Commsec Pocket vs Plus500
CommSec Pocket and Plus500 aren't really competitors — they're built for completely different jobs. CommSec Pocket is a simple, low-cost ETF investing app backed by CHESS sponsorship and the Commonwealth Bank. Plus500 is a CFD and options trading platform where you never actually own the underlying asset. The biggest practical difference: one buys real shares on the ASX, the other lets you speculate on price movements with leverage.
- ›You want to buy and hold real ASX-listed ETFs under your own HIN with CHESS sponsorship
- ›You're starting small — trades from $50 and brokerage as low as $2 on trades up to $1,000
- ›You want a dead-simple, fee-free platform with no monthly, inactivity, or withdrawal fees
- ›You need an Australian tax statement and CGT report at EOFY
- ›You prefer auto-invest / DCA features to regularly buy into a single ETF without thinking about it
- ›You want to trade CFDs and options with leverage — Plus500 doesn't offer real shares at all
- ›You need 24/7 customer support and a demo account to practise strategies
- ›You want free real-time market data and research reports included
- ›You're comfortable with custodian model (no individual HIN) and understand CFD risks
- ›You need after-hours / overnight trading access
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| What you actually trade | Real ASX ETFs (CHESS-sponsored, individual HIN) | CFDs and options only — no real shares or ETFs |
| ASX brokerage | $2 (0.2% on trades up to $1,000), then 0.2% above | Not applicable — Plus500 charges via bid/ask spread on CFDs |
| Minimum trade size | $50 initial and subsequent | $100 minimum deposit |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $10 after a period of inactivity |
| CHESS sponsorship | Yes — you get your own HIN | No — custodian model |
Choose CommSec Pocket if you want to own real ASX ETFs cheaply; choose Plus500 only if you want leveraged CFD speculation.
Common questions
How do Commsec Pocket and Plus500 compare on what you actually trade?
Commsec Pocket: Real ASX ETFs (CHESS-sponsored, individual HIN). Plus500: CFDs and options only — no real shares or ETFs. CommSec Pocket buys you actual holdings; Plus500 is a derivatives platform.
How do Commsec Pocket and Plus500 compare on asx brokerage?
Commsec Pocket: $2 (0.2% on trades up to $1,000), then 0.2% above. Plus500: Not applicable — Plus500 charges via bid/ask spread on CFDs. CommSec Pocket has transparent, low-cost ASX brokerage.
How do Commsec Pocket and Plus500 compare on minimum trade size?
Commsec Pocket: $50 initial and subsequent. Plus500: $100 minimum deposit. CommSec Pocket lets you start with less.
When is Commsec Pocket the better choice over Plus500?
Pick Commsec Pocket if you want to buy and hold real ASX-listed ETFs under your own HIN with CHESS sponsorship; you're starting small — trades from $50 and brokerage as low as $2 on trades up to $1,000; you want a dead-simple, fee-free platform with no monthly, inactivity, or withdrawal fees; or you need an Australian tax statement and CGT report at EOFY.
When is Plus500 the better choice over Commsec Pocket?
Pick Plus500 if you want to trade CFDs and options with leverage — Plus500 doesn't offer real shares at all; you need 24/7 customer support and a demo account to practise strategies; you want free real-time market data and research reports included; or you're comfortable with custodian model (no individual HIN) and understand CFD risks.
Commsec Pocket or Plus500 — what's the verdict?
Choose CommSec Pocket if you want to own real ASX ETFs cheaply; choose Plus500 only if you want leveraged CFD speculation.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Commsec Pocket | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | — |
| Individual HIN | Yes | — |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | No |
| Company account | No | Yes |
| Trust account | No | No |
| SMSF account | No | No |
| Kids / minor account | No | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | No |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| US shares supported | No | No |
| US ETFs supported | No | No |
| Other markets supported | ||
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 70% |
| Holds USD account | — | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $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. | Not applicable — Plus500 only offers CFDs, so users do not participate in real corporate actions (rights issues, SPPs, takeovers). Dividend adjustments on share CFDs are credited/debited to positions automatically. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | — |
| 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. | — |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $10 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $54 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | Plus500AU Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 417,727 |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 2,008 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | Plus500 Ltd (UK/Israel, LSE-listed parent) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $100 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $50 | — |
| Deposit methods | Linked CBA transaction account (CDIA, Smart Access, Streamline Basic, NetBank Saver, etc.) - direct debit | BPAY, Bank transfer, Credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Settlement period | T+2 | — |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | Typically 1-3 business days; same payment method as deposit (card, bank, e-wallet). |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | No | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS + PIN | SMS only |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, in-app messaging | Live chat, Email, WhatsApp, Contact form |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) | 24/7 live chat, email and WhatsApp support |
| Education content | structured courses | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | No |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | No | Yes |
| Conditional orders | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |