★ SCOTIA iTRADE · REVIEW · 2026

The iShares broker.

Scotia iTRADE's pitch isn't research depth or cheap commissions. It's the 100+ iShares ETFs you can buy and sell commission-free. Add no-fee TFSA/RRSP/FHSA and Scotia bank integration, and a long-term ETF portfolio costs literally zero to maintain.

★ 100+ COMMISSION-FREE iShares ETFs ★

The 8 you actually need

XEQTFREE

iShares Core Equity ETF Portfolio

MER0.20%

100% equity one-ticket. Canada's most popular ETF.

XGROFREE

iShares Core Growth ETF Portfolio

MER0.20%

80/20 stocks/bonds. Conservative growth.

XBALFREE

iShares Core Balanced ETF Portfolio

MER0.20%

60/40 classic balanced fund.

XIUFREE

iShares S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF

MER0.18%

Cdn large-cap. The original TSX ETF.

XSPFREE

iShares S&P 500 ETF (CAD-hedged)

MER0.10%

US large-cap without FX risk.

XAWFREE

iShares Core MSCI All Country ETF

MER0.22%

World ex-Canada in one ticker.

XBBFREE

iShares Core Cdn Universe Bond ETF

MER0.10%

Standard fixed-income holding.

XMVFREE

iShares MSCI Min Vol Canada ETF

MER0.34%

Lower-volatility equity exposure.

Math check: A 30-year $500/month buy-and-hold portfolio of XEQT through Scotia iTRADE = $0 lifetime trading cost. Same portfolio through TD Direct = $3,597. Through CIBC IE = $2,502.
★ THE FINE PRINT ★

What everything else costs

TIER
COST
CONDITION
Standard equity
$9.99
Default
iShares (100+ list)
$0
Free with no minimum
Active trader
$4.99
150+ trades/qtr
Options
$9.99 + $1.25/contract
Standard
Quarterly maintenance
$25/qtr
Waived if balance ≥ $25K or active trader
★ WHEN iTRADE IS THE RIGHT BROKER ★

The perfect-fit profile

★ iTRADE IS PERFECT IF
  • You bank with Scotia (instant transfers between accounts)
  • You're a buy-and-hold ETF investor — XEQT/XBAL/XGRO covers you
  • You hate cluttered platforms (iTRADE is minimal)
  • You have the Passport Visa and want Scene+ rewards integration
★ LOOK ELSEWHERE IF
  • You want Vanguard ETFs (VFV, VEQT — not on the free list)
  • You're an active stock trader ($9.99 standard is expensive)
  • You need deep research (TD/CIBC have more analyst access)
  • You want a polished mobile-first experience
8.3/10
FINAL VERDICT

Use Scotia iTRADE if you're an iShares investor. Skip if you're not.

The 100+ free iShares list is the only reason to use Scotia iTRADE. If your portfolio is XEQT, XBAL, or XGRO — three of Canada's most popular ETFs — Scotia iTRADE is functionally as cheap as Wealthsimple Trade with a Big-Six platform underneath. Anything else, the $9.99 commission hurts.