- 📋 Quick Summary
- Quick Picks (At a Glance)
- Wealthsimple Cash: High-Interest Spending Account
- Wealthsimple Trade: Commission-Free Self-Directed Trading
- Wealthsimple Invest: Managed (Robo-Advisor) Portfolios
- Wealthsimple Crypto
- Safety & Insurance
- Wealthsimple vs Alternatives (Quick Comparison)
- How We Picked Our Recommendations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Next Steps
Wealthsimple has grown from a single robo-advisor into a full financial platform — Trade (self-directed), Cash (high-interest spending), Invest (managed portfolios), and Crypto. Their aggressive growth has made them Canada's largest fintech, but the product lineup means choosing the right combination isn't always obvious.
This review breaks down each product with verified 2026 fees, rates, and features — plus a clear recommendation for who should use what.
📋 Quick Summary
- Cash best for: Everyday spending + high interest (1.75%–2.75% depending on tier)
- Trade best for: Commission-free stock/ETF trading with fractional shares
- Invest best for: Hands-off investors who want managed portfolios at 0.50%
- Crypto best for: Beginners — simple interface, but higher spreads than dedicated exchanges
- Safety: CIPF coverage up to $1M per account category; Cash funds held across multiple CDIC member banks
- Skip if: You need advanced trading tools, desktop platform, or margin accounts
Quick Picks (At a Glance)
| Best For | Product | Why |
| TOP PICK Everyday banking + interest | Cash (Generation tier, 2.75%) | High rate + no fees + CDIC coverage |
| Commission-free trading | Trade | $0 stocks/ETFs, fractional shares from $1 |
| Hands-off investing | Invest (Core) | 0.50% management fee, automatic rebalancing |
| Crypto curious | Crypto | Integrated with your Trade account, simple interface |
| USD accounts | Trade (USD accounts) | $10/month for Core, free for Premium/Generation |
[Rates and fees verified June 2026. Wealthsimple adjusts Cash rates periodically — check their website for current rates.]
Wealthsimple Cash: High-Interest Spending Account
Wealthsimple Cash functions like a chequing account but earns interest like a savings account. No monthly fees, no minimum balance, unlimited transactions.
Current Cash Rates (June 2026)
| Tier | Rate | Requirements |
| Core | 1.75% | Standard rate for all Cash users |
| Premium | 2.25% | $100,000+ net deposits across Wealthsimple |
| Generation | 2.75% | $500,000+ net deposits across Wealthsimple |
Cash Features
| Feature | Details |
| Monthly fee | $0 |
| Minimum balance | $0 |
| Transactions | Unlimited free |
| Interac e-Transfer | Free |
| Bill payments | Supported |
| Direct deposit | Supported (required for some features) |
| ATM withdrawals | Free at any ATM in Canada (no network restrictions) |
| CDIC insurance | Up to $1,000,000 (funds held across multiple CDIC member banks) |
| Physical card | Yes (prepaid Mastercard) |
| Mobile wallet | Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Interest calculation | Daily, paid monthly |
Who Cash is best for: Canadians who want a single account for daily spending that earns meaningful interest. If you qualify for Premium or Generation tiers, the rates beat most HISAs — while keeping unlimited transactions.
Who it's not for: Anyone needing chequebooks, bank drafts, or branch access. Cash is online-only.
Open a Wealthsimple Cash Account →Opens on Wealthsimple's secure website. Rates subject to change.
Wealthsimple Trade: Commission-Free Self-Directed Trading
Wealthsimple Trade is Canada's most popular commission-free brokerage. You can buy and sell stocks, ETFs, and crypto without paying trading fees.
Trade Fees (June 2026)
| Fee Type | Cost |
| Stocks & ETFs | $0 (CAD-denominated) |
| Options | $0 commission ($2/contract USD) |
| Crypto | 0.05%–2% spread |
| Foreign exchange | 1.5% on USD trades (waived for USD accounts) |
| USD accounts | $10/month (Core); free for Premium/Generation |
| Fractional shares | Available from $1 |
| Account transfer (in) | Free |
| Account transfer (out) | $150 (partial or full) |
| Inactivity fee | None |
Supported Account Types
| Account | Available |
| TFSA | ✅ |
| RRSP | ✅ |
| FHSA | ✅ |
| Non-registered (Personal) | ✅ |
| Crypto | ✅ |
| RESP | ✅ |
| LIRA/LRSP | ✅ |
| Spousal RRSP | ✅ |
| Corporate | ❌ |
| Margin | ❌ |
Trade Features
| Feature | Details |
| Fractional shares | Buy as little as $1 of any stock or ETF |
| Recurring investing | Auto-invest on a schedule |
| Dividend reinvestment | Automatic (DRIP) available |
| Real-time quotes | Free, no subscription needed |
| Stock lending | Opt-in, earn income on loaned shares |
| Direct indexing | Launched Oct 2025 — custom index portfolios |
| Fractional gold | From $1 (launched Oct 2025) |
| Norbert's Gambit | Supported via USD accounts |
| Research tools | Basic; AI-powered research "coming soon" |
Mobile App
| Platform | Rating |
| Apple App Store | 4.6 ★ (127,000+ reviews) |
| Google Play | 4.4 ★ (80,000+ reviews) |
Who Trade is best for: DIY investors who want commission-free trading and don't need advanced charting, Level 2 data, or desktop software. Ideal for ETF investors, dividend investors, and beginners who want fractional shares.
Who it's not for: Active traders needing margin accounts, advanced options strategies, or platform-based research. The 1.5% FX fee on US stocks adds up — use a USD account subscription or switch to Questrade for heavy US trading.
Open a Wealthsimple Trade Account →Opens on Wealthsimple's secure website. $0 commission on CAD stocks and ETFs.
Wealthsimple Invest: Managed (Robo-Advisor) Portfolios
Wealthsimple Invest is a robo-advisor that builds and manages a diversified ETF portfolio for you. You answer a risk questionnaire, deposit funds, and they handle everything — rebalancing, dividend reinvestment, and tax-loss harvesting (Premium+).
Management Fees
| Tier | Fee | Minimum |
| Core | 0.50% | $0 |
| Premium | 0.40% | $100,000+ |
| Generation | 0.40% (0.20% over $10M) | $500,000+ |
Portfolio Types
| Portfolio | Composition | Risk |
| Conservative | ~70% bonds, ~30% equities | Low |
| Balanced | ~50% bonds, ~50% equities | Medium |
| Growth | ~20% bonds, ~80% equities | High |
Invest Features
| Feature | Details |
| Automatic rebalancing | ✅ |
| Dividend reinvestment | ✅ |
| Tax-loss harvesting | Premium/Generation only |
| SRI portfolios | Available (socially responsible) |
| Halal portfolios | Available |
| Financial planning | Generation tier: access to dedicated advisors |
| Summit Portfolio (beta) | Generation tier: private market funds (PE, VC, real estate) |
Who Invest is best for: Canadians who want to invest but don't want to research stocks or ETFs. The 0.50% fee is competitive with other Canadian robo-advisors (Questwealth is 0.25%, Justwealth 0.50%).
Who it's not for: DIY investors comfortable with self-directed ETFs. A simple all-in-one ETF like XGRO or VGRO in Trade costs ~0.20% in MER vs 0.50% for Invest — the 0.30% difference adds up over decades.
Open a Wealthsimple Invest Account →Opens on Wealthsimple's secure website. 0.50% management fee applies.
Wealthsimple Crypto
Wealthsimple Crypto is integrated directly into the Trade app — you can buy and sell crypto alongside your stocks and ETFs in a single account.
| Feature | Details |
| Coins available | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and ~50+ others |
| Spread | 0.05%–2% per trade |
| Custody | Gemini Trust Company (regulated) |
| Staking | Available for select coins (ETH, SOL) |
| Account | Same Trade account — no separate crypto account needed |
| Withdrawal | Can withdraw crypto to external wallets |
Who Crypto is best for: Casual crypto buyers who want everything in one app. The integration with Trade means you can hold crypto alongside your TFSA/RRSP.
Who it's not for: Active crypto traders. Spreads of up to 2% are higher than dedicated exchanges like Kraken or Coinbase Advanced. If you're trading crypto frequently, a dedicated exchange is cheaper.
Safety & Insurance
| Protection | Coverage | Applies To |
| CIPF | Up to $1,000,000 per account category | Trade, Invest, Crypto (registered + non-registered separately) |
| CDIC | Up to $1,000,000 (multi-bank structure) | Cash account funds |
| Crypto custody | Gemini Trust, regulated by NYDFS | Crypto holdings |
September 2025 data breach: Wealthsimple experienced a supply-chain breach affecting <1% of customers. No funds were lost. The breach was through a third-party vendor, not Wealthsimple's own systems. This is noted for transparency but does not affect the overall safety assessment.
Wealthsimple vs Alternatives (Quick Comparison)
| Feature | Wealthsimple Trade | Questrade | Qtrade |
| Stock/ETF trades | $0 | $0 (ETFs), $4.95–$9.95 (stocks) | $8.75 |
| Options | $2/contract | $9.95 + $1/contract | $8.75 + $1.25/contract |
| Fractional shares | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Robo-advisor | 0.50% | 0.25% (Questwealth) | 0.50% (Qtrade Guided) |
| Cash account rate | 1.75%–2.75% | N/A | N/A |
| USD accounts | $10/month (Core) | Free | Free |
| FX fee | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| CIPF coverage | $1M | $10M | $10M |
How We Picked Our Recommendations
We evaluated Wealthsimple products against these criteria:
- Cost: Fees, spreads, management expenses — the all-in cost of using the product
- Features: What you actually get vs what competitors offer at the same price
- Accessibility: Account types, minimums, mobile experience, sign-up friction
- Safety: Regulatory oversight, insurance coverage, custody arrangements
- Update frequency: We reviewed fee schedules and feature lists current as of June 2026
Rates and fees change. The Cash rates, management fees, and trading costs referenced here are accurate as of our review date but should be verified on Wealthsimple's website before opening an account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wealthsimple safe?
Yes. Wealthsimple is regulated by IIROC (Trade) and the OSC (Invest). Accounts are protected by CIPF up to $1,000,000 per account category. Cash account funds are held across multiple CDIC member banks for up to $1,000,000 in coverage.
Is Wealthsimple free?
Trade is commission-free for CAD stocks and ETFs. You pay 1.5% FX on US trades unless you subscribe to USD accounts. Invest charges 0.50% management fee. Cash and Crypto have no account fees — just spreads on crypto trades.
Can I use Wealthsimple for my TFSA?
Yes. Wealthsimple supports TFSA, RRSP, FHSA, RESP, LIRA, non-registered, and crypto accounts in Trade. Invest also supports TFSA and RRSP.
How long do transfers take?
Internal transfers (Cash ↔ Trade ↔ Invest) are instant. External account transfers typically take 5–10 business days. Wealthsimple reimburses transfer fees up to $150.
What's the catch with commission-free trading?
Wealthsimple makes money on FX fees (1.5%), crypto spreads, securities lending, and Cash account interest spread. The "free" trading model is sustainable — it's not a loss leader. The main trade-off: you get fewer research tools and no desktop platform compared to full-service brokerages.
Does Wealthsimple have physical branches?
No. Wealthsimple is entirely digital. Customer support is available via phone, chat, and email. If you need in-person banking, pair Wealthsimple Cash with a no-fee chequing account at a traditional bank or credit union.
Next Steps
- Compare brokers: See our Best TFSA Accounts Canada guide for a full comparison of brokerage options
- Compare savings: Best High-Interest Savings Accounts if you're primarily after Cash rates
- Learn investing basics: Beginner Investing in Canada covers account types, ETFs, and getting started
- Index vs ETFs: Index Funds vs ETFs Canada if you're deciding between Invest (managed) and Trade (self-directed)
We may earn a referral fee if you open an account through our links. This does not affect our evaluation. Rates and fees are verified against publicly available information and third-party reviews as of June 2026.
Footnotes
- Wealthsimple Cash rates: Core 1.75%, Premium 2.25%, Generation 2.75%. Verified via Hardbacon, WealthAwesome, and Finder reviews (June 2026). Rates are subject to change — verify on Wealthsimple's website. ↩
- CIPF coverage details: https://www.cipf.ca/ ↩
- CDIC coverage (Cash): Wealthsimple holds deposits across multiple CDIC member institutions for up to $1M total coverage per depositor. ↩