Share Trading comparison
Commsec Pocket vs Superhero
The biggest difference between CommSec Pocket and Superhero is ownership structure: Pocket is CHESS-sponsored (you get your own HIN and shares are held in your name), while Superhero is a custodian model (shares are held in the platform's name). That distinction matters for everything from corporate actions to peace of mind. Superhero also offers US shares and fractional US trading; Pocket is ASX ETFs only.
Choose
Commsec Pocket
if…
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN — your name on the ASX register, not the platform's
- ›You're happy sticking to ASX ETFs and don't need US shares or individual stocks
- ›You want to start small with a $50 minimum trade and a $50 minimum initial deposit
- ›You bank with CommBank and want seamless direct debit from your CBA transaction account
- ›You value structured educational content to build investing confidence
Choose
Superhero
if…
- ›You want to trade US stocks and ETFs from a single AUD account with no separate USD wallet needed
- ›You want fractional US shares — buy $50 worth of Apple or Tesla, not a whole share
- ›You need account types beyond individual: trust, company, SMSF, or kids/minor accounts
- ›You want stop-loss orders to manage downside risk on your ASX holdings
- ›You prefer a custodian model where Superhero handles all the admin (corporate actions, tax statements) on your behalf
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship model | CHESS-sponsored (your own HIN) | Custodian model (no individual HIN) |
| US shares supported | No | Yes |
| Fractional shares (US) | Not available | Yes |
| ASX brokerage structure | $2 or 0.2% (whichever is lower, min $2) | $2 or 0.01% up to $20,000 (min $2) |
| Account types | Individual only | Individual, company, trust, SMSF, kids/minor |
Verdict
Choose CommSec Pocket for CHESS-sponsored ETF investing with CBA convenience; choose Superhero for US shares, fractional trading, and broader account types.
Cost calculator
What would Commsec Pocket 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 | Commsec Pocket | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | No |
| 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 | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 0.5% |
| 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. | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $2 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.2% | 0.01% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | $20,000 |
| 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$2 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 0.01% |
| 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 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | Superhero Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 430,150 |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | 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 | $50 | $100 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $50 | $100 |
| Deposit methods | Linked CBA transaction account (CDIA, Smart Access, Streamline Basic, NetBank Saver, etc.) - direct debit | PayID, BPAY, bank transfer |
| Settlement period | T+2 | 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 | No | No |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | No | No |
| 2FA support | SMS + PIN | SMS |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, in-app messaging | email, in-app chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) | Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm AEST |
| Education content | structured courses | basic |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | 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 | — |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |