Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Questrade vs ATFX, 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 and ATFX are two online brokers that offer various financial services. Founded in 2000, Questrade has built a solid reputation over the years. While it isn't a bank or publicly traded, it does hold two Tier-1 licenses, which indicates a high level of trust according to ForexBrokers.com standards. With a Trust Score rating of 86, Questrade is considered a trusted broker, reflecting its commitment to providing reliable services to its customers.
ATFX, on the other hand, was established in 2017 and has quickly gained recognition in the industry. Similar to Questrade, ATFX is neither a bank nor publicly traded. However, it holds four Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, showcasing a robust regulatory framework. Despite being a younger company, it boasts a slightly lower Trust Score rating of 85, still placing it in the trusted category. Both brokers offer secure and reliable trading experiences, yet their regulatory credentials slightly differ, catering to varied preferences and needs.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2017 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 4 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
When considering online brokers, understanding commissions and fees is crucial. Questrade offers a target spread of 1.9 pips on the EUR/USD pair, which is relatively steep when compared to the industry average. For this reason, Questrade receives a three-star rating for its commissions and fees. According to ForexBrokers.com, Questrade is ranked 58th out of 63 brokers in the Commissions and Fees category.
On the other hand, ATFX does not provide average spread data, which might be a point of concern for traders looking for transparent cost structures. Like Questrade, ATFX also earns a three-star rating for its commissions and fees. In the same Commissions and Fees category, ATFX is slightly lower ranked at 60th out of 63 brokers as evaluated by ForexBrokers.com.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $250 | $500 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No |
| ACH or SEPA Transfers | No | No |
| 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 the range of investments offered by Questrade and ATFX, both platforms provide access to forex trading as CFDs or spot contracts. However, Questrade stands out with an impressive offering of 641 tradeable symbols, including 110 forex pairs. In contrast, ATFX provides 150 tradeable symbols and 44 forex pairs. Questrade also allows clients to directly purchase exchange traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, letting investors buy shares like Apple on NASDAQ and Vodafone on the London Stock Exchange. ATFX, meanwhile, does not offer direct access to such exchange traded securities but supports copy trading, an attractive feature for those looking to mirror successful strategies from other traders.
Both brokers offer cryptocurrency derivatives but do not allow the purchase of actual cryptocurrencies. In terms of ratings, Questrade earns a commendable 5 stars for its range of investments, securing the 11th position out of 63 brokers as ranked by ForexBrokers.com. On the other hand, ATFX receives a 3.5-star rating for its investment range and is positioned at #57, reflecting a more limited selection. Investors seeking a broad spectrum of investment opportunities might find Questrade's larger catalogue and exchange access more appealing, while those interested in copy trading might lean towards ATFX.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 641 | 150 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 44 |
| 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.
When comparing Questrade and ATFX on trading platforms and tools, Questrade stands out with its proprietary trading platform, which is available for both Windows desktop download and web browsers. It also offers simulated trading through a free virtual demo account, allowing users to familiarize themselves with the platform using market data without real financial risk. A key feature of Questrade is its DupliTrade integration, supporting algorithmic trading strategies, although it lacks MetaTrader support or copy trading options. With a generous 52 columns for watchlists and 20 drawing tools, traders have plenty of customization at their fingertips for monitoring assets and analyzing charts. Questrade receives a solid four-star rating in the Trading Platforms and Tools category, as per ForexBrokers.com, securing the 34th spot among 63 brokers.
In contrast, ATFX provides a more conventional offering, leveraging the popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms instead of developing its own in-house software. This gives traders access to a vast library of technical indicators not available at Questrade, but it falls short with only 15 drawing tools and 7 columns for watchlists. Despite offering a free virtual demo account and the ability to trade directly from stock charts, ATFX caters more to those interested in copy trading with platforms like MetaTrader's EA and user-friendly web-based trading options. It earns a 3.5-star rating and is ranked 62nd by ForexBrokers.com in the same category, highlighting a more basic but reliable platform experience compared to its Canadian counterpart.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No |
| 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 ATFX offer user-friendly mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android devices. While they share features like stock or forex price alerts and the ability to draw trendlines and view multiple time frames on charts, there are notable differences. Questrade excels with 64 technical studies for charting, compared to ATFX's 7, and supports watchlist symbol syncing, ensuring a seamless experience between the mobile app and the online account. This feature is absent in ATFX's app.
For traders focused on charting tools, Questrade's higher number of technical studies provides a more thorough analysis experience. Both platforms allow users to create watchlists with real-time quotes, adding convenience for active traders. Although Questrade has a slightly better user rating of 4 stars compared to ATFX's 3.5 stars, the latter finishes last in the Mobile Trading Apps category according to ForexBrokers.com, ranked #63 out of 63, whereas Questrade ranks at #34. These rankings highlight how Questrade's app offers a more advanced feature set and overall better user experience.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields | Yes | Yes |
| Watchlist Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 7 |
| 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 Questrade and ATFX for market research offerings, there are notable differences and similarities to consider. Questrade users will find daily market commentary lacking, whereas ATFX provides this feature. Both platforms do not offer forex news from industry giants like Bloomberg or Reuters. However, they both support technical analysis tools from Autochartist and have access to Trading Central’s resources, giving users strong analytics capabilities. Notably, Questrade offers insights from TipRanks for further market analysis, a feature not available with ATFX.
Both brokers provide an economic calendar to stay updated on global news events. However, neither offers a sentiment-based trading tool or Acuity Trading’s research tools. In terms of ratings, Questrade holds a slight edge with a 3.5-star rating for research compared to ATFX's 3-star rating. This is reflected in their rankings by ForexBrokers.com, with Questrade positioned at #51, while ATFX is slightly lower at #54 out of 63 brokers. These factors highlight the nuances in research capabilities between these two platforms.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 it comes to educational resources for beginners, both Questrade and ATFX provide content to help newcomers navigate the world of trading. Questrade offers a collection of educational materials focused on forex and CFDs, with more than 10 articles, videos, and archived webinars dedicated to these topics. ATFX also matches this level of content, ensuring beginners can access a wealth of information. While neither broker offers monthly live webinars, both do provide searchable archives of previously recorded sessions. This feature allows users to learn at their own pace by accessing past webinars whenever they wish.
In addition, both Questrade and ATFX supply over 10 educational videos specifically tailored for beginners. However, those looking for more advanced trading videos may find these resources limited, as neither broker provides over 10 advanced instructional videos. Furthermore, while ATFX offers an investor dictionary featuring over 50 investing terms, Questrade does not include this resource. In terms of overall education ratings, Questrade scores 3.5 stars, slightly edging out ATFX's 3-star rating. Despite this, ATFX ranks higher in the education category, sitting at 28th place out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, whereas Questrade ranks 36th. This shows that both brokers have their unique strengths and areas for improvement in the realm of educational offerings for beginners.
| Feature |
Questrade
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Client Webinars | No | No |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | No |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Questrade is better than ATFX. Questrade finished with an overall rank of #32, while ATFX finished with an overall rank of #51.
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
|
ATFX
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 85 |
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Both Questrade and ATFX do not provide the option to purchase actual cryptocurrencies, but they do offer the ability to trade cryptocurrency derivatives.
Both Questrade and ATFX provide options to deposit or withdraw account funds using Visa, Mastercard, and bank wires, but while neither supports ACH, SEPA, or PayPal transfers, only ATFX offers the additional flexibility of using Skrill for transactions.
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 | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Questrade | ATFX | |
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| Regulation | Questrade | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2000 | 2017 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | No | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 4 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 0 | 2 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 1 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Questrade | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| UAE (DFSA/Central Bank Authorised) | No | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No | No |
| Investments | Questrade | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 641 | 150 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 110 | 44 | |
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard | N/A | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | N/A | N/A | |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | No | No | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes | No | |
| Execution: Market Maker | No | Yes |
| Funding | Questrade | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $250 | $500 | |
| 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 | No |
| Trading Platforms | Questrade | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Platform | Yes | No | |
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 7 | |
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Forex or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Client Webinars | No | No | |
| Client Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | No | No | |
| Investor Dictionary (Glossary) | No | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Questrade | ATFX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Overall | Questrade | ATFX | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Questrade Review |
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