How to buy Costco (COST) stock from Canada

Nikita Sheth avatar
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Andrew Boyd avatar
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Updated 12 Oct 2023

Costco (NYSE: COST) is one of America's leading big-box retailers. The company has nearly 215,000 employees and continues to see strong growth in the post-pandemic era.

If you want to buy COST stock, this guide gives you everything you need to know to prepare for your first trade from Canada.

About the company

Costco overview

Founded in 1983 by James Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman, Costco offers a unique, membership-only model to its customers. The company is the fifth-largest retailer globally, offering traders the opportunity to profit from steady growth in the company's earnings and stock price.

Unsure about what trading platform to use?

Where to buy Costco stock

Qtrade Direct Investing™

On website

Apply by October 31, 2025

Qtrade Direct Investing™

Highlights

  • Low trading fees with no hidden costs and consistently competitive pricing across Canadian markets.
  • Clean and intuitive platform with robust tools for stock screening, charting, and portfolio tracking.
  • Trade on the go with the new Qtrade app, featuring options trading, portfolio insights, alerts, and a sleeker design.
  • Options Lab simplifies complex strategies into step-by-step guided selections.
  • Stay informed with a personalized AI-powered newsfeed through Qtrade’s integration with PersonaFin.
  • Known for award-winning customer service that follows through when you need help.

Pros

  • Consistently low trading commissions make it a smart choice for long-term investors and active traders alike.
  • Well-designed desktop and mobile platforms offer both simplicity for beginners and depth for experienced investors.
  • The Options Lab tool demystifies options trading with tailored strategy recommendations.
  • Access to a wide selection of ETFs, stocks, mutual funds, and fixed income products in one place.
  • Strong research tools including screeners, watchlists, and analyst ratings help users make more confident decisions.
  • Responsive and knowledgeable client service, often ranked among the best in Canada.

Cons

  • $25 quarterly fee applies if you don’t maintain a minimum balance or meet trading activity — but this can be waived easily with regular use.
  • No commission-free ETF trading unlike some competitors.
  • While robust, the mobile app may still lack some advanced features.
CIBC Investor's Edge

Not available for application via this website

CIBC Investor's Edge

Highlights

  • Trade Canadian and U.S. stocks online for a flat $6.95 per trade — with no account minimums.
  • Students benefit from a reduced $5.95 flat fee and no annual account fees.
  • Access both registered (RRSP, TFSA) and non-registered accounts in one place.
  • Research tools include analyst ratings, stock screeners, and market news powered by Thomson Reuters.

Pros

  • Backed by one of Canada’s Big Five banks, with integrated banking and investing through your CIBC account.
  • Easy-to-use platform suitable for long-term investors who want a simple, self-directed option.
  • Joint accounts, spousal RRSPs, and RESP accounts are available, giving flexibility for families.
  • Dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) are supported with no extra charge.
  • CIBC Mobile Wealth app makes it easy to monitor your portfolio on the go.
  • No inactivity fees, which is rare among bank-owned brokerages.

Cons

  • No access to commission-free ETFs, which some other platforms now offer.
  • Trading platform lacks advanced charting and technical tools for active traders.
  • U.S. dollar accounts are not available for all account types, so currency conversion fees can add up.
Questrade

On website

Highlights

  • Trade stocks, ETFs, options, and more with low commissions starting at 1¢ per share (min. $4.95, max. $9.95).
  • No annual RRSP or TFSA account fees.
  • Wide range of account types, including registered, non-registered, corporate, and margin accounts.
  • Buy ETFs commission-free, which helps reduce costs for passive investors.
  • Robust research tools, market data packages, and customizable trading platforms.
  • Fund your account easily with Interac e-Transfer, bank transfer, or pre-authorized deposit.

Pros

  • One of the most cost-effective platforms in Canada for self-directed investors.
  • Buying ETFs for free makes it highly appealing for those following long-term, passive strategies.
  • Flexible platform options. From easy-to-use Questrade Trading to the more advanced Questrade Edge.
  • Offers both USD and CAD accounts, so you can avoid currency conversion fees when trading U.S. stocks.
  • Access to IPOs and international equities gives investors more diversification opportunities.
  • Educational resources and real-time market data packages help users trade with more confidence.
  • Registered with IIROC and CIPF, ensuring regulation and investor protection.

Cons

  • Charges apply when selling ETFs.
  • Currency conversion fees can still apply if you're not using a dual-currency setup.
  • Some of the more advanced data packages cost extra, which may be a consideration for budget-conscious users.

Compare the best trading platforms on Finty. Research fees, commissions, tradable assets, markets, etc.

First time buying?

How to buy Costco stock

Step 1: Open your stock broker account

To start trading COST stock, you're going to need to set up an account with a broker. The broker acts as an intermediary between your trading account and the market, allowing you to buy and sell stock on various stock exchanges.

When you're comparing your broker options, make sure you choose a firm offering you all of the following account features.

Commission-free trading

With the advent of commission-free trading apps like Webull and Robinhood, more discount brokers follow the zero-commission model. As a result, you have a slew of brokers looking to capture your business offering you zero commissions on your trades. That's a big deal for small accounts, helping you avoid the hefty commissions involved with your transactions.

Fractional stock trading

A single stock of Costco trades at well over US$300. Since most new traders start with small accounts, typically $300, you can barely afford to purchase one COST stock. However, fractional stock trading lets you buy a 1/10th of COST stock without buying a whole stock and gives you the flexibility to invest in other companies as well.

Low account fees

Compare the fee schedules of your prospective brokers. Look at the costs of transaction fees, inactivity fees, and account management fees.

Trading on margin

Brokers offer you cash and margin accounts. With cash accounts, you can only trade the balance in your account.

With a margin account, you get to access "leverage" from your broker. Leverage allows you to buy three to six times the amount of stock you can afford with your trading account balance. In other words, if you have a $300 account, a 3:1 leverage ratio would increase your account buying power to $900. As margin trading involves “loans” from the broker, you may have to put more money into your account if the stock price falls.

Real-time data and charts

Your trading platform comes with charts. However, the data feed will lag by around 15 minutes. If you're day trading, you need live market data. Your broker or trading platform should offer you the option of purchasing real-time data for an affordable monthly fee.

Step 2: Add funds to your trading account

Your broker requires you to fund your cash or margin account to start trading. Brokers accept deposits using debit cards and bank transfers.

It may take your broker a few days to set up your account and deposit your funds. Many brokers take several business days or longer to process your first deposit or withdrawal. However, subsequent transactions will be much faster, clearing in 24 to 72 hours.

Step 3: Decide how much you want to invest

We recommend you start slow with your trading. Some brokers — particularly new investment apps like Robinhood — have a very low minimum deposit.

Avoid investing large sums into your trading account until you have built up experience.

Step 4: Choose between a share of stock or ETFs

When it's time to purchase your stock, you have two methods of getting exposure to the asset. You could buy the stock outright in whole or fractional stocks.

You could also buy an ETF holding COST stock. ETFs, such as Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC), are vehicles containing the stock of several companies. It's a good way to spread risk, but you won't get the same volatility you do when buying the stock outright.

Step 5: Set up your order

After deciding on your asset, it's time to place an order. You'll use one of the following four order types when trading Costco stock or ETFs.

Market order

This order gets you into COST stock at the next quoted price. However, it's risky, and you could end up filling above your expected price. For instance, you might want to get into COST stock at US$100. However, the market order might fill at US$105, leading to US$5 of "slippage."

Limit order

The limit order is the best choice for day traders. This order gets you in COST stock at a set price and not a cent more. For instance, you enter your limit order at US$100, and your order fills at this price. However, if the price action is moving fast, your order might not fill or you'll only get a partial fill.

Stop limit

This order lets you automatically sell your stocks when the price reaches your specified target. For instance, the price is US$100, and you want to sell when it reaches US$110. The stop-limit will automatically liquidate your position and realize the profit in your trading account when the market reaches this price.

Stop loss

If you want to enter COST for US$150, you'll set your stop loss at US$140. If the price dips to this level, the broker automatically sells your COST stock to prevent further losses. The stop loss is a must-have risk management tool for beginners.

Step 6: Place the order

After picking your order type, it's time to purchase your stock. Open your trading platform. Enter the COST ticker symbol and complete the fields for your stock size and your order type.

Click the buy button on your platform when you want to enter COST stock. When you realize your price target, click the sell button to realize the profits in your trading account.

After you buy

What moves Costco's stock price

Costco is a big player in big-box retail. As a result, its earnings reports form the largest catalyst for traders, providing the best price action and opportunities.

Disclaimer: We put our customer’s needs first. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer’s alone and do not constitute financial advice. Advertisers cannot influence editorial content. However, Finty and/or the writer may have a financial interest in the companies mentioned. Finty is committed to providing factual, honest, and accurate information that is compliant with governing laws and regulations. Do your own due diligence and seek professional advice before deciding to invest in one of the products mentioned. For more information, see Finty’s editorial guidelines and terms and conditions.

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