Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Questrade vs BDSwiss, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Questrade, established in 2000, and BDSwiss, founded in 2012, are two well-known online brokers, though neither is publicly traded or operates as a bank. In terms of regulatory strength, Questrade holds two Tier-1 licenses, reflecting a recognized level of high trust, while BDSwiss holds one Tier-1 license, signifying a similar commitment to security at a slightly lesser tier. Unfortunately, neither broker holds any Tier-2 licenses.
Considering their Trust Scores from ForexBrokers.com, Questrade scores an 86 out of 99, marking it as a trusted brokerage service. On the other hand, BDSwiss scores a 73, which categorizes it as having an average risk. These ratings suggest that while both brokers offer reputable services, Questrade may provide a slightly more trusted option for investors prioritizing regulatory trust and licensing.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2012 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
When evaluating commissions and fees, Questrade and BDSwiss present contrasting offerings for online traders. Questrade, rated 3 stars out of 5 for commissions and fees, ranks 57th out of 62 brokers in this category according to ForexBrokers.com. One of the key considerations for traders is the cost of spreads; however, Questrade's target spread on the EUR/USD stands at 1.9 pips, which is notably higher than the industry average.
In comparison, BDSwiss earns a higher rating of 4 stars for its commissions and fees, with a ranking of 30 out of 62 brokers. While its Classic account spread of 1.5 pips on the EUR/USD is considered expensive, BDSwiss provides options that may be more cost-effective for certain traders. The Raw account features a spread of 0.3 pips plus a $5 commission per side, resulting in a total effective spread of 1.3 pips, while the VIP account offers a spread of 1.2 pips.
Overall, while both Questrade and BDSwiss have room for improvement in competitive pricing, BDSwiss holds a slight edge with its various account types that cater to traders seeking lower effective spreads. Understanding these pricing structures can help traders make informed decisions based on their trading habits and financial goals.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $250 | $10-$5000 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.3 |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing Questrade and BDSwiss, both platforms provide the common option of forex trading as CFDs, catering to investors interested in the foreign exchange market. However, in terms of overall tradeable symbols, BDSwiss offers an impressive range of 1081 options compared to Questrade's 641, highlighting a broader selection on the BDSwiss platform. Interestingly, Questrade leads in offering tradeable forex pairs with 110 available, exceeding BDSwiss's 53 pairs, which may appeal to forex-focused traders. Both brokers offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives, although neither allows for the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. It’s worth noting that BDSwiss offers copy trading services, while Questrade does not, giving BDSwiss an edge for those interested in replicating the strategies of successful investors.
Questrade stands out with more opportunities to directly buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. and international exchanges. This includes stocks like Apple on the NASDAQ, a feature BDSwiss does not offer as it focuses more on CFDs. This focus on direct security trading contributes to Questrade's impressive 5-star rating for its Range of Investments, placing it as the 11th ranked broker out of 62 by ForexBrokers.com. In contrast, BDSwiss, with its 4-star rating, is ranked 34th, which reflects its limitations in offering direct stock investments yet maintaining a substantial variety of tradeable symbols overall. Therefore, investors prioritizing direct investments in stocks may find Questrade the more attractive option, while those interested in a wider variety of symbols, including CFDs and copy trading, might lean towards BDSwiss.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 641 | 1081 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 53 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Both Questrade and BDSwiss provide traders with a smooth trading experience through their proprietary platforms and offer free virtual demo accounts for practice. Both brokers support web-based and Windows desktop platforms, ensuring flexibility. However, BDSwiss takes an edge by offering the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, which enhances its capabilities for a broader range of traders. In contrast, Questrade offers DupliTrade, a feature not available with BDSwiss, but it lacks support for copy trading that BDSwiss provides.
When considering charting tools, Questrade surpasses BDSwiss by offering 20 drawing tools compared to BDSwiss's 15. While both allow trading directly from stock charts, Questrade also leads when it comes to watch list customization, offering 52 columns in contrast to BDSwiss's 7. Both platforms have received a rating of four stars for their trading tools, with Questrade ranking at 34th and BDSwiss at 24th out of 62 brokers as per ForexBrokers.com. This makes both platforms commendable choices, depending on a trader’s specific preferences and needs.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 30 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 52 | 7 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Both Questrade and BDSwiss offer user-friendly mobile trading apps available for iPhone and Android devices. These apps allow traders to create watchlists with real-time quotes and receive price alerts for stocks and forex. While both platforms enable users to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts, Questrade takes the lead with 64 technical studies compared to BDSwiss's 30. Furthermore, Questrade offers watchlist symbol syncing, which ensures any changes made in the mobile app reflect in the client's online account, a feature absent in the BDSwiss app. Both apps are designed with convenience in mind, as they automatically save drawings on stock or forex charts.
When it comes to ratings, both Questrade and BDSwiss receive four stars for their mobile trading apps. However, according to ForexBrokers.com, BDSwiss ranks slightly higher at #24 compared to Questrade's #34 out of 62 brokers in the Mobile Trading Apps category. This comparison suggests that while both platforms provide strong mobile trading options, Questrade adds a bit more depth to its charting features, whereas BDSwiss might offer a more preferred user experience in general. Ultimately, choosing between them will depend on individual preferences and the specific features one prioritizes for optimal trading convenience.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing market research offerings between Questrade and BDSwiss, key differences and similarities emerge. BDSwiss stands out with daily market commentary, a feature not available with Questrade. Both brokers provide access to technical analysis tools from Autochartist and Trading Central, but they fall short in offering sentiment-based trading tools and forex news from top-tier sources. A unique aspect of Questrade is its collaboration with TipRanks for market research, a service not mirrored by BDSwiss. Both platforms, however, offer an economic calendar to help traders keep track of global news and economic events.
In terms of overall research quality, BDSwiss earns a slightly higher rating of 4 stars compared to Questrade’s 3.5 stars, reflecting its broader array of services like daily commentary. Additionally, BDSwiss ranks #24 out of 62 brokers in the research category according to ForexBrokers.com, significantly outperforming Questrade, which ranks #51. These rankings suggest that although both platforms provide valuable research tools, BDSwiss garners more favor overall for its market research capabilities.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No |
| TipRanks | Yes | No |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When comparing the educational resources offered by Questrade and BDSwiss, both brokers provide a good selection of materials tailored for beginners interested in forex and CFDs. Each platform boasts a minimum of ten educational pieces, including articles, videos, and archived webinars, to help new traders understand these complex markets. However, BDSwiss offers a more comprehensive educational experience with monthly online webinars and a useful investor dictionary containing over 50 investing terms, which Questrade does not provide.
Additionally, both platforms maintain an archive of past webinars that clients can search through, ensuring flexible learning opportunities. While both brokers deliver beginner-friendly educational videos, BDSwiss distinguishes itself by offering advanced videos tailored for experienced traders, filling a gap that exists in Questrade's offerings. Consequently, BDSwiss scores a higher education rating of 4 stars and ranks #19 among 62 brokers, compared to Questrade's 3.5 stars and #36 ranking, highlighting BDSwiss's stronger commitment to investor education.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Questrade is better than BDSwiss. Questrade finished with an overall rank of #32, while BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36.
Regulated in both the U.S. and Canada, Questrade is a trusted full-service multi-asset broker now offering forex and CFDs alongside its stock trading services for active and passive investors. While its scope of educational resources and in-house research is limited, Questrade has an impressive platform lineup.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 |
| Range of Investments |
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Both Questrade and BDSwiss do not provide the option to purchase actual delivered cryptocurrencies but offer the capability to buy cryptocurrency derivatives instead.
In comparing online brokers, Questrade and BDSwiss both support deposits and withdrawals via Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, while BDSwiss also offers additional flexibility with ACH, SEPA, and Skrill options, unlike Questrade, which does not provide these transfer methods.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review | BDSwiss Review |
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| Regulation | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2012 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 641 | 1081 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | No | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Derivative) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | 1.3 | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | Yes | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | Yes | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | No |
| Funding | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $250 | $10-$5000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | Yes | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | Yes | No | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 52 | 7 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 64 | 30 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 | 15 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | No | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | No | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | Yes | Yes | |
| TipRanks | Yes | No | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | Yes | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/JPY | Yes | Yes | |
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CAD | Yes | Yes | |
| NZD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| AUD/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| Review | Questrade Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Overall | Questrade | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review | BDSwiss Review |
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