Share Trading comparison
Pearler vs Tiger Brokers
Pearler and Tiger Brokers both let you buy ASX and US shares, but they operate very differently under the hood. Pearler is CHESS-sponsored — you get your own HIN and shares are held in your name on the ASX register. Tiger Brokers is also CHESS-sponsored for ASX trades, but it leans heavily into US and international markets with options trading, IPO access, and a proper desktop platform. The real fork in the road comes down to how you want to invest and where.
Choose
Pearler
if…
- ›You want a purpose-built platform for long-term, automated investing with portfolio rebalancing features
- ›You value CHESS sponsorship and holding your own HIN for ASX-listed shares
- ›You need a kids / minor account to invest on behalf of a child
- ›You want zero account, inactivity, withdrawal, and transfer fees — no surprises
- ›You prefer a community-driven brand with strong educational content and a focus on ethical investing
Choose
Tiger Brokers
if…
- ›You trade US stocks actively and want a dedicated USD account to avoid FX conversion on every trade
- ›You want options trading — Tiger Brokers is one of the few Australian brokers offering US-style options
- ›You need access to Hong Kong and China A-share markets alongside ASX and US
- ›You want a desktop trading platform with real-time market data and a demo account to practice
- ›You're after the lowest ASX brokerage — from $3 per trade, with zero-brokerage promos for new clients
Where they differ
| Fact | Pearler | Tiger Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship model | Mixed (CHESS + custodian) | CHESS-sponsored |
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6.50 | $3.00 |
| Options trading | Not supported | Supported |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.50% | 0.55% |
| Auto-invest sophistication | Rebalancing-level automation | Single-asset DCA only |
Verdict
Pick Pearler for set-and-forget portfolio investing with CHESS; pick Tiger Brokers for low-cost active trading and global market access.
Cost calculator
What would Pearler vs Tiger Brokers 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 | Pearler | Tiger Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | mixed | chess |
| Individual HIN | Yes | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | 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 | Hong Kong, China A-shares | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.5% | 0.55% |
| Holds USD account | No | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | No | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | — | $0 |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6.5 | $3 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | — | 0.03% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | — | $10,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | 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$6.5 | US$2 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 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 | $50 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Pearler Investments Pty Ltd | Tiger Brokers (AU) Pty Limited |
| AFSL number | 337,927 | 300,767 |
| Year founded | 2,018 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | Privately held (founder-led); backed by investors including AfterWork Ventures | UP Fintech Holding Limited (NASDAQ: TIGR) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | private | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | PayID, Osko, Bank transfer, PayTo (direct debit replacement) | PayID, PayTo, Bank transfer (direct credit) |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 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 | No | Yes |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | No | — |
| 2FA support | authenticator_app | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | email, phone, in-app | phone, email, live chat, in-app |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 9am-5pm AET | Phone: 9am-5pm weekdays (AET). Live chat: 9am-8:30pm weekdays. Email: ongoing. |
| Education content | video_and_courses | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | — |
| CGT calculator / report | No | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | No | Yes |
| Conditional orders | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | rebalancing | single asset |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |