Bendigo Invest Direct vs nabtrade
The biggest practical difference between Bendigo Invest Direct and nabtrade is the brokerage model. Bendigo Invest Direct charges a flat $19.95 on ASX trades up to $22,000 (then 0.11%), while nabtrade charges a lower $9.95 minimum but a higher 0.11% ongoing rate. That means nabtrade is cheaper for smaller trades, but Bendigo pulls ahead on larger ones — and Bendigo also offers zero-commission US trading, whereas nabtrade charges $9.95 USD per US trade.
- ›You trade US stocks regularly — Bendigo charges $0 US brokerage with a razor-thin 0.007% FX spread, compared to nabtrade's $9.95 USD minimum and 0.8% FX spread.
- ›You make larger ASX trades (over $22,000) where Bendigo's 0.011% ongoing rate kicks in, making it significantly cheaper than nabtrade's 0.11%.
- ›You want access to 15 international markets beyond the US and UK, including Japan, Canada, Singapore and most of Western Europe.
- ›You prefer a desktop trading platform alongside the mobile app — nabtrade has no desktop offering.
- ›You make frequent smaller ASX trades — nabtrade's $9.95 minimum brokerage is half Bendigo's $19.95 entry point.
- ›You want a kids / minor account option, which nabtrade offers and Bendigo Invest Direct does not.
- ›You bank with NAB and want instant withdrawals to a linked NAB account, plus seamless internal transfers.
- ›You value structured educational content — nabtrade provides a more guided learning experience than Bendigo's basic articles.
Where they differ
| Fact | Bendigo Invest Direct | nabtrade |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $19.95 | $9.95 |
| US brokerage | $0 USD (0% of trade) | $9.95 USD minimum (0.11%) |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.007% | 0.8% |
| Market data fees | $41.25/month | $19.95/month |
| Withdrawal fee | $35 | $0 |
Choose Bendigo Invest Direct for cheap US and international trading; choose nabtrade for low-cost ASX trades and NAB banking integration.
Common questions
How do Bendigo Invest Direct and nabtrade compare on asx brokerage minimum?
Bendigo Invest Direct: $19.95. nabtrade: $9.95. nabtrade is $10 cheaper per trade on smaller ASX trades.
How do Bendigo Invest Direct and nabtrade compare on us brokerage?
Bendigo Invest Direct: $0 USD (0% of trade). nabtrade: $9.95 USD minimum (0.11%). Bendigo offers free US trading; nabtrade charges a standard brokerage.
How do Bendigo Invest Direct and nabtrade compare on fx spread (aud/usd)?
Bendigo Invest Direct: 0.007%. nabtrade: 0.8%. Bendigo's FX spread is dramatically tighter — huge difference for international investors.
When is Bendigo Invest Direct the better choice over nabtrade?
Pick Bendigo Invest Direct if you trade US stocks regularly — Bendigo charges $0 US brokerage with a razor-thin 0.007% FX spread, compared to nabtrade's $9.95 USD minimum and 0.8% FX spread; you make larger ASX trades (over $22,000) where Bendigo's 0.011% ongoing rate kicks in, making it significantly cheaper than nabtrade's 0.11%; you want access to 15 international markets beyond the US and UK, including Japan, Canada, Singapore and most of Western Europe; or you prefer a desktop trading platform alongside the mobile app — nabtrade has no desktop offering.
When is nabtrade the better choice over Bendigo Invest Direct?
Pick nabtrade if you make frequent smaller ASX trades — nabtrade's $9.95 minimum brokerage is half Bendigo's $19.95 entry point; you want a kids / minor account option, which nabtrade offers and Bendigo Invest Direct does not; you bank with NAB and want instant withdrawals to a linked NAB account, plus seamless internal transfers; or you value structured educational content — nabtrade provides a more guided learning experience than Bendigo's basic articles.
Bendigo Invest Direct or nabtrade — what's the verdict?
Choose Bendigo Invest Direct for cheap US and international trading; choose nabtrade for low-cost ASX trades and NAB banking integration.
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 | nabtrade |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Kingdom (LSE), Germany (Xetra), Hong Kong (HKEx) |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| 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% | 80% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.7% | 80% |
| Holds USD account | No | No |
| Market data fees | $41.25/month | $19.95/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 | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $19.95 | $9.95 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.11% | 11% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $22,000 | $20,000 |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | US$9.95 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | 11% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | — |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | — |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $35 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $55 | $55 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | CMC Markets Stockbroking Limited | WealthHub Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 246,381 | 230,704 |
| Year founded | — | 2,012 |
| 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) | National Australia Bank Limited (ASX: NAB) |
| 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 | Direct credit / EFT, BPAY, Internal transfer from linked NAB account |
| Settlement period | T+2 ASX (CHESS settlement) | ASX T+2; US T+1; UK/Germany/HK T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | — | Instant to linked NAB accounts; 1 business day to other Australian banks |
| 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 + PIN |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live_chat, in_app | Phone, Email, Secure messaging (via NAB Internet Banking) |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 7:30am-7:00pm (chat/email) and 7:30am-5:30pm (phone) AEST/AEDT | Mon-Fri 8am-6pm AEST/AEDT (contact centre typically 9am-5pm) |
| Education content | basic_articles | structured |
| 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 | 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 | No |