🤖 Robo-Advisors · March 2026

Best Robo-Advisors Canada 2026

Q: What is the minimum investment for a Canadian robo-advisor?

Wealthsimple Invest: $0 minimum. Questwealth: $1,000 minimum. CI Direct: $1,000 minimum. Nest Wealth: $75/month subscription, no minimum. Most Canadian robo-advisors have low or no minimums.

A robo-advisor builds and manages a diversified ETF portfolio automatically — at a fraction of the cost of a human financial advisor. Here are Canada's best options for TFSA and RRSP investing.

Best Canadian Robo-Advisors Ranked

Wealthsimple Invest — Best for most Canadians

$0 minimum · 0.5% MER (0.4% at $100k+) · TFSA/RRSP/non-reg · SRI options

Wealthsimple is Canada's largest robo-advisor with over 3 million clients. $0 minimum to start. Automatic rebalancing. Risk questionnaire determines your portfolio (growth, balanced, or conservative). Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) option adds ~0.1%. Halal investing portfolio available. TFSA, RRSP, FHSA, RESP, and non-registered accounts. Free to sign up with no trade fees.

Fee: 0.5% (0.4% at $100k+) Min: $0 Rebalancing: Auto Accounts: TFSA, RRSP, FHSA, RESP

Best beginner robo-advisor in Canada — easiest onboarding

Questwealth Portfolios — Best for lower fees

0.2–0.25% MER · $1,000 minimum · Questrade subsidiary

Questwealth is the robo-advisor arm of Questrade. Fees of just 0.2% (under $100k) to 0.25% (over $100k) — the lowest of any major Canadian robo-advisor. Portfolios use low-cost ETFs (Vanguard, iShares). TFSA, RRSP, RRIF, non-registered. $1,000 minimum. Solid app. Best choice for cost-conscious investors with at least $1,000 to start.

Fee: 0.2–0.25% Min: $1,000 Rebalancing: Auto Accounts: TFSA, RRSP, RRIF

Lowest fee robo-advisor in Canada

CI Direct Investing — Best for larger portfolios ($100k+)

0.35–0.60% · $1,000 minimum · Human advisor access

CI Direct (formerly Virtual Brokers / WealthBar) is best for investors with larger balances who want optional human advisor access. Fee tiers: 0.60% up to $150k, 0.40% to $500k, 0.35% at $500k+. Portfolios managed by CI's investment team. Access to a real financial planner included at higher tiers. TFSA, RRSP, RESP, RRIF accounts.

Fee: 0.35–0.60% Min: $1,000 Advisor: Included at $150k+ Accounts: TFSA, RRSP, RESP, RRIF

Best for higher balances wanting human advisor option

Nest Wealth — Best flat-fee robo-advisor

$75/month flat fee · No percentage fee · Best for $150k+

Nest Wealth charges a flat $75/month — no percentage of assets. This is extraordinarily cost-effective for large portfolios. At $150k: Nest Wealth costs $900/year (0.6%) vs Wealthsimple at $600/year (0.4%) — similar. At $500k+: Nest Wealth at $900/year beats every percentage-based competitor. Uses iShares and Vanguard ETFs. TFSA, RRSP, RRIF, RESP, non-reg.

Fee: $75/month flat Min: None Best at: $500k+ ETFs: iShares, Vanguard

Best for portfolios over $500k — flat fee wins at scale

RBC InvestEase — Best for existing RBC clients

0.5% · $100 minimum · RBC integration · Beginner-friendly

RBC InvestEase is the robo-advisor arm of RBC. If you already bank with RBC, the integration is seamless — one login, easy transfers, simple onboarding. 0.5% fee (same as Wealthsimple). $100 minimum. Uses RBC iShares ETFs. TFSA and RRSP. No differentiation on investment approach vs competitors — the main advantage is RBC banking integration.

Fee: 0.5% Min: $100 Best for: Existing RBC clients Accounts: TFSA, RRSP

Best only if you're already an RBC banking client

Fee Comparison: $50,000 Portfolio Over 10 Years

Robo-Advisor Fees on $50,000 Portfolio (7% annual return assumed)

Questwealth (0.2%)~$1,450 total fees

Wealthsimple (0.5%)~$3,600 total fees

RBC InvestEase (0.5%)~$3,600 total fees

CI Direct (0.6%)~$4,300 total fees

Traditional advisor (1.5–2%)~$10,800–14,400 fees

DIY ETFs (XEQT MER 0.2%)~$1,450 — same as Questwealth

Approximate illustrative figures. Actual returns vary. Includes management fee + underlying ETF MER.

Robo-Advisor vs DIY ETF Investing

Factor	Robo-Advisor	DIY ETF (XEQT/VEQT)
Setup time	5–10 minutes	30–60 min (learn + setup)
Ongoing effort	Zero (auto-rebalanced)	Minimal (annual check)
Total cost	0.2–0.6%/yr	0.18–0.2%/yr (ETF MER only)
Customization	Risk questionnaire	Full control
Tax optimization	Basic	Full control
Best for	True beginners	Anyone who reads for 1 hour

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best robo-advisor in Canada?

Wealthsimple Invest is Canada's best robo-advisor for most people — $0 minimum, 0.5% fee (0.4% at $100k+), automatic rebalancing, and TFSA/RRSP/FHSA accounts. Questwealth is best for investors who want lower fees (0.2–0.25%) with at least $1,000 to start.

Are robo-advisors safe in Canada?

Yes. All major Canadian robo-advisors are registered with IIROC or provincial regulators and hold assets with CIPF-member broker-dealers (protected up to $1M per account type). Your investments are held separately from the company's assets — similar protection to a bank. Wealthsimple, Questwealth, and CI Direct are all well-established with millions in AUM.

Should I use a robo-advisor or DIY ETFs?

If you're a true beginner, start with Wealthsimple Invest — zero setup friction, automatic rebalancing. Once you're comfortable, consider switching to a single all-in-one ETF (XEQT or VEQT) at Wealthsimple Trade or Questrade for lower fees. The difference in returns between 0.2% and 0.5% is meaningful over decades, but getting started matters more than perfecting fees.

What is the minimum investment for a Canadian robo-advisor?

Wealthsimple Invest: $0 minimum. RBC InvestEase: $100 minimum. Questwealth: $1,000 minimum. CI Direct: $1,000 minimum. Nest Wealth: no minimum (but $75/month makes it expensive for small accounts).

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Disclosure: Bremo earns referral commissions on KOHO signups. Investment products subject to change. This is not investment advice. Information as of March 2026.