Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Swissquote vs Questrade, 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.
Swissquote and Questrade are both prominent online brokers, but they differ significantly in their foundations and financial standings. Established in 1996, Swissquote is not only a publicly traded company but also operates as a bank, giving it a more established financial presence. In contrast, Questrade, founded in 2000, is a private entity that does not function as a bank. This difference in foundation and structure reflects on their regulatory standings, with Swissquote holding five Tier-1 licenses, which are highly trusted, compared to Questrade's two.
When it comes to trust and reliability as rated by ForexBrokers.com, Swissquote outshines with a perfect Trust Score of 99, placing it in the highly trusted category. This score indicates a robust level of trustworthiness and reliability for potential investors, supported further by its additional Tier-2 license. Questrade, while still considered trusted with a score of 86, doesn't reach the same high level of assurance, lacking any Tier-2 licenses. These distinctions mark Swissquote as a more secure choice for investors looking for a highly trusted platform.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2000 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
When comparing online brokers Swissquote and Questrade in terms of commissions and fees, both may not be the cheapest options on the market, but each offers different features depending on your trading preferences. Swissquote, a Swiss banking entity, provides a range of accounts across its U.K., Luxembourg, and Swiss branches. The U.K. entity usually has lower costs and fewer deposit requirements. However, even among its options like the Elite and Standard accounts, Swissquote's offer of spreads starting from 0.6 to 1.7 pips doesn't quite reach the low-cost offerings some traders seek. In the rankings, Swissquote is placed at #52 with a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5.
In contrast, Questrade’s pricing structure isn’t particularly favorable for those sensitive to costs, with target spreads on EUR/USD hitting 1.9 pips. This figure is relatively steep when compared to the industry average, indicating that Questrade might better appeal to those who prioritize other aspects of trading. As per ratings, Questrade earns a 3-star rating and is ranked #57 among 62 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category, suggesting that cost-conscious traders might find more competitive pricing elsewhere.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $250 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
When comparing the available range of investments between Swissquote and Questrade, both online brokers present competitive options, securing five-star ratings. Swissquote offers 472 tradeable symbols, while Questrade provides access to 641 symbols, including stocks and ETFs on both U.S. and international exchanges. Both brokers facilitate forex trading through CFDs or spot contracts, with Swissquote offering 80 forex pairs compared to Questrade's 110 forex pairs. Furthermore, both platforms allow for trading cryptocurrency derivatives, but only Swissquote lets customers buy actual cryptocurrencies. Swissquote also stands out by offering copy trading, a feature not available with Questrade.
Despite the similarities, the ranking by ForexBrokers.com highlights key differences here, placing Swissquote at an impressive second out of 62 platforms for its investment range, whereas Questrade is ranked eleventh. This distinction may be attributed to Swissquote's broader array of services, including its capacity for handling both direct and derivative cryptocurrency transactions, alongside its comprehensive tradeable options. In contrast, Questrade focuses more on delivering a wide selection of symbols but does not support direct cryptocurrency purchases or copy trading.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 641 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 110 |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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.
When comparing the trading platforms and tools of Swissquote and Questrade, both brokers provide comprehensive features, but with some key distinctions. Each company offers a proprietary platform, catering to Windows-based desktop users and those who prefer web-based interfaces. Simulated trading, or free virtual demo accounts, are available from both brokers, allowing users to practice without risking real money. However, Swissquote has an edge with copy trading options, including access to MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, known for their wide range of tools and global popularity. Questrade, on the other hand, offers DupliTrade, enhancing its social trading functionalities.
Swissquote and Questrade both enable trading directly from stock charts, but there are differences in the specifics of their charting tools. Swissquote provides an impressive 75 drawing tools, in contrast to Questrade's 20. Additionally, Swissquote has 11 fields for watch lists, while Questrade excels with 52 customizable columns. Ratings from ForexBrokers.com highlight these differences, with Swissquote receiving a rating of 4.5 stars and ranked 11th out of 62 brokers, whereas Questrade has a 4-star rating and ranks 34th. Swissquote's broader range of technical tools and customization options gives it a slight advantage for traders who value extensive charting capabilities.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| DupliTrade | No | Yes |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 64 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 75 | 20 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 52 |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
When it comes to mobile trading, both Swissquote and Questrade offer solid options available for iPhone and Android users. Both apps provide essential features such as stock and forex price alerts, the ability to draw trendlines on charts, and multiple time frame views for trading charts. However, Swissquote edges out with a higher rating of 4.5 stars compared to Questrade's 4 stars, and is ranked #10 among 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, whereas Questrade ranks at #34.
On the technical side, Swissquote's app offers 30 technical studies for charting, while Questrade offers a more extensive 64 studies. Both apps allow users to set up watchlists with real-time quotes, although only Questrade offers watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring updates made on mobile devices are reflected on your online account. Both apps save chart drawings automatically, offering convenience for users analyzing stock and forex charts on-the-go.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 64 |
| 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 it comes to market research offerings, Swissquote and Questrade present distinct advantages for investors. Swissquote excels in providing a comprehensive range of daily market commentary and Forex news from renowned sources such as Bloomberg and Reuters, allowing users to stay well-informed on financial happenings. Additionally, Swissquote employs Autochartist for technical and fundamental analysis, offering tools for smarter trading decisions. Questrade, on the other hand, also uses Autochartist and strengthens its analytical capabilities with trading tools from Trading Central. While it lacks daily commentary and Forex news from the top-tier outlets, Questrade compensates by offering insights through its TipRanks partnership.
Both brokers include an economic calendar to keep traders informed of global events. Despite these similarities, Swissquote leads with a research rating of 4 out of 5 stars, ranked 16th by ForexBrokers.com, showing its superior resources and user experience in research compared to Questrade, which holds a research rating of 3.5 stars and is ranked 51st. Each broker delivers unique features tailored to different investor needs, though Swissquote's comprehensive offerings make it stand out for those prioritizing access to high-quality market data.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Signal Centre (Acuity Trading) | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
When it comes to educational resources for beginners diving into the world of online trading, Swissquote and Questrade both provide a solid foundation in forex and CFDs education, offering more than 10 educational pieces each, spanning articles, videos, and archived webinars. Both platforms shine with their inviting beginner-friendly videos, delivering at least 10 tailored sessions to help newcomers grasp essential trading concepts. However, Swissquote distinguishes itself by hosting monthly online webinars and archiving past sessions, making it an ideal pick for those who prefer learning through interactive formats. While Questrade does offer archived webinars, it does not hold regular monthly sessions.
Swissquote further supports learners with an extensive investor dictionary, providing clear definitions for over 50 trading terms, whereas Questrade lacks this feature. For seasoned traders seeking advanced insights, Swissquote delivers with over 10 dedicated educational videos, a feature Questrade does not match. This comprehensive suite of educational tools earns Swissquote a slightly higher rating of 4 stars compared to Questrade’s 3.5 stars and places it at 21st in the education ranking of 62 brokers by ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade sits at 36th. These distinctions make Swissquote a more appealing choice for those prioritizing a broad educational offering in their trading journey.
| Feature |
Swissquote
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 62 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Swissquote is better than Questrade. Swissquote finished with an overall rank of #11, while Questrade finished with an overall rank of #32.
Traders choose Swissquote for its quality research and vast multi-asset offering – as long as they are willing to pay a premium to have their brokerage account held with a Swiss bank.
| Feature |
Swissquote
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Questrade
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|---|---|---|
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 |
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Swissquote stands out from Questrade by offering the ability to buy actual delivered cryptocurrency in addition to cryptocurrency derivatives, whereas Questrade only provides the option to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
When comparing online brokers, Swissquote stands out with a broader range of deposit and withdrawal options, including ACH, SEPA, PayPal, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, whereas Questrade offers Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but lacks ACH, SEPA, PayPal, and Skrill options.
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 | Swissquote | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Questrade Review |
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| Regulation | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 2000 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 5 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 472 | 641 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 80 | 110 | |
| U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Physical) | Yes | 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 | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | Yes | |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $1000 | $250 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit) | Yes | Yes | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Social Trading / Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | No | No | |
| DupliTrade | No | Yes | |
| ZuluTrade | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 11 | 52 | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 86 | 64 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) | 75 | 20 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist Syncing | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 64 | |
| 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 | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central (Recognia) | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs | No | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Swissquote | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Swissquote Review | Questrade Review |
| Overall | Swissquote | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Swissquote Review | Questrade Review |
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