CommSec vs Sharesies
The biggest practical difference between CommSec and Sharesies is ownership structure. CommSec is a CHESS-sponsored broker — you get your own HIN and shares are held in your name on the ASX register. Sharesies is a custodian model: it holds shares on your behalf, so you don't get a HIN. That distinction drives most of the other differences, from fees to features.
- ›You want your own HIN and direct CHESS sponsorship on the ASX — your name on the register, not a custodian's.
- ›You trade large dollar amounts: CommSec's tiered brokerage drops to 0.12% for trades up to $25,000, then stays low above that.
- ›You need access to 13 global markets beyond ASX and US, including London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and European exchanges.
- ›You want options trading, managed funds, bonds, IPO access, or company/trust/SMSF account types.
- ›You value deep integration with the Commonwealth Bank ecosystem — instant settlement via CDIA, same-day withdrawals, and branch support.
- ›You're starting small: Sharesies has no minimum deposit ($1 minimum), no minimum trade size, and fractional shares on both ASX and US stocks.
- ›You want to dollar-cost average automatically — Sharesies offers multi-asset auto-invest plans with monthly subscription tiers.
- ›You prefer simple, capped fees: 1.9% capped at $6 for ASX and $5 for US, with optional monthly plans that bundle in transaction allowances.
- ›You need built-in tax tools: Sharesies provides a CGT calculator and distribution component breakdown, which CommSec lacks.
- ›You want a kids account with a low-cost plan ($2/month covers $500 buy/sell and $1,000 auto-invest).
Where they differ
| Fact | CommSec | Sharesies |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS model | CHESS-sponsored (your own HIN) | Custodian (no HIN) |
| ASX brokerage at $1,000 | $5 (with CDIA) or $29.95 (without) | $6 (1.9% capped) |
| Fractional shares | US only | ASX and US |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Not available | Yes, multi-asset auto-invest plans |
| Account types | Individual, joint, company, trust, SMSF, kids | Individual and kids only |
Choose CommSec for serious, large-volume investing with CHESS ownership; choose Sharesies for small starts, fractional shares, and automated investing.
Common questions
How do CommSec and Sharesies compare on chess model?
CommSec: CHESS-sponsored (your own HIN). Sharesies: Custodian (no HIN). CommSec puts shares in your name; Sharesies holds them on your behalf.
How do CommSec and Sharesies compare on asx brokerage at $1,000?
CommSec: $5 (with CDIA) or $29.95 (without). Sharesies: $6 (1.9% capped). CommSec is cheaper with a CDIA; Sharesies is predictable and low for small trades.
How do CommSec and Sharesies compare on fractional shares?
CommSec: US only. Sharesies: ASX and US. Sharesies lets you buy partial ASX shares; CommSec only offers fractional US stocks.
When is CommSec the better choice over Sharesies?
Pick CommSec if you want your own HIN and direct CHESS sponsorship on the ASX — your name on the register, not a custodian's; you trade large dollar amounts: CommSec's tiered brokerage drops to 0.12% for trades up to $25,000, then stays low above that; you need access to 13 global markets beyond ASX and US, including London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and European exchanges; or you want options trading, managed funds, bonds, IPO access, or company/trust/SMSF account types.
When is Sharesies the better choice over CommSec?
Pick Sharesies if you're starting small: Sharesies has no minimum deposit ($1 minimum), no minimum trade size, and fractional shares on both ASX and US stocks; you want to dollar-cost average automatically — Sharesies offers multi-asset auto-invest plans with monthly subscription tiers; you prefer simple, capped fees: 1.9% capped at $6 for ASX and $5 for US, with optional monthly plans that bundle in transaction allowances; or you need built-in tax tools: Sharesies provides a CGT calculator and distribution component breakdown, which CommSec lacks.
CommSec or Sharesies — what's the verdict?
Choose CommSec for serious, large-volume investing with CHESS ownership; choose Sharesies for small starts, fractional shares, and automated investing.
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 | Sharesies |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| Company account | Yes | No |
| Trust account | Yes | No |
| SMSF account | Yes | No |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | 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 | NZ |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | Yes |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.55% | 0.6% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.55% | 0.6% |
| 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). | No fee for receiving DRP shares ('You don't pay a Sharesies transaction fee when you receive shares through a DRP'). Sharesies handles corporate actions via the Voting & Corporate Actions Policy; specific fees for rights issues, SPP, takeovers not separately listed in pricing schedule. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $0 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 1.9% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | $315.79 |
| 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). | Pay-as-you-go: 1.9% per buy/sell order, capped at AU$6 for ASX, US$5 for US, NZ$25 for NZ. Monthly plans cover transaction fees on a set volume: $5/mo plan ($54/yr) covers $500 AUD buy/sell + $1,000 AUD auto-invest; $10/mo plan ($108/yr) covers $1,000 AUD buy/sell + $3,000 AUD auto-invest; $20/mo plan ($216/yr) covers $3,000 AUD buy/sell + $8,000 AUD auto-invest. Kids plan $2/mo covers $500 buy/sell + $1,000 auto-invest. Once monthly cover used up, pay-as-you-go applies. No truly free trade option. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$5 | US$0 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 1.9% |
| 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 | Sharesies Australia Limited |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 529,893 |
| Year founded | 1,995 | 2,021 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) | Sharesies Group Limited (New Zealand) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $1 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $1 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Direct debit, Bank transfer (CDIA), Cheque, Cash deposit (CBA branch/ATM) | PayID, OSKO, direct credit, card |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX) / T+1 (US) | T+2 ASX/NZX, T+1 US |
| Withdrawal time | Same-day to 1 business day (instant when funds in CDIA via real-time transfer) | 1-2 business days for settled funds; longer if recently sold (T+2 settlement plus 1-2 days reconciliation plus 1-2 days bank transfer) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | SMS + authenticator | authenticator_app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat (in-app), secure mail (in-platform), social media (X, Instagram) | email, in_app |
| Support hours (AU time) | Phone 8am-6pm Mon-Fri Sydney time (general & options); extended trading-hours support during ASX session. No 24/7 support. | Monday to Friday, 6 AM to 4 PM AEST |
| Education content | structured courses | basic_articles |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | Yes |
| 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_assets |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |