Share Trading comparison
CMC Invest vs SelfWealth
The biggest practical difference between CMC Invest and SelfWealth is how they handle international shares. CMC offers zero-commission US trades with a razor-thin FX spread of 0.006%, while SelfWealth charges $9.50 USD per US trade and a 0.6% FX spread — 100 times wider. On the ASX side, CMC gives you one free buy order per security per day up to $1,000, whereas SelfWealth's standard brokerage is $9.50 and only waives fees through its $29/month Premium subscription.
Choose
CMC Invest
if…
- ›You want zero brokerage on US stocks and ETFs — CMC charges $0 on US trades with a 0.006% FX spread, far cheaper than SelfWealth's $9.50 USD plus 0.6% FX spread.
- ›You trade ASX in small parcels — CMC gives you one free ASX buy per security per day up to $1,000, perfect for dollar-cost averaging without fees.
- ›You need access to global markets beyond the US — CMC covers 15 international markets including the UK, Canada, Japan, and Europe, while SelfWealth only offers Hong Kong.
- ›You want options trading — CMC supports options; SelfWealth does not.
- ›You value built-in CGT reporting — CMC includes a CGT calculator and report, which SelfWealth lacks.
Choose
SelfWealth
if…
- ›You want a flat, predictable ASX brokerage — SelfWealth's $9.50 per trade is simpler than CMC's tiered structure with free-trade conditions.
- ›You plan to hold USD and avoid FX conversion on every US trade — SelfWealth offers a USD-denominated account, so you can fund in USD and skip the FX spread on each trade.
- ›You trade after hours — SelfWealth supports overnight trading; CMC does not.
- ›You want a more sophisticated auto-invest feature — SelfWealth's DCA tool supports multiple asset levels, whereas CMC's is limited to single assets.
- ›You want to avoid any inactivity fees — SelfWealth charges $0 inactivity fee; CMC hits you with $15 if you're dormant.
Where they differ
| Fact | CMC Invest | SelfWealth |
|---|---|---|
| US brokerage + FX spread | $0 per trade + 0.006% FX spread | $9.50 USD per trade + 0.6% FX spread |
| ASX free-trade offer | Free first ASX buy per security per day up to $1,000 | None (10 free trades/year only with $29/month Premium plan) |
| Inactivity fee | $15 AUD | $0 AUD |
| International markets | 15 countries (UK, Japan, Europe, Asia, NZ) | Australia, US and Hong Kong only |
| CHESS sponsorship model | Full CHESS sponsorship (individual HIN) | Mixed model (CHESS for ASX, custodian for US) |
Verdict
Choose CMC Invest for cheap US trading and free small ASX buys; choose SelfWealth for flat $9.50 brokerage and a USD account.
Cost calculator
What would CMC Invest vs SelfWealth actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | CMC Invest | SelfWealth |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | mixed |
| 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 | HK |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | Yes | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.6% | 60% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.6% | — |
| Holds USD account | No | Yes |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $59.95 | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $11 | $9.5 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.1% | — |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | — |
| 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) | Selfwealth Premium subscribers ($29/month or $240/year) receive 10 complimentary trades annually; otherwise no free-trade conditions. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | US$9.5 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | — |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $15 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $0 | $27.5 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | CMC Markets Stockbroking Limited | SelfWealth Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 246,381 | 421,789 |
| Year founded | 1,989 | 2,012 |
| Parent / ownership | CMC Markets plc (LSE: CMCX) | Syfe (Svava Pte Ltd, Singapore) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | PayID, Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY | OSKO, BPAY, EFT/bank transfer |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US | T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-2 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat | live chat, email, phone |
| Support hours (AU time) | Monday-Friday, business hours AET (approx 8am-6pm) | 10am-4pm AET, Monday-Friday (closed public holidays) |
| Education content | structured courses | basic articles |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | — |
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |