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Questwealth Portfolios Review (2026): Questrade's Robo-Advisor

Updated

This review covers Questwealth Portfolios, the robo-advisor run by Questrade: its fees, portfolios, accounts and how it compares with managing ETFs yourself. Questwealth charges 0.25% a year on balances from $250, falling to 0.20% from $100,000, plus the fees of the ETFs it holds. For other providers, see the robo-advisor comparison; for self-directed investing, the online broker comparison.

If you are deciding whether that fee edge is enough to matter, compare the wider robo-advisor fees comparison table and the DIY tradeoff in robo-advisor vs ETF portfolio.

Quick overview

FeatureDetails
Management fee0.25% on balances from $250; 0.20% from $100,000
ETF costsEach portfolio’s ETFs charge their own MER, deducted inside the funds
PortfoliosFive risk levels, each also offered as a socially responsible (SRI) version
RebalancingPortfolio managers monitor and rebalance the asset mix
Accounts listedRRSP, TFSA, FHSA, RESP, non-registered (cash)
ProviderQuestrade Wealth Management Inc.; accounts held at Questrade, Inc. (CIRO and CIPF member)

Overall rating

CategoryScore
Management fee★★★★★
Ease of use★★★★
Portfolio range★★★★
Account options★★★★
SRI options★★★★
Overall★★★★

Fees

Management fee

BalanceAnnual management fee
$250 to $99,9990.25%
$100,000 and up0.20%

The management fee is charged on top of the MERs of the ETFs in the portfolio. Questrade shows each portfolio’s MER on its portfolio pages, and the SRI versions hold different ETFs, so their MERs differ from the standard portfolios’. Check the MER of the specific portfolio before comparing all-in costs.

Management fee in dollars

This table shows the management fee alone at four balances, next to Wealthsimple’s managed investing fee (0.5% at Core, 0.4% at Premium, which starts at $100,000 in assets) and the MER of a self-directed all-in-one ETF (XEQT, 0.19%). Questwealth and Wealthsimple portfolios also carry their own ETF MERs, which the first two columns leave out.

BalanceQuestwealth management feeWealthsimple managed investing feeXEQT MER, self-directed
$10,000$25$50$19
$50,000$125$250$95
$100,000$200$400$190
$250,000$500$1,000$475

Portfolios

Standard portfolios

PortfolioTarget mix
Conservative Income20% equity, 80% fixed income
Income40% equity, 60% fixed income
Balanced60% equity, 40% fixed income
GrowthAbout 80% equity, 20% fixed income
Aggressive Growth100% equity

Each portfolio holds a mix of Canadian, US and international equity ETFs and, except Aggressive Growth, bond ETFs, with a small cash-equivalent holding.

Socially responsible (SRI) portfolios

Questwealth offers an SRI version of each of the five risk levels, at the same management fee. Questrade describes them as investing in ETFs focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG) qualities, including social and governance ETFs, low-carbon ETFs and cleantech ETFs. The SRI portfolios hold ETFs from iShares and State Street (SPDR), among others.

Questwealth vs self-directed ETF investing

FactorQuestwealthSelf-directed all-in-one ETF (e.g. XEQT)
Annual costManagement fee plus ETF MERsETF MER only; $0 commissions at Questrade
Portfolio choiceQuestrade’s managers choose and adjust the ETFsYou choose the ETF and your mix
RebalancingDone for youBuilt into an all-in-one ETF; your own job with several ETFs
BehaviourManaged for you, which reduces the temptation to react to market swingsYou must stay the course yourself

For investors who can hold one all-in-one ETF through downturns, the self-directed route costs less. Questwealth’s value is in removing decisions and automating the discipline.

Questwealth vs Wealthsimple managed investing

FeatureQuestwealthWealthsimple managed investing
Management fee0.25% (0.20% from $100,000)0.5% at Core, 0.4% at Premium
SRI portfoliosYesCheck Wealthsimple’s current portfolio range
Other products with the same companyQuestrade self-directed tradingChequing, self-directed trading, crypto, tax filing

At every balance in the table above, Questwealth’s management fee is lower than Wealthsimple’s. Wealthsimple bundles managed investing with its app and banking products, which some investors value more than the fee difference.

Account types

Questrade’s Questwealth page lists these accounts: RRSP, TFSA, FHSA, RESP and non-registered (cash). For a spousal RRSP, a RRIF or a locked-in account, confirm availability with Questrade. When you transfer an existing account into Questwealth, Questrade notes that the securities are sold (liquidated) rather than moved in kind, which can trigger capital gains or losses in a non-registered account.

Families who care most about RESP strategy should compare Questwealth’s account support with the broader RESP guide and the endgame planning in RESP withdrawal strategies.

Who Questwealth suits

Investor typeFit
Cost-focused robo-advisor userLow management fee
Questrade self-directed client who wants part of their money managedSame company, managed option
ESG-minded investorSRI version of every portfolio
New investorFee schedule starts at a $250 balance
Investor comfortable holding one all-in-one ETFBuying the ETF directly costs less

Bottom Line

Questwealth Portfolios offers fully managed ETF portfolios for a 0.25% management fee (0.20% from $100,000). It suits investors who want hands-off management at a low fee, particularly those who already use Questrade. Investors comfortable holding a single all-in-one ETF can avoid the management fee entirely; robo-advisor vs a DIY ETF portfolio works through that choice, and Wealthsimple vs Questwealth compares it with its closest rival.

Sources

The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them on October 12, 2026. How we check facts.