Share Trading comparison
CommSec vs eToro
The biggest practical difference between CommSec and eToro comes down to ownership structure. CommSec is a CHESS-sponsored broker, meaning you get a HIN and your ASX holdings are registered directly in your name. eToro holds your shares in a custodian model — you don't get a HIN, you can't vote, and you can't participate in rights issues or DRPs. That trade-off buys you zero-commission ASX trades and fractional shares on both ASX and US stocks.
Choose
CommSec
if…
- ›You want your ASX shares held in your own name under your own HIN (CHESS sponsorship)
- ›You plan to participate in corporate actions like SPPs, rights issues, and shareholder votes
- ›You need joint accounts, kids/minor accounts, or trust structures
- ›You trade options or want access to IPOs and bonds
- ›You want zero platform fees, zero inactivity fees, and fast same-day withdrawals via a linked CDIA
Choose
eToro
if…
- ›You want zero brokerage on ASX and US share trades — no minimums, no percentages
- ›You want to buy fractional shares on the ASX (e.g. $50 of a $200 stock)
- ›You want to automate regular investments with a sophisticated auto-invest/DCA feature
- ›You want a demo account to practise before committing real money
- ›You want a low $50 minimum deposit and flexible funding via credit card, PayPal, or POLi
Where they differ
| Fact | CommSec | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership model | CHESS-sponsored (individual HIN) | Custodian (no HIN) |
| ASX brokerage | From $5 (with CDIA) or $29.95 standard | $0 (zero commission) |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | Not supported | Supported |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $10 after 12 months |
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $50 |
Verdict
Choose CommSec if ownership and control matter; choose eToro if low costs, fractional shares, and automation are your priority.
Cost calculator
What would CommSec vs eToro 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 | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Other markets supported | United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Japan, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Sweden | United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Portugal |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | Yes |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Crypto trading | — | Yes |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.55% | 0.75% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.55% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | No | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $59.95 | — |
| Corporate action fees | Corporate actions (SPP, rights issue, takeovers, demergers, dividend payments) are not separately charged by CommSec. They are processed via the share registry/issuer. CommSec does not send trade confirmations for off-market events, so Sharesight/other tracker sync requires manual updates. Failed-settlement fees apply if payment is late ($10 minimum or 0.66% above $1,500). | eToro passes through cash dividends from non-leveraged real positions (debit/credit to wallet). It does not facilitate participation in rights issues, share purchase plans (SPPs), DRPs or shareholder votes because shares are held in a managed investment scheme by the custodian, not in the user's name. No explicit fee, but corporate action access is materially restricted. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $0 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 0% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | — |
| ASX free trade conditions | Conditional: $5 minimum requires linked CDIA (Commonwealth Direct Investment Account) or CommSec Margin Loan as the settlement account AND CHESS sponsorship with CommSec. Without CDIA linkage, brokerage starts at $29.95 for trades up to $9,999.99 and 0.31% above. Promotional $0 brokerage offers occasionally run for new customers (e.g. 30 free trades up to $50,000 each, May–Nov 2026 offer for new sign-ups). | Zero commission applies to all non-leveraged (real) ASX share and ETF purchases. Leveraged / short positions are executed as CFDs and incur 0.15% open/close spread plus overnight financing. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$5 | US$0 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 0% |
| 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 | eToro AUS Capital Limited |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 491,139 |
| AUSTRAC registration | — | Yes |
| Year founded | 1,995 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) | eToro Group Ltd (NASDAQ: ETOR) — listed 14 May 2025; originally founded in Israel by Yoni and Ronen Assia. eToro AUS Capital Limited is a wholly-owned Australian subsidiary. |
| Country of incorporation | AU | Australia |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $50 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $50 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Direct debit, Bank transfer (CDIA), Cheque, Cash deposit (CBA branch/ATM) | Bank transfer, Debit card, Credit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, POLi, Online banking |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX) / T+1 (US) | T+2 ASX, T+1 US (settlement managed by the eToro Service custodian; user funds reflect immediately in eToro wallet) |
| Withdrawal time | Same-day to 1 business day (instant when funds in CDIA via real-time transfer) | 1-2 business days for eToro processing; total 2-10 business days end-to-end depending on payment method (bank transfer longer than card) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | SMS + authenticator | SMS + authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat (in-app), secure mail (in-platform), social media (X, Instagram) | Live chat (Club members only), Email / web ticket, Help centre |
| Support hours (AU time) | Phone 8am-6pm Mon-Fri Sydney time (general & options); extended trading-hours support during ASX session. No 24/7 support. | — |
| Education content | structured courses | video + courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | — |
| CGT calculator / report | No | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | No |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | No |