Wealthsimple Trade Plus is the newest subscription plan available to Canadians using the Wealthsimple Trade app to buy and sell stocks and ETFs.
Starting in February, all Trade customers can access USD accounts and save on currency conversion fees that currently cost 1.5% when US-denominated assets are traded.
This Wealthsimple Trade Plus review covers what it costs and who should subscribe to this service. It also provides answers to other frequently asked questions.
What is Wealthsimple Trade?
Wealthsimple Trade is a no-commission trading platform for stocks and ETFs in Canada.
This brokerage stands apart from the competition by offering $0 stock trades, no account minimum, access to fractional shares, free stock promotions, and other innovative features.
More than 1.5 million Canadians use Wealthsimple Trade, and you can learn more about what it offers in this review.
What is Wealthsimple Trade Plus?
Wealthsimple Trade Plus is a monthly subscription option for Wealthsimple Trade customers who want to save on currency conversion fees and get access to real time-prices. It was formerly called Wealthsimple Trade Premium.
Plus will cost $10 per month and offer:
- USD accounts (Taxable, TFSA, and RRSP accounts)
- Snap quotes
- Unlimited price alerts
- Instant deposits up to $5,000
How is This Different From a ‘Basic’ Trade Account?
To start, nothing changes on the trading commission front. You can buy thousands of stocks and ETFs without paying commission fees on both ‘basic’ and ‘Plus’ Trade accounts.
What upgrading does is give you access to USD accounts so you can stop paying 1.5% FX fees every time you buy a U.S.-listed stock or ETF, such as Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Tesla.
It also means you don’t have to depend on delayed market price data (15-minute delay) when placing trades, as you can now request a snap quote to see the current price.
The table below summarizes what you get by using Wealthsimple Trade vs. Wealthsimple Trade Plus:
| Wealthsimple Trade | Wealthsimple Trade Plus |
| $0 monthly fee | $10 monthly fee |
| $0 commission trades | $0 commission trades |
| No account minimum | No account minimum |
| RRSP, TFSA, and personal taxable account | RRSP, TFSA, and personal taxable account |
| Fractional share trading | Fractional share trading |
| 1.5% currency conversion fee (no USD account) | 0% currency conversion fee* (USD account) |
| 5 price alerts | Unlimited price alerts |
| Instant deposit up to $1,500 | Instant deposit up to $5,000 |
| 15-minute delayed market data | Snap quotes |
| Trade crypto using Wealthsimple Crypto | Trade Crypto using Wealthsimple Crypto |
Do You Need a Wealthsimple Trade Plus Subscription?
Wealthsimple Trade Plus will cost you $10 per month. This monthly fee is equivalent to placing a single trade on some brokerage platforms.
If you place one or more U.S.-denominated trades each month, this subscription may be worth it.
If you place multiple CAD-USD trades or vice-versa, Plus could save you a lot of money.
While Wealthsimple Trade is not ideal for day trading, clients who want/need access to real-time prices and multiple price alerts (more than 5) will have to subscribe to Plus.
If you are an investor who rarely makes U.S. trades, Plus may not be worth paying for.
Downsides of Wealthsimple Trade Plus
While a Plus subscription includes access to ‘snap quotes’ or ‘real-time prices’, this differs from “streaming” real-time data.
If you are not day trading, snap quotes or 15-minute delayed prices are adequate. But it is worth noting that snap quotes are not the same as streaming data which don’t require you to click a snap quote or refresh button.
You will initially have to fund your USD account using Canadian dollars and pay a one-time currency conversion fee on each deposit to your USD account.
Also, if you cancel your Plus subscription, your U.S. dollar cash balance is converted into Canadian dollars (again incurring FX conversion fees).
How To Use Wealthsimple Trade
You can easily open a Wealthsimple Trade account (TFSA, RRSP, or non-registered personal account) and begin trading stocks and ETFs.
The basic eligibility requirements are that you must:
- Be a Canadian citizen or resident, or have a valid Canadian visa
- Be the age of the majority in your province (18 or 19 years)
- Have a Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- Pass identity verification checks and have a Canadian residential address
When you open an account and meet the eligibility requirements, you can qualify for a cash bonus.
Wealthsimple Trade Promotion
New clients who sign up using our Wealthsimple Trade referral link get a cash bonus after funding their account with $150 or more.
You must meet the minimum trade threshold within 45 days of opening your account for the bonus offer to apply.
Wealthsimple Trade Plus FAQ
There are no trading commissions on Wealthsimple Trade, and the trading fee per trade is $0. That said, a 1.5% FX fee is charged whenever you convert CAD to USD in your basic Trade account.
No, you can’t use the Wealthsimple Trade platform for options trading. Here are some options for trading brokerages.
When you cancel, your Plus subscription stays active until the end of the billing cycle. After it expires, your USD stocks are transferred to your CAD account, and any USD cash holding is converted into Canadian dollars.
Our exclusive Wealthsimple promotional offer is the best referral bonus available in Canada. You get a cash bonus after depositing $150 or more.
No, you can’t use Norbert’s Gambit to avoid paying foreign currency conversion fees on Wealthsimple Trade. It is unclear whether this feature will be available in the future.
The dividends you earn from your portfolio are paid directly to your cash balance in Canadian dollars. You can check your history of dividend payment by checking: Activity > Filter > Dividends. Dividends paid out by U.S. companies are subject to a 15% non-resident withholding tax.
Wealthsimple Trade Premium is no longer offered. The upgraded account for Trade is now called Wealthsimple Trade Plus.
Related:
- Best Canadian Stock Trading Apps
- Best Canadian ETFs You Can Buy
- Best Energy ETFs in Canada
- Best Renewable Energy ETFs in Canada
Wealthsimple Trade Plus review
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Trading fees
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Ease of use
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Accounts and products
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Welcome offer
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Other fees
Overall
Summary
This Wealthsimple Trade Plus review covers what it costs and how to get USD accounts, unlimited price alerts, and real time data on the Wealthsimple Trade platform.
Pros
- FX fees are waived after you deposit USD
- Real-time market data
- Unlimited price alerts
Cons
- Costs $10 per month
