Share Trading comparison
Pepperstone vs SelfWealth
Pepperstone and SelfWealth look like trading platforms, but they serve completely different purposes. Pepperstone is a CFD broker — you never actually own the underlying shares, and there's no CHESS sponsorship or HIN. SelfWealth is a genuine ASX broker where you buy real shares under your own HIN, with CHESS-sponsored settlement. That one distinction changes everything about which one you should use.
Choose
Pepperstone
if…
- ›You want to trade leveraged CFDs on global markets (US, UK, Europe, Hong Kong) with tight spreads and zero commission on US stocks
- ›You're comfortable with derivative contracts and don't need actual share ownership, dividends, or voting rights
- ›You need a demo account to practise strategies before risking real money
- ›You want ultra-low minimums — no minimum deposit and ASX brokerage from just $5
- ›You prefer 24/5 customer support and multiple deposit methods including PayPal, card and Skrill
Choose
SelfWealth
if…
- ›You want to buy and hold real ASX and US shares under your own HIN with CHESS sponsorship
- ›You need SMSF or kids/minor account options that Pepperstone doesn't offer
- ›You want dividend reinvestment plans (DRP) and automatic DCA investing
- ›You need an Australian tax statement and Sharesight integration for easy record-keeping
- ›You're a long-term investor who doesn't trade frequently — SelfWealth's $9.50 flat brokerage works fine for occasional trades
Where they differ
| Fact | Pepperstone | SelfWealth |
|---|---|---|
| Share ownership model | CFD only — no real shares, no HIN, no CHESS | Real shares under your own HIN, CHESS-sponsored |
| ASX brokerage | $5 minimum (0.07%) | $9.50 flat |
| US brokerage | 0.02 USD minimum | $9.50 USD flat |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $500 |
Verdict
Pepperstone for leveraged CFD traders; SelfWealth for genuine Australian investors who want real shares under their own HIN.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Pepperstone | SelfWealth |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | — | mixed |
| Individual HIN | — | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | No | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | Yes |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | No | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| US shares supported | No | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| Other markets supported | US, UK, DE, FR, HK, BE, CH, DK, NO, SE, FI, IE, PT, ES, AT, AU | HK |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 50% | 60% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 50% | — |
| 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 | Not applicable — Pepperstone offers share CFDs only, not real shares. Clients have no entitlement to rights issues, SPPs, takeover offers or shareholder voting. Dividend adjustments are passed through as cash entries on share CFD positions (credited on longs, debited on shorts, with franking credits not passed through). | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | — | $9.5 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | Selfwealth Premium subscribers ($29/month or $240/year) receive 10 complimentary trades annually; otherwise no free-trade conditions. |
| US brokerage minimum | — | US$9.5 |
| 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 | — | $27.5 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Pepperstone Group Limited | SelfWealth Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 414,530 | 421,789 |
| Year founded | 2,010 | 2,012 |
| Parent / ownership | Privately held. Majority owner FX Group Holdings (Fiona Lock, CEO Tamas Szabo and Andrew Defina) acquired the 60% stake previously held by CPE Capital (formerly CHAMP Private Equity) in 2018; founders Owen Kerr and Joe Davenport retain the remaining 40%. | Syfe (Svava Pte Ltd, Singapore) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | private | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | PayID, BPAY, bank transfer, debit card, credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Neteller, Skrill | OSKO, BPAY, EFT/bank transfer |
| Settlement period | N/A (CFDs are not settled — positions are open derivative contracts marked-to-market continuously, with overnight swap charges in lieu of settlement) | T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | Up to 2 business days for cards, PayID, BPAY and domestic bank transfer; up to 1 business day for PayPal/Neteller/Skrill. | 1-2 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 | Yes | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat | live chat, email, phone |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24/5 (Monday morning AEST to Saturday morning AEST), with 18 hours coverage on weekends; Melbourne-based Australian support team available during AEST business hours. | 10am-4pm AET, Monday-Friday (closed public holidays) |
| Education content | video + courses | basic articles |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | No | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | — |
| CGT calculator / report | No | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | No | 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 | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |