Share Trading comparison
CMC Invest vs Commsec Pocket
CMC Invest and CommSec Pocket sit at opposite ends of the trading spectrum. CMC Invest is a full-service broker with access to 15 global markets, US stocks at zero commission, and CHESS-sponsored holdings — all for a flat $11 brokerage on ASX trades over $1,000. CommSec Pocket is a stripped-back ETF-only app from the Commonwealth Bank, charging just $2 per trade on a curated set of ETFs, but it locks you into Australian markets only.
Choose
CMC Invest
if…
- ›You want to trade US shares with zero brokerage and a tight 0.006% FX spread
- ›You need access to international markets beyond Australia — CMC covers 15 countries including the UK, Japan and Canada
- ›You want a CHESS-sponsored HIN with full individual ownership of your ASX holdings
- ›You trade options, use limit and stop-loss orders, or want conditional order capabilities
- ›You need joint, trust, company, SMSF or kids' minor account types
Choose
Commsec Pocket
if…
- ›You only want to invest in a small, curated set of ASX ETFs and don't need individual shares
- ›You want the lowest possible brokerage — $2 per trade is hard to beat for regular ETF investing
- ›You already bank with CBA and want instant deposits from your linked transaction account
- ›You want to start with as little as $50 and invest small amounts regularly
- ›You prefer a simple mobile-only experience without the complexity of a full trading platform
Where they differ
| Fact | CMC Invest | Commsec Pocket |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage (minimum) | $11 | $2 |
| US shares | Supported ($0 brokerage) | Not supported |
| International markets | 15 countries | None |
| Account types | Individual, joint, company, trust, SMSF, kids | Individual only |
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $50 |
Verdict
CMC Invest for serious investors who want global markets and full control; CommSec Pocket for CBA customers wanting cheap, simple ETF investing.
Cost calculator
What would CMC Invest vs Commsec Pocket 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 | CMC Invest | Commsec Pocket |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | chess |
| Individual HIN | Yes | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| Company account | Yes | No |
| Trust account | Yes | No |
| SMSF account | Yes | No |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | No |
| 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 | United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.6% | — |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.6% | — |
| Holds USD account | No | — |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | — |
| Phone trade surcharge | $59.95 | — |
| Corporate action fees | — | Corporate actions (rights issues, SPPs, takeovers) are administered via the underlying ETF issuers/share registries since holdings are CHESS-sponsored under the investor's HIN; CommSec does not charge a separate corporate action fee. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $11 | $2 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | $0 brokerage on first ASX buy order per security per day for trades up to $1,000 (excludes margin loan settled trades and sells) | Promotional $0 brokerage offer on Pocket ETF trades from 20 April 2026 to 17 July 2026 inclusive, available to all CommSec Pocket customers. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$0 | — |
| US brokerage percentage | 0% | — |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $15 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $0 | $54 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | CMC Markets Stockbroking Limited | Commonwealth Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 246,381 | 238,814 |
| Year founded | 1,989 | 2,019 |
| Parent / ownership | CMC Markets plc (LSE: CMCX) | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $50 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $50 |
| Deposit methods | PayID, Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY | Linked CBA transaction account (CDIA, Smart Access, Streamline Basic, NetBank Saver, etc.) - direct debit |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US | T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-2 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | SMS + PIN |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat | phone, email, in-app messaging |
| Support hours (AU time) | Monday-Friday, business hours AET (approx 8am-6pm) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) |
| Education content | structured courses | structured courses |
| 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 | No |
| Conditional orders | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | single asset |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |