IG Australia vs tastytrade
IG Australia and tastytrade are both owned by IG Group, but they serve completely different purposes. IG Australia is a full-service local broker offering commission-free ASX and US trading with a custodial model, while tastytrade is a US-focused options powerhouse with no ASX access at all. The biggest practical difference: IG lets you trade Australian shares; tastytrade doesn't.
- ›You want to trade ASX shares and ETFs — IG offers $0 commission on all Australian trades
- ›You need a local AFSL-regulated broker with CHESS-like custody and Australian tax statements
- ›You want to deposit in AUD via BPAY, bank transfer, PayPal or card without wiring money internationally
- ›You trade UK, German or Irish stocks alongside your ASX and US holdings
- ›You want support during Australian business hours, not overnight US time
- ›You trade US options actively — tastytrade is built for options with $0 commission and a purpose-built interface
- ›You want free real-time US market data without paying extra
- ›You prefer a US-domiciled broker with T+1 settlement on US equities
- ›You don't need ASX, UK or European markets at all and want a pure US-focused experience
- ›You're comfortable depositing via international wire transfer and dealing with US-timezone support
Where they differ
| Fact | IG Australia | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| ASX trading | Yes — $0 commission on ASX shares and ETFs | No — tastytrade does not offer ASX trading at all |
| Options trading | Not supported | Core feature — $0 commission options trading |
| Platform fee | 0.25% p.a. on holdings value (IG Share Trading account) | $0 — no platform fee |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer, BPAY, debit/credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay | International wire (USD), ACH (US only), cheque (US only) |
| Support hours (AET) | 24/5 Monday to Friday — standard AU business hours | ~10pm–8am AET — no Australian daytime coverage |
Pick IG Australia if you trade ASX; pick tastytrade if you live and breathe US options.
Common questions
How do IG Australia and tastytrade compare on asx trading?
IG Australia: Yes — $0 commission on ASX shares and ETFs. tastytrade: No — tastytrade does not offer ASX trading at all.
How do IG Australia and tastytrade compare on options trading?
IG Australia: Not supported. tastytrade: Core feature — $0 commission options trading.
How do IG Australia and tastytrade compare on platform fee?
IG Australia: 0.25% p.a. on holdings value (IG Share Trading account). tastytrade: $0 — no platform fee.
When is IG Australia the better choice over tastytrade?
Pick IG Australia if you want to trade ASX shares and ETFs — IG offers $0 commission on all Australian trades; you need a local AFSL-regulated broker with CHESS-like custody and Australian tax statements; you want to deposit in AUD via BPAY, bank transfer, PayPal or card without wiring money internationally; or you trade UK, German or Irish stocks alongside your ASX and US holdings.
When is tastytrade the better choice over IG Australia?
Pick tastytrade if you trade US options actively — tastytrade is built for options with $0 commission and a purpose-built interface; you want free real-time US market data without paying extra; you prefer a US-domiciled broker with T+1 settlement on US equities; or you don't need ASX, UK or European markets at all and want a pure US-focused experience.
IG Australia or tastytrade — what's the verdict?
Pick IG Australia if you trade ASX; pick tastytrade if you live and breathe US options.
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 | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | custodian |
| Individual HIN | No | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | No |
| Kids / minor account | — | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | No |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| 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 | No |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | Yes |
| IPO access | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.7% | — |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.7% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | — | 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. | Standard US corporate action processing applies (dividends, splits, mergers). Mandatory corporate actions are processed at no fee; voluntary corporate actions (e.g. tender offers) may incur a fee per tastytrade's fee schedule. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $0 | — |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0% | — |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $10,000 | — |
| 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. | Not applicable — tastytrade does not offer ASX trading. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | US$0 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | 0% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | IG Australia Pty Ltd | tastytrade, Inc. |
| AFSL number | 515,106 | — |
| Year founded | 2,002 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | US |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $0 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | — | $0 |
| Deposit methods | bank transfer, BPAY, debit card, credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay | international wire (USD), ACH (US only), check (US only) |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | T+1 (US equities/ETFs, from May 2024) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days | International wire withdrawals to AU typically 3-5 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | Yes |
| Demo account | Yes | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat, social media | phone, email, live chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24/5 Monday to Friday (closed weekends) | Monday-Friday, approx. 7am-5pm US Central Time = approx. 10pm-8am AET (next day). Weekend support limited. No AU business-hours coverage. |
| Education content | video + courses | video + courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | — | No |
| 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 | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |