Stock trading platforms

Online stock trading platforms have made trading and investing in stocks more accessible and made broking accounts and transactions less expensive.

By   |   Verified by Andrew Boyd   |   Updated 12 Sep 2024

As seen on

Media - Forbes
Media - Yahoo Finance
Media - MSN
Media - Fox News
Media - Daily News
Media - Vox

Comparing stock trading platforms

CIBC Investor's Edge

On website

Featured

CIBC Investor's Edge

Brokerage Fee

$6.95

Tradable Assets

ETFs, Fixed Income, GICs, Mutual Funds, Options, Precious metals, Stocks

Tradable Indices

NASDAQ, NYSE, TSX

Signup Bonus

N/A

Highlights

  • Pay a flat fee of only $6.95 per online equity trade, with no minimums.
  • Invest in stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, GICs, fixed income, and precious metals.
  • Trade confidently with industry-leading research at your fingertips.
  • Regulated by IIROC.
Qtrade Direct Investing™

On website

Apply by November 30, 2024

Qtrade Direct Investing™

Brokerage Fee

$8.75

Tradable Assets

ETFs, Equities, Exchange-traded debentures, Fixed income (Bonds, GICs), Mutual Funds, Options

Tradable Indices

NASDAQ, NYSE, TSX

Signup Bonus

Get 1% cashback or more + $100 sign-up bonus + free trades! T&Cs apply.

Highlights

  • Low trading commissions, easy-to-use platforms, and a wide selection of investment options.
  • Get transparent and competitive pricing.
  • Take advantage of the new Qtrade mobile app, now with options trading, portfolio allocation, push notifications, plus more with its improved interface.
  • Exceptional client service.
Questrade

On website

Brokerage Fee

$0.01

Tradable Assets

Bonds, CFDs, ETFs, FOREX, Metals, Mutual Funds, Options, Stocks

Tradable Indices

TSX + 14 global markets including Hong Kong, London and Australian markets

Signup Bonus

None

Highlights

  • Low commissions.
  • Fewer fees and transparent pricing.
  • Regulated by IIROC AND CIPF.
Moka

On website

Brokerage Fee

$0.00

Tradable Assets

ETFs

Tradable Indices

NASDAQ, NYSE, TSX

Signup Bonus

None

Highlights

  • Invest spare change automatically and set up recurring deposits to save more money.
  • Essential features for a flat $15 monthly fee.
  • Open a Tax-Free Savings Account or Registered Retirement Savings Plan to benefit from tax-free investing.
Wealthsimple Trade

Brokerage Fee

$0.00

Tradable Assets

Cryptocurrencies, ETFs, Stocks

Tradable Indices

NASDAQ, NYSE, TSX

Signup Bonus

Get a free stock when you open and fund your account. Terms and Conditions apply.

Highlights

  • Commission-free stock trading. Wealthsimple invests your money across the entire stock market using Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).
  • Manage your accounts from anywhere with an award-winning website and mobile app.
  • Get on track with a Wealthsimple Portfolio Review.
Scotia iTrade

Brokerage Fee

$4.99

Tradable Assets

Bonds, Equities, ETFs, GICs, New Issues, Mutual Funds, Options

Tradable Indices

NASDAQ, NYSE, TSX

Signup Bonus

None

Highlights

  • Experience trading with one of the lowest commission structures in the industry.
  • Manage your investments from your computer or mobile device.
  • Analyst resources, technical analysis, and investing ideas are available at your fingertips to empower you to direct invest.
Interactive Brokers

Brokerage Fee

$0.00

Tradable Assets

Bonds, ETFs, Futures, Hedge Funds, Mutual Funds, Options, Shares, Spot currencies, US spot gold

Tradable Indices

ASX, KSE, LSE, NASDAQ, NYSE, TSE, XETRA and more

Signup Bonus

None

Highlights

  • Offers low trading and financing costs.
  • Invest globally in stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds and funds from a single integrated account.
  • Get ahead with Interactive Brokers' trading platforms, tools, order types and comprehensive reporting.
TD Direct Investing

TD Direct Investing

Brokerage Fee

$9.99

Tradable Assets

Bonds, ETFs, Fixed Income, FOREX, Futures, Mutual Funds, Options, Stocks

Tradable Indices

NASDAQ, NYSE, TSX

Signup Bonus

None

Highlights

  • Buy and sell investments from markets across North America (in Canadian or U.S. dollars).
  • Whether your goals are long-term, like planning for retirement, or short-term, like capitalizing on market movements, TD has an account for you.
  • Invest in stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs and fixed income.
BMO InvestorLine

BMO InvestorLine

Brokerage Fee

$9.95

Tradable Assets

Bonds, ETFs, GICs, Mutual Funds, Options, Stocks

Tradable Indices

NASDAQ, NYSE, TSX

Signup Bonus

None

Highlights

  • $9.95 flat-fee trading.
  • Access a select group of Canada’s most popular commission-free ETFs.
  • Performance-tracking, research and tools to help you trade smarter.

Small and medium-sized companies are usually privately owned and have a limited number of stockholders or owners. But once a company grows to a certain size – in either profitability or assets – its owners may decide to list it on a stock exchange in order to access the capital they need for further growth. New stockholders buy stocks in the company in an Initial Public Offering (IPO), giving the company the cash it needs to continue or expand its operations.

Stocks confer ownership

Each stockholder becomes a part-owner of the company for as long as they hold at least one stock, although stocks are usually traded in much larger parcels than a single stock. Stockholders may receive regular distributions of a company’s profit, based on the number of stocks they hold, and these are called dividends.

How stocks are traded

Stocks can be bought and sold electronically on the stock exchange during every day that the stock exchange is open. The trading of stocks is carried out by an intermediary called a stockbroker or share broker (or simply a broker), on behalf of both buyers and sellers. Sellers can nominate a price at which they are prepared to sell a specified number of a particular company’s stocks, and buyers can nominate a price at which they are prepared to buy them. When the two prices correspond, a sales transaction can be completed, and a current market price for the stocks is established. A broker’s client may also agree to buy or sell at the prevailing market price rather than nominating a specific price.

Why stocks are traded

There are plenty of reasons why stocks are bought and sold every day:

Long-term stock investors

Stocks are a popular form of investment, in the hope of long-term asset growth and possibly dividend income. Long-term stockholders are likely to buy or sell stocks infrequently, and their activity is better classified as stock investment rather than stocks trading.

Gradual stock price movements

As a company’s profitability and assets increase, the value of an individual stock in the company will usually increase proportionately, and the market price of the stocks on the stock exchange will increase as a result. The converse is also true – companies with declining profitability usually see their stock price falling. Individual stock prices are also affected by supply and demand, and other factors.

Sudden stock price movements

External factors can affect individual, industry-wide, nationwide or even global stock prices. Such factors could include the release of profit results or profit forecasts by the company, a natural disaster, a major regulatory breach resulting in a large cash penalty, a sudden shift in consumer sentiment, a change in central bank interest rates, a large-scale war affecting national economies, or a global financial crisis or pandemic.

Short-term stock traders

Short-term stock traders try to predict or anticipate these more abrupt changes in the price of individual stocks, and aim make a profit by regularly buying fairly large parcels of stocks when they think the price is lower than it should be – or will soon be – and selling them when they are satisfied with the profit they have made or when they think the price has reached a temporary peak. “Day traders” may try to realise a profit by buying and selling a particular parcel of stocks within a day, or slightly longer.

Risks and rewards of stock investment and trading

Investing and trading in stocks is inherently risky. It’s not like depositing money in a bank account, where you can be reasonably confident that your investment will not grow particularly quickly (given current low interest rates) but nor will it shrink (except in the unlikely event of negative interest rates). Stock prices are volatile and can be affected by many factors, just a few of which have already been mentioned. This makes it possible for both investors and traders to lose significant sums.

Spreading the risk

The risk of loss from stock trading can be mitigated to some extent by having a diversified portfolio. That’s an elaborate way of saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. By spreading your investment or trades across a range of stocks in different companies and market sectors (e.g.financial, industrial, technology, retail, agricultural) you become less exposed to individual stock price fluctuations.

Another way to achieve this is to invest or trade in Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), a type of tradable security that aggregates a range of stocks and other financial investments, creating an automatic spread of risk.

You can also choose to invest in units in a managed fund, a diversified portfolio chosen and administered by an investment advisor. Some managed funds may be listed on a stock exchange, but many are not.

Other types of tradable securities

“Stock trading” may be used as an umbrella term for trading in all types or securities or financial instruments listed on a stock exchange, which, as well as individual company stocks could include:

  • ETFs
  • Managed funds
  • Options, futures, warrants and other derivatives
  • Fixed income debt securities

Online stock trading platforms

You can buy and sell Canadian stocks and other securities without using a traditional broker if you use an online stock trading platform. Signing up to one of these is quick and easy, and they generally have low transaction fees, no account fees for a basic account, and low minimum trading amounts. Some of them offer access to overseas markets, such as the NYSE and NASDAQ in the US.

Online brokers typically offer two types of accounts:

  • A free basic account with no monthly or annual fee, possibly market price trades only, limited analysis or guidance and delayed rather than real-time market information
  • A premium, subscription-fee account, with additional reporting and guidance, live market data and options for setting a stock price at which you are prepared to buy or sell

Traditional full-service stock brokers

A full-service stockbroker may be more suited if you feel you need expert advice about buying and selling stocks and other securities. Traditional offline brokers will provide market and individual company research, make buy/sell recommendations and possibly create a tailored investment plan for you. As a result, they will usually charge higher fees for transactions and ongoing services.

Some full-service brokers also have an alternative online trading platform.

Cost of stock trading

Over and above the purchase price of the stocks you buy, there are other fees you may have to pay, including:

  • A transaction fee each time you buy or sell a parcel of stocks (also called a ‘brokerage fee’ or ‘commission fee’). Transaction fee structures can vary (e.g. flat fee, or percentage of trade amount, or fees that vary according to the number of trades you make per month). Online platforms tend to be cheaper (e.g. between $5 and $30 per trade), compared with a traditional broker’s typical flat fee of $50+ or percentage fee of 2%+.
  • Monthly or annual account fee charged by some brokers or online platforms for the provision of premium services.
  • Cash withdrawal fees may be charged if you want to withdraw money from the special bank account you usually need to fund your trades.
  • Foreign exchange fees or a foreign exchange margin will be payable if you need a foreign currency account to trade in overseas stocks.
  • Inactivity fee, possibly charged if you make too few trades in a given period.

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.