Share Trading comparison
Interactive Brokers Australia vs Superhero
Interactive Brokers is a global trading powerhouse with access to 135+ markets, advanced tools and rock-bottom FX spreads. Superhero is a simple, low-cost Australian broker that keeps ASX trades at $2 and US trades at $2 USD. The real fork in the road is ambition: IBKR suits investors who want the world, while Superhero suits those who just want cheap ASX and US exposure without the complexity.
Choose
Interactive Brokers Australia
if…
- ›You trade international markets beyond the US and ASX — IBKR covers 135+ markets across 33 countries
- ›You need options trading, CFDs, bonds or conditional orders — Superhero offers none of these
- ›You want the tightest FX spread in Australia (0.00002%) and a dedicated USD account to avoid auto-conversion
- ›You value professional-grade tools: desktop platform, demo account, 24/5 support and authenticator-based 2FA
- ›You have zero minimum to start and want to trade any dollar amount from day one
Choose
Superhero
if…
- ›You want the cheapest ASX trades on the market — $2 flat vs IBKR's $6 minimum
- ›You prefer a mobile-first, app-only experience with no desktop software to learn
- ›You want free real-time ASX and US market data included — IBKR charges for this
- ›You're opening a kids / minor account — Superhero supports it, IBKR doesn't
- ›You're happy trading only ASX and US stocks/ETFs and don't need options, bonds or international markets
Where they differ
| Fact | Interactive Brokers Australia | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6 | $2 |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.00002% | 0.005% |
| Markets available | 135+ markets in 33 countries | ASX and US only |
| CHESS sponsorship | Custodian (no HIN) | Custodian (no HIN) |
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $100 |
Verdict
Choose Interactive Brokers for global markets and pro-grade tools; pick Superhero for dead-simple, cheap ASX and US trading.
Cost calculator
What would Interactive Brokers 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 | Interactive Brokers 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 | No | 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 | US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Israel, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, China (Stock Connect), South Korea, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | No | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.002% | 0.5% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.002% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| FX currency switch trick | No | — |
| Market data fees | — | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | Corporate action processing is generally fee-free for standard events (dividends, splits, mergers). Some voluntary corporate actions and ADR pass-through fees apply per the published fee schedule. Mandatory reorganisations are processed at no charge. | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6 | $2 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.08% | 0.01% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | — | $20,000 |
| US brokerage minimum | US$1 | US$2 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.05% | 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 | $0 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd | Superhero Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 453,554 | 430,150 |
| Year founded | 1,978 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBKR) | 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 | $0 | $100 |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY, International wire (SWIFT) | PayID, BPAY, bank transfer |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US equities | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days for AUD EFT; same day possible for AUD instant transfers within Australia | 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, in-app secure message | email, in-app chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24 hours, Monday to Friday (Sydney) — local AU phone support during business hours; global desks cover overnight | Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm AEST |
| Education content | video + courses | basic |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | — |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | — |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | multiple | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | No |