Bell Direct vs Bendigo Invest Direct
The biggest difference between Bell Direct and Bendigo Invest Direct is the cost of trading ASX shares. Bell Direct charges a flat $5 brokerage on trades up to $25,000, while Bendigo Invest Direct charges a minimum of $19.95 per trade. That gap makes Bell Direct the clear winner for anyone who trades Australian shares regularly or in smaller parcels.
- ›Trade ASX shares frequently — Bell Direct's $5 minimum brokerage is a fraction of Bendigo's $19.95 minimum
- ›Want fractional US shares — Bell Direct supports them; Bendigo Invest Direct does not
- ›Prefer to hold US dollars in your account to avoid repeated FX conversion — Bell Direct offers a USD account
- ›Need a kids or minor account — Bell Direct supports it; Bendigo Invest Direct does not list this option
- ›Want to keep market data costs low — Bell Direct charges $27.50/month vs Bendigo's $41.25/month
- ›Trade international shares beyond the US — Bendigo Invest Direct covers 15 markets (UK, Japan, Canada, Europe, NZ, Singapore, HK and more); Bell Direct only offers ASX and US
- ›Want free real-time ASX data — Bendigo Invest Direct includes it; Bell Direct charges $27.50/month
- ›Prefer a bank-backed platform — Bendigo Invest Direct is powered by Bendigo and Adelaide Bank and CMC Markets
- ›Need a tighter FX spread on US trades — Bendigo's spread is 0.007% vs Bell Direct's 0.6%
- ›Want live chat and in-app support — Bendigo Invest Direct offers those channels; Bell Direct is limited to phone, email and online forms
Where they differ
| Fact | Bell Direct | Bendigo Invest Direct |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $19.95 |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.6% | 0.007% |
| International markets | ASX and US only | 15 global markets |
| Free real-time market data | No ($27.50/month) | Yes (included) |
| Fractional US shares | Yes | No |
Choose Bell Direct for low-cost ASX trading; choose Bendigo Invest Direct for broad international market access and tighter FX.
Common questions
How do Bell Direct and Bendigo Invest Direct compare on asx brokerage minimum?
Bell Direct: $5. Bendigo Invest Direct: $19.95. Bell Direct is dramatically cheaper for ASX trades under $25,000.
How do Bell Direct and Bendigo Invest Direct compare on fx spread (aud/usd)?
Bell Direct: 0.6%. Bendigo Invest Direct: 0.007%. Bendigo Invest Direct's FX spread is roughly 85x tighter.
How do Bell Direct and Bendigo Invest Direct compare on international markets?
Bell Direct: ASX and US only. Bendigo Invest Direct: 15 global markets. Bendigo Invest Direct offers far broader international access.
When is Bell Direct the better choice over Bendigo Invest Direct?
Pick Bell Direct if trade ASX shares frequently — Bell Direct's $5 minimum brokerage is a fraction of Bendigo's $19.95 minimum; want fractional US shares — Bell Direct supports them; Bendigo Invest Direct does not; prefer to hold US dollars in your account to avoid repeated FX conversion — Bell Direct offers a USD account; or need a kids or minor account — Bell Direct supports it; Bendigo Invest Direct does not list this option.
When is Bendigo Invest Direct the better choice over Bell Direct?
Pick Bendigo Invest Direct if trade international shares beyond the US — Bendigo Invest Direct covers 15 markets (UK, Japan, Canada, Europe, NZ, Singapore, HK and more); Bell Direct only offers ASX and US; want free real-time ASX data — Bendigo Invest Direct includes it; Bell Direct charges $27.50/month; prefer a bank-backed platform — Bendigo Invest Direct is powered by Bendigo and Adelaide Bank and CMC Markets; or need a tighter FX spread on US trades — Bendigo's spread is 0.007% vs Bell Direct's 0.6%.
Bell Direct or Bendigo Invest Direct — what's the verdict?
Choose Bell Direct for low-cost ASX trading; choose Bendigo Invest Direct for broad international market access and tighter FX.
Punch in your trade size and frequency. We'll do the full brokerage + FX + fees maths.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Bell Direct | Bendigo Invest Direct |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | chess |
| Individual HIN | Yes | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | — |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Other markets supported | UK, JP, CA, DE, FR, HK, SG, NZ, NL, BE, PT, ES, IT, NO, SE | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds supported | Yes | Yes |
| IPO access | Yes | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 60% | 0.7% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 0.7% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| Market data fees | $27.5/month | $41.25/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $60 | $50 |
| Corporate action fees | Fail fee $110 or 0.11% daily for unsettled trades; corporate action handling generally pass-through via CHESS sponsorship | BPAY for corporate actions $10; IPO/Placement booking fee $55 per stock |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $19.95 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 10% | 0.11% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | $22,000 |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | US$0 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 0% |
| Monthly platform fee | — | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | — | $0/year |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | — | $35 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $55 | $55 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Third Party Platform Pty Limited (trading as Bell Direct) | CMC Markets Stockbroking Limited |
| AFSL number | 314,341 | 246,381 |
| Year founded | 2,007 | — |
| Parent / ownership | Bell Financial Group Limited (ASX: BFG) | Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited (ABN 11 068 049 178); service operated by CMC Markets Stockbroking Limited, a member of the CMC Markets Group (CMC Markets plc, LSE-listed) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public (Bendigo and Adelaide Bank ASX:BEN; CMC Markets plc LSE:CMCX) |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $500 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Bank transfer (EFT), Direct credit | BPAY, direct credit |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | T+2 ASX (CHESS settlement) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | — |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS | — |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, online forms | phone, email, live_chat, in_app |
| Support hours (AU time) | Business hours, AET (typically Mon-Fri market hours) | Mon-Fri 7:30am-7:00pm (chat/email) and 7:30am-5:30pm (phone) AEST/AEDT |
| Education content | basic articles | basic_articles |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | — |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | — | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | — | No |