Share Trading comparison
Bell Direct vs nabtrade
The biggest practical difference between Bell Direct and nabtrade comes down to cost versus convenience. Bell Direct is significantly cheaper for ASX trades ($5 minimum vs $9.95) and offers US fractional shares, while nabtrade leans on its big-bank backing with instant withdrawals to NAB accounts and free real-time market data. Both are CHESS-sponsored, so you hold your own HIN either way.
Choose
Bell Direct
if…
- ›You want the lowest ASX brokerage — $5 per trade vs nabtrade's $9.95 minimum
- ›You want to buy US fractional shares (Bell Direct supports them; nabtrade doesn't)
- ›You trade US stocks frequently and want zero US brokerage minimum with a 0.6% FX spread (vs 0.8% and $9.95 US minimum at nabtrade)
- ›You need options trading alongside your standard brokerage account
- ›You're happy to pay $27.50/month for market data and don't mind a desktop-only platform
Choose
nabtrade
if…
- ›You bank with NAB and want instant withdrawals to your linked NAB account
- ›You want free real-time ASX market data included for $19.95/month (Bell Direct charges $27.50)
- ›You trade international markets beyond the US — nabtrade covers the UK, Germany and Hong Kong
- ›You prefer a structured education hub and secure messaging through NAB Internet Banking
- ›You want a lower market data fee at $19.95/month and don't need US fractional shares
Where they differ
| Fact | Bell Direct | nabtrade |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $9.95 |
| US brokerage minimum | $0 | $9.95 USD |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Market data fees | $27.50/month | $19.95/month |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
Verdict
Pick Bell Direct for low-cost ASX and US trading; pick nabtrade if you value bank integration and cheaper market data.
Cost calculator
What would Bell Direct vs nabtrade 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 | Bell Direct | nabtrade |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | 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 | 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 Kingdom (LSE), Germany (Xetra), Hong Kong (HKEx) | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds supported | Yes | Yes |
| IPO access | Yes | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 60% | 80% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 80% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| Market data fees | $27.5/month | $19.95/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $60 | $59.95 |
| Corporate action fees | Fail fee $110 or 0.11% daily for unsettled trades; corporate action handling generally pass-through via CHESS sponsorship | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $9.95 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 10% | 11% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | $20,000 |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | US$9.95 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 11% |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | — | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $55 | $55 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Third Party Platform Pty Limited (trading as Bell Direct) | WealthHub Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 314,341 | 230,704 |
| Year founded | 2,007 | 2,012 |
| Parent / ownership | Bell Financial Group Limited (ASX: BFG) | National Australia Bank Limited (ASX: NAB) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | — | $0 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Bank transfer (EFT), Direct credit | Direct credit / EFT, BPAY, Internal transfer from linked NAB account |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | ASX T+2; US T+1; UK/Germany/HK T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | Instant to linked NAB accounts; 1 business day to other Australian banks |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | — | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS | SMS + PIN |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, online forms | Phone, Email, Secure messaging (via NAB Internet Banking) |
| Support hours (AU time) | Business hours, AET (typically Mon-Fri market hours) | Mon-Fri 8am-6pm AEST/AEDT (contact centre typically 9am-5pm) |
| Education content | basic articles | structured |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | — | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | — | No |