Share Trading comparison
Bendigo Invest Direct vs CommSec
The biggest practical difference between Bendigo Invest Direct and CommSec is the brokerage floor. CommSec charges just $5 per ASX trade (with a linked CDIA account), while Bendigo Invest Direct starts at $19.95. That gap makes CommSec dramatically cheaper for smaller trades, but Bendigo Invest Direct offers a broader range of international markets and a flat 0.11% brokerage above $22,000 — which can work in your favour on very large trades.
Choose
Bendigo Invest Direct
if…
- ›You trade large parcels above $22,000 where Bendigo's 0.11% rate undercuts CommSec's 0.12%
- ›You want access to 18 international markets including Japan, Singapore, New Zealand and Portugal — far more than CommSec's 13
- ›You need a desktop trading platform alongside the mobile app (CommSec is app-only)
- ›You value built-in CGT reports and tax statements without needing third-party software
- ›You're comfortable paying $35 for withdrawals and $55 for off-market transfers — higher than CommSec's $0 and $54 respectively
Choose
CommSec
if…
- ›You want the cheapest ASX trades on the market — $5 per trade with a linked CDIA account, versus Bendigo's $19.95 minimum
- ›You trade US stocks regularly and want $0 market data fees (Bendigo charges $41.25/month for live data) and a slightly tighter FX spread of 0.055%
- ›You want fractional US shares — Bendigo doesn't offer them at all
- ›You need after-hours trading capability, which Bendigo Invest Direct doesn't support
- ›You're a CBA customer who wants instant settlement transfers between your CDIA and CommSec account
Where they differ
| Fact | Bendigo Invest Direct | CommSec |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $19.95 | $5 (with linked CDIA) |
| Market data fees | $41.25/month | $0/month |
| US brokerage minimum | $0 | $5 USD |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $35 | $0 |
| International markets covered | 18 countries (including JP, SG, NZ) | 13 countries (no SG, NZ, JP) |
Verdict
CommSec wins for cost-conscious Australian investors; Bendigo Invest Direct is better for global diversification and desktop traders.
Cost calculator
What would Bendigo Invest Direct vs CommSec actually cost you?
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 | Bendigo Invest Direct | CommSec |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Japan, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Sweden |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | Yes |
| 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) | 0.7% | 0.55% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.7% | 0.55% |
| Holds USD account | No | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | — | No |
| Market data fees | $41.25/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $50 | $59.95 |
| Corporate action fees | BPAY for corporate actions $10; IPO/Placement booking fee $55 per stock | Corporate actions (SPP, rights issue, takeovers, demergers, dividend payments) are not separately charged by CommSec. They are processed via the share registry/issuer. CommSec does not send trade confirmations for off-market events, so Sharesight/other tracker sync requires manual updates. Failed-settlement fees apply if payment is late ($10 minimum or 0.66% above $1,500). |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $19.95 | $5 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.11% | 0.12% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $22,000 | $25,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | Conditional: $5 minimum requires linked CDIA (Commonwealth Direct Investment Account) or CommSec Margin Loan as the settlement account AND CHESS sponsorship with CommSec. Without CDIA linkage, brokerage starts at $29.95 for trades up to $9,999.99 and 0.31% above. Promotional $0 brokerage offers occasionally run for new customers (e.g. 30 free trades up to $50,000 each, May–Nov 2026 offer for new sign-ups). |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | US$5 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | 0.12% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | — | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $35 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $55 | $54 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | CMC Markets Stockbroking Limited | Commonwealth Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 246,381 | 238,814 |
| Year founded | — | 1,995 |
| Parent / ownership | 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) | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public (Bendigo and Adelaide Bank ASX:BEN; CMC Markets plc LSE:CMCX) | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | — | $0 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, direct credit | BPAY, Direct debit, Bank transfer (CDIA), Cheque, Cash deposit (CBA branch/ATM) |
| Settlement period | T+2 ASX (CHESS settlement) | T+2 (ASX) / T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | — | Same-day to 1 business day (instant when funds in CDIA via real-time transfer) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | — | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | — | SMS + authenticator |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live_chat, in_app | phone, email, live chat (in-app), secure mail (in-platform), social media (X, Instagram) |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 7:30am-7:00pm (chat/email) and 7:30am-5:30pm (phone) AEST/AEDT | Phone 8am-6pm Mon-Fri Sydney time (general & options); extended trading-hours support during ASX session. No 24/7 support. |
| Education content | basic_articles | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | — | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | No |
| 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 | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |