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.
- ›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
- ›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) |
CommSec wins for cost-conscious Australian investors; Bendigo Invest Direct is better for global diversification and desktop traders.
Common questions
How do Bendigo Invest Direct and CommSec compare on asx brokerage minimum?
Bendigo Invest Direct: $19.95. CommSec: $5 (with linked CDIA).
How do Bendigo Invest Direct and CommSec compare on market data fees?
Bendigo Invest Direct: $41.25/month. CommSec: $0/month.
How do Bendigo Invest Direct and CommSec compare on us brokerage minimum?
Bendigo Invest Direct: $0. CommSec: $5 USD.
When is Bendigo Invest Direct the better choice over CommSec?
Pick 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); or you value built-in CGT reports and tax statements without needing third-party software.
When is CommSec the better choice over Bendigo Invest Direct?
Pick 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; or you need after-hours trading capability, which Bendigo Invest Direct doesn't support.
Bendigo Invest Direct or CommSec — what's the verdict?
CommSec wins for cost-conscious Australian investors; Bendigo Invest Direct is better for global diversification and desktop traders.
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 |