Share Trading comparison
Commsec Pocket vs Pearler
CommSec Pocket is a stripped-back ETF-only app from the Commonwealth Bank, while Pearler is a full-service broker that adds US stocks, managed funds and more account types. The biggest practical difference is that Pearler lets you buy US shares and ETFs (including fractional US shares), whereas CommSec Pocket is limited to a curated list of ASX ETFs. That single distinction shapes which investor each platform suits.
Choose
Commsec Pocket
if…
- ›You want the cheapest ASX ETF trades — $2 brokerage on trades up to $1,000 and 0.2% above that, with a current $0 promo period.
- ›You're happy sticking to a hand-picked set of ASX ETFs and don't need individual shares, US stocks, or managed funds.
- ›You bank with CBA and want instant funding from your CommBank account with no deposit minimum beyond $50.
- ›You value CHESS sponsorship with your own HIN for every trade, giving you direct ASX ownership without custodian layers.
- ›You want a dead-simple, no-fuss app with structured education content and no account fees whatsoever.
Choose
Pearler
if…
- ›You want access to US stocks and ETFs, including fractional US shares, all from the same account.
- ›You need more account types — joint, company, trust, SMSF, or kids accounts — which Pearler supports and Pocket doesn't.
- ›You want a more sophisticated auto-invest feature that can rebalance across your portfolio, not just buy one ETF at a time.
- ›You prefer to avoid CBA lock-in and fund via PayID, Osko, or bank transfer with no minimum subsequent purchase amount.
- ›You want zero off-market transfer fees ($0 vs Pocket's $54) and a detailed distribution component breakdown for tax time.
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | Pearler |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage (trades ≤ $1,000) | $2 flat | $6.50 flat |
| US shares & ETFs | Not supported | Supported (including fractional US shares) |
| CHESS sponsorship | Full CHESS (own HIN) | Mixed — CHESS for ASX, custodian for US |
| Account types | Individual only | Individual, joint, company, trust, SMSF, kids |
| Off-market transfer fee | $54 | $0 |
Verdict
Pick CommSec Pocket for ultra-cheap ASX ETF investing inside the CBA ecosystem; pick Pearler for US stocks, more account types, and smarter auto-invest.
Cost calculator
What would Commsec Pocket vs Pearler actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Commsec Pocket | Pearler |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | mixed |
| Individual HIN | Yes | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | Yes |
| Company account | No | Yes |
| Trust account | No | Yes |
| SMSF account | No | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | Yes |
| 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 | ||
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | Yes |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 0.5% |
| Holds USD account | — | No |
| FX currency switch trick | — | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| 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. | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $6.5 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.2% | — |
| 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$6.5 |
| 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 | Pearler Investments Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 337,927 |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 2,018 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | Privately held (founder-led); backed by investors including AfterWork Ventures |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $50 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | Linked CBA transaction account (CDIA, Smart Access, Streamline Basic, NetBank Saver, etc.) - direct debit | PayID, Osko, Bank transfer, PayTo (direct debit replacement) |
| Settlement period | T+2 | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-2 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | No |
| Free research reports | No | No |
| 2FA support | SMS + PIN | authenticator_app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, in-app messaging | email, phone, in-app |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) | Mon-Fri 9am-5pm AET |
| Education content | structured courses | video_and_courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | Yes |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | No | No |
| Conditional orders | No | No |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | rebalancing |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |