The TD Easy Trade app makes it simple to invest in U.S. and Canadian stocks and ETFs.SUPPLIED
Making their own investment choices isn’t the only decision do-it-yourself (DIY) investors face.
Selecting the right broker is critical too.
Not all brokerages are built the same. The right one can shape your entire DIY investing experience, from confidence in placing trades to how engaged you remain over time.
“There have been so many entrants to the Canadian market recently, making the landscape very competitive, that it’s hard for new DIYers to know which one fits them best,” says Julie Messinger, vice-president of Acquisition, Distribution and Client Education at TD Direct Investing.
She suggests four key considerations to help find the platform that best meets your needs.
1. What’s the track record?
Look for a discount brokerage with a history of delivering the goods, from dependability to security. “Reputation and a longstanding history of reliability matter,” Ms. Messinger says. “For DIY investors, platform instability is often a big source of frustration.”
She says DIYers can search on social-media platforms such as Reddit to get a sense of which brokerages do well and where they fall short. “Word of mouth can be powerful.”
Also focus on brokerages with a history of award-winning excellence. TD Direct Investing, for example, has been named the top online brokerage* by The Globe and Mail for the past three years (2023 to 2025).
DIY investors are looking for dependable and versatile platforms, resources and support.SUPPLIED
2. Are there solid opportunities to learn?
To help DIYers get started, and to support their investing journey, robust educational resources are invaluable. “While we cannot offer investment advice, we do provide opportunities to help investors learn to make better investment decisions,” Ms. Messinger says.
It’s important for brokers to meet investors on their terms when it comes to learning, with a platform that provides a range of educational tools, from live webinars, to social media content, to shows that air live on YouTube and in-platform.
The ability to talk with someone is also helpful, adds Ms. Messinger, noting that TD Direct Investing customers can get help over the phone or through an online chat.
“We also have a team of instructors doing live workshops with interactive Q&As. That ability to work with experts is critical, because sometimes no blog or video clip can replace assistance from a real human.”
3. Is there room to grow?
DIYers can go from uncertain novices to more sophisticated traders. A discount brokerage’s platform should accommodate your growth, Ms. Messinger says. That’s why TD Direct Investing offers different platforms and services.
The TD Easy Trade mobile app is suited to next-gen DIYers and just about any investor seeking only to invest in U.S. and Canadian stocks and exchange-traded funds.
TD WebBroker does everything Easy Trade does, plus it provides access to GICs, mutual funds, options and bonds. WebBroker also offers exclusive research reports from TD Securities and more than 100 commission-free ETFs.
TD Advanced Dashboard gives users access to advanced charting and streaming quotes while seamlessly integrating with other TD platforms.
And TD Active Trader empowers traders with tools such as the Trade Ladder, featuring market depth, one-click trading, and real-time position profit and loss.
“Our four platforms cater to an array of experiences,” Ms. Messinger says.
4. Are you getting full value?
A discount brokerage that focuses on innovation, leveraging new technologies and trends, can offer the best value for DIYer dollars, she says.
“For example, TD Easy Trade offers commission-free trades on stocks and ETFs, and a yearly allotment of up to 100 free trades a year on full or partial shares, which can really meet the needs of most investors.”
TD Direct Investing always aims to make it even easier for DIYers to learn and invest. The goal is to continually offer more to help seamlessly integrate investing with clients’ broader financial lives.
“People really want a one-stop shop from investing to mortgages to credit cards,” Ms. Messinger says. “That’s a key benefit of going with a big bank. Every service is under one roof with a financial institution you can trust.”
To learn more about investing and TD’s platforms, join a live workshop.
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*Rated top digital broker by The Globe and Mail, as of February 13, 2025.
Advertising feature produced by Globe Content Studio with TD. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.