Stress Test Is this the golden age of DIY investing?
Apr 1, 2026
They explore how zero commissions, fractional shares and slick mobile apps have lowered the barrier to investing. Two Canadians share their different DIY journeys and the habits that kept them disciplined. The conversation digs into gamification, AI tools in brokerages and how trading frictions can both help and harm new investors.
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Maggie Chose DIY To Cut High Fees
- Maggie began investing after paying down student loans and trying wealth management advice but then chose DIY to avoid ~2.36% fees.
- She moved between Questrade and Wealthsimple, used app convenience and promotions (free iPhone) and set automatic contributions to invest consistently.
Zero Execution Costs Make DIY Accessible
- Rob says early 2026 is ideal for DIY investors because apps are mature and trading/account costs have fallen toward zero.
- You still pay embedded product fees (like ETF MERs), but execution and account fees are disappearing, lowering the entry barrier.
Phone Apps Are Great For Day To Day But Not Deep Dives
- Mobile apps now handle most everyday investing tasks and the creative UX work is concentrated on phones.
- Rob rates apps 7.5/10, noting deep-dive tools (risk analysis, long-term performance) are still better on websites.