Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Tickmill 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.
Tickmill and Questrade, both private and non-banking entities, cater to online trading enthusiasts, offering various services. Founded in 2014, Tickmill has earned its place in the market by securing two Tier-1 licenses, known for high trust, alongside two Tier-2 licenses, indicating a strong level of reliability. Sharing a comparable trust profile, Questrade, established earlier in 2000, holds two Tier-1 licenses, reflecting its commitment to maintaining a trusted trading environment.
Both brokers boast a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 86 out of 99, categorizing them within a 'trusted' range. This suggests that either platform is a viable option for traders seeking a dependable online broker. Despite not being listed on any stock exchange, their regulatory standings and trust scores suggest a mutual dedication to secure and reliable trading conditions.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2000 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
If you’re comparing commissions and fees, Tickmill comes out cheaper than Questrade for most traders. Tickmill earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10 out of 63 brokers for Commissions and Fees on ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade scores 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #33. The gap shows up clearly in spreads and the way each broker prices trades.
Tickmill offers two accounts. The Classic account is commission-free but carries higher average spreads (about 1.76 pips as of August 2023). The Raw account—now replacing the old Pro account after the VIP account was discontinued—charges a $3 per side commission per 100,000 units ($6 per standard lot) and unlocks Tickmill’s tightest pricing. Typical EUR/USD spread on the Raw account was 0.11 pips in October 2023; after adding today’s round‑turn commission equivalent of 0.60 pips, the estimated all‑in cost is about 0.71 pips. Minimum deposit is $100, and Tickmill’s typical spread data is recorded during normal market conditions.
By contrast, Questrade’s target spread on EUR/USD is around 1.9 pips, which is steep versus industry averages and notably wider than Tickmill’s Raw all‑in estimate. That higher day‑to‑day trading cost helps explain Questrade’s 3‑star rating and #33 ranking for Commissions and Fees, compared with Tickmill’s 5‑star rating and #10 ranking.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $250 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | N/A |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.70 | N/A |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Comparing Tickmill vs Questrade for range of investments: both support forex trading via CFDs or spot contracts and both let you trade cryptocurrency as CFDs (neither offers delivered crypto). Questrade lists slightly more total tradeable symbols (641 vs Tickmill’s 637), and it has a much wider selection of forex pairs (110 vs 63). Tickmill stands out for offering copy trading, while Questrade does not.
For stocks, Questrade clearly leads: you can buy and sell exchange-traded securities on both U.S. and international exchanges, while Tickmill does not offer direct stock trading. Reflecting this breadth, ForexBrokers.com rates Questrade 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks it #12 out of 63 brokers; Tickmill earns 3.5 stars and ranks #30. Choose Questrade if you want direct access to stocks and more forex pairs; consider Tickmill if you value copy trading and focus on CFDs and forex.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 641 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 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.
Comparing online brokers Tickmill and Questrade on trading platforms and tools: both provide free paper trading with demo accounts, Windows-based desktop downloads, and web platforms. Tickmill does not have a proprietary platform; instead, it supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), plus copy trading and the ability to place trades directly from charts. Questrade offers a proprietary platform for both desktop and web, supports trading directly from charts, but does not offer MT4, MT5, or copy trading.
For Trading Platforms and Tools, both brokers earn 4 out of 5 stars. In ForexBrokers.com’s rankings of 63 brokers, Tickmill places #24 and Questrade places #28. Choose Tickmill if you want MT4/MT5 and copy trading; pick Questrade if you prefer a broker-built platform experience. Either way, you can practice first with a free demo.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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) | 91 | 64 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Tickmill and Questrade both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android. You can set price alerts, draw trendlines on charts, and your drawings auto-save on each platform. Both apps earned 4 out of 5 stars for mobile trading. In ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps rankings, Tickmill placed #25 out of 63 brokers, while Questrade came in at #28.
The biggest differences are in charting tools and watchlists. Questrade offers 64 built-in technical studies compared with 30 on Tickmill, and Questrade syncs watchlists between the mobile app and your online account; Tickmill does not. If you want more indicators and seamless watchlist syncing, Questrade is the better fit. If syncing isn’t essential and you prefer the slightly higher category ranking, Tickmill is a strong alternative.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | 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.
When it comes to market research, Tickmill focuses on timely insights: it offers daily market commentary, an economic calendar, a sentiment tool showing long/short positioning, and forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg or Reuters. It also includes research tools from Acuity Trading. Questrade also provides an economic calendar, and it shines with popular third‑party suites—Autochartist, Trading Central, and TipRanks—but it does not offer daily market commentary, sentiment tools, or Acuity Trading. Top‑tier forex news is not indicated for Questrade.
Overall scores reflect these differences: Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #19 out of 63 brokers for Research at ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade earns 3.5 stars and ranks #34. Choose Tickmill if you value daily commentary, sentiment data, and top‑tier news; pick Questrade if you want Autochartist, Trading Central, and TipRanks in your toolkit.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | Yes | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
For beginners, Tickmill and Questrade both provide at least 10 starter videos that explain trading basics in plain terms. Tickmill goes further with live client webinars every month, giving you a chance to learn in real time, while Questrade does not offer monthly webinars. Tickmill also includes at least 10 advanced videos for when you’re ready to dig deeper, whereas Questrade doesn’t match that depth. Together, these extras give Tickmill more ways to learn at your own pace and ask questions as you go.
Independent ratings support this. Tickmill earns 4 stars and ranks #14 out of 63 brokers for Education at ForexBrokers.com, while Questrade holds 3.5 stars and ranks #28. If you want a path that starts with beginner videos and expands into advanced lessons and ongoing webinars, Tickmill is the stronger choice. If you mainly want beginner videos and don’t need regular webinars or a large set of advanced topics, Questrade can cover the basics.
| Feature |
Tickmill
|
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 Tickmill is better than Questrade. Tickmill finished with an overall rank of #23, while Questrade finished with an overall rank of #29.
Tickmill is a run-of-the-mill MetaTrader broker that offers a limited selection of tradeable securities. The broker does offer very competitive commission-based pricing for professionals through its VIP and Pro accounts.
| Feature |
Tickmill
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Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 86 |
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In the Tickmill vs Questrade comparison for cryptocurrency trading, neither broker supports buying actual (delivered) crypto assets, but both provide access to cryptocurrency CFDs.
Tickmill vs Questrade: for deposit and withdrawal methods, neither broker supports ACH or SEPA transfers, both accept bank wire transfers, and only Tickmill offers PayPal and Skrill, while Questrade does not.
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 | Tickmill | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Questrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tickmill | Questrade | |
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| Regulation | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 86 | 86 | |
| Year Founded | 2014 | 2000 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 2 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | No | ||
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | Yes | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | No | No | |
| Japan (FSA 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) | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 637 | 641 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 63 | 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 | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.70 | 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 | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $100 | $250 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | No | 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 | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 91 | 64 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | 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 | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | ||
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | Tickmill | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Questrade Review |
| Overall | Tickmill | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 86 | 86 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tickmill Review | Questrade Review |
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