Stake vs tastytrade
Stake and tastytrade both launched in 2017, but they serve completely different investors. Stake is an Australian broker that gives you CHESS-sponsored ASX trading plus low-cost US stocks. tastytrade is a US-based platform famous for options trading — it doesn't offer ASX shares at all. If you want to trade Australian shares, Stake is your only option here.
- ›You want to buy and sell ASX shares or ETFs with CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN
- ›You need a simple AUD deposit via Osko/PayID and want to avoid international wire transfers
- ›You want fractional US shares (Stake offers them; tastytrade does not)
- ›You prefer an Australian tax statement and local business-hours support
- ›You want a low 0.55% FX spread on AUD-to-USD conversions with the ability to use the 'currency switch trick' to minimise conversion costs
- ›You trade options — tastytrade is built for multi-leg options strategies with zero-commission US options trades
- ›You want zero US brokerage on equities and options with no minimum deposit
- ›You need a full desktop trading platform with advanced charting and conditional order types
- ›You want to try before you commit — tastytrade offers a demo account; Stake does not
- ›You trade US stocks or ETFs in size and don't need ASX access at all
Where they differ
| Fact | Stake | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| ASX trading | Yes — CHESS-sponsored with your own HIN | No — US-only broker |
| Options trading | Not supported | Core offering — zero-commission options |
| US brokerage | $3 minimum (0.01% over $30k) | $0 |
| Fractional US shares | Yes | No |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (Osko/PayID), Apple Pay, Google Pay, debit/credit card | International wire only (no AUD deposit accounts) |
Pick Stake for ASX and simple US investing; pick tastytrade if you're an active US options trader.
Common questions
How do Stake and tastytrade compare on asx trading?
Stake: Yes — CHESS-sponsored with your own HIN. tastytrade: No — US-only broker.
How do Stake and tastytrade compare on options trading?
Stake: Not supported. tastytrade: Core offering — zero-commission options.
How do Stake and tastytrade compare on us brokerage?
Stake: $3 minimum (0.01% over $30k). tastytrade: $0.
When is Stake the better choice over tastytrade?
Pick Stake if you want to buy and sell ASX shares or ETFs with CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN; you need a simple AUD deposit via Osko/PayID and want to avoid international wire transfers; you want fractional US shares (Stake offers them; tastytrade does not); or you prefer an Australian tax statement and local business-hours support.
When is tastytrade the better choice over Stake?
Pick tastytrade if you trade options — tastytrade is built for multi-leg options strategies with zero-commission US options trades; you want zero US brokerage on equities and options with no minimum deposit; you need a full desktop trading platform with advanced charting and conditional order types; or you want to try before you commit — tastytrade offers a demo account; Stake does not.
Stake or tastytrade — what's the verdict?
Pick Stake for ASX and simple US investing; pick tastytrade if you're an active US options trader.
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 | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | mixed | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | No |
| Kids / minor account | No | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | No |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| US shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Other markets supported | United States | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | Yes |
| IPO access | — | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.55% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | Yes | No |
| 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. | Standard US corporate action processing applies (dividends, splits, mergers). Mandatory corporate actions are processed at no fee; voluntary corporate actions (e.g. tender offers) may incur a fee per tastytrade's fee schedule. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $3 | — |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.01% | — |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $30,000 | — |
| ASX free trade conditions | No free-trade promotion ordinarily offered; brokerage waived for 12 months on transferred ASX holdings worth A$1,000+ | Not applicable — tastytrade does not offer ASX trading. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$3 | US$0 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.01% | 0% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | — |
| Off-market transfer fee | $0 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Stakeshop Pty Ltd | tastytrade, Inc. |
| AFSL number | 548,196 | — |
| Year founded | 2,017 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | Privately held (Stakeshop AFSL Pty Ltd group); investors include AGL Energy's former CEO and various private investors | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | US |
| Public company status | private | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $0 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $20 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (Osko/PayID), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Debit card, Credit card | international wire (USD), ACH (US only), check (US only) |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US | T+1 (US equities/ETFs, from May 2024) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days for AUD (Stake AUS); 2-3 US business days for USD (Stake Wall St) | International wire withdrawals to AU typically 3-5 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | Yes |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | Email, In-app chat, Help centre | phone, email, live chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Business hours AEST/AEDT (approximately Mon-Fri); chat/email response varies | Monday-Friday, approx. 7am-5pm US Central Time = approx. 10pm-8am AET (next day). Weekend support limited. No AU business-hours coverage. |
| Education content | structured courses | video + courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | 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 | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |