Share Trading comparison
Marketech Focus vs Sharesies
The biggest practical difference between Marketech Focus and Sharesies is ownership structure. Marketech Focus is CHESS-sponsored, meaning you get your own HIN and shares are held in your name on the ASX register. Sharesies is a custodian model — you don't get a HIN and Sharesies holds the legal title. That distinction drives most of the other differences in fees, features and who each platform suits.
Choose
Marketech Focus
if…
- ›You want your own HIN and CHESS sponsorship so shares are registered in your name on the ASX
- ›You trade ASX shares in higher volumes — the $5 minimum brokerage and 0.03% rate above $16,667 is cheaper than Sharesies' percentage-based model
- ›You need an SMSF account to trade inside a self-managed super fund
- ›You want integration with Sharesight or Navexa for portfolio tracking and CGT reporting
- ›You prefer a full desktop trading platform with conditional and stop-loss orders
Choose
Sharesies
if…
- ›You want to invest small amounts regularly — $1 minimum buys, fractional shares on both ASX and US stocks, and auto-invest across multiple assets
- ›You want US shares and ETFs in the same account without needing a separate USD account or broker
- ›You prefer no monthly or annual platform fees and pay only for what you trade via a pay-as-you-go or subscription model
- ›You're opening a kids' account or want a low-barrier entry for a new investor
- ›You want to trade after hours and use PayID/OSKO for instant deposits
Where they differ
| Fact | Marketech Focus | Sharesies |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship | CHESS-sponsored (individual HIN) | Custodian model (no HIN) |
| Monthly platform fee | $20/month (or $240/year) | $0/month |
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 minimum | $0 minimum (1.9% capped at $6) |
| US shares | Not supported | Supported (fractional shares, $0 min brokerage) |
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $1 |
Verdict
Choose Marketech Focus if CHESS ownership matters and you trade ASX in volume. Choose Sharesies for low-cost, small-dollar investing across ASX and US markets.
Cost calculator
What would Marketech Focus vs Sharesies actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Marketech Focus | Sharesies |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | — | No |
| Company account | — | No |
| Trust account | — | No |
| SMSF account | Yes | No |
| Kids / minor account | — | Yes |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | No | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| Other markets supported | Cboe Australia, NSX (National Stock Exchange of Australia) | NZ |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | Yes |
| Fractional shares (US) | — | Yes |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | — | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 0.6% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 0.6% |
| Holds USD account | No | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | — | No |
| Market data fees | $20/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | — | No fee for receiving DRP shares ('You don't pay a Sharesies transaction fee when you receive shares through a DRP'). Sharesies handles corporate actions via the Voting & Corporate Actions Policy; specific fees for rights issues, SPP, takeovers not separately listed in pricing schedule. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $0 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 3% | 1.9% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $16,667 | $315.79 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | Pay-as-you-go: 1.9% per buy/sell order, capped at AU$6 for ASX, US$5 for US, NZ$25 for NZ. Monthly plans cover transaction fees on a set volume: $5/mo plan ($54/yr) covers $500 AUD buy/sell + $1,000 AUD auto-invest; $10/mo plan ($108/yr) covers $1,000 AUD buy/sell + $3,000 AUD auto-invest; $20/mo plan ($216/yr) covers $3,000 AUD buy/sell + $8,000 AUD auto-invest. Kids plan $2/mo covers $500 buy/sell + $1,000 auto-invest. Once monthly cover used up, pay-as-you-go applies. No truly free trade option. |
| US brokerage minimum | — | US$0 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 1.9% |
| Monthly platform fee | $20/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $240/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | — | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | — | $50 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Marketech Online Trading Pty Ltd | Sharesies Australia Limited |
| AFSL number | 337,927 | 529,893 |
| Year founded | 2,021 | 2,021 |
| Parent / ownership | Australian-owned private company; AFSL backing from Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd; trade execution via OpenMarkets Australia Limited | Sharesies Group Limited (New Zealand) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | private | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $1 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $1 |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (to Macquarie CMA), Direct credit | PayID, OSKO, direct credit, card |
| Settlement period | T+2 | T+2 ASX/NZX, T+1 US |
| Withdrawal time | Same-day to 1 business day (via Macquarie CMA) | 1-2 business days for settled funds; longer if recently sold (T+2 settlement plus 1-2 days reconciliation plus 1-2 days bank transfer) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | — | authenticator_app |
| Customer support channels | email, support portal | email, in_app |
| Support hours (AU time) | — | Monday to Friday, 6 AM to 4 PM AEST |
| Education content | basic articles | basic_articles |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | No |
| 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 | multiple_assets |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |