Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of XTB 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.
Comparing online brokers XTB vs Questrade for safety and regulation: XTB was founded in 2002 and is publicly traded, while Questrade was founded in 2000 and is privately held; neither company is a bank. According to the ForexBrokers.com Trust Score (0–99), 90–99 is highly trusted, 80–89 trusted, 70–79 average risk, 60–69 high risk, and below 59 should not be trusted. XTB scores 96 (highly trusted), while Questrade scores 85 (trusted).
On licensing, XTB holds 2 Tier-1 licenses (highly trusted) and 2 Tier-2 licenses (trusted). Questrade holds 1 Tier-1 license and no Tier-2 licenses. In plain terms, XTB has broader top-tier regulatory coverage, while Questrade meets strong standards but with fewer regulatory approvals.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2000 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
XTB scores better than Questrade on commissions and fees, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranking #13 out of 36 brokers for this category. XTB mainly uses a spread-only Standard account, while its commission-based Professional account is limited to eligible clients in the U.K. and Europe and is being phased out in many regions. In practice, XTB’s pricing is around the industry average, with EUR/USD spreads averaging 1 pip based on Q4 2023 data. The broker also offers an active trader discount through its Lower Spread Group, which can rebate 5% to 30% of the spread once monthly trading volume targets are met.
Questrade, by comparison, is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #34 out of 36 brokers for commissions and fees. Questrade Global is a spread-only broker, so trading costs are built into the bid-ask spread rather than charged as a separate commission. While Questrade says spreads can start at 0.8 pips under normal market conditions, review data found major-pair spreads closer to 2.1 to 2.5 pips, which can make trading more expensive in real terms. For CFDs, Questrade adds a $9.95 USD fee per unit on top of the spread, which can push total trading costs up quickly.
Overall, XTB comes out ahead for lower trading costs and better value, especially for retail forex traders using the Standard account. Questrade may still appeal to some traders who prefer spread-based pricing, but its wider spreads and added CFD fees make it less competitive on cost. If commissions and fees are a top priority, XTB is the stronger choice between the two.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.92 | 0.8 or higher |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | 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.
XTB offers a wider range of investable markets than Questrade, with 10,900 tradeable symbols compared with Questrade’s 675. XTB also gives clients access to both U.S. and international exchange-traded securities, so you can buy shares like Apple or Vodafone directly. In addition, XTB supports forex trading, with 71 currency pairs available, and offers cryptocurrency CFDs, although not actual crypto ownership. Questrade also offers forex trading, and lists 110 forex pairs, but it does not provide direct access to U.S. or international exchange-traded securities or crypto CFDs.
Both brokers are rated 5 stars for Range of Investments, showing that each gives traders a solid selection in its own way. However, based on ForexBrokers.com rankings, Questrade places slightly higher in this category at #12 out of 36, while XTB ranks #14 out of 36. If you want the broader overall market selection, XTB stands out; if your main focus is forex pairs, Questrade has the edge.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10900 | 675 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 110 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | No |
| 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.
XTB and Questrade both give traders a solid set of platform choices, including a free paper trading demo, a proprietary in-house platform, a Windows desktop download, and a web-based trading platform. Each also lets you place trades directly from a stock chart, which can make it easier to act quickly while watching price movement. Neither broker supports copy trading, MetaTrader 4, or MetaTrader 5, so traders looking for those tools will need to look elsewhere.
When it comes to trading platforms and tools, XTB has the edge overall. ForexBrokers.com rates XTB 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks it #9 out of 36 brokers, while Questrade earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #29 out of 36. In simple terms, both brokers cover the basics well, but XTB stands out as the stronger choice for traders who want a more highly rated platform experience.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | No |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 64 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
XTB and Questrade both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, and each app includes stock or forex price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto-saving for chart drawings. For charting tools, XTB’s mobile app includes 39 technical studies, while Questrade offers 64, giving Questrade the edge for traders who want more indicators on the go.
Where Questrade stands out is watchlist syncing: changes made in the mobile app sync with the online account, while XTB does not offer this feature. Even so, XTB has the higher mobile app score at 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #8 out of 36 brokers in ForexBrokers.com’s Mobile Trading Apps category, compared with Questrade’s 3.5 stars and #29 ranking.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | No | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 39 | 64 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
XTB comes out ahead of Questrade for market research overall. It offers daily market commentary, forex news from top sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a sentiment tool for checking long and short positions, and an economic calendar for tracking major global events. XTB is also rated 5 stars for research and ranks #9 out of 36 brokers at ForexBrokers.com, making it a stronger choice for traders who want frequent updates and easy-to-follow market insights.
Questrade, however, has an edge in a few specialized research tools. It includes Autochartist, Trading Central, and TipRanks, which can help users with technical analysis and stock research. Even so, it does not offer daily market commentary, top-tier forex news, sentiment data, or an economic calendar, and its research score is 3.5 stars with a rank of #35 out of 36. For most traders looking for broader market research, XTB offers the more complete package.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | No | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | Yes |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
XTB is the stronger choice for beginners who want to learn before they trade. It offers forex and CFD education, holds online client webinars at least once a month, and provides at least 10 beginner-friendly videos as well as 10 advanced videos for traders who want to keep building their skills. ForexBrokers.com gives XTB a 5-star Education rating and ranks it #11 out of 36 brokers, which shows it has a wide range of learning tools for different experience levels.
Questrade, while still offering some educational support, does not match XTB for beginner learning resources. It does not appear to offer the same level of forex or CFD education, does not host monthly educational webinars, and does not have at least 10 beginner or 10 advanced trading videos based on the information provided. Its 3.5-star Education rating and #28 ranking out of 36 suggest it is better suited to traders who need only basic learning help rather than a full set of educational materials.
| Feature |
XTB
|
Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| 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 XTB is better than Questrade. XTB finished with an overall rank of #7, while Questrade finished with an overall rank of #29.
As a trusted multi-asset broker, XTB offers outstanding customer service, a wide variety of forex and CFDs, and an excellent overall trading experience. Its xStation 5 trading platform is well-designed and packed with innovative features, and XTB’s offers comprehensive educational content and market research.
| Feature |
XTB
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Questrade
|
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 85 |
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XTB vs Questrade: neither broker lets you buy actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies; however, XTB offers cryptocurrency CFDs while Questrade does not.
Comparing XTB vs Questrade funding options: both lack ACH/SEPA but support bank wires; XTB additionally accepts PayPal and Skrill while Questrade does not, and Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either.
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 | XTB | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Questrade Review |
| Broker Screenshots | XTB | Questrade | |
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| Regulation | XTB | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 96 | 85 | |
| Year Founded | 2002 | 2000 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | Yes | No | |
| Bank | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | No | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 2 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 2 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 2 | 0 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | XTB | 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) | XTB | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | No | ||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or CMA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) | No |
| Investments | XTB | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 10900 | 675 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 71 | 110 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | No | |
| 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 | XTB | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 0.92 | 0.8 or higher | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.92 | N/A | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | No | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | XTB | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | Yes | |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | XTB | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | No | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | No | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | XTB | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 39 | 64 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | XTB | 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 | 39 | 64 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | XTB | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | No | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | No | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | Yes | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | No |
| Education | XTB | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | No | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | No |
| Major Forex Pairs | XTB | Questrade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | XTB Review | Questrade Review |
| Overall | XTB | Questrade | |
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| Trust Score | 96 | 85 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | XTB Review | Questrade Review |
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