Share Trading comparison
Bell Direct vs Halo Technologies
Bell Direct and Halo Technologies sit at opposite ends of the brokerage spectrum. Bell Direct is a low-cost, CHESS-sponsored broker built for DIY investors who want to own their holdings on the ASX. Halo Technologies is a high-end platform with a $159/month fee, custody model, and multi-market access that only makes sense if you're trading serious volume or need global exposure.
Choose
Bell Direct
if…
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN so ASX-listed shares are held in your name, not a custodian
- ›You trade ASX shares regularly — $5 minimum brokerage at 0.1% up to $25,000 is hard to beat
- ›You want a low minimum deposit ($500) and no monthly platform fee eating into your returns
- ›You need a kids or minor account, which Bell Direct offers and Halo does not
- ›You want integrated CGT reporting and Sharesight/Navexa compatibility for tax time
Choose
Halo Technologies
if…
- ›You trade large volumes — the $15 flat brokerage (or promotional $0 on trades up to $250k) works out cheaper than percentage-based fees on big orders
- ›You want access to 30+ global exchanges including the UK, Europe, Japan and Asia Pacific, not just ASX and US
- ›You trade US stocks heavily — Halo's FX spread of 0.005% is dramatically tighter than Bell Direct's 0.6%
- ›You need automated, multi-criteria investing strategies — Halo supports sophisticated auto-invest rules, Bell Direct has none
- ›You're a high-net-worth investor who values the all-in-one service model and doesn't mind paying $159/month for it
Where they differ
| Fact | Bell Direct | Halo Technologies |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $15 |
| Monthly platform fee | $0 | $159/month |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.6% | 0.005% |
| CHESS sponsorship | CHESS (own HIN) | Custodian (no HIN) |
| International markets | ASX and US only | 30+ exchanges globally |
Verdict
Choose Bell Direct for low-cost, CHESS-sponsored ASX investing; choose Halo only if you trade enough volume or global markets to justify the $159 monthly fee.
Cost calculator
What would Bell Direct vs Halo Technologies actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Bell Direct | Halo Technologies |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| 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 | US (NASDAQ, NYSE), UK, Europe, Japan (NIKKEI), Asia Pacific, 30 exchanges total | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | Yes | — |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds supported | Yes | — |
| IPO access | Yes | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 60% | 0.5% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 0.5% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | — |
| Market data fees | $27.5/month | $19/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | — |
| Phone trade surcharge | $60 | — |
| Corporate action fees | Fail fee $110 or 0.11% daily for unsettled trades; corporate action handling generally pass-through via CHESS sponsorship | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $15 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 10% | 0.12% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | $12,500 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | Promotional offer: $0 brokerage on trades up to $250,000 (per landing page /0-brokerage-on-trades-up-to-250000); standard FSG schedule remains $15/0.12%. Conditions not fully disclosed publicly. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | US$15 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 0.12% |
| Monthly platform fee | — | $159/month |
| Annual platform fee | — | $2,508/year |
| Off-market transfer fee | $55 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Third Party Platform Pty Limited (trading as Bell Direct) | HALO Technologies Pty Ltd (ABN 54 623 830 866); ultimately wholly owned by HALO Technologies Holdings Limited ABN 73 645 531 219 |
| AFSL number | 314,341 | 484,264 |
| Year founded | 2,007 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | Bell Financial Group Limited (ASX: BFG) | HALO Technologies Holdings Limited (ASX:HAL) — ultimate parent; publicly listed |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | — |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Bank transfer (EFT), Direct credit | AUD bank transfer / direct credit (to HALO trust account) |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | — |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | — |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | — |
| Free real-time market data | No | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | SMS | — |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, online forms | phone, email, live chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Business hours, AET (typically Mon-Fri market hours) | — |
| Education content | basic articles | basic articles |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | — |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | — |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | — |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | — |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |