IG Australia vs Marketech Focus
IG Australia and Marketech Focus take very different approaches to cost and market access. IG offers zero-commission ASX trades and access to US and UK markets, but holds your shares in custody. Marketech Focus is CHESS-sponsored (you get your own HIN), charges a flat $20 monthly fee plus brokerage, and is ASX-only — no international shares at all.
- ›You want zero brokerage on ASX shares and ETFs — IG charges $0 per trade with no minimum trade count required
- ›You need access to US, UK, German or Irish markets from the one account
- ›You want to start trading with no minimum deposit and fund via PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay
- ›You prefer a platform backed by a publicly listed global group (IG Group, LSE: IGG) with 24/5 phone and live chat support
- ›You want a demo account to practise before committing real money
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN — Marketech Focus is fully CHESS-sponsored, so shares are registered in your name
- ›You trade ASX shares regularly and the flat $20/month fee works out cheaper than per-trade brokerage
- ›You want dividend reinvestment (DRP) and integration with Sharesight or Navexa for tax reporting
- ›You're comfortable with a smaller, Australian-owned private broker and don't need international shares
- ›You want fast withdrawals via Macquarie CMA — same-day to 1 business day
Where they differ
| Fact | IG Australia | Marketech Focus |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage | $0 flat (no conditions) | $5 or 0.03% (whichever is higher) |
| Monthly platform fee | $0 | $20/month ($240/year) |
| CHESS sponsorship | Custodial (no individual HIN) | CHESS-sponsored (your own HIN) |
| International shares | US, UK, Germany, Ireland | ASX, Cboe Australia and NSX only |
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $500 |
Pick IG for zero-fee ASX trading and global markets; pick Marketech Focus for CHESS ownership and DRP if you only trade ASX.
Common questions
How do IG Australia and Marketech Focus compare on asx brokerage?
IG Australia: $0 flat (no conditions). Marketech Focus: $5 or 0.03% (whichever is higher).
How do IG Australia and Marketech Focus compare on monthly platform fee?
IG Australia: $0. Marketech Focus: $20/month ($240/year).
How do IG Australia and Marketech Focus compare on chess sponsorship?
IG Australia: Custodial (no individual HIN). Marketech Focus: CHESS-sponsored (your own HIN).
When is IG Australia the better choice over Marketech Focus?
Pick IG Australia if you want zero brokerage on ASX shares and ETFs — IG charges $0 per trade with no minimum trade count required; you need access to US, UK, German or Irish markets from the one account; you want to start trading with no minimum deposit and fund via PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay; or you prefer a platform backed by a publicly listed global group (IG Group, LSE: IGG) with 24/5 phone and live chat support.
When is Marketech Focus the better choice over IG Australia?
Pick Marketech Focus if you want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN — Marketech Focus is fully CHESS-sponsored, so shares are registered in your name; you trade ASX shares regularly and the flat $20/month fee works out cheaper than per-trade brokerage; you want dividend reinvestment (DRP) and integration with Sharesight or Navexa for tax reporting; or you're comfortable with a smaller, Australian-owned private broker and don't need international shares.
IG Australia or Marketech Focus — what's the verdict?
Pick IG for zero-fee ASX trading and global markets; pick Marketech Focus for CHESS ownership and DRP if you only trade ASX.
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 | IG Australia | Marketech Focus |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | chess |
| Individual HIN | No | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | — |
| Company account | Yes | — |
| Trust account | Yes | — |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | Yes | No |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| Other markets supported | United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland | Cboe Australia, NSX (National Stock Exchange of Australia) |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | — |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | Yes | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.7% | — |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.7% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $20/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | 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 | $0 | $5 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0% | 3% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $10,000 | $16,667 |
| ASX free trade conditions | $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$0 | — |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | — |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $20/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $240/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | — |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | IG Australia Pty Ltd | Marketech Online Trading Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 515,106 | 337,927 |
| Year founded | 2,002 | 2,021 |
| Parent / ownership | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) | Australian-owned private company; AFSL backing from Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd; trade execution via OpenMarkets Australia Limited |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | — | $0 |
| Deposit methods | bank transfer, BPAY, debit card, credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay | Bank transfer (to Macquarie CMA), Direct credit |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days | Same-day to 1 business day (via Macquarie CMA) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | Yes |
| Demo account | Yes | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | — |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat, social media | email, support portal |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24/5 Monday to Friday (closed weekends) | — |
| Education content | video + courses | basic articles |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | — | Yes |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | 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) | No | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | No |