Share Trading comparison
Commsec Pocket vs Tiger Brokers
CommSec Pocket is a stripped-back ETF-only app for CBA customers who want to invest small amounts with zero fuss. Tiger Brokers is a full-featured global broker that gives you ASX, US, Hong Kong and China A-shares, options trading and fractional US shares. The biggest practical difference: Pocket limits you to a handful of ASX ETFs, while Tiger opens up multiple global markets and advanced order types.
Choose
Commsec Pocket
if…
- ›You want the lowest possible entry point — $50 minimum initial deposit and $2 minimum brokerage on ASX trades under $1,000.
- ›You're a CBA customer who wants to invest directly from your existing transaction account with zero platform fees.
- ›You only want ASX ETFs and don't need US shares, options, or international markets.
- ›You value CHESS sponsorship (your own HIN) and the simplicity of a single-purpose app with no complexity.
- ›You'd rather not think about FX spreads, currency accounts, or market data costs — everything is in AUD.
Choose
Tiger Brokers
if…
- ›You want to trade US stocks and ETFs with low brokerage (from $2 USD) and access fractional US shares.
- ›You need options trading, stop-loss orders, conditional orders, or after-hours trading.
- ›You want access to Hong Kong and China A-shares markets alongside ASX and US.
- ›You prefer a desktop trading platform with real-time market data and a demo account to practice.
- ›You need joint, company, trust or SMSF account structures — Pocket only offers individual accounts.
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | Tiger Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Markets available | ASX ETFs only | ASX, US, Hong Kong, China A-shares |
| ASX brokerage (under threshold) | $2 minimum (0.2% up to $1,000) | $3 minimum (0.03% up to $10,000) |
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $500 |
| Account types | Individual only | Individual, Joint, Company, Trust, SMSF |
| CHESS sponsorship | Yes — your own HIN | Yes — your own HIN |
Verdict
Pick CommSec Pocket if you want dead-simple ASX ETF investing from $50. Pick Tiger Brokers if you want global markets, options and advanced trading tools.
Cost calculator
What would Commsec Pocket vs Tiger Brokers 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 | Tiger Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | chess |
| 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 | 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 | Hong Kong, China A-shares | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | Yes |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 0.55% |
| Holds USD account | — | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | — | 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 | $3 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.2% | 0.03% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | $10,000 |
| 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. | New clients receive zero-brokerage on up to 4 trades per month on ASX/US stocks, ETFs or options (minimum brokerage waived; third-party fees still apply). |
| 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 | $50 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | Tiger Brokers (AU) Pty Limited |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 300,767 |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | UP Fintech Holding Limited (NASDAQ: TIGR) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| 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, PayTo, Bank transfer (direct credit) |
| Settlement period | T+2 | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-2 business days (Tiger review) plus bank processing; can arrive same day |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | Yes |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | No | — |
| 2FA support | SMS + PIN | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, in-app messaging | phone, email, live chat, in-app |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) | Phone: 9am-5pm weekdays (AET). Live chat: 9am-8:30pm weekdays. Email: ongoing. |
| Education content | structured courses | structured courses |
| 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 | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | single asset |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |