Share Trading comparison
Halo Technologies vs Pearler
The biggest difference between Halo Technologies and Pearler is the fee structure. Halo charges a flat $159/month platform fee ($2,508/year) plus $15 minimum ASX brokerage, while Pearler charges zero monthly fees and just $6.50 minimum brokerage. That monthly fee alone makes Halo a serious commitment — it only makes sense if you're trading large sums or need its global exchange access.
Choose
Halo Technologies
if…
- ›You want access to 30+ global exchanges including the UK, Europe, Japan and Asia Pacific — not just ASX and US markets
- ›You trade large volumes where the $15 minimum and 0.12% brokerage become negligible compared to the flat monthly fee
- ›You need stop-loss orders for risk management on individual positions
- ›You want a publicly listed parent company (ASX:HAL) with institutional-grade custody structure
Choose
Pearler
if…
- ›You want to avoid monthly fees entirely — Pearler costs $0/month and $0 inactivity fees
- ›You're a dollar-cost-averaging investor who wants auto-invest with rebalancing features
- ›You value CHESS sponsorship with your own HIN, meaning shares are held in your name on the ASX register
- ›You want a low-cost entry point — $6.50 ASX brokerage and no minimum subsequent purchase amounts
- ›You're a beginner or educator looking for video courses and structured learning content
Where they differ
| Fact | Halo Technologies | Pearler |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly platform fee | $159/month | $0/month |
| ASX minimum brokerage | $15 | $6.50 |
| CHESS sponsorship | Custodian model — no individual HIN | Mixed model — individual HIN available |
| International markets | 30+ exchanges (UK, Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific) | ASX and US only |
| Stop-loss orders | Supported | Not supported |
Verdict
Choose Halo for global market access and high-volume trading; choose Pearler for low-cost, fee-free investing with your own HIN.
Cost calculator
What would Halo Technologies vs Pearler actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Halo Technologies | Pearler |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | mixed |
| Individual HIN | No | 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 |
| 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 | US (NASDAQ, NYSE), UK, Europe, Japan (NIKKEI), Asia Pacific, 30 exchanges total | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | — | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds supported | — | No |
| IPO access | — | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.5% | — |
| Holds USD account | — | No |
| FX currency switch trick | — | No |
| Market data fees | $19/month | $0/month |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $15 | $6.5 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.12% | — |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $12,500 | — |
| ASX free trade conditions | Promotional offer: $0 brokerage on trades up to $250,000 (per landing page /0-brokerage-on-trades-up-to-250000); standard FSG schedule remains $15/0.12%. Conditions not fully disclosed publicly. | — |
| US brokerage minimum | US$15 | US$6.5 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.12% | — |
| Monthly platform fee | $159/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $2,508/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | — | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | — | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | — | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | HALO Technologies Pty Ltd (ABN 54 623 830 866); ultimately wholly owned by HALO Technologies Holdings Limited ABN 73 645 531 219 | Pearler Investments Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 484,264 | 337,927 |
| Year founded | 2,017 | 2,018 |
| Parent / ownership | HALO Technologies Holdings Limited (ASX:HAL) — ultimate parent; publicly listed | Privately held (founder-led); backed by investors including AfterWork Ventures |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | — | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | — | $0 |
| Deposit methods | AUD bank transfer / direct credit (to HALO trust account) | PayID, Osko, Bank transfer, PayTo (direct debit replacement) |
| Settlement period | — | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | — | 1-2 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | — | No |
| Demo account | — | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | No |
| Free research reports | No | No |
| 2FA support | — | authenticator_app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat | email, phone, in-app |
| Support hours (AU time) | — | Mon-Fri 9am-5pm AET |
| Education content | basic articles | video_and_courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | — | Yes |
| CGT calculator / report | — | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | — | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | No |
| Conditional orders | — | No |
| Auto-invest / DCA | — | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | multiple | rebalancing |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | — | No |