Share Trading comparison
Commsec Pocket vs Interactive Brokers Australia
CommSec Pocket is a stripped-back ETF-only app for CBA customers who want simplicity and low-dollar entry. Interactive Brokers is a global trading powerhouse that gives you access to US shares, options, CFDs and dozens of international markets. The biggest practical difference: Pocket caps you at a handful of ASX ETFs, while IBKR lets you trade almost anything, anywhere.
Choose
Commsec Pocket
if…
- ›You want the lowest possible ASX brokerage — $2 on trades up to $1,000, then 0.2% above that
- ›You're happy sticking to a curated set of ASX ETFs and don't need individual shares or international markets
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship with your own HIN, meaning your holdings are registered directly in your name
- ›You want to start small — minimum purchases from $50 and no minimum initial deposit beyond that
- ›You're already a CBA customer and want instant deposits from your linked transaction account
Choose
Interactive Brokers Australia
if…
- ›You want to trade US stocks and ETFs from a single account — IBKR offers US brokerage from $1 USD per trade
- ›You need options, CFDs, bonds or access to 30+ global markets beyond Australia
- ›You want a proper desktop trading platform with advanced order types (stop-loss, conditional) and after-hours trading
- ›You run a SMSF, trust, company or joint account — IBKR supports all of these; Pocket only offers individual accounts
- ›You want fractional US shares and the ability to auto-invest across multiple assets with one instruction
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | Interactive Brokers Australia |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $6 |
| US shares | Not supported | Supported (from $1 USD per trade) |
| CHESS sponsorship | Yes (your own HIN) | No (custodian model) |
| Account types | Individual only | Individual, joint, company, trust, SMSF |
| Minimum purchase | $50 | $0 |
Verdict
Choose CommSec Pocket if you want dead-simple, low-cost ASX ETF investing. Choose Interactive Brokers if you want the world.
Cost calculator
What would Commsec Pocket vs Interactive Brokers Australia 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 | Commsec Pocket | Interactive Brokers Australia |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | Yes |
| Company account | No | Yes |
| Trust account | No | Yes |
| SMSF account | No | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | No | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| Other markets supported | US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Israel, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, China (Stock Connect), South Korea, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | Yes |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | Yes |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 0.002% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 0.002% |
| Holds USD account | — | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | — | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | — |
| Conditional order fees | — | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | 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. | Corporate action processing is generally fee-free for standard events (dividends, splits, mergers). Some voluntary corporate actions and ADR pass-through fees apply per the published fee schedule. Mandatory reorganisations are processed at no charge. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $6 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.2% | 0.08% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $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$1 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 0.05% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $54 | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 453,554 |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 1,978 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBKR) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $0 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $50 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | Linked CBA transaction account (CDIA, Smart Access, Streamline Basic, NetBank Saver, etc.) - direct debit | Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY, International wire (SWIFT) |
| Settlement period | T+2 | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US equities |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-3 business days for AUD EFT; same day possible for AUD instant transfers within Australia |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | Yes |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | No |
| Free research reports | No | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS + PIN | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, in-app messaging | phone, email, live chat, in-app secure message |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) | 24 hours, Monday to Friday (Sydney) — local AU phone support during business hours; global desks cover overnight |
| Education content | structured courses | video + courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | No | Yes |
| Conditional orders | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |
Visit
Commsec Pocket
www.commsec.com.au
Visit
Interactive Brokers Australia
www.interactivebrokers.com.au