Share Trading comparison
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.
Choose
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
- ›You trade UK, German or Irish stocks alongside your ASX and US holdings
- ›You want support during Australian business hours, not overnight US time
Choose
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
- ›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 |
Verdict
Pick IG Australia if you trade ASX; pick tastytrade if you live and breathe US options.
Cost calculator
What would IG Australia vs tastytrade actually cost you?
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 |