Stake vs Superhero
The biggest practical difference between Stake and Superhero comes down to ownership structure. Stake is CHESS-sponsored, meaning you get your own HIN and shares are held in your name on the ASX register. Superhero is a custodian model — the platform holds the legal title, not you. That distinction matters for everything from corporate actions to switching brokers down the track.
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN so your ASX holdings are legally in your name
- ›You trade US stocks regularly and want a dedicated USD account to avoid repeated FX conversion fees
- ›You need after-hours / overnight trading access for US markets
- ›You want free real-time market data plus research reports included at no extra cost
- ›You plan to transfer an existing ASX portfolio and want brokerage waived for 12 months on holdings worth $1,000+
- ›You want the lowest minimum deposit — just $100 to open and start trading
- ›You're looking for auto-invest / DCA functionality to dollar-cost average into ETFs automatically
- ›You want to set up a minor / kids account for investing on behalf of children
- ›You prefer a slightly cheaper flat brokerage fee on both ASX ($2) and US ($2) trades
- ›You're comfortable with a custodian model and don't need your own HIN
Where they differ
| Fact | Stake | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship | Yes — individual HIN provided | No — custodian model |
| USD account | Yes — holds USD | No — converts each time |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.55% | 0.50% |
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Not available | Available with multiple options |
Choose Stake if CHESS ownership matters; choose Superhero if you want lower minimums, auto-invest, or a kids account.
Common questions
How do Stake and Superhero compare on chess sponsorship?
Stake: Yes — individual HIN provided. Superhero: No — custodian model. Stake gives you direct ownership on the ASX register; Superhero holds shares on your behalf.
How do Stake and Superhero compare on usd account?
Stake: Yes — holds USD. Superhero: No — converts each time. Stake lets you keep USD for US trades; Superhero converts AUD to USD per trade.
How do Stake and Superhero compare on fx spread (aud/usd)?
Stake: 0.55%. Superhero: 0.50%. Superhero's FX spread is marginally cheaper.
When is Stake the better choice over Superhero?
Pick Stake if you want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN so your ASX holdings are legally in your name; you trade US stocks regularly and want a dedicated USD account to avoid repeated FX conversion fees; you need after-hours / overnight trading access for US markets; or you want free real-time market data plus research reports included at no extra cost.
When is Superhero the better choice over Stake?
Pick Superhero if you want the lowest minimum deposit — just $100 to open and start trading; you're looking for auto-invest / DCA functionality to dollar-cost average into ETFs automatically; you want to set up a minor / kids account for investing on behalf of children; or you prefer a slightly cheaper flat brokerage fee on both ASX ($2) and US ($2) trades.
Stake or Superhero — what's the verdict?
Choose Stake if CHESS ownership matters; choose Superhero if you want lower minimums, auto-invest, or a kids account.
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 | Stake | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | mixed | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | 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 | United States | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.55% | 0.5% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| FX currency switch trick | Yes | — |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | Corporate actions (dividends, SPPs, rights issues, takeovers) are passed through where mandatory; Stake does not provide a DRP — investors must elect DRP directly with each company's share registry. No published per-event fee. | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $3 | $2 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $30,000 | $20,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | No free-trade promotion ordinarily offered; brokerage waived for 12 months on transferred ASX holdings worth A$1,000+ | — |
| US brokerage minimum | US$3 | US$2 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.01% | 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 | Stakeshop Pty Ltd | Superhero Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 548,196 | 430,150 |
| Year founded | 2,017 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | Privately held (Stakeshop AFSL Pty Ltd group); investors include AGL Energy's former CEO and various private investors | 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 | private | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $20 | $100 |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (Osko/PayID), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Debit card, Credit card | PayID, BPAY, bank transfer |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days for AUD (Stake AUS); 2-3 US business days for USD (Stake Wall St) | 1-3 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | SMS |
| Customer support channels | Email, In-app chat, Help centre | email, in-app chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Business hours AEST/AEDT (approximately Mon-Fri); chat/email response varies | Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm AEST |
| Education content | structured 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 | No | — |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | No |