Share Trading comparison
IG Australia vs Superhero
IG and Superhero both offer low-cost ASX and US trading, but they take very different approaches. IG charges zero brokerage on ASX trades up to $10,000 and backs it with a full-featured desktop platform, CFDs, and international market access. Superhero charges $2 on ASX trades up to $20,000 and $2 on US trades, but keeps things simpler with a mobile-first app and fractional US shares.
Choose
IG Australia
if…
- ›You want zero brokerage on ASX trades up to $10,000 — IG charges $0 commission with no minimum trade count or conditions
- ›You trade international markets beyond the US, including the UK, Germany, and Ireland
- ›You need a desktop trading platform with advanced order types (conditional, stop-loss, after-hours)
- ›You want a demo account to practice before committing real money
- ›You prefer depositing via credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay for flexibility
Choose
Superhero
if…
- ›You want to buy fractional US shares — Superhero lets you invest in US stocks with as little as $100
- ›You want to set up automated dollar-cost averaging with multiple recurring investment plans
- ›You prefer a simple mobile-only experience without the complexity of CFDs or multi-market trading
- ›You want free real-time ASX market data included in your account
- ›You're opening a kids / minor account — Superhero offers this; IG does not
Where they differ
| Fact | IG Australia | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage | $0 up to $10,000 | $2 up to $20,000 |
| US brokerage | $0 (plus 0.7% FX fee) | $2 (plus 0.005% FX spread) |
| Fractional US shares | Not supported | Supported |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Not supported | Supported (multiple plans) |
| Platform fee | 0.25% p.a. on holdings value | No platform fee |
Verdict
Pick IG for zero-commission ASX trades and advanced tools; pick Superhero for fractional US shares and automated investing.
Cost calculator
What would IG Australia vs Superhero actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | IG Australia | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | custodian |
| Individual HIN | No | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| 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 Kingdom, Germany, Ireland | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | Yes |
| 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% | 0.5% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.7% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/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 | $2 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0% | 0.01% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| 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$2 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | 0.01% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | IG Australia Pty Ltd | Superhero Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 515,106 | 430,150 |
| Year founded | 2,002 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) | Independent (founder-controlled). Previously merged into Swyftx in 2022; demerger completed December 2022 returning ownership to co-founders John Winters and Wayne Baskin. |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $100 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | — | $100 |
| Deposit methods | bank transfer, BPAY, debit card, credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay | PayID, BPAY, bank transfer |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days | 1-3 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | Yes | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | SMS |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat, social media | email, in-app chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24/5 Monday to Friday (closed weekends) | Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm AEST |
| Education content | video + courses | basic |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | 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 | — |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | No |