Share Trading comparison
Bell Direct vs Plus500
Bell Direct is a genuine CHESS-sponsored broker that lets you own ASX shares in your own name, while Plus500 is a CFD provider — you never actually buy the underlying stock. That one structural difference dictates everything else: fees, features, tax treatment and whether you can even hold a long-term portfolio on the platform.
Choose
Bell Direct
if…
- ›You want to own real ASX shares under your own HIN with CHESS sponsorship
- ›You need a full suite of account types — joint, trust, SMSF, kids accounts are all supported
- ›You want to build a long-term portfolio with DRP, managed funds, bonds and IPO access
- ›You need a CGT report, tax breakdowns and Sharesight integration for EOFY
- ›You trade US stocks and want a dedicated USD account to avoid ongoing FX conversion
Choose
Plus500
if…
- ›You only want to speculate on price movements with CFDs and have no interest in owning the underlying asset
- ›You want a low $100 minimum deposit and can fund via card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay
- ›You need 24/7 customer support and a demo account to practice strategies
- ›You want free real-time market data with zero monthly fees
- ›You plan to trade after hours or overnight — Plus500 supports extended-hours CFD trading
Where they differ
| Fact | Bell Direct | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| What you actually buy | Real ASX and US shares under your HIN (CHESS-sponsored) | CFDs only — you never own the underlying asset |
| ASX brokerage | From $5 (0.1% over $25k) | N/A — no real ASX shares traded; Plus500 earns via spread |
| Account types | Individual, joint, company, trust, SMSF, kids account | Individual and company only |
| Minimum deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Tax & reporting tools | Australian tax statement, CGT report, Sharesight integration | None — CFD trading has different tax treatment; no CGT report |
Verdict
Choose Bell Direct if you want to own real shares; choose Plus500 only if you're speculating with CFDs.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Bell Direct | Plus500 |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | — |
| Individual HIN | Yes | — |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | No |
| SMSF account | Yes | No |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | No |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 60% | 70% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| Market data fees | $27.5/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $60 | — |
| Corporate action fees | Fail fee $110 or 0.11% daily for unsettled trades; corporate action handling generally pass-through via CHESS sponsorship | Not applicable — Plus500 only offers CFDs, so users do not participate in real corporate actions (rights issues, SPPs, takeovers). Dividend adjustments on share CFDs are credited/debited to positions automatically. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | — |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 10% | — |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | — |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | — |
| Monthly platform fee | — | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | — | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | — | $10 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | — | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $55 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Third Party Platform Pty Limited (trading as Bell Direct) | Plus500AU Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 314,341 | 417,727 |
| Year founded | 2,007 | 2,008 |
| Parent / ownership | Bell Financial Group Limited (ASX: BFG) | Plus500 Ltd (UK/Israel, LSE-listed parent) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Bank transfer (EFT), Direct credit | BPAY, Bank transfer, Credit/debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | — |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | Typically 1-3 business days; same payment method as deposit (card, bank, e-wallet). |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | — | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS | SMS only |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, online forms | Live chat, Email, WhatsApp, Contact form |
| Support hours (AU time) | Business hours, AET (typically Mon-Fri market hours) | 24/7 live chat, email and WhatsApp support |
| Education content | basic articles | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | No |
| 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 | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | — | Yes |