MoneySense

Minimum account size to qualify for no annual fees or inactivity fees

monthly contributions of $50 for young investors; $100 for everyone else, OR

eight or more commission-generating trades in preceeding 12 months

make pre-authorized contributions of $300 or more per quarter

$25,000 across all accounts OR 12 trades per year (RRSP)

$10,000 across all accounts OR 1 trade per quarter (non-registered)

$4.95 min. to $9.95 max., at rate of 1 per share

Are lower or higher commissions charged in different circumstances?

$5 (active traders on Market Q); $6.95 to $8.95 (Prestige clients); $45 (phone trades via representative, or $19.95 for Prestige clients)

$6.95 (150+ trades per quarter OR $500,000 across all accounts); $7.75 (investors aged 1830 making monthly $50+ pre-authorized contributions)

$4.95 per trade OR 1 per share to a maximum of $6.95 per trade (with subscription to a data package)

$4.99 (150+ trades per quarter); $24.99 (less than $50,000 across all accounts)

$0 (platform traders); $4.99 (150+ trades per quarter OR assets over $250,000)

Is it possible a client could be charged an Electronic Communication Network (ECN) or additional fee on top of specified commissions in certain situations?

(platform fees may apply, depending on trading volume)

(any fees are identified prior to order being placed)

($0.005 per share for U.S. securities traded outside of regular market hours)

No additional fees for retail clients paying $9.99 flat commission. Fees may apply for clients who use commission-free structure and trade with platform

$6.88 + $1.25 per contract; $4.88 +$1.25 per contract for Active Trader clients

$9.95 + $1/contract including multi-leg option strategies where customers can buy multiple options (up to 4) as part of 1 strategy and only pay one ticket commission.

9.99 for options + 1.25 per contract or 7.00 for options + 1.25 per contract for active traders (150 TPQ)

All Canadian and U.S.-listed ETFs (if the trade is for 100 shares or more)

Is commission charged on commission-free ETF BUY orders?

Is commission charged on commission-free ETF SELL orders?

Can you hold U.S. dollars in registered accounts?

Can you purchase international stocks online, including

ADRs online; International stocks by phone only

Does the firm offer a mobile app or a mobile-adaptive design for mobile clients?

How many products are available for trading on mobile devices?

Equities, ETFs, options, mutual funds, GICs, ADRs

Equities, ETFs (Options planned to launch spring 2018)

Equities, ETFs, options, option strategies (up to 4 legs), FX and CFDs

Equities, ETFs, options (including multi-leg option and stock + option), mutual funds

Can a user get market quotes or account balances via mobile devices without logging in?

MarketQ platform access provides additional data access, streaming quotes, charts and watchlists

Services for ultra active traders (300 trades per year)

Additional data access, reduced commissions, Elite phone service

Is there an exclusive service for large accounts?

5 Star Gold (assets $500,000$9,999,999 OR 30 to 149 trades per quarter)

5 Star Platinum (assets $10,000,000+ OR 150+ trades per quarter)

Private Distinctive Services (includes a dedicated account manager)

Royal Circle (assets over $250,000 OR annual commissions over $5,000)

Personal relationship manager and dedicated team, expedited account opening and transfers, dedicated phone line and email, custom credit solutions, premium margin rates, preferred FX rates

Is there a robo-advisor managed investment service within the family of companies?

RBC InvestEase (currently piloting in Ontario)

What securities are offered in these services?

What are the costs associated with the services?

What days and hours are live-chat or telephone services available?

Sun: 06:0000:00 ETMonFri, 08:0017:00 ETMonFri, 08:0020:00 ETMonFri, 08:3017:00 ETMonFri, 07:3020:00 ET

Average time to respond to a non-secure service request in past year

MarketQ market information tool for active investors

Easy to use and informational transaction screens

Strong brokerage/banking integrated website and mobile applications

Minimum $5,000 account opening for the majority of accounts

Generally weak relative to other Canadian firms

MarketQ costs for active traders on slow months

ECN fees added on top of regular commissions to orders that remove liquidity to the market

Below average charting and technical resources

Average commission structures despite marketing lower fees

High commissions for low activity and small equity level clients

Average commission structure despite advertised low fees

Below average public site secure site resources

1. Equity and options commissions may vary according to the size of the investors account and/or the frequency of trades.

2. Response time was measured using Surviscors Service Level Assessment program which assessed 169 non-secure service records between May 2017 to April 2018.