Share Trading comparison
Commsec Pocket vs eToro
The biggest difference between CommSec Pocket and eToro is ownership structure. CommSec Pocket is a CHESS-sponsored broker backed by Commonwealth Bank, meaning you hold ASX-listed ETFs under your own HIN. eToro is a custodian model — you don't get a HIN, and your shares are held in eToro's name. That distinction ripples through everything from fees to market access.
Choose
Commsec Pocket
if…
- ›You want true ASX ownership with your own HIN and CHESS sponsorship — your name on the register, not a custodian's.
- ›You're happy sticking to a curated set of ASX ETFs (around 7-10) and don't need individual shares, US stocks, or crypto.
- ›You bank with CBA and want seamless direct-debit deposits from your CommBank account with zero fuss.
- ›You want a dead-simple, low-cost ETF investing habit — $50 minimums, $0 monthly fees, and a $2 brokerage on trades over $1,000.
- ›You value dividend reinvestment plans (DRP) — eToro doesn't offer them at all.
Choose
eToro
if…
- ›You want access to US stocks, US ETFs, and 14 other international markets — CommSec Pocket is ASX ETFs only.
- ›You want to trade CFDs, crypto, or use leverage — eToro's platform is built for this; CommSec Pocket doesn't touch it.
- ›You want zero-commission trading on ASX shares and ETFs — eToro charges $0 brokerage on real (non-leveraged) ASX trades.
- ›You want fractional shares on ASX or US stocks — eToro supports them; CommSec Pocket does not.
- ›You want a demo account to practise trading, or free real-time market data — both are included on eToro.
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship | Yes — individual HIN provided | No — custodian model, no HIN |
| ASX brokerage | $2 minimum or 0.2% (whichever applies) | $0 on non-leveraged trades |
| Markets available | ASX ETFs only (no individual shares, no US stocks) | ASX shares, ASX ETFs, US stocks, US ETFs, 14 other markets |
| Fractional shares | Not available | Available on ASX and US stocks |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $10 after 12 months of no login |
Verdict
Choose CommSec Pocket for simple, CHESS-sponsored ASX ETF investing; choose eToro for global markets, zero brokerage, and crypto.
Cost calculator
What would Commsec Pocket vs eToro actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Commsec Pocket | eToro |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | No |
| Company account | No | Yes |
| Trust account | No | Yes |
| SMSF account | No | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | No | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| Other markets supported | United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Portugal | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | Yes |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | Yes |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Crypto trading | — | Yes |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 0.75% |
| Holds USD account | — | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | — | No |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | — | $0 |
| 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. | eToro passes through cash dividends from non-leveraged real positions (debit/credit to wallet). It does not facilitate participation in rights issues, share purchase plans (SPPs), DRPs or shareholder votes because shares are held in a managed investment scheme by the custodian, not in the user's name. No explicit fee, but corporate action access is materially restricted. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $0 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.2% | 0% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | — |
| ASX free trade conditions | Promotional $0 brokerage offer on Pocket ETF trades from 20 April 2026 to 17 July 2026 inclusive, available to all CommSec Pocket customers. | Zero commission applies to all non-leveraged (real) ASX share and ETF purchases. Leveraged / short positions are executed as CFDs and incur 0.15% open/close spread plus overnight financing. |
| 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 | $0 | $10 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $54 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | eToro AUS Capital Limited |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 491,139 |
| AUSTRAC registration | — | Yes |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | eToro Group Ltd (NASDAQ: ETOR) — listed 14 May 2025; originally founded in Israel by Yoni and Ronen Assia. eToro AUS Capital Limited is a wholly-owned Australian subsidiary. |
| Country of incorporation | AU | Australia |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $50 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $50 | $50 |
| Deposit methods | Linked CBA transaction account (CDIA, Smart Access, Streamline Basic, NetBank Saver, etc.) - direct debit | Bank transfer, Debit card, Credit card, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, POLi, Online banking |
| Settlement period | T+2 | T+2 ASX, T+1 US (settlement managed by the eToro Service custodian; user funds reflect immediately in eToro wallet) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-2 business days for eToro processing; total 2-10 business days end-to-end depending on payment method (bank transfer longer than card) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | No | No |
| 2FA support | SMS + PIN | SMS + authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, in-app messaging | Live chat (Club members only), Email / web ticket, Help centre |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) | — |
| Education content | structured courses | video + courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | — |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | No |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | No | Yes |
| Conditional orders | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | No |