Share Trading comparison
Commsec Pocket vs Stake
CommSec Pocket is a stripped-back ETF-only app from the Commonwealth Bank, designed for simple, low-cost ASX investing with a $50 minimum. Stake, by contrast, is a dual-market broker that lets you trade both ASX and US stocks (including fractional US shares) under one account. The biggest practical difference: Pocket is for Australians who only want ASX ETFs, while Stake opens the door to US markets without needing a separate US broker.
Choose
Commsec Pocket
if…
- ›You want the cheapest ASX trades — $2 brokerage on trades up to $1,000, dropping to 0.2% above that
- ›You're a CBA customer who wants instant deposits from your linked CommBank account
- ›You want a dead-simple ETF-only portfolio with auto-invest (DCA) and zero platform fees
- ›You prefer CHESS sponsorship with your own HIN for every trade, giving you direct share ownership
- ›You're starting small — the minimum initial deposit is just $50
Choose
Stake
if…
- ›You want to trade US stocks and ETFs from a single Australian account, with fractional US shares available
- ›You need access to company, trust, or SMSF account structures — Pocket only offers individual accounts
- ›You want free real-time market data and research reports without paying extra
- ›You trade larger ASX parcels — Stake's brokerage caps at $3 once your trade exceeds $30,000
- ›You value after-hours trading and stop-loss orders, which Pocket doesn't offer
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | Stake |
|---|---|---|
| Markets available | ASX only (ETFs) | ASX + US (shares, ETFs, bonds) |
| ASX brokerage (small trade) | $2 up to $1,000 | $3 up to $30,000 |
| US brokerage | Not available | $3 USD per trade (0.01% above $30k) |
| CHESS sponsorship | Full CHESS — your own HIN | Mixed — CHESS for ASX, custodian for US |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes (single ETF level) | No |
Verdict
Choose CommSec Pocket for cheap, simple ASX ETF investing with auto-invest; choose Stake if you want US stocks too.
Cost calculator
What would Commsec Pocket vs Stake 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 | Commsec Pocket | Stake |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | mixed |
| Individual HIN | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | Yes |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | Yes |
| IPO access | No | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 0.55% |
| Holds USD account | — | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | — | Yes |
| 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. | Corporate actions (dividends, SPPs, rights issues, takeovers) are passed through where mandatory; Stake does not provide a DRP — investors must elect DRP directly with each company's share registry. No published per-event fee. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $3 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.2% | 0.01% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | $30,000 |
| 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. | No free-trade promotion ordinarily offered; brokerage waived for 12 months on transferred ASX holdings worth A$1,000+ |
| US brokerage minimum | — | US$3 |
| 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 | $54 | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | Stakeshop Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 548,196 |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | Privately held (Stakeshop AFSL Pty Ltd group); investors include AGL Energy's former CEO and various private investors |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $50 | $20 |
| Deposit methods | Linked CBA transaction account (CDIA, Smart Access, Streamline Basic, NetBank Saver, etc.) - direct debit | Bank transfer (Osko/PayID), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Debit card, Credit card |
| Settlement period | T+2 | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-2 business days for AUD (Stake AUS); 2-3 US business days for USD (Stake Wall St) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | No | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS + PIN | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, in-app messaging | Email, In-app chat, Help centre |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) | Business hours AEST/AEDT (approximately Mon-Fri); chat/email response varies |
| Education content | structured courses | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | No | Yes |
| Conditional orders | No | No |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |