Comparison of Interactive Brokers and Questrade
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | Questrade |
|---|---|---|
| Broker | ||
| Year Founded | 1977 | 1999 |
| Broker Type | DMA | DMA |
| Dealing | A-book | A‑book |
| Execution | Market | Market |
| Regulation | SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, CIRO, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS | CIRO |
| Platforms | Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, IBKR GlobalTrader, FXTrader | Questrade Edge, Questrade Trading, QuestMobile, Questrade Global |
| Spread | ⬊ Low | ⬊ Low |
| Maximum Leverage | 1:50 | 1:20 |
| Minimum Deposit | $1 | $250 |
| Base Currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, JPY, HKD, SGD, SEK, NOK, DKK, NZD, PLN, HUF, CZK, MXN, ZAR, TRY, ILS, KRW, CNH, AED, SAR, MYR, TWD | CAD, USD |
| Funding Methods | Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay | Bank Wire, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), Pre‑authorized Deposit, Online Bill Payment, Visa Debit |
| Inactivity Fee | ✖ | ✖ |
| Interest on Margin | ✔ | ✖ |
| Withdrawal Fee | First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10 | ✖ |
| Investor Protection | SIPC, FSCS, ICS | CIPF |
| Protection Size | $500 000 / £85 000 | CAD 1000000 |
| Segregated Accounts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Negative Balance Protection | ✔ | ✖ |
| Guaranteed Stop Loss | ✖ | ✖ |
| Copy Trading | ✖ | ✖ |
| VPS | ✖ | ✖ |
| MAM/PAMM | ✖ | ✖ |
| Scalping Allowed | ✔ | ✔ |
| EAs/Robots | ✔ | ✔ |
| Depth of Market (DOM) | ✔ | ✔ |
| Tradable Assets (CFDs) | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Forex, Bonds, Mutual Funds, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, CFDs | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual Funds, Bonds, Precious Metals, Forex, CFDs |
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Questrade Review |
About Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a global multi-asset broker founded in 1977. Regulated on four continents, IBKR offers direct market access to 150+ exchanges in 33 countries, tight pricing on FX, and some of the lowest commissions in the industry. Clients trade via the powerful Trader Workstation, streamlined Client Portal, or mobile apps, choose from 20+ base currencies, and benefit from SIPC/FSCS investor protection and ESMA-mandated negative balance protection for CFDs.
Pros
- Tier-1 regulation in the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, Asia
- Access to 150+ markets across 33 countries and 26 currencies
- Ultra-low spreads and volume-based commissions
- Advanced Trader Workstation plus simple mobile & web platforms
- No minimum deposit for cash accounts and no inactivity fee
- Negative balance protection for EU retail CFD traders
Cons
- Minimum FX order size ~ 20 000 units limits small accounts
- Trader Workstation has a steep learning curve
- No credit/debit-card funding options
- Customer support is not 24/7
About Questrade
Questrade is Canada’s leading discount broker, founded in 1999. Regulated by CIRO and protected by CIPF, it lets Canadian residents trade stocks, ETFs, options, bonds and 110+ forex pairs from a single account. With commission‑free equity trades, spreads from 0.8 pips on FX and advanced Questrade Edge platforms, it appeals to both long term investors and active traders.
Pros
- Commission‑free stock & ETF trades
- 110+ FX pairs with tight 0.8 pip targets
- Advanced Questrade Edge desktop and web platforms
- CIPF protection plus extra private insurance
- Fractional shares and wide range of registered accounts
Cons
- Accounts available to Canadian residents only
- No direct crypto trading (ETFs only)
- No negative‑balance protection
- Limited funding methods for non‑bank transfers
Interactive Brokers & Questrade Regulation
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | Questrade |
|---|---|---|
Companies | Interactive Brokers LLC, Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Ltd, Interactive Brokers Ireland Ltd, Interactive Brokers Canada Inc., Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd, Interactive Brokers Hong Kong Ltd, Interactive Brokers India Pvt. Ltd, Interactive Brokers Securities Japan Inc, Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte. Ltd | Questrade, Inc., Questrade Wealth Management Inc. |
Countries | United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia | Canada |
Regulators | SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, CIRO, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS | CIRO |
Investor Protection | SIPC, FSCS, ICS | CIPF |
Investor Protection Size | $500 000 / £85 000 | CAD 1000000 |
Publicly Traded | ||
Segregated Accounts | ||
Guaranteed Stop Loss | ||
Negative Balance Protection |
Companies
Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers LLC, Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Ltd, Interactive Brokers Ireland Ltd, Interactive Brokers Canada Inc., Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd, Interactive Brokers Hong Kong Ltd, Interactive Brokers India Pvt. Ltd, Interactive Brokers Securities Japan Inc, Interactive Brokers Singapore Pte. Ltd
Questrade
Questrade, Inc., Questrade Wealth Management Inc.
Countries
Interactive Brokers
United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia
Questrade
Canada
Regulators
Interactive Brokers
SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, CIRO, ASIC, SFC, SEBI, JFSA, MAS
Questrade
CIRO
Investor Protection
Interactive Brokers
SIPC, FSCS, ICS
Questrade
CIPF
Investor Protection Size
Interactive Brokers
$500 000 / £85 000
Questrade
CAD 1000000
Publicly Traded
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Segregated Accounts
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Negative Balance Protection
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Account Types
| Account | Interactive Brokers | Questrade |
|---|---|---|
DMA Account | ||
| Account Name | IBKR Pro | FX & CFD |
| Min Deposit | $0 | $250 |
| Lot Size | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Spread Type | Floating | Floating |
| Execution | Market | Market |
| Min Spread | 0.1 | 0.8 |
| Fee | $4 per 1 lot | No |
| Max Leverage | 1:50 | 1:20 |
| Stop Out | 50% | 50% |
| Margin Call | 100% | 80% |
| Additional Features | ||
| Demo Account | ||
| VIP Account | ||
| Swap-Free Account | ||
| Copy Trading | ||
| VPS | ||
| PAMM/MAM Accounts | ||
DMA Account
Account Name
Interactive Brokers
IBKR Pro
Questrade
FX & CFD
Min Deposit
Interactive Brokers
$0
Questrade
$250
Lot Size
Interactive Brokers
0.01
Questrade
0.01
Spread Type
Interactive Brokers
Floating
Questrade
Floating
Execution
Interactive Brokers
Market
Questrade
Market
Min Spread
Interactive Brokers
0.1
Questrade
0.8
Fee
Interactive Brokers
$4 per 1 lot
Questrade
No
Max Leverage
Interactive Brokers
1:50
Questrade
1:20
Stop Out
Interactive Brokers
50%
Questrade
50%
Margin Call
Interactive Brokers
100%
Questrade
80%
Additional Features
Demo Account
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
VIP Account
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Swap-Free Account
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Copy Trading
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
VPS
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
PAMM/MAM Accounts
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Funding and Fees
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | Questrade |
|---|---|---|
Base currencies | USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, JPY, HKD, SGD, SEK, NOK, DKK, NZD, PLN, HUF, CZK, MXN, ZAR, TRY, ILS, KRW, CNH, AED, SAR, MYR, TWD | CAD, USD |
Deposit and withdrawal methods | Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay | Bank Wire, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), Pre‑authorized Deposit, Online Bill Payment, Visa Debit |
Inactivity fee | ||
Interest on margin | ||
Withdrawal fee | First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10 |
Base currencies
Interactive Brokers
USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, CHF, JPY, HKD, SGD, SEK, NOK, DKK, NZD, PLN, HUF, CZK, MXN, ZAR, TRY, ILS, KRW, CNH, AED, SAR, MYR, TWD
Questrade
CAD, USD
Deposit and withdrawal methods
Interactive Brokers
Bank Wire, ACH, SEPA/Bank Transfer, Check, Wise/Instarem, Online Bill Pay
Questrade
Bank Wire, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), Pre‑authorized Deposit, Online Bill Payment, Visa Debit
Inactivity fee
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Interest on margin
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Withdrawal fee
Interactive Brokers
First withdrawal each month free; subsequent bank wires ~ $10
Questrade
Trading Platforms and Conditions
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | Questrade |
|---|---|---|
Trading Platforms | Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, IBKR GlobalTrader, FXTrader | Questrade Edge, Questrade Trading, QuestMobile, Questrade Global |
Execution Speed | 4 ms | 10 ms |
Scalping | ||
Expert Advisors (EAs) | ||
Depth of Market (DOM) | ||
Spread | low | low |
Trading Platforms
Interactive Brokers
Trader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Mobile, Client Portal, IBKR GlobalTrader, FXTrader
Questrade
Questrade Edge, Questrade Trading, QuestMobile, Questrade Global
Execution Speed
Interactive Brokers
4 ms
Questrade
10 ms
Scalping
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Expert Advisors (EAs)
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Depth of Market (DOM)
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Spread
Interactive Brokers
low
Questrade
low
Trading Assets
| Asset | Interactive Brokers | Questrade |
|---|---|---|
Currencies | 87 | 110 |
Indices | 23 | 15 |
Stocks | 8139 | 8000 |
Cryptocurrencies | 11 | 0 |
Bonds | 87 | 100 |
Metals | 4 | 10 |
Energies | 10 | 5 |
Soft Commodities | 15 | 0 |
ETFs | 532 | 3000 |
Currencies
Interactive Brokers
87
Questrade
110
Indices
Interactive Brokers
23
Questrade
15
Stocks
Interactive Brokers
8139
Questrade
8000
Cryptocurrencies
Interactive Brokers
11
Questrade
0
Bonds
Interactive Brokers
87
Questrade
100
Metals
Interactive Brokers
4
Questrade
10
Energies
Interactive Brokers
10
Questrade
5
Soft Commodities
Interactive Brokers
15
Questrade
0
ETFs
Interactive Brokers
532
Questrade
3000
Education and Analytics
| Feature | Interactive Brokers | Questrade |
|---|---|---|
Economic Calendar | ||
Indicators | ||
Robots | ||
Signals | ||
Autochartist | ||
Expert Analytics | ||
News Feed | ||
Education Articles | ||
Webinars | ||
Seminars |
Economic Calendar
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Indicators
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Robots
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Signals
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Autochartist
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Expert Analytics
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
News Feed
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Education Articles
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Webinars
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Seminars
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Customer Support
| Contact | Interactive Brokers | Questrade |
|---|---|---|
Email | help@interactivebrokers.com | support@questrade.com |
Phone | +18774422757 | +18887837866 |
Facebook | ||
LinkedIn | ||
YouTube | YouTube | YouTube |
Instagram | ||
Twitter | ||
TikTok | — | TikTok |
Email
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
Phone
Interactive Brokers
Questrade
TikTok
Interactive Brokers
—
Questrade
Which Broker is Better?
After comparing Interactive Brokers and Questrade, Interactive Brokers comes out ahead as our overall pick. It ranks higher in our internal scoring and delivers a stronger balance of pricing (spreads/fees), platform experience, and product range. That said, the runner-up may still be a better fit if you prioritize specific needs—like a particular account type, funding method, or niche instruments. This is not financial advice; always choose a broker that matches your goals and local regulatory requirements.
More Comparisons
Interactive Brokers Comparisons
Questrade Comparisons
Andriy Bondarenko
Broker Analyst
Andriy is a seasoned expert in broker reviews with over a decade of experience in finance and trading. Under his leadership, the team produces in-depth and unbiased analyses of leading trading platforms.