Best Online Banks In Canada: Your Guide to Internet Banking
Rachel Cribby
Digital banking refers to banks that operate online, whether it be through an emphasis on online services within a larger company, or a bank that operates completely online without any brick-and-mortar branches at all. There are many reasons to love online banking, thanks to its unmatched convenience and practicality, not to mention 24/7 instant access to your funds. Who doesn’t want that? It’s your money. You should be able to access it whenever you want.
To help you decide which digital financial institution will work for your needs, we’ve got an overview of ten of the best online banks in Canada, with a special attention placed on the pros and cons of each to provide a balanced overview.
Best Online Banks Canada
Wealthsimple
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$100
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$0
Avg MER
0.2%
Fees
0.4% - 0.5%
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1. Tangerine
Tangerine garnered quite a bit of attention when it burst onto the scene in 2014. Previously known as ING Direct Canada, Tangerine stood out from the crowd by offering no-fee chequing and savings accounts with uniquely high interest rates, as well as low-fee investment opportunities designed for bankers with long-term goals.
Given their progressive approach to banking, it makes sense that Tangerine offers a robust array of online services. In fact, Tangerine advertises its lack of brick-and-mortar branches as a way that they can pass more savings along to their customers. In lieu of traditional bank branches, Tangerine instead offers what they call “cafes” in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary, which are essentially spaces to learn more about Tangerine’s services or get financial advice (coffee included).
While this lack of a physical presence may leave some customers apprehensive, this is not the case with Tangerine since the quality of their customer service is impeccable.
Pros
High-interest rates that are unheard of elsewhere
Full banking services (including mortgages, TFSAs, lines of credit, etc.)
Award-winning customer support
Cons
Big city-centric location of the Tangerine cafes may have some folks feeling left out
While Tangerine customers can use ScotiaBank ATMs for free, these machines may be more spread out and harder to find
2. EQ Bank
EQ Bank, or Equitable Bank, is a direct bank that has a history that dates back to 1970- way, way, way, back in the day. EQ Bank, like Tangerine, does not operate any in-person branches. Instead, they offer 24/7 online banking and customer service from 8 a.m. to midnight daily (EST).
Many money-savvy Canadians have primarily taken advantage of EQ Bank’s consistently high interest rates by using it as a place to stash money in a savings account. However, what’s unique about EQ Bank is that they let you use your savings account much like you would a chequing account, meaning that you can pay bills and send money without any fees, all the while earning interest on your money.
Pros
High interest rate savings account
Well-priced overseas money transfers
GICs
The ability to link your account to another “Big Five” bank account
Cons
EQ Bank does not offer a physical debit card or any ATM access
Customer service wait times may be longer than average due to a relatively small staff
3. Wealthsimple
If you haven’t yet heard of WealthSimple, get ready to start seeing the name everywhere! WealthSimple is well known for its effective marketing campaign which features interviews with famous public figures on their favourite money tips and what their particular financial journey has looked like. These stories, often rag-to-riches, do a good job of outlining WealthSimple’s mission, which is essentially to make you wealthy as you sleep.
Although not a traditional banking account, WealthSimple still deserves a place on a list of the best online banks in Canada. WealthSimple bills itself as an online investment management service. It uses artificial intelligence to make investments on behalf of the client that depend on the client’s specific goals and lifestyle. Although these automated investors, who are affectionately known as “robo-advisors”, do a great job of analyzing the financial risks associated with investing, customers also have the option to talk to a human advisor if they desire.
WealthSimple uses auto-deposits that are linked to an account type, and also offers round-up services where the spare change from your purchases are rounded up and sent to the account of your choice.
Pros
By setting up regular deposits into TFSA, RESP, or rainy day savings accounts, you can accumulate a balance without having to actively focus on doing the work. Also, because WealthSimple invests your money for you, you don’t need to worry about being a stock expert.
Cons
Unlike some of the other entries on this list, WealthSimple is not a one-stop-shop. Instead, it should be thought of as an accessory to your central banking needs. However, the company does have plans in the works to expand their services.
4. RBC Online
No comprehensive list about the best online banks in Canada would be complete without an analysis of the so-called “Big Five” banks of Canada. If you’ve lived in Canada for some time, it’s inevitable that you have heard of RBC.
RBC, or the Royal Bank of Canada, was founded in 1864 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Thankfully for us, though, it no longer runs its services as if it’s the 19th century. RBC Online is a great option for Canadians who feel the most comfortable banking with one of the big names, and who are looking to bundle a number of services in one place.
While RBC famously does not waive account fees for any balance (monthly account fees start at $4 and go up from there), it is possible to save when you combine two or more services together, such as credit cards or lines of credit.
Pros
Some customers simply feel more comfortable banking with a big name. RBC’s industry experience and large employee base can help give you the peace-of-mind that your money is safe in the ether of the internet.
Cons
Some users have reported that customer support leaves something to be desired, and that the online system can sometimes be buggy.
5. BMO Online
On the topic of the big five banks, it’s worth talking about BMO Online, which is the Bank of Montreal’s online banking platform. Like all other banks of this calibre, BMO Online offers you encrypted online banking services like 24/7 account access and e-transfers.
BMO Online proudly offers discounts for certain clientele such as students or seniors. Also, their list of online services is quite extensive, from mobile cheque depositing to even opening a new bank account or credit card.
Pros
the BMO mobile app has stellar reviews, with more than 13,000 users giving it an average of 4.5 stars. The app even allows you to sign in Touch ID or Face ID if you prefer.
Cons
Like most traditional banks, sometimes users find the monthly account fees for BMO Online a bit steep, going as high as $30 per month.
6. TD Online
TD Online is the umbrella name for the online services offered by TD Canada Trust, or simply TD. TD Online offers the same services that you would expect from any other big bank, such as free online e-transfers and 24/7 mobile cheque depositing.
TD’s online platform, called EasyWeb, has been around quite a while, having launched in 2007. The benefit of this for you as a customer is that they have had some time to work out the kinks, and are one of the more experienced banks in Canada when it comes to online banking.
Pros
Users rave about the bank-specific app called TD MySpend, which helps you keep track of every transaction and notice patterns in your spending. TD customer service continually ranks highly in terms of efficiency and politeness.
Cons
TD bank in general doesn’t offer much in terms of enticing interest rates.
7. CIBC Online
CIBC, or the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, is one of the newer large Canadian financial institutions, dating back to 1961. Given its size, its interest rates and annual fees are in line from what you would expect from one of the big banks.
CIBC offers a comprehensive online banking platform, complete with real-time fraud alerts and mobile cheque depositing. For the budding travelers among us, CIBC also offers the ability to order foreign cash online and have it delivered to your home!
Pros
In 2019, CIBC’s banking app was rated as the #1 across Canada by independent advisory firm Forrest Research.
Cons
If you’re in the market for a credit card, CIBC has relatively fewer options than their counterparts.
8. Scotia Online
To complete our overview of the big banks, let’s have a look at ScotiaBank’s online platform, Scotia Online.
Many Canadians are familiar with ScotiaBank through their catchy “you’re richer than you think” marketing slogan, which has been used as a way to tout their financial advising services as well as their money-earning incentives that you may receive when you sign up for any account or service. However, as advantageous as these pull factors may be, does the convenience transfer over to ScotiaBank’s online service, known as Scotia Online?
To put it simply, yes. ScotiaBank offers both a chequing account with unlimited transactions as well as savings accounts with competitive interest rates. Most accounts are charged a monthly fee, though this is waived by exceeding the monthly required minimums. And let’s not forget about those SCENE points!
Pros
Scotiabank often has great promos — if you keep your eyes open for one of these, you could receive a cash incentive for opening a bank account, or an amazing interest rate.
Cons
If you are unable to maintain the monthly account minimum (it’s in the $3,000 range for most chequing accounts), the monthly fees can start to add up.
9. Alterna Bank
Alterna Bank is the online subsidiary of Alterna Savings, a popular Ontario-based credit union. It offers all of the full services that other banks offer from chequing and savings accounts to even mortgages. Aside from two physical locations in Gatineau, like most of the institutions on this list, Alterna Bank does not operate any branches.
Although admittedly no frills, Alterna Bank has a band of loyal followers who tout it as one of the best online banks in Canada. This is mostly because of their competitive saving account interest rates and hassle-free inter-bank transfers. They also proudly offer unlimited transactions and unlimited free e-transfers per month, as well as TFSAs, RRSPs, and GICs.
Pros
Alterna Bank is a great option for Quebec residents, who sometimes are excluded from other special bank offers due to provincial laws.
Cons
Some users have complained that Alterna Bank’s customer service can sometimes be lacking.
10. Outlook Financial
Another smaller player on the market, Outlook Financial is linked with Manitoba’s Assiniboine Credit Union.
Outlook Financial offers both GICs as well as saving accounts to its customers. Like many of the other institutions on this list, its main draw is its interest rates, which often fluctuate to be among the highest offered in the country.
Outlook’s GICs are another big pull, with no monthly account fee and a minimum deposit that is as low as $1,000. Not a traditional bank, Outlook operates more similarly to the aforementioned Tangerine or EQ Bank. It is a great option for young Canadians who have some cash to invest and sit on for a while at a favourable interest rate.
Pros
Outlook Financial offers great savings opportunities without all of the unnecessary bells and whistles of the bigger banks..
Cons
Outlook Financial’s services are admittedly quite limited compared to that of a fully-functional bank.
Frequently Asked Questions
Looking for more answers about online banks? No problem! Here are some frequently asked questions about digital banks.
Certainly! Online banking has come a long way since the early days of the internet, which means that it is now more risk-free than ever.
Similar to the way that your payments are protected in a traditional bank in the case of a security breach, your money is equally safe in a digital bank. This is because online banks are associated with the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC), which ensures the funds of Canadians up to $100,000 per person.
It depends. As per the Income Tax Act (ITA), any bank account that collects interest on your behalf requires a SIN to activate. Otherwise, for a regular chequing account or savings account, a SIN will not be required. Two pieces of I.D. will be sufficient in most cases.
Sometimes! As we mentioned before, many online-only banks are able to offer more financial incentives to their customers as they save on other costs such as the maintenance of a storefront. However, as interest rates are always subject to change, it is recommended that you shop around between online banks until you find the highest rate for you.
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