Wealthsimple Fees Explained 2026: Every Charge, Line by Line
TL;DR
Trade is "$0 commission" but charges 1.5% FX on US trades on the Core plan. Invest charges 0.50% management. Cash is genuinely fee-free. Premium ($10/mo) usually pays for itself once you trade more than ~$8K/year in USD-listed assets.
Every Wealthsimple fee in one table
| Fee | Core | Premium | Generation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | $0 | $10 | $100* |
| Stock & ETF commission | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| FX margin (USD trades) | 1.5% | 0% (USD acct) | 0% |
| Invest management fee | 0.50% | 0.40% | 0.20% |
| Cash account fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| e-Transfer fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Account transfer out | $150 | $150 | $0 |
| Crypto trading spread | ~1.5–2% | ~1.5–2% | ~1.5–2% |
*Generation also unlocked at $500K+ household assets without subscription.
The hidden one: 1.5% FX margin
This is the fee Wealthsimple downplays. Every time you buy a US-listed stock or ETF on Core, your CAD is converted to USD at 1.5% above the interbank mid-rate. When you sell, the same 1.5% applies on the way back. A $5,000 round-trip in VOO costs about $150 in FX — even though the trade itself was "free."
Run your specific exposure through the Wealthsimple fee calculator — it shows the break-even point where Premium starts saving you money.
Invest (managed) fees
Wealthsimple Invest is the robo-advisor product. The 0.50% Core fee is on top of the underlying ETF MERs (~0.20% blended), so all-in cost is around 0.70%/year. That's competitive against bank-owned robo-advisors (1.0–1.5%) but clearly more than DIY ETF investing through Trade. Use our compound interest calculator to see the 25-year drag of 0.50% vs 0.20%.
Cash account — actually fee-free
Wealthsimple Cash is the rare Canadian product where the marketing matches reality. No monthly fee, free unlimited e-Transfers, no FX on the Cash card overseas, no minimum balance. Interest is a tiered 1.75–3.25% depending on plan tier. Full breakdown in our Wealthsimple Cash review.
Premium and Generation: when the math works
Premium ($10/mo = $120/year) breaks even when:
- You make at least $8,000/year in US-listed trades (1.5% × $8K = $120 saved)
- You receive USD dividends regularly (no per-dividend conversion)
- You want USD-side TFSA/RRSP/FHSA
Generation ($500K+ assets or $100/mo) targets high-net-worth investors. Adds dedicated advisors, tax-loss harvesting, lower 0.20% management fee, and free transfers in/out. Worth it once your portfolio is large enough that 0.30% savings > $1,200/year.
Crypto fees — the worst-priced product
Wealthsimple Crypto is convenient but expensive. The headline 1.5–2% spread compounds on every trade. For long-term Bitcoin/ETH holds, a self-custody approach or a lower-spread exchange will save serious money. Tax treatment is the same either way — see our Crypto Tax Canada 2026 Guide.
Fees Wealthsimple does NOT charge
- Inactivity fees
- Account opening or annual administration fees
- RRSP/TFSA/FHSA registration fees
- Deposit fees (e-Transfer, EFT, direct deposit)
- Most paper-statement or research fees
How Wealthsimple fees compare
Versus Questrade, Wealthsimple wins on simplicity but loses on USD-side cost. Read our full Wealthsimple vs Questrade comparison.
Related guides
Sources: Wealthsimple official fee page, Wealthsimple Trade Account Agreement, CIRO disclosure documents. Pricing changes — verify before opening. We do not accept referrals from Wealthsimple. Last reviewed: April 22, 2026.
Editorial disclaimer
This article is published by LoonieLabs for general information only. It is not financial, tax, legal, accounting, or immigration advice and must not be relied on as such. Rules, dollar figures, interest rates, and program eligibility change — always verify with the Canada Revenue Agency, IRCC, or a qualified professional before acting. Spotted an error? See our corrections policy. Last reviewed: April 22, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Written and reviewed by Shrey Patel — Founder & Editor-in-Chief
Winnipeg, MB · Figures cross-checked against official banking & credit sources · Last reviewed April 22, 2026 · LinkedIn
Founder of LoonieLabs · based in Winnipeg, MB · writes and reviews every page on the site I oversee every figure on this page personally — verified against primary sources (CRA, IRCC, Statistics Canada, the Bank of Canada, or the originating provincial ministry). LoonieLabs has no affiliate relationships with any bank, credit card, or immigration consultant featured on this site. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Published by LoonieLabs.