Commsec Pocket vs Westpac Online Investing
CommSec Pocket is a stripped-back, low-cost ETF-only app for CBA customers who want to invest small amounts regularly. Westpac Online Investing is a full-service brokerage covering ASX shares, US stocks, options, managed funds and bonds — but it costs more per trade and needs a $500 minimum to start. The real fork in the road is simplicity versus scope.
- ›You want the cheapest ASX trades on the market — $2 brokerage on trades up to $1,000
- ›You're happy investing only in a curated selection of ASX ETFs (no individual shares, no US stocks)
- ›You want to start with as little as $50 and use auto-invest to dollar-cost average into a single ETF each month
- ›You're already banking with CBA and want seamless direct-debit funding from your transaction account
- ›You prefer a dead-simple mobile app with no account-keeping fees, inactivity fees or market data charges
- ›You want to trade individual ASX shares, US stocks, options, managed funds or bonds — not just ETFs
- ›You need joint, company, trust, SMSF or minor account types that CommSec Pocket doesn't offer
- ›You trade more than $1,000 per ASX trade and can stomach the 0.11% brokerage (capped at $28k) for the wider market access
- ›You value free real-time market data and research reports built into the platform
- ›You want access to international markets beyond the US, including the UK, Europe, Hong Kong and Singapore
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | Westpac Online Investing |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $4.95 |
| US shares supported | No | Yes (plus 17 other markets) |
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $500 |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes (single asset) | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
Pick CommSec Pocket for dirt-cheap ETF investing on autopilot; pick Westpac Online Investing for full-market access and account flexibility.
Common questions
How do Commsec Pocket and Westpac Online Investing compare on asx brokerage minimum?
Commsec Pocket: $2. Westpac Online Investing: $4.95.
How do Commsec Pocket and Westpac Online Investing compare on us shares supported?
Commsec Pocket: No. Westpac Online Investing: Yes (plus 17 other markets).
How do Commsec Pocket and Westpac Online Investing compare on minimum initial deposit?
Commsec Pocket: $50. Westpac Online Investing: $500.
When is Commsec Pocket the better choice over Westpac Online Investing?
Pick Commsec Pocket if you want the cheapest ASX trades on the market — $2 brokerage on trades up to $1,000; you're happy investing only in a curated selection of ASX ETFs (no individual shares, no US stocks); you want to start with as little as $50 and use auto-invest to dollar-cost average into a single ETF each month; or you're already banking with CBA and want seamless direct-debit funding from your transaction account.
When is Westpac Online Investing the better choice over Commsec Pocket?
Pick Westpac Online Investing if you want to trade individual ASX shares, US stocks, options, managed funds or bonds — not just ETFs; you need joint, company, trust, SMSF or minor account types that CommSec Pocket doesn't offer; you trade more than $1,000 per ASX trade and can stomach the 0.11% brokerage (capped at $28k) for the wider market access; or you value free real-time market data and research reports built into the platform.
Commsec Pocket or Westpac Online Investing — what's the verdict?
Pick CommSec Pocket for dirt-cheap ETF investing on autopilot; pick Westpac Online Investing for full-market access and account flexibility.
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 | Westpac Online Investing |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Austria, Portugal, Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds supported | No | Yes |
| IPO access | No | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 65% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 65% |
| Holds USD account | — | Yes |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | — | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | — | $50 |
| 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. | Corporate action processing (rights issues, takeovers, SPPs) is generally free for CHESS-sponsored clients — Westpac/AUSIEX passes elections to issuers/registries. Specific fees only apply in exceptional circumstances per the FSG. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $4.95 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.2% | 11% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | $28,000 |
| 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. | No free brokerage offered. Lower brokerage tiers ($4.95 minimum) require settlement via linked Westpac Cash Investment Account; settling via other-bank accounts incurs $29.95 / 0.29% minimum. |
| US brokerage minimum | — | US$4.95 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 11% |
| 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 | Australian Investment Exchange Limited (AUSIEX); Westpac Securities Limited issues the branded service |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 241,400 |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 2,010 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | Brand: Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX: WBC); operator AUSIEX is wholly owned by Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (TSE: 4307) |
| 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 | Westpac Cash Investment Account (linked), External bank Direct Credit, BPAY, Internal transfer between Westpac accounts |
| Settlement period | T+2 | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | Same-day to 1 business day for Westpac-to-Westpac transfers; 1-2 business days to external bank accounts |
| 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 | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS + PIN | SMS + 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: 8am-7pm Sydney time Mon-Fri (domestic); 24 hours on US trading days for international; Live chat: 9:30am-5pm Sydney time Mon-Fri |
| Education content | structured courses | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | 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 | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |