Scores in companies outside the top 10 with 0 points:
Instead of cutting the review, survivors are evaluated:
notes: CI Direct Trading’s acquisition of Laurentian Bank Discount Brokerage (LBDB) was completed in late November 2024, making one of Canada’s most sustained and worst online brokerage experiences a long time ago. LBDB has ranked at the bottom or near each meaningful measure for nearly two decades.
Sadly, the result is the same for the few remaining customers who hope to have a restart – they went from the worst platform of 2024 to the worst platform of 2025. If you’re still sticking with it, it might be time to move on.
Online Investing in Canada
We live in a new era of uncertainty. Tariff tensions, economic instability and changes in global markets have all given Canadian investors confidence in their next move. But uncertainty brings opportunities. For many Canadian self-guided investors, this environment has led to an increase in trading activity as people want to control their portfolios and respond in real time. Online brokerage firms have higher transaction volumes, which makes the quality of your platform and the support behind it more important than ever.
Now in its 13th year, we continue to do what we have always done for the annual rankings of Canada’s best online classes: Cut noise to help Canadian investors, especially self-guided beginners, make smarter, more confident decisions. This goal is not only to showcase the competition who has won popularity, but also to focus on the platforms needed to truly provide experience, educate and support investors in success.
This year’s findings show that the stability at the top and subtle changes in the wider landscape are mixed together, and the most important change for investors is more than just caring about sophisticated apps and fascinating headlines. Another company entered the zero commission territory and consolidated its already solid claims at a splash rate, while all providers still claim it is the best choice for coveted new investors.
If you go over the surface, you will find that not all platforms are moving forward. Some companies are marketing rather than platform development. Others quietly zoom back tool or service access. While the race to win new investors is in progress, experienced investors (many of whom helped them build these companies) are left behind.
This is why this ranking exists. Whether you are opening your first account or want to know if the current company still meets your needs, you deserve the full story. Choosing an online broker is almost the same, not just choosing the broker with the lowest fees or the most gorgeous advertising. It’s about finding partners that align with your investment style, support your learning and earn your trust over time. The reality is that self-guided investments are not always simple (as advertising usually promises), any advice that would otherwise be easy to sell, rather than ready. Below, you’ll find the highest ranking companies in Canada in 2025, breaking down not only by overall score, but most importantly you: Platform preference, investor type and company ownership model. If we learn one thing year after year, it is: The best investment experience starts with the right partner. Let’s find yours.
The top three online brokers in Canada
This is a careful study of the top three champions.
