Investing $100 a month is enough to own a globally diversified ETF portfolio, as long as the platform charges nothing to buy. This page covers which funds work at that size and how the balance can grow; for how ETFs work in the first place, start with what an ETF is.
Growth of $100/Month Over Time
Assuming a 7% average annual return (an illustrative rate), with $100 added at the end of each month and compounded monthly:
Years
Total Contributed
Portfolio Value
Growth
1
$1,200
$1,239
$39
5
$6,000
$7,159
$1,159
10
$12,000
$17,308
$5,308
15
$18,000
$31,696
$13,696
20
$24,000
$52,093
$28,093
25
$30,000
$81,007
$51,007
30
$36,000
$121,997
$85,997
35
$42,000
$180,105
$138,105
40
$48,000
$262,481
$214,481
$100/month for 30 years → $121,997. That is $85,997 in growth from doing nothing except investing consistently.
Best All-in-One ETFs for $100/Month
For Growth (100% Equity)
ETF
MER
Holdings
Suits
XEQT
0.19%
5 iShares ETFs holding thousands of stocks worldwide
18% of prior-year earned income, up to $33,810 for 2026
Tends to suit
Lower current tax rate, or money you may need
Higher current tax rate than expected in retirement
If you need money back
Withdrawals are tax-free
Withdrawals are taxed as income
For $100/month ($1,200/year)
Fits easily within limit
Fits easily within limit
Common approach
Often the first account
Often added as income rises
Step-by-Step: Start Investing $100/Month
Step 1: Choose a Brokerage
Brokerage
Stock/ETF commission
Account fees to watch
Fractional Shares
Wealthsimple
$0
$0 monthly account fee
Yes
Questrade
$0
$0 annual account fee
Yes
National Bank Direct
$0
$100 annual fee unless you have $20,000 or are 30 or younger
Check with the broker
BMO InvestorLine
$0 (all stocks/ETFs since September 14, 2026)
Check with the broker
Check with the broker
TD Direct Investing
$0 for 108 select ETFs; $9.99 for other stocks and ETFs
$25 a quarter under $15,000 (waivable, for example with a $100/month pre-authorized contribution)
Yes ($1.99/trade)
For $100/month, what matters most is $0 commissions, no small-account fee and fractional shares, so each deposit is fully invested. Wealthsimple and Questrade both offer all three.
Step 2: Open a TFSA
Step
What to Do
Sign up online
5-10 minutes (Wealthsimple, Questrade, etc.)
Verify identity
Upload ID + selfie or visit branch
Select account type
TFSA
Set up recurring deposit
Link bank account, set $100/month
Step 3: Buy Your ETF
Step
What to Do
Search for ETF
Type “XEQT” or “VEQT” in the app
Enter amount
$100 (with fractional shares) or buy full shares
Place order
Market order during trading hours
Confirm
Review and submit
Step 4: Automate
Feature
Platform
Recurring deposits
Offered by most platforms
Recurring purchases
Questrade offers recurring orders; check whether your broker can buy automatically
Manual buy
Where automatic purchases aren’t offered, buy after each deposit lands
Model Portfolios
Portfolio 1: One-Fund Solution ($100/month)
ETF
Allocation
Monthly Amount
XEQT
100%
$100
Total MER
0.19%
Simplest approach. One ETF gives you global diversification across thousands of stocks.
Portfolio 2: Core + Canadian Dividend ($100/month)
ETF
Allocation
Monthly Amount
XEQT
80%
$80
XEI (iShares S&P/TSX Composite High Dividend)
20%
$20
Total MER
0.20% (weighted)
Adds a Canadian dividend tilt with monthly distributions from XEI.
Portfolio 3: Growth + Bonds ($100/month)
ETF
Allocation
Monthly Amount
XEQT
70%
$70
ZAG (BMO Aggregate Bond)
30%
$30
Total MER
0.16% (weighted)
A do-it-yourself 70/30 mix; compare its weighted MER with XGRO’s 0.19% for a ready-made 80/20 portfolio. You would need to rebalance it yourself.
What $100/Month Looks Like at Different Amounts
Monthly Amount
10 Years
20 Years
30 Years
$50
$8,654
$26,046
$60,999
$100
$17,308
$52,093
$121,997
$200
$34,617
$104,185
$243,994
$250
$43,271
$130,232
$304,993
$500
$86,542
$260,463
$609,985
$1,000
$173,085
$520,927
$1,219,971
Assumes 7% average annual return, compounded monthly
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake
Why It’s a Problem
What to Do Instead
Waiting to start
Missing years of compounding
Starting with a small amount still counts
Trying to time the market
You’ll miss the best days
Invest consistently every month
Checking portfolio daily
Causes anxiety, panic selling
Check quarterly at most
Picking individual stocks
Concentrated risk, likely underperform
Buy diversified ETFs
Paying high fees
At $100/month for 30 years and a 7% gross return, a 2% MER instead of 0.19% (fee subtracted from the return, compounded monthly) leaves you $34,295 less
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them between August 29, 2026 and September 25, 2026. How we check facts.