CMC Invest vs nabtrade
The gap here is cost structure, and it's wide. CMC Invest charges $11 flat on ASX trades up to $1,000 and 0.10% above that, with free US brokerage and a 0.006% FX spread. nabtrade charges 0.11% on ASX with a $9.95 minimum, plus 0.11% on US trades and a 0.8% FX spread. Both are CHESS-sponsored with an individual HIN.
- ›Want to buy US shares without paying brokerage or a punishing FX spread
- ›Trade ASX in small parcels and want the first buy order per security per day free up to $1,000
- ›Want access to 15+ overseas markets including Japan, Canada and most of Europe
- ›Want free real-time market data and no monthly platform fee
- ›Want to set up automatic recurring investing at the individual asset level
- ›Already bank with NAB and want instant transfers to and from your trading account
- ›Want to trade ASX in larger parcels where a $9.95 minimum beats a flat $11 fee
- ›Need bond access alongside shares and ETFs
- ›Prefer dealing with a big-four bank brand you already trust
- ›Want secure messaging through NAB Internet Banking as a support channel
Where they differ
| Fact | CMC Invest | nabtrade |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage | $11 minimum, 0.10% above $1,000 | $9.95 minimum, 0.11% above $20,000 |
| US brokerage | $0 | $9.95 USD minimum, 0.11% |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.006% | 0.8% |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $19.95/month |
| Overseas markets | 15+ including Japan, Canada, Europe | UK, Germany, Hong Kong only |
CMC Invest is cheaper for most investors, but nabtrade suits NAB customers trading larger ASX parcels.
Common questions
How do CMC Invest and nabtrade compare on asx brokerage?
CMC Invest: $11 minimum, 0.10% above $1,000. nabtrade: $9.95 minimum, 0.11% above $20,000. nabtrade is cheaper on small trades; CMC wins on anything above roughly $11,000.
How do CMC Invest and nabtrade compare on us brokerage?
CMC Invest: $0. nabtrade: $9.95 USD minimum, 0.11%. Free US trades is CMC's headline advantage.
How do CMC Invest and nabtrade compare on fx spread (aud/usd)?
CMC Invest: 0.006%. nabtrade: 0.8%. A 133x difference that quietly eats US returns on nabtrade.
When is CMC Invest the better choice over nabtrade?
Pick CMC Invest if want to buy US shares without paying brokerage or a punishing FX spread; trade ASX in small parcels and want the first buy order per security per day free up to $1,000; want access to 15+ overseas markets including Japan, Canada and most of Europe; or want free real-time market data and no monthly platform fee.
When is nabtrade the better choice over CMC Invest?
Pick nabtrade if already bank with NAB and want instant transfers to and from your trading account; want to trade ASX in larger parcels where a $9.95 minimum beats a flat $11 fee; need bond access alongside shares and ETFs; or prefer dealing with a big-four bank brand you already trust.
CMC Invest or nabtrade — what's the verdict?
CMC Invest is cheaper for most investors, but nabtrade suits NAB customers trading larger ASX parcels.
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 | CMC Invest | 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 | 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 | United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand | 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 | No | Yes |
| IPO access | Yes | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.6% | 80% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.6% | 80% |
| Holds USD account | No | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $19.95/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $59.95 | $59.95 |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $11 | $9.95 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.1% | 11% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | $20,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | $0 brokerage on first ASX buy order per security per day for trades up to $1,000 (excludes margin loan settled trades and sells) | — |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | US$9.95 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | 11% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | — |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | — |
| Inactivity fee | $15 | — |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $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 | 1,989 | 2,012 |
| Parent / ownership | CMC Markets plc (LSE: CMCX) | National Australia Bank Limited (ASX: NAB) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | PayID, Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY | Direct credit / EFT, BPAY, Internal transfer from linked NAB account |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US | ASX T+2; US T+1; UK/Germany/HK T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 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 | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | SMS + PIN |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat | Phone, Email, Secure messaging (via NAB Internet Banking) |
| Support hours (AU time) | Monday-Friday, business hours AET (approx 8am-6pm) | Mon-Fri 8am-6pm AEST/AEDT (contact centre typically 9am-5pm) |
| Education content | structured courses | structured |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | 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 | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |