Commsec Pocket vs Totality Wealth
CommSec Pocket is a stripped-back, low-cost ETF-only platform for CBA customers who want to invest small amounts regularly. Totality Wealth is a full-blown multi-asset broker offering shares, ETFs, options, CFDs and bonds across 17 global markets. The real fork in the road is simplicity versus scope: Pocket does one thing cheaply, while Totality does almost everything.
- ›You want the lowest possible ASX brokerage — $2 on trades up to $1,000 and just 0.2% above that
- ›You plan to invest $50 at a time and want a simple auto-invest feature that buys a single ETF on a schedule
- ›You value CHESS sponsorship with your own HIN and don't want to deal with a custodian structure
- ›You're already banking with CBA and want seamless direct-debit deposits from your CommBank account
- ›You want a clean, no-fuss tax statement and a built-in CGT report without needing third-party tools
- ›You want to trade US stocks, UK shares, Hong Kong equities or any of 17 global markets from one account
- ›You need options trading, CFDs, bonds or a demo account to practise strategies before committing real money
- ›You want joint, company, trust or SMSF account structures — Pocket only offers individual accounts
- ›You prefer a desktop trading platform with advanced order types (stop-loss, conditional orders) rather than a mobile-only app
- ›You want to fund your account via BPAY, credit card, PayPal or Wise — not just a linked CBA bank account
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | Totality Wealth |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage on a $1,000 trade | $2.00 | $3.00 |
| International markets | None (ASX ETFs only) | 17 countries including US, UK, HK, JP, DE |
| Account types | Individual only | Individual, Joint, Company, Trust, SMSF |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes (single ETF) | No |
| CHESS sponsorship | Full CHESS (own HIN) | Mixed model (CHESS + custodian) |
Choose CommSec Pocket if you're a CBA customer making small, regular ASX ETF buys. Choose Totality Wealth if you need global markets, advanced trading or non-individual accounts.
Common questions
How do Commsec Pocket and Totality Wealth compare on asx brokerage on a $1,000 trade?
Commsec Pocket: $2.00. Totality Wealth: $3.00. Pocket is cheaper for small ASX trades; Totality's percentage rate kicks in above $3,750.
How do Commsec Pocket and Totality Wealth compare on international markets?
Commsec Pocket: None (ASX ETFs only). Totality Wealth: 17 countries including US, UK, HK, JP, DE. Totality opens global diversification; Pocket is Australia-only.
How do Commsec Pocket and Totality Wealth compare on account types?
Commsec Pocket: Individual only. Totality Wealth: Individual, Joint, Company, Trust, SMSF. Totality supports structures that Pocket simply can't.
When is Commsec Pocket the better choice over Totality Wealth?
Pick Commsec Pocket if you want the lowest possible ASX brokerage — $2 on trades up to $1,000 and just 0.2% above that; you plan to invest $50 at a time and want a simple auto-invest feature that buys a single ETF on a schedule; you value CHESS sponsorship with your own HIN and don't want to deal with a custodian structure; or you're already banking with CBA and want seamless direct-debit deposits from your CommBank account.
When is Totality Wealth the better choice over Commsec Pocket?
Pick Totality Wealth if you want to trade US stocks, UK shares, Hong Kong equities or any of 17 global markets from one account; you need options trading, CFDs, bonds or a demo account to practise strategies before committing real money; you want joint, company, trust or SMSF account structures — Pocket only offers individual accounts; or you prefer a desktop trading platform with advanced order types (stop-loss, conditional orders) rather than a mobile-only app.
Commsec Pocket or Totality Wealth — what's the verdict?
Choose CommSec Pocket if you're a CBA customer making small, regular ASX ETF buys. Choose Totality Wealth if you need global markets, advanced trading or non-individual accounts.
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 | Totality Wealth |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, GB, HK, JP, DE, FR, CA, SG, CH, NL, IT, ES, BE, AT, DK, SE, NO, FI | |
| 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 | Yes |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 0.45% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 0.45% |
| 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. | Custodian processes corporate actions; proxy voting subscription EUR 30/year + EUR 5 per vote; new instrument requests USD 200 for Platinum / free for VIP legacy tiers; reporting fee USD 50 for Classic email reports. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $3 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.2% | 0.08% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | $3,750 |
| 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 | — | 0.08% |
| 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 | Totality Wealth Limited (formerly Saxo Capital Markets (Australia) Pty Ltd) |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 280,372 |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 2,012 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | DMA (Johannesburg, South Africa) 80.1% / Saxo Bank A/S (Denmark) 19.9% |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| 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, BPAY, credit_card, debit_card, PayPal, Wise |
| Settlement period | T+2 | T+2 ASX, T+1 US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-3 business days |
| 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 | app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, in-app messaging | phone, email, live_chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) | Mon-Fri 08:30-17:30 Sydney time |
| Education content | structured courses | extensive |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | No |
| 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 | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |