Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Pepperstone 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.
Pepperstone and Questrade are both reputable online brokers, each with its own strengths. Founded in 2010, Pepperstone is distinguished by holding three Tier-1 licenses and two Tier-2 licenses, ratings that underscore a high level of trust and reliability. With a stellar Trust Score of 95 from ForexBrokers.com, Pepperstone is highly trusted within the industry. Although not a publicly traded company or a bank, Pepperstone's regulatory standing makes it a favored choice for those seeking a secure trading platform.
On the other hand, Questrade, established in 2000, holds two Tier-1 licenses and no Tier-2 licenses, which places it in the trusted category with a Trust Score of 86 according to ForexBrokers.com. Like Pepperstone, Questrade is neither a publicly listed company nor a bank, but its solid regulatory credentials provide peace of mind for traders. Both brokers offer unique features, but if regulatory recognition and trust are key considerations, Pepperstone edges slightly ahead, offering more assurances to users.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2000 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
Pepperstone vs Questrade commissions and fees: Pepperstone earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #11 of 63 brokers for pricing (ForexBrokers.com), while Questrade scores 3/5 stars and ranks #59 of 63. For forex traders focused on the EUR/USD, Pepperstone’s pricing is generally sharper, especially for active traders, whereas Questrade’s target spread is on the high side compared with the industry average.
Pepperstone’s Razor account uses a commission-based model across TradingView, MetaTrader (MT4/MT5), and cTrader. As of July 2024, the average EUR/USD spread was 0.10 pips; adding the commission-equivalent of 0.70 pips brings the all-in cost to 0.80 pips—near the industry average. The Standard account is commission-free but pricier, with a 1.1-pip average spread on EUR/USD. High-volume traders can lower costs via the Active Trader program: in the U.K. and EU, Professional clients trading at least £20 million per month can earn a 15% spread rebate per lot, improving to 25% above £200 million. In Australia, Professional clients need a minimum of 100 lots over three months to qualify, with Tier One giving a 10% discount per standard lot and Tier Three (3001+ lots monthly) providing a 30% reduction.
Questrade’s target spread on EUR/USD is 1.9 pips, which is steep versus the industry average. In practical terms, that means many forex traders are likely to see lower all-in costs with Pepperstone’s Razor account compared with Questrade, while Pepperstone’s Standard account still tends to be costlier than Razor for the same pair.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $250 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Pepperstone vs Questrade: both let you trade forex as CFDs or spot contracts and both support crypto CFDs (but neither lets you buy actual coins). Pepperstone lists 1,726 tradeable symbols and 65 forex pairs; Questrade lists 641 symbols and 110 forex pairs. Pepperstone also offers copy trading, while Questrade does not.
If you’re after exchange-traded stocks, Questrade stands out: it lets you buy U.S. and international shares, while Pepperstone does not offer exchange-traded securities. For the range of investments, ForexBrokers.com rates Pepperstone 4/5 stars (ranked 27th of 63) and Questrade 5/5 stars (12th of 63). In short, Pepperstone suits CFD-focused traders who want copy trading and a wide list of instruments, whereas Questrade suits clients who want access to stocks along with a deeper list of forex pairs.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 641 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 110 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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.
Pepperstone and Questrade both make it easy to get started with a free paper trading (demo) account, and each offers its own proprietary platform alongside Windows desktop and web-based platforms. Pepperstone stands out for traders who want MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, plus copy trading. Questrade does not support MT4/MT5 or copy trading, but offers its own platform experience. Both brokers let you place orders directly from a chart.
For trading platforms and tools, both are rated 4 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s 2024 rankings, Pepperstone places #22 out of 63 brokers, while Questrade ranks #35. Choose Pepperstone if you value MetaTrader and copy trading; pick Questrade if you prefer its in-house platform and features without needing MT4/MT5.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 64 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Pepperstone and Questrade both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. Each app supports stock and forex price alerts and watchlist syncing between the app and your online account, so changes carry over wherever you sign in. That makes it easy to track markets and manage positions on the go with either the Pepperstone mobile app or the Questrade mobile app.
For charting, Pepperstone’s app includes 30 technical studies, while Questrade’s app offers 64. Both let you draw trendlines and they auto-save your drawings for later. In expert reviews, both apps earn 4 out of 5 stars for Mobile Trading Apps; however, on ForexBrokers.com’s list of 63 brokers, Pepperstone ranks higher at #21 compared with Questrade at #35. In short, Questrade packs more built-in indicators, but Pepperstone carries the stronger third-party ranking.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 64 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
Pepperstone and Questrade take different paths with their market research. Pepperstone stands out for traders who want frequent insights, offering daily market commentary, forex news from top-tier sources, a sentiment tool that shows long/short positioning, Autochartist, and an economic calendar. Questrade matches on Autochartist and also adds Trading Central and TipRanks for idea generation, plus an economic calendar. It does not provide daily commentary or a sentiment tool, and it does not highlight a comparable top-tier forex news feed. Both lack tools from Acuity Trading.
Independent ratings reflect these differences: Pepperstone scores 4.5/5 for Research and ranks #12 of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade scores 3.5/5 and ranks #52. In short, Pepperstone suits forex-focused traders who value frequent updates, sentiment data, and premium news. Questrade can appeal to investors who want Trading Central and TipRanks for stock and ETF ideas alongside basic market tools.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Pepperstone vs. Questrade for beginner education: both brokers provide at least 10 beginner-friendly trading videos, making it easy to learn the basics. Pepperstone also hosts client webinars at least once a month, while Questrade does not, which can matter if you prefer live lessons and Q&A. Details about whether either broker offers 10 or more forex/CFD-specific pieces are not specified here.
For growing your skills, Pepperstone supplies at least 10 advanced videos, whereas Questrade does not. Reflecting that depth, Pepperstone earns 4.5/5 stars for Education and ranks 17th out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com; Questrade scores 3.5/5 stars and ranks 36th. In short, beginners who want live sessions and a clearer path into advanced topics may lean toward Pepperstone, while Questrade suits those who mainly want basic video lessons.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Pepperstone is better than Questrade. Pepperstone finished with an overall rank of #16, while Questrade finished with an overall rank of #32.
Pepperstone offers a growing range of tradeable markets, good-quality research, and support for multiple social copy trading platforms.
| Feature |
Pepperstone
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Questrade
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| Trust Score | 95 | 86 |
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Pepperstone and Questrade do not support buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading, providing derivative crypto exposure without owning the underlying coins.
Comparing online brokers Pepperstone vs Questrade for deposit and withdrawal methods: Pepperstone supports ACH/SEPA, PayPal, and bank wires (not Skrill), while Questrade supports bank wires only and does not offer ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill.
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 | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Questrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
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| Regulation | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 95 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 2000 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 3 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | No | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | 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) | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 1726 | 641 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 65 | 110 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | No | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | 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 | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.00 | N/A | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | No | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $250 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | Yes | No | |
| cTrader | Yes | No |
| Trading Tools | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 15 | 64 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 30 | 64 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | ||
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Questrade Review |
| Overall | Pepperstone | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 95 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Pepperstone Review | Questrade Review |
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