Share Trading comparison
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.
Choose
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
- ›You want access to 15 international markets including the UK, Japan, Canada and Europe
- ›You need joint, trust, company or SMSF account structures
Choose
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
- ›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 |
Verdict
Pick Bendigo Invest Direct for real global brokerage; pick Commsec Pocket for cheap, simple ETF investing with training wheels.
Cost calculator
What would Bendigo Invest Direct vs Commsec Pocket actually cost you?
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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 |