Bell Direct vs IG Australia
The biggest difference between Bell Direct and IG Australia comes down to ownership structure. Bell Direct is a CHESS-sponsored broker — you get your own HIN and shares are held directly in your name on the ASX register. IG Australia uses a custodial model, meaning IG (via Citicorp Nominees) holds the legal title to your shares. That distinction ripples through everything from fees to features.
- ›You want your own HIN and direct CHESS-sponsored ownership of ASX shares
- ›You plan to trade options or invest in managed funds and bonds
- ›You want dividend reinvestment (DRP) and fractional US shares
- ›You need a kids / minor account or a CGT report for tax time
- ›You're comfortable paying a $5 minimum brokerage on ASX trades in exchange for direct ownership
- ›You want $0 brokerage on ASX shares and ETFs with no minimum trade count or conditions
- ›You trade frequently and want free market data ($0/month vs Bell Direct's $27.50/month)
- ›You need access to UK, German and Irish markets alongside ASX and US
- ›You want to deposit via credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay
- ›You prefer an authenticator app for 2FA and 24/5 phone support
Where they differ
| Fact | Bell Direct | IG Australia |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage (minimum) | $5 | $0 |
| Ownership model | CHESS-sponsored (your own HIN) | Custodial (held via Citicorp Nominees) |
| Market data fees | $27.50/month | $0/month |
| Fractional US shares | Yes | No |
| Dividend reinvestment (DRP) | Yes | No |
Choose Bell Direct for direct CHESS ownership and a broader product range; choose IG for zero-commission ASX trading and lower ongoing costs.
Common questions
How do Bell Direct and IG Australia compare on asx brokerage (minimum)?
Bell Direct: $5. IG Australia: $0.
How do Bell Direct and IG Australia compare on ownership model?
Bell Direct: CHESS-sponsored (your own HIN). IG Australia: Custodial (held via Citicorp Nominees).
How do Bell Direct and IG Australia compare on market data fees?
Bell Direct: $27.50/month. IG Australia: $0/month.
When is Bell Direct the better choice over IG Australia?
Pick Bell Direct if you want your own HIN and direct CHESS-sponsored ownership of ASX shares; you plan to trade options or invest in managed funds and bonds; you want dividend reinvestment (DRP) and fractional US shares; or you need a kids / minor account or a CGT report for tax time.
When is IG Australia the better choice over Bell Direct?
Pick IG Australia if you want $0 brokerage on ASX shares and ETFs with no minimum trade count or conditions; you trade frequently and want free market data ($0/month vs Bell Direct's $27.50/month); you need access to UK, German and Irish markets alongside ASX and US; or you want to deposit via credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Bell Direct or IG Australia — what's the verdict?
Choose Bell Direct for direct CHESS ownership and a broader product range; choose IG for zero-commission ASX trading and lower ongoing costs.
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 | IG Australia |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | Yes | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 60% | 0.7% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 0.7% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| Market data fees | $27.5/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $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 | Corporate actions (dividends, splits, rights issues, takeovers) for shares held in custody are processed by IG via Citicorp Nominees; cash dividends are credited net of withholding to client ledger. SPP/rights elections are limited under the custodial model and detailed fees are disclosed in the IG Share Trading Customer Agreement / FSG. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $0 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 10% | 0% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | $10,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | $0 commission on all ASX shares and ETFs on the IG Share Trading account (no conditions/minimum trade count). A 0.25% p.a. platform fee on holdings value applies; 0.7% FX fee applies to international trades. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | US$0 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 0% |
| Monthly platform fee | — | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | — | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | — | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | — | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $55 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Third Party Platform Pty Limited (trading as Bell Direct) | IG Australia Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 314,341 | 515,106 |
| Year founded | 2,007 | 2,002 |
| Parent / ownership | Bell Financial Group Limited (ASX: BFG) | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Bank transfer (EFT), Direct credit | bank transfer, BPAY, debit card, credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-3 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | Yes |
| Demo account | — | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, online forms | phone, email, live chat, social media |
| Support hours (AU time) | Business hours, AET (typically Mon-Fri market hours) | 24/5 Monday to Friday (closed weekends) |
| Education content | basic articles | video + courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | — |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | 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 | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | — | Yes |