Share Trading comparison
IG Australia vs Tiger Brokers
The biggest difference here is ownership structure: IG Australia is a custodian model (no HIN), while Tiger Brokers is CHESS-sponsored, meaning you get your own HIN and shares are registered in your name. That alone will steer many Australian investors. The fee models also diverge sharply — IG charges zero ASX brokerage but a 0.25% p.a. platform fee on holdings, whereas Tiger charges a flat $3 per ASX trade with no ongoing platform fee.
Choose
IG Australia
if…
- ›You want zero brokerage on ASX shares and ETFs with no minimum trade count or conditions
- ›You trade infrequently and prefer a low per-trade cost over an ongoing holdings-based fee
- ›You want access to UK, German and Irish markets in addition to ASX and US
- ›You need a demo account and extensive education content (video + courses) to learn the ropes
- ›You want to deposit via PayPal, credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay for flexibility
Choose
Tiger Brokers
if…
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN so shares are held in your name, not a custodian
- ›You trade US stocks regularly and want fractional shares plus options trading
- ›You want to set up auto-invest / DCA into individual stocks or ETFs
- ›You want free real-time market data without paying extra
- ›You want access to Hong Kong and China A-share markets
Where they differ
| Fact | IG Australia | Tiger Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship | Custodian (no HIN) | CHESS-sponsored (individual HIN) |
| ASX brokerage | $0 (plus 0.25% p.a. platform fee on holdings) | $3 per trade (no ongoing platform fee) |
| US brokerage | $0 (0.7% FX fee applies) | $2 per trade (0.0055% FX spread) |
| Fractional shares (US) | Not supported | Supported |
| Options trading | Not supported | Supported |
Verdict
Choose IG for zero-commission ASX trades under a custodian model; choose Tiger for CHESS sponsorship, US fractional shares and options.
Cost calculator
What would IG Australia vs Tiger Brokers 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 | Tiger Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | chess |
| 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 | — | No |
| 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 | Hong Kong, China A-shares |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | Yes |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | Yes | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.7% | 0.55% |
| 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. | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $0 | $3 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0% | 0.03% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $10,000 | $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. | New clients receive zero-brokerage on up to 4 trades per month on ASX/US stocks, ETFs or options (minimum brokerage waived; third-party fees still apply). |
| 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 |
| Off-market transfer fee | — | $50 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | IG Australia Pty Ltd | Tiger Brokers (AU) Pty Limited |
| AFSL number | 515,106 | 300,767 |
| Year founded | 2,002 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) | UP Fintech Holding Limited (NASDAQ: TIGR) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| 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 | PayID, PayTo, Bank transfer (direct credit) |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days | 1-2 business days (Tiger review) plus bank processing; can arrive same day |
| 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 | — |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat, social media | phone, email, live chat, in-app |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24/5 Monday to Friday (closed weekends) | Phone: 9am-5pm weekdays (AET). Live chat: 9am-8:30pm weekdays. Email: ongoing. |
| Education content | video + courses | structured courses |
| 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 | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | single asset |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |