Share Trading comparison
CMC Invest vs Superhero
The biggest difference between CMC Invest and Superhero comes down to ownership structure. CMC Invest is CHESS-sponsored, meaning you get your own HIN and shares are held in your name on the ASX register. Superhero is a custodian model — it buys shares on your behalf but they sit in the platform's name, not yours. That distinction ripples through fees, features, and who should use each platform.
Choose
CMC Invest
if…
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN so your ASX holdings are legally yours on the register
- ›You trade ASX shares under $1,000 — CMC gives you one free buy per security per day
- ›You need access to 15+ global markets beyond just Australia and the US
- ›You want options trading, managed funds, and IPO access all in one account
- ›You prefer a desktop trading platform alongside the mobile app
Choose
Superhero
if…
- ›You want the lowest ASX brokerage — Superhero charges just $2 on trades up to $20,000
- ›You plan to buy fractional US shares, which Superhero supports and CMC doesn't
- ›You're starting small — the minimum initial deposit is $100 versus CMC's $500
- ›You want to set up auto-invest across multiple assets (not just a single ETF or stock)
- ›You don't care about a HIN and are comfortable with custodian-held shares for lower costs
Where they differ
| Fact | CMC Invest | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship | Yes — individual HIN provided | No — custodian model |
| ASX brokerage (trades under $1,000) | $0 (one free buy per security per day) | $2 flat |
| US fractional shares | Not supported | Supported |
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Inactivity fee | $15 charged | $0 charged |
Verdict
Choose CMC Invest if CHESS ownership matters; choose Superhero if low costs and fractional US shares are your priority.
Cost calculator
What would CMC Invest vs Superhero actually cost you?
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 | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| 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 | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | Yes |
| 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% | 0.5% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.6% | — |
| Holds USD account | No | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $59.95 | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $11 | $2 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.1% | 0.01% |
| 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$2 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | 0.01% |
| 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 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | CMC Markets Stockbroking Limited | Superhero Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 246,381 | 430,150 |
| Year founded | 1,989 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | CMC Markets plc (LSE: CMCX) | Independent (founder-controlled). Previously merged into Swyftx in 2022; demerger completed December 2022 returning ownership to co-founders John Winters and Wayne Baskin. |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $100 |
| Deposit methods | PayID, Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY | PayID, BPAY, bank transfer |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-3 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 | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | SMS |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat | email, in-app chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Monday-Friday, business hours AET (approx 8am-6pm) | Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm AEST |
| Education content | structured courses | basic |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | — |
| 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 | — |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |