99 a contract from September 28, 2026, and Wealthsimple charges per contract: US$1 on SPX, SPXW, VIX and NDX, US$0.50 on RUT and RUTW, and US$0.25 on XSP and DJX. moomoo does not list Canadian options, and Webull does not state them.
Exercise and assignment fees. These are not in the calculator but can matter. Questrade charges $24.95 to exercise, nothing for assignment and a $45 service fee if it liquidates an option on expiry day. Wealthsimple charges US$45 for an early exercise or a do-not-exercise instruction and $0 for automatic exercise and assignment. National Bank charges $28.95 for an assignment or automatic exercise. Qtrade charges a flat $30 for assignment. Webull charges $1 per line item, plus small options regulatory and clearing fees. moomoo charges no fee on exercise or assignment.
Low-premium contracts and promotions. Interactive Brokers charges less per contract on cheap options: USD 0.50 for premiums from USD 0.05 to USD 0.10 and USD 0.25 under USD 0.05. Webull’s options contracts are $0 for the first 3 months for clients who activate options on or after August 1, 2026, then US$0.99 a contract, with exercise and regulatory fees still charged, and Questrade Plus subscribers get CA$0.05 a contract back. Promotions are left out of our tables because they end. Our best options trading platforms page ranks every broker on this pattern.
6. Account Fees and How to Avoid Them
Commissions get the attention, but on a small account a yearly admin fee can cost more than every trade combined. This table lists each broker’s recurring account fees and the published ways to avoid them, in overall rank order.
| Rank | Broker | Recurring account fee | How to avoid it | Other fees to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Questrade | No annual account fee; no inactivity fee at any balance | Nothing to avoid | Questrade Plus is optional at $19.99 a month |
| 2 | Desjardins Online Brokerage (Disnat) | Inactivity fee $30 a quarter. Admin fee: RRSP or LIRA $100 a year under $15,000; RRIF or LIF $100 a year under $25,000; RESP $50 a year under $15,000; none on a TFSA or FHSA | Inactivity fee waived with 6 or more trades in the prior 12 months, a portfolio of $15,000 or more, a registered account, or age 18 to 30 | Trades placed through a representative have a $45 minimum |
| 3 | Interactive Brokers Canada | No inactivity fee listed; no account minimum | Nothing to avoid | Two free withdrawals a calendar month, then CAD 2.00 by EFT or CAD 12.00 by wire |
| 4 | Wealthsimple | $0 to open, close or keep an inactive account | Nothing to avoid | Optional USD account: $10 a month plus tax on Core after a 30-day free trial; included on Premium ($100,000 or more) and Generation ($500,000 or more) |
| 5 | National Bank Direct Brokerage | $100 a year per account root, split across the accounts in it | Waived if, on May 31, you have eligible assets of $20,000 or more, an InvestCube account is your only account, you are age 30 or under, or you are in the professionals or newcomers offer | Unclaimed accounts $100 a year |
| 6 | Qtrade Direct Investing | No quarterly administration fee on the current fee schedule | Nothing to avoid | Closing an account in its first year $100; paper statements $6 a quarter (waived for Investor Plus); formal trust $100 to set up and $50 a year; a USD RSP, RIF or TFSA US$15 a quarter per account (waived for Investor Plus) |
| 7 | BMO InvestorLine | Registered accounts: $0 annual fee below a $25,000 balance; no account minimum fees on non-registered accounts | Nothing to avoid | RRSP and RRIF deregistration, Lifelong Learning Plan and Home Buyers’ Plan withdrawals $0 |
| 8 | moomoo Canada | No monthly, annual or inactivity fees | Nothing to avoid | Each RRSP withdrawal (deregistration) costs CA$50 |
| 9 | Webull Canada | $0.70 a month per account ($8.40 a year) | No published waiver | Registered-plan and transfer fees are charged by CI Investment Services |
| 10 | CIBC Investor’s Edge | $100 a year if your total market balance is $10,000 or less, split across active accounts and charged each September; the FHSA has no annual fee | $0 above $10,000; new clients exempt in the first year; young and student investors with qualifying chequing exempt | None listed beyond commissions |
| 11 | RBC Direct Investing | $0: no quarterly or annual maintenance fee and no minimum balance | Nothing to avoid | None listed beyond commissions |
| 12 | Scotia iTRADE | Low-activity fee $25 a quarter on investment accounts. RSP, RIF, LIRA or LIF $100 a year under $25,000 with fewer than 12 trades a year. RESP $25 a year under $15,000 | Low-activity fee waived above $10,000 of equity, with a commission trade in the prior 3 months, under age 26, for registered accounts, or in the first 6 months | Unclaimed accounts $60 a quarter |
| 13 | TD Direct Investing | $25 a quarter if your household balance is under $15,000; TD Easy Trade has no maintenance fee | Waived with household assets over $15,000, $100 or more a month in pre-authorized contributions, 3 or more commissionable trades in the prior quarter, an RDSP, in the first 6 months, or if your only account is an FHSA | None listed beyond commissions |
The next table prices one small account at every broker. It shows how a balance-based fee can outweigh commissions entirely.
This example is hypothetical. Priya is 40 and holds a $9,000 RRSP, her only account at the firm. The account is more than a year old, she has no bank package and she makes four Canadian trades a year.
| Rank | Broker | Commissions (4 trades) | Account fees | Total a year | Share of $9,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Questrade | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.00% |
| 2 | Desjardins Online Brokerage (Disnat) | $0.00 | $100.00 | $100.00 | 1.11% |
| 3 | Interactive Brokers Canada | $4.00 | $0.00 | $4.00 | 0.04% |
| 4 | Wealthsimple | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.00% |
| 5 | National Bank Direct Brokerage | $0.00 | $100.00 | $100.00 | 1.11% |
| 6 | Qtrade Direct Investing | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.00% |
| 7 | BMO InvestorLine | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.00% |
| 8 | moomoo Canada | $5.96 | $0.00 | $5.96 | 0.07% |
| 9 | Webull Canada | $0.00 | $8.40 | $8.40 | 0.09% |
| 10 | CIBC Investor’s Edge | $27.80 | $100.00 | $127.80 | 1.42% |
| 11 | RBC Direct Investing | $39.80 | $0.00 | $39.80 | 0.44% |
| 12 | Scotia iTRADE | $39.96 | $100.00 | $139.96 | 1.56% |
| 13 | TD Direct Investing | $39.96 | $100.00 | $139.96 | 1.56% |
How the fees in Priya’s case arise. Desjardins charges $100 on an RRSP under $15,000; its inactivity fee does not apply because the account is registered. National Bank charges $100 because her assets are under $20,000 on May 31 and she is over 30. CIBC charges $100 because her total balance is $10,000 or less. TD charges $25 a quarter ($25 x 4 = $100) because her household balance is under $15,000 and one trade a quarter is short of the three needed for a waiver. Scotia iTRADE charges $100 on an RSP under $25,000 with fewer than 12 trades a year.
Some waivers are cheap, some are not. At CIBC, $1,001 more would lift her balance above $10,000 and end the fee. At TD, a $100 monthly pre-authorized contribution waives it. At Scotia, 12 trades a year would remove the $100 fee, but the eight extra trades cost $79.92 ($9.99 x 8), so she would save only $20.08 ($100 – $79.92), and only if she wants those trades anyway. The simplest fix for a small account is a broker with no balance-based fee: Questrade, Wealthsimple, Qtrade and BMO cost $0 in commissions and account fees on this account.
USD account fees. Some brokers charge to add a US-dollar side to a registered account, and that is an account fee you can count. Wealthsimple charges $10 a month plus tax on Core, or $120 a year before tax ($10 x 12), and nothing on Premium or Generation. Qtrade charges US$15 a quarter per USD RSP, RIF or TFSA, or US$60 a year per account, and nothing for Investor Plus clients. Questrade lists no separate fee for US dollars in registered accounts, and National Bank and Desjardins list none for the accounts where they offer it. Our Wealthsimple fees guide and Wealthsimple Core vs Premium vs Generation page explain how its tiers work.
One-off fees. Interactive Brokers gives two free withdrawals a calendar month, then charges CAD 2.00 by EFT or CAD 12.00 by wire. moomoo charges CA$50 for each RRSP withdrawal. Qtrade charges $100 to close an account in its first year. Plan withdrawals and closures around these, and please read your broker’s full fee schedule before you open an account, because a fee missing from our tables is not proof that none exists.
7. Transfer Fees: What It Costs to Move
Moving an account to a cheaper broker usually triggers a transfer-out fee at the old one. Many receiving brokers cover it, often only above a minimum and up to a cap. Here is each broker’s published policy in both directions.
| Rank | Broker | Fee to transfer out | Coverage when you transfer in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Questrade | $150, full or partial | Rebates the other institution’s fee, up to $150 per account, automatically on eligible transfers |
| 2 | Desjardins Online Brokerage (Disnat) | $150 for a total transfer; $25 per security for a partial transfer | Not published |
| 3 | Interactive Brokers Canada | Not published for transfers to other Canadian institutions | Not published |
| 4 | Wealthsimple | $0 | Reimburses the other institution’s transfer-out fee, up to $150 per account, on transfers of $25,000 or more |
| 5 | National Bank Direct Brokerage | $150 per account, full or partial | Reimburses transfer fees depending on the amount invested; threshold not published |
| 6 | Qtrade Direct Investing | $150 | Up to $150 per client on transfers of $15,000 or more, with documentation (Fall Offer 2026) |
| 7 | BMO InvestorLine | Not published | Not published |
| 8 | moomoo Canada | Full $75, partial $50, per currency of the assets, plus sales tax | A promotion article says it typically reimburses $100 on transfers of $10,000 or more; not confirmed in formal terms |
| 9 | Webull Canada | Full $150, partial $50, plus tax, charged by CI Investment Services | Advertises a $150 transfer bonus; terms not shown |
| 10 | CIBC Investor’s Edge | Not published | Not published |
| 11 | RBC Direct Investing | $150 for all account types, except donations of shares | Up to $200 of transfer fees on transfers of $15,000 or more (up to $500 for Royal Circle and Royal Distinction members) |
| 12 | Scotia iTRADE | $150 per transfer, full or partial | Only under the StartRight newcomer offer: a credit of up to $150 per client |
| 13 | TD Direct Investing | $150, full or partial, at TD Direct Investing and TD Easy Trade | Not published |
This example is hypothetical. Omar moves a $30,000 TFSA and a $30,000 RRSP away from a broker that charges $150 per account to transfer out.
- His fees to leave: $150 x 2 accounts = $300.
- At Wealthsimple, each transfer is $25,000 or more and each $150 fee is within its cap of $150 per account, so both fees are reimbursed: $300 covered, $0 left.
- At Questrade, each account gets up to $150: $150 x 2 = $300 covered, $0 left.
- At RBC Direct Investing, the transfer is $15,000 or more, and up to $200 of fees is covered: $300 – $200 = $100 left.
- At Qtrade, the cap is $150 per client: $300 – $150 = $150 left.
- If his new broker cost $119.88 less a year in commissions, even the $150 left at Qtrade would be recovered in about 15 months ($150 / $119.88 = 1.25 years, rounded to two decimals).
Partial transfers cost more per dollar. Desjardins charges $25 per security on a partial transfer, so moving four holdings costs $100. moomoo charges $50 per currency for a partial transfer and $75 for a full one. Webull charges $50 partial and $150 full. Questrade, National Bank, Scotia iTRADE and TD charge the same $150 whether you move part or all of an account. Moving the whole account in one request is usually cheaper and simpler.
Robo-advisors charge transfer fees too. RBC InvestEase charges $150 plus tax to transfer to a non-RBC account and reimburses up to $200 of fees on transfers in of $15,000 or more. CI Direct Investing covers the other institution’s fee, up to $150, on transfers in of $25,000 or more.
Keep registered money registered. A TFSA, RRSP, FHSA or RESP must move by a direct transfer between institutions. If you withdraw the cash and redeposit it yourself, an RRSP withdrawal is taxed and a TFSA redeposit uses new contribution room. Our guide on how to transfer a TFSA, RRSP or investment account walks through the forms and timing, and the reimbursement usually needs a statement that shows the fee, so keep it.
Ready to compare managed options? See every robo-advisor we rank, with fees, accounts and minimums side by side.
8. Robo-Advisor Fees at $10,000, $50,000 and $250,000
A robo-advisor charges two layers: its own management fee, taken from your account, and the MER of the ETFs it buys for you, taken inside the funds. The table ranks the four robo-advisors that publish both, by our robo score, and prices each at three balances.
| Rank | Robo-advisor | Score | Management fee | Fund costs used | Minimum | Total on $10,000 | Total on $50,000 | Total on $250,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wealthsimple Managed Investing | 4.2 / 5 | 0.5% on Core; 0.4% on Premium ($100,000 or more); 0.4% on Generation ($500,000 or more), falling to 0.2% at $10,000,000 or more | Up to 0.15% (Classic portfolios) | From $1 (Core tier) | $65 (0.65%) | $325 (0.65%) | $1,375 (0.55%) |
| 2 | Questwealth Portfolios | 4.1 / 5 | 0.25% on balances from $250 up to $99,999; 0.20% from $100,000 | Up to 0.12% (standard portfolios) | $250 (lowest fee tier) | $37 (0.37%) | $185 (0.37%) | $800 (0.32%) |
| 3 | CI Direct Investing | 3.7 / 5 | 0.60% on the first $150,000; 0.40% on the next $350,000; 0.35% above $500,000 | Up to 0.23% (ETF portfolios) | $100 | $83 (0.83%) | $415 (0.83%) | $1,875 (0.75%) |
| 4 | RBC InvestEase | 3.4 / 5 | 0.50% flat, plus tax, billed monthly | Up to 0.20% (Core portfolios) | Invested once the balance reaches $100 | $70 (0.70%) | $350 (0.70%) | $1,750 (0.70%) |
| Robo-advisor | Management fee on $10,000 | Fund costs on $10,000 | Management fee on $50,000 | Fund costs on $50,000 | Management fee on $250,000 | Fund costs on $250,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wealthsimple Managed Investing | $50 | $15 | $250 | $75 | $1,000 | $375 |
| Questwealth Portfolios | $25 | $12 | $125 | $60 | $500 | $300 |
| CI Direct Investing | $60 | $23 | $300 | $115 | $1,300 | $575 |
| RBC InvestEase | $50 | $20 | $250 | $100 | $1,250 | $500 |
Management fee calculator: how each robo charges
Wealthsimple. The rate follows your tier, and the tier follows total assets at Wealthsimple, not just the managed account. Combined household assets count: two or more clients who share a residential address can form a household. On $250,000 the Premium rate of 0.4% gives $1,000 ($250,000 x 0.004). The same $50,000 portfolio costs $200 in management fees instead of $250 if your household holds $100,000 or more there ($50,000 x 0.004).
Questwealth. A flat tier: once your balance reaches $100,000, the whole balance pays 0.20%. At $250,000 that is $500 ($250,000 x 0.002), and fund costs of up to 0.12% add $300, for $800, the lowest of the four at every balance in the table.
CI Direct Investing. A marginal schedule, blended across all your CI Direct accounts. On $250,000 the fee is $900 on the first $150,000 ($150,000 x 0.006) plus $400 on the next $100,000 ($100,000 x 0.004), or $1,300, which works out to 0.52%. Above $500,000 the extra dollars pay 0.35%.
RBC InvestEase. One flat 0.50% at every balance, plus tax, billed monthly. With fund costs of up to 0.20%, it costs 0.70% before tax whether you hold $10,000 or $250,000. Some providers, like RBC, quote fees plus tax; our tables show every fee before sales tax.
Why the cheapest is not ranked first. Our robo score weighs fees at 45%, account types at 15%, portfolio choice at 15%, advice at 15% and the minimum at 10%. The fee sub-score is 5 minus (total cost % at $50,000 minus 0.35) x 5: 4.9 for Questwealth (0.37%), 3.5 for Wealthsimple (0.65%), 3.25 for RBC InvestEase (0.70%) and 2.6 for CI Direct (0.83%). Wealthsimple ranks first because it scores 5.0 on portfolios and 4.5 on advice, against 3.0 and 2.0 for Questwealth. CI Direct scores 5.0 on advice, because it offers planning advice to every client. See our best robo-advisors in Canada page for the full comparison.
Portfolio choice changes the fund cost. The table uses each provider’s core portfolios. Questwealth’s SRI portfolios have MERs of 0.20% to 0.24% and RBC InvestEase’s Responsible Investing portfolios 0.17% to 0.25%. CI Direct’s Private Investment portfolios list MERs from 0.49% up to 2.92% (as of April 30, 2024). A higher-cost portfolio can add more than the gap between two providers, so check the MER of the exact portfolio you are offered.
Robo-advisors we do not rank. We rank a robo-advisor only when both its management fee schedule and its fund costs are published in text we can verify. BMO SmartFolio does not publish its fee breakpoints or fund costs. Justwealth publishes its fee tiers only as an image; it has a minimum fee of $4.99 a month ($2.50 for RESP, FHSA and RDSP accounts) and a $5,000 minimum except for RESPs and FHSAs. We could not confirm that TD Automated Investing, Nest Wealth or Qtrade Guided Portfolios currently accept new retail clients.
9. MER Calculator Canada: Fund Fee Drag Over 10, 20 and 30 Years
What an MER is. The management expense ratio is a fund’s yearly cost as a percentage of its assets: the manager’s fee, the fund’s operating costs and the sales tax on them. It is deducted inside the fund, so it never appears as a charge on your statement, and the fund’s published returns are already after it. The Fund Facts document for a mutual fund, or the ETF Facts document for an ETF, states the MER along with a separate trading expense ratio for the fund’s own trading costs.
How the tables below work. Every figure starts with $100,000 invested once, with no further deposits, grown monthly at the example return minus the fee, exactly as the fee drag calculator does. The returns of 4%, 6% and 8% a year are example assumptions, not forecasts, and real returns vary from year to year. The fee levels are examples too; use your own fund’s MER in the calculator.
| Yearly fee | After 10 years | After 20 years | After 30 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00% | $181,939.67 | $331,020.45 | $602,257.52 |
| 0.25% | $177,469.18 | $314,953.10 | $558,944.69 |
| 0.50% | $173,107.64 | $299,662.56 | $518,738.78 |
| 1.00% | $164,700.95 | $271,264.03 | $446,774.43 |
| 1.50% | $156,699.28 | $245,546.64 | $384,769.80 |
| 2.00% | $149,083.27 | $222,258.21 | $331,349.80 |
| 2.50% | $141,834.48 | $201,170.20 | $285,328.72 |
| Yearly fee | Less after 10 years | Less after 20 years | Less after 30 years | Share of the no-fee value lost at 30 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25% | $4,470.49 | $16,067.34 | $43,312.83 | 7.2% |
| 0.50% | $8,832.03 | $31,357.89 | $83,518.74 | 13.9% |
| 1.00% | $17,238.72 | $59,756.42 | $155,483.09 | 25.8% |
| 1.50% | $25,240.40 | $85,473.81 | $217,487.72 | 36.1% |
| 2.00% | $32,856.41 | $108,762.24 | $270,907.72 | 45.0% |
| 2.50% | $40,105.19 | $129,850.24 | $316,928.80 | 52.6% |
| Example return before fees | Gap after 10 years | Gap after 20 years | Gap after 30 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $23,294.15 | $62,319.77 | $125,360.94 |
| 6% | $28,385.91 | $92,694.89 | $227,594.89 |
| 8% | $34,579.33 | $137,784.33 | $412,793.89 |
Fees paid versus growth lost. At a 6% example return and a 1.00% fee, the fee itself takes $69,354.89 from the $100,000 over 30 years. The total shortfall is $155,483.09, so the other $86,128.20 is growth those fee dollars would have earned if they had stayed invested. At 2.00%, the fees paid are $115,674.90 and the growth lost is another $155,232.82, for the $270,907.72 total. The longer the horizon, the more of the cost is lost growth rather than the fee you can see.
Low returns make fees heavier. At a 4% example return, a 2.00% fee takes half of every year’s return before compounding. After 30 years, $100,000 grows to $182,120.90 at a 2.00% fee against $331,349.80 with no fee. A fee is a fixed percentage of your balance, so it bites hardest in conservative portfolios, such as bond-heavy or balanced funds, where returns are usually expected to be lower.
The calculator’s default case. The fee drag calculator opens with $25,000 to start, $300 a month, 25 years and a 6% example return. At a 0.25% fee the plan ends at $304,973.59; at 2.00% it ends at $222,082.99, a gap of $82,890.60. The compound interest calculator shows the same plan with no fee and a year-by-year table.
Registered accounts do not shelter fees. A TFSA or RRSP protects growth from tax, but a fund’s MER and a robo-advisor’s fee are charged inside the account all the same. On a $100,000 TFSA, a 1.00% fee still costs $155,483.09 over 30 years at a 6% example return. Our guides to the TFSA and the RRSP explain the tax side, and the TFSA room calculator and RRSP tax refund calculator help you size contributions.
What to do with your result. Find the MER of each fund you own, add any account or advisory fee, and enter that total as one fee in the fee drag calculator. Enter a lower-cost alternative as the other. Then ask what the gap buys: advice, planning, rebalancing or nothing you could not do yourself. If you are new to building a portfolio, our step-by-step guide to investing in Canada covers the choices, and our best investing apps page compares platforms for regular investing.
10 Ways to Cut Your Investing Costs
Price your own pattern first
The cheapest broker for a monthly ETF buyer is not always the cheapest for an options trader. Enter your real trades, contracts and balances in the calculators above. Rankings use standard patterns; your bill uses yours, and the gap between brokers can run to hundreds of dollars a year.
Buy ETFs with $0 commissions
Six brokers charge $0 on both of our stock patterns with no unavoidable account fee: Questrade, Desjardins, Wealthsimple, National Bank, Qtrade and BMO. Options, transfer-out and balance-based fees can still apply. A monthly buyer who moves from a $9.99 broker saves $119.88 a year in commissions alone.
Use the bank broker’s $0 program
If you want to stay with your bank, ask about its $0 route: TD Easy Trade’s first 100 trades a year, RBC GoSmart’s 50, Scotia iTRADE’s banking-package trades, CIBC’s $0 stock and ETF trades for Smart Start clients aged 18 to 24, or each bank’s list of $0 ETFs. Options still carry the base fee.
Clear balance thresholds
Balance-based fees disappear at set levels: $10,000 at CIBC, $15,000 at TD and at Desjardins for an RRSP, $20,000 at National Bank on May 31, and $25,000 for Scotia iTRADE RSP, RIF, LIRA and LIF accounts. A small top-up before the test date can save $100.
Hold accounts where waivers count together
TD looks at household assets, CIBC at your total market balance and National Bank at all accounts in an account root. Wealthsimple tiers count household assets, so a couple can reach the $100,000 Premium tier together and cut the managed fee from 0.5% to 0.4%.
Make fewer, larger purchases
At a flat-fee broker, a $9.99 commission is 1.998% of a $500 purchase but 0.4995% of a $2,000 purchase. If you must pay commissions, save up and buy less often. At a $0-commission broker, small frequent purchases add no commission.
Size options orders around minimums
At National Bank, one to five contracts all cost $6.25. At Desjardins, one to seven cost $8.75. Splitting an order into smaller pieces multiplies base fees and minimums. Check exercise and assignment fees too, for example $0 at moomoo, $24.95 to exercise at Questrade and US$45 for an early exercise at Wealthsimple.
Judge a robo by its total fee
Add the management fee to the fund costs. On $50,000, that total is $185 at Questwealth and $415 at CI Direct. Then compare what each adds: CI Direct offers planning advice to every client, Questwealth does not describe client advice, and Wealthsimple has the widest portfolio range.
Watch the fee tiers
Questwealth drops to 0.20% at $100,000, Wealthsimple to 0.4% at $100,000 of household assets, and CI Direct charges 0.40% on the slice from $150,000 to $500,000. Consolidating with one provider can move you into a cheaper tier on every dollar.
Never pay a transfer fee twice
Before you move, check the receiving broker’s coverage: up to $150 per account on $25,000 or more at Wealthsimple, up to $150 per account at Questrade, up to $200 on $15,000 or more at RBC. Move whole accounts, not single holdings, and keep the statement that shows the fee.
Investment Fee Calculator FAQ
How does the investment fee calculator work?
The investment fee calculator has three parts. The broker tool multiplies your monthly Canadian, US and options trades by each broker’s published price for a 40-share order, adds any unavoidable account fee and sorts all 13 brokers by yearly cost. The robo tool applies each robo-advisor’s fee schedule to your balance and adds fund costs. The fee drag tool grows two copies of your plan at the return minus each fee and shows the gap.
Which online broker in Canada has the lowest fees?
On our buy-and-hold and active patterns, six brokers cost $0 a year in commissions and unavoidable account fees: Questrade, Desjardins Online Brokerage, Wealthsimple, National Bank Direct Brokerage, Qtrade and BMO InvestorLine. Options, transfer-out and balance-based fees can still apply. Webull also charges $0 commissions but adds $0.70 a month per account. For US equity options, Wealthsimple and Questrade charge $0 per contract, before exercise fees. Questrade ranks first overall at 4.3 / 5. The lowest-cost broker for you depends on your trades and balances.
Are $0 commission brokers really free?
No. A $0 commission covers the stock or ETF trade itself. You can still pay options contract fees, a $150 transfer-out fee at most brokers, account fees such as Webull’s $0.70 a month, $10 a month for a USD account on Wealthsimple Core, and US pass-through fees such as the SEC fee on sales. Uninvested cash also earns 0% at several brokers, including Questrade, Qtrade and National Bank.
How much does a robo-advisor cost in Canada?
With fund costs included, a robo-advisor on $50,000 costs $185 a year at Questwealth Portfolios, $325 at Wealthsimple Managed Investing, $350 at RBC InvestEase and $415 at CI Direct Investing, as of October 22, 2026. On $10,000 the totals are $37, $65, $70 and $83. Rates fall at higher balances at Questwealth, Wealthsimple and CI Direct, but not at RBC InvestEase, which charges a flat 0.50% plus tax.
What is the difference between a management fee and an MER?
A management fee is charged on your account balance by the robo-advisor or advisor and shows on your statement. A fund’s MER is charged inside the fund, so it never appears as a separate line; the fund’s returns are already reduced by it. At a robo-advisor you pay both. For example, Questwealth charges a 0.25% management fee on balances under $100,000, and its standard portfolios have MERs of up to 0.12%.
How much does a 2% MER cost over 30 years?
On $100,000 with no further deposits and a 6% example return before fees, a 2.00% fee leaves $331,349.80 after 30 years, against $602,257.52 with no fee: $270,907.72 less. Against a 0.25% fee, the gap is $227,594.89. At an 8% example return, the gap with 0.25% grows to $412,793.89. These returns are assumptions for illustration, not forecasts.
How can I avoid account maintenance fees at a broker?
Choose a broker with no balance-based fee, such as Questrade, Wealthsimple, Qtrade, BMO InvestorLine or RBC Direct Investing, or meet the waiver. CIBC’s $100 yearly fee ends above $10,000. TD’s $25 a quarter is waived above $15,000 of household assets or with $100 a month of pre-authorized contributions. National Bank waives its $100 fee with $20,000 of assets on May 31 or for clients aged 30 or under.
Do brokers charge a fee to transfer out?
Most do. Questrade, Desjardins, National Bank, Qtrade, RBC, Scotia iTRADE and TD charge $150 for a full transfer, and Webull charges $150 for a full transfer or $50 for a partial one. moomoo charges $75 per currency for a full transfer. Wealthsimple charges $0. Many receiving brokers cover the fee: Wealthsimple up to $150 per account on transfers of $25,000 or more, Questrade up to $150 per account, and RBC up to $200 on transfers of $15,000 or more.
How much do options trades cost at Canadian brokers?
For a two-contract US equity options trade, Wealthsimple and Questrade charge $0 in contract fees, Interactive Brokers and moomoo US$1.30, Qtrade $1.50, BMO $1.80 and Webull US$1.98. Minimums raise the price at National Bank ($6.25) and Desjardins ($8.75), and base fees at CIBC ($9.45), RBC ($12.45), and TD and Scotia iTRADE ($12.49). Four such trades a month cost from $0 to $599.52 a year, before exercise and assignment fees.
How often are the fees in this calculator updated?
We re-check prices when a provider announces a change. The fees in this investment fee calculator were checked on October 22, 2026, and the scores shown come from our October 23, 2026 scoring. Our editorial standards explain how we source and date every figure, and our page on how WealthScale makes money explains why no provider can pay to change a score or a position.
Narrowed it down to two brokers? Compare them side by side on fees, accounts and features before you open or move an account.
Figures on this page were checked against each provider’s published pricing on October 22, 2026. We update this page when a figure changes.
Meet the Experts Behind WealthScale
Sharad is a CPA Ontario member (No. 61040184) and a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Washington and Montana, with more than 15 years in accounting and tax, a Diploma in Banking and Finance and a Certificate in Small Business Finance. He checks WealthScale content against primary sources. WealthScale is independent of his firm, Gondaliya CPA Professional Corporation, and provides general information only, not personal financial, investment, tax or legal advice.
- Chartered Professional Accountant, CPA Ontario
- Certified Public Accountant, Washington (No. 57629) and Montana (No. PAC-CPAP-LIC-033176)
- Writing on tax and registered accounts since 2021
- Reader’s Choice Award 2025 Winner, Best Accountant (Toronto)
Neha Gupta is a CFA charterholder based in Winnipeg who has worked in financial markets since December 2005. She has published more than 2,600 investment articles and is Head of Operations and Finance at Whiteland Real Estate. She reviews WealthScale’s investing pages for accuracy.
- CFA charter, CFA Institute (awarded 2023)
- Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (Finance), 2008
- In financial markets since December 2005
- More than 2,600 published investment articles
General information only. Not financial, investment, tax or legal advice. WealthScale is independent and is published by WealthScale Media Inc., 55 Queen St E, Suite 1205, Toronto, ON M5C 1R6. CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.