Bendigo Invest Direct vs Commsec Pocket
Bendigo Invest Direct is a full-service broker offering ASX, US and 15 other global markets with CHESS sponsorship, while Commsec Pocket is a stripped-back ETF-only app designed for small, regular investing. The biggest practical difference is scope: Bendigo gives you stocks, options, bonds and IPOs across the world, whereas Commsec Pocket limits you to a curated set of ASX ETFs. Your choice comes down to whether you want a proper brokerage or a set-and-forget savings habit.
- ›You want to trade individual ASX shares, US stocks, options, bonds or managed funds — not just ETFs
- ›You need CHESS sponsorship under your own HIN for full legal ownership of ASX holdings
- ›You trade larger amounts (over $22,000) where Bendigo's 0.11% variable rate undercuts Commsec Pocket's flat $2 fee
- ›You want access to 15 international markets including the UK, Japan, Canada and Europe
- ›You need joint, trust, company or SMSF account structures
- ›You want the cheapest possible ASX ETF trades — $2 on trades up to $1,000, or $0 during promotional periods
- ›You plan to invest small amounts regularly ($50 minimum) and want auto-invest/DCA functionality
- ›You prefer a dead-simple mobile-only experience with no account-keeping or market data fees
- ›You already bank with CBA and want instant funding from a linked transaction account
- ›You're new to investing and want structured educational courses built into the app
Where they differ
| Fact | Bendigo Invest Direct | Commsec Pocket |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage (minimum) | $19.95 | $2 |
| US shares supported | Yes (0% commission, 0.007% FX spread) | No |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Not available | Yes ($50 minimum per purchase) |
| Market data fees | $41.25/month | $0/month |
| Account types | Individual, joint, company, trust, SMSF | Individual only |
Pick Bendigo Invest Direct for real global brokerage; pick Commsec Pocket for cheap, simple ETF investing with training wheels.
Common questions
How do Bendigo Invest Direct and Commsec Pocket compare on asx brokerage (minimum)?
Bendigo Invest Direct: $19.95. Commsec Pocket: $2.
How do Bendigo Invest Direct and Commsec Pocket compare on us shares supported?
Bendigo Invest Direct: Yes (0% commission, 0.007% FX spread). Commsec Pocket: No.
How do Bendigo Invest Direct and Commsec Pocket compare on auto-invest / dca?
Bendigo Invest Direct: Not available. Commsec Pocket: Yes ($50 minimum per purchase).
When is Bendigo Invest Direct the better choice over Commsec Pocket?
Pick Bendigo Invest Direct if you want to trade individual ASX shares, US stocks, options, bonds or managed funds — not just ETFs; you need CHESS sponsorship under your own HIN for full legal ownership of ASX holdings; you trade larger amounts (over $22,000) where Bendigo's 0.11% variable rate undercuts Commsec Pocket's flat $2 fee; or you want access to 15 international markets including the UK, Japan, Canada and Europe.
When is Commsec Pocket the better choice over Bendigo Invest Direct?
Pick Commsec Pocket if you want the cheapest possible ASX ETF trades — $2 on trades up to $1,000, or $0 during promotional periods; you plan to invest small amounts regularly ($50 minimum) and want auto-invest/DCA functionality; you prefer a dead-simple mobile-only experience with no account-keeping or market data fees; or you already bank with CBA and want instant funding from a linked transaction account.
Bendigo Invest Direct or Commsec Pocket — what's the verdict?
Pick Bendigo Invest Direct for real global brokerage; pick Commsec Pocket for cheap, simple ETF investing with training wheels.
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 Pocket |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | chess |
| Individual HIN | Yes | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| Company account | Yes | No |
| Trust account | Yes | No |
| SMSF account | Yes | No |
| Kids / minor account | — | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | Yes | No |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| Other markets supported | UK, JP, CA, DE, FR, HK, SG, NZ, NL, BE, PT, ES, IT, NO, SE | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.7% | — |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.7% | — |
| Holds USD account | No | — |
| Market data fees | $41.25/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | — |
| Phone trade surcharge | $50 | — |
| Corporate action fees | BPAY for corporate actions $10; IPO/Placement booking fee $55 per stock | Corporate actions (rights issues, SPPs, takeovers) are administered via the underlying ETF issuers/share registries since holdings are CHESS-sponsored under the investor's HIN; CommSec does not charge a separate corporate action fee. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $19.95 | $2 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.11% | 0.2% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $22,000 | $1,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | Promotional $0 brokerage offer on Pocket ETF trades from 20 April 2026 to 17 July 2026 inclusive, available to all CommSec Pocket customers. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | — |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | — |
| 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 | — | 2,019 |
| 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 (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 | $50 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | — | $50 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, direct credit | Linked CBA transaction account (CDIA, Smart Access, Streamline Basic, NetBank Saver, etc.) - direct debit |
| Settlement period | T+2 ASX (CHESS settlement) | T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | — | 1-2 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | — | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | — | SMS + PIN |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live_chat, in_app | phone, email, in-app messaging |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 7:30am-7:00pm (chat/email) and 7:30am-5:30pm (phone) AEST/AEDT | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) |
| Education content | basic_articles | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | — | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | No |
| Conditional orders | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | single asset |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |