Share Trading comparison
CommSec vs Webull
The biggest practical difference between CommSec and Webull comes down to cost versus legacy. CommSec is Australia's biggest broker, backed by the CBA, with CHESS sponsorship and full-service features — but its standard brokerage starts at $29.95 unless you jump through hoops. Webull is the new challenger: $0 US trades, $1 minimum ASX trades, and $0 ASX ETF trades with no conditions, but it charges $49.99/month for real-time market data and operates on a custodian model.
Choose
CommSec
if…
- ›You want true CHESS sponsorship with your own HIN and direct ASX ownership — CommSec is one of the few big brokers that offers it as standard.
- ›You need a full-service broker with access to managed funds, bonds, IPOs, and 14 international markets beyond just the US and Asia.
- ›You want a kids/minor account or need to trade for a trust or SMSF — CommSec supports all account types.
- ›You prefer a bank-backed platform with phone support during ASX hours and the ability to deposit cash at a CBA branch.
Choose
Webull
if…
- ›You want zero brokerage on US stocks and ETFs — Webull charges $0 US trades with no minimum.
- ›You trade ASX ETFs regularly — Webull charges $0 brokerage on ASX ETFs with no conditions attached.
- ›You want a desktop trading platform with advanced charting, a demo account, and crypto trading alongside shares.
- ›You want to automate your investing with a weighted DCA plan — Webull has auto-invest, CommSec doesn't.
- ›You want the lowest possible ASX share brokerage — $1 minimum or 0.03% beats CommSec's $5 minimum (with CDIA) or $29.95 without.
Where they differ
| Fact | CommSec | Webull |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage (minimum) | $5 (with linked CDIA); otherwise $29.95 | $1 (shares) / $0 (ETFs) |
| US brokerage | $5 minimum or 0.12% | $0 |
| Real-time market data | Free | $49.99/month |
| CHESS sponsorship | Yes — direct HIN ownership | Yes — also offers CHESS sponsorship |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Not available | Available (weighted) |
Verdict
Pick CommSec for bank-backed security and full ASX ownership; pick Webull for rock-bottom fees and modern trading tools.
Cost calculator
What would CommSec vs Webull actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | CommSec | Webull |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | chess |
| Individual HIN | Yes | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | Hong Kong, China (A-shares) |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Crypto trading | — | Yes |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.55% | 0.5% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.55% | 0.5% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | No | — |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $49.99/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). | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $1 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 0.03% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | $3,333 |
| 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). | ASX ETFs: $0 brokerage on all trades, no conditions. ASX shares: not free — $1 minimum or 0.03% (whichever greater). |
| 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 | Webull Securities (Australia) Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 536,980 |
| AUSTRAC registration | — | Yes |
| Year founded | 1,995 | 2,022 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) | Webull Corporation (NASDAQ: BULL), Cayman Islands holding company; originally backed by Hunan Fumi Information Technology (China) with investors including Xiaomi, General Atlantic, Coatue, Lightspeed |
| Country of incorporation | AU | Australia |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Direct debit, Bank transfer (CDIA), Cheque, Cash deposit (CBA branch/ATM) | PayTo, Bank transfer (EFT), International wire |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX) / T+1 (US) | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | Same-day to 1 business day (instant when funds in CDIA via real-time transfer) | 1-2 business days for AUD bank transfer; 1-5 business days for international wire |
| 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 | No |
| 2FA support | SMS + authenticator | authenticator |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat (in-app), secure mail (in-platform), social media (X, Instagram) | Phone, Email, In-app chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Phone 8am-6pm Mon-Fri Sydney time (general & options); extended trading-hours support during ASX session. No 24/7 support. | Phone: Mon-Fri 08:30-18:00 AEST/AEDT. In-app chat: advertised 24-hour. |
| Education content | structured courses | structured |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | — |
| CGT calculator / report | No | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | weighted |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |