Share Trading comparison
CommSec vs IG Australia
The biggest difference between CommSec and IG Australia comes down to ownership model versus cost. CommSec is a CHESS-sponsored broker — you get your own HIN and shares are held in your name on the ASX settlement system. IG is a custodian broker: IG holds the shares on your behalf, but you pay zero ASX brokerage and zero minimum deposit. Which one suits you depends on whether you value direct ownership or low-cost execution.
Choose
CommSec
if…
- ›You want your own HIN and CHESS-sponsored holdings directly on the ASX register
- ›You trade options — CommSec supports them, IG does not
- ›You want a kids / minor account or a full suite of account types including trusts and SMSFs
- ›You want free real-time ASX market data included with your account
- ›You plan to hold US stocks long-term and want fractional shares and a dedicated USD account
Choose
IG Australia
if…
- ›You want $0 brokerage on ASX trades up to $10,000 — IG charges zero commission with no minimum trade count
- ›You want zero minimum deposit and flexible funding via credit card, PayPal or Apple Pay
- ›You trade CFDs or want a single login for both share trading and derivatives
- ›You want a demo account to practise before committing real money
- ›You want a CGT report generated for you at tax time — IG includes it, CommSec does not
Where they differ
| Fact | CommSec | IG Australia |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship model | CHESS (own HIN) | Custodian (no HIN) |
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 (with CDIA linked) | $0 |
| Platform fee | $0 | 0.25% p.a. on holdings value |
| Options trading | Supported | Not supported |
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $0 |
Verdict
Pick CommSec for CHESS ownership and options; pick IG for zero-commission ASX trading and flexible deposits.
Cost calculator
What would CommSec vs IG Australia actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | CommSec | IG Australia |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | — |
| 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 Kingdom, Germany, Ireland |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | Yes | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.55% | 0.7% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.55% | 0.7% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | 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). | Corporate actions (dividends, splits, rights issues, takeovers) for shares held in custody are processed by IG via Citicorp Nominees; cash dividends are credited net of withholding to client ledger. SPP/rights elections are limited under the custodial model and detailed fees are disclosed in the IG Share Trading Customer Agreement / FSG. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $0 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 0% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | $10,000 |
| 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). | $0 commission on all ASX shares and ETFs on the IG Share Trading account (no conditions/minimum trade count). A 0.25% p.a. platform fee on holdings value applies; 0.7% FX fee applies to international trades. |
| 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 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $54 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | IG Australia Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 515,106 |
| Year founded | 1,995 | 2,002 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $0 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | — |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Direct debit, Bank transfer (CDIA), Cheque, Cash deposit (CBA branch/ATM) | bank transfer, BPAY, debit card, credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX) / T+1 (US) | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | Same-day to 1 business day (instant when funds in CDIA via real-time transfer) | 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 | Yes | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS + authenticator | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat (in-app), secure mail (in-platform), social media (X, Instagram) | phone, email, live chat, social media |
| Support hours (AU time) | Phone 8am-6pm Mon-Fri Sydney time (general & options); extended trading-hours support during ASX session. No 24/7 support. | 24/5 Monday to Friday (closed weekends) |
| 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 | — |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |