Share Trading comparison
Superhero vs Vanguard Personal Investor
The biggest difference between Superhero and Vanguard Personal Investor is what you can trade. Superhero gives you access to both ASX and US shares with ultra-low brokerage, while Vanguard is an ASX-only platform built around its own ETFs and managed funds. That distinction shapes everything else — from fees to account types to who should use each platform.
Choose
Superhero
if…
- ›You want to buy US stocks and ETFs — Superhero supports them with $2 USD minimum brokerage and fractional shares
- ›You trade ASX shares frequently and want brokerage as low as $2 per trade (0.01% above $20,000)
- ›You want a lower minimum to start investing — just $100 initial deposit vs Vanguard's $200
- ›You prefer a mobile-first experience with real-time market data included at no cost
- ›You want to buy fractional shares in US stocks, which Vanguard doesn't offer at all
Choose
Vanguard Personal Investor
if…
- ›You plan to buy Vanguard ETFs or managed funds regularly — Vanguard charges $0 brokerage on buys and auto-invest purchases
- ›You want a joint account — Superhero doesn't offer one, Vanguard does
- ›You're comfortable with a $9 flat brokerage on non-Vanguard ASX trades and want a platform backed by the world's largest fund manager
- ›You want phone support with extended hours (8am-6pm AET) rather than just email and in-app chat
- ›You value structured educational content and a more traditional investment platform experience
Where they differ
| Fact | Superhero | Vanguard Personal Investor |
|---|---|---|
| US shares supported | Yes | No |
| ASX brokerage (minimum) | $2 | $0 on Vanguard ETF buys, $9 flat on other ASX trades |
| Managed funds | Not supported | Supported |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Minimum initial deposit | $100 | $200 |
Verdict
Choose Superhero for cheap US and ASX trading; choose Vanguard if you're building a portfolio around its own ETFs and managed funds.
Cost calculator
What would Superhero vs Vanguard Personal Investor 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 | Superhero | Vanguard Personal Investor |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | custodian |
| Individual HIN | No | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | Yes |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | Yes | No |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| Other markets supported | ||
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | — | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.5% | — |
| Holds USD account | No | — |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | — | Participation in voluntary corporate actions (rights issues, SPPs, takeovers) is NOT available through Vanguard Personal Investor for ETFs or direct shares - investors cannot participate. Mandatory corporate actions (e.g. dividends) flow through automatically. No corporate action fees disclosed. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $0 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.01% | 0% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $20,000 | — |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | $0 brokerage on all buys of Vanguard ETFs (Vanguard managed funds incur no brokerage at all). $0 brokerage on Vanguard ETFs/funds purchased via Auto Invest. Sells of Vanguard ETFs incur $9 flat. ASX direct (non-Vanguard) shares: $9 flat both ways. |
| US brokerage minimum | 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 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Superhero Securities Limited | Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd |
| AFSL number | 430,150 | 227,263 |
| Year founded | 2,020 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | Independent (founder-controlled). Previously merged into Swyftx in 2022; demerger completed December 2022 returning ownership to co-founders John Winters and Wayne Baskin. | The Vanguard Group, Inc. (US) - mutual structure owned by US-domiciled Vanguard fund investors |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | private | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $100 | $200 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $100 | $1 |
| Deposit methods | PayID, BPAY, bank transfer | BPAY, Direct credit (EFT), Direct debit |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US | T+2 (ASX) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days | Up to 3 business days from processing date (processed same day if requested before 4pm AET) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | No |
| Free research reports | No | No |
| 2FA support | SMS | SMS |
| Customer support channels | email, in-app chat | Phone, Secure message (in-app) |
| Support hours (AU time) | Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm AEST | Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm AET (phone) |
| Education content | basic | structured |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | — | Yes |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | No |
| Conditional orders | — | No |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | multiple | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |