Bell Direct vs Plus500
Bell Direct is a genuine CHESS-sponsored broker that lets you own ASX shares in your own name, while Plus500 is a CFD provider — you never actually buy the underlying stock. That one structural difference dictates everything else: fees, features, tax treatment and whether you can even hold a long-term portfolio on the platform.
- ›You want to own real ASX shares under your own HIN with CHESS sponsorship
- ›You need a full suite of account types — joint, trust, SMSF, kids accounts are all supported
- ›You want to build a long-term portfolio with DRP, managed funds, bonds and IPO access
- ›You need a CGT report, tax breakdowns and Sharesight integration for EOFY
- ›You trade US stocks and want a dedicated USD account to avoid ongoing FX conversion
- ›You only want to speculate on price movements with CFDs and have no interest in owning the underlying asset
- ›You want a low $100 minimum deposit and can fund via card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay
- ›You need 24/7 customer support and a demo account to practice strategies
- ›You want free real-time market data with zero monthly fees
- ›You plan to trade after hours or overnight — Plus500 supports extended-hours CFD trading
Where they differ
| Fact | Bell Direct | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| What you actually buy | Real ASX and US shares under your HIN (CHESS-sponsored) | CFDs only — you never own the underlying asset |
| ASX brokerage | From $5 (0.1% over $25k) | N/A — no real ASX shares traded; Plus500 earns via spread |
| Account types | Individual, joint, company, trust, SMSF, kids account | Individual and company only |
| Minimum deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Tax & reporting tools | Australian tax statement, CGT report, Sharesight integration | None — CFD trading has different tax treatment; no CGT report |
Choose Bell Direct if you want to own real shares; choose Plus500 only if you're speculating with CFDs.
Common questions
How do Bell Direct and Plus500 compare on what you actually buy?
Bell Direct: Real ASX and US shares under your HIN (CHESS-sponsored). Plus500: CFDs only — you never own the underlying asset.
How do Bell Direct and Plus500 compare on asx brokerage?
Bell Direct: From $5 (0.1% over $25k). Plus500: N/A — no real ASX shares traded; Plus500 earns via spread.
How do Bell Direct and Plus500 compare on account types?
Bell Direct: Individual, joint, company, trust, SMSF, kids account. Plus500: Individual and company only.
When is Bell Direct the better choice over Plus500?
Pick Bell Direct if you want to own real ASX shares under your own HIN with CHESS sponsorship; you need a full suite of account types — joint, trust, SMSF, kids accounts are all supported; you want to build a long-term portfolio with DRP, managed funds, bonds and IPO access; or you need a CGT report, tax breakdowns and Sharesight integration for EOFY.
When is Plus500 the better choice over Bell Direct?
Pick Plus500 if you only want to speculate on price movements with CFDs and have no interest in owning the underlying asset; you want a low $100 minimum deposit and can fund via card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay; you need 24/7 customer support and a demo account to practice strategies; or you want free real-time market data with zero monthly fees.
Bell Direct or Plus500 — what's the verdict?
Choose Bell Direct if you want to own real shares; choose Plus500 only if you're speculating with CFDs.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Bell Direct | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | — |
| Individual HIN | Yes | — |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | No |
| SMSF account | Yes | No |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | No |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| US shares supported | Yes | No |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| Other markets supported | ||
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 60% | 70% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| 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 | Not applicable — Plus500 only offers CFDs, so users do not participate in real corporate actions (rights issues, SPPs, takeovers). Dividend adjustments on share CFDs are credited/debited to positions automatically. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | — |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 10% | — |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | — |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | — |
| Monthly platform fee | — | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | — | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | — | $10 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | — | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $55 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Third Party Platform Pty Limited (trading as Bell Direct) | Plus500AU Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 314,341 | 417,727 |
| Year founded | 2,007 | 2,008 |
| Parent / ownership | Bell Financial Group Limited (ASX: BFG) | Plus500 Ltd (UK/Israel, LSE-listed parent) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Bank transfer (EFT), Direct credit | BPAY, Bank transfer, Credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | — |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | Typically 1-3 business days; same payment method as deposit (card, bank, e-wallet). |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | — | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS | SMS only |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, online forms | Live chat, Email, WhatsApp, Contact form |
| Support hours (AU time) | Business hours, AET (typically Mon-Fri market hours) | 24/7 live chat, email and WhatsApp support |
| Education content | basic articles | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | No |
| 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 |