Share Trading comparison
Commsec Pocket vs tastytrade
CommSec Pocket and tastytrade are built for completely different markets. Pocket is a stripped-down ASX ETF app from the Commonwealth Bank — cheap, simple, and CHESS-sponsored. tastytrade is a US options-and-equities broker owned by IG Group, designed for active traders who want zero-commission US stocks and sophisticated option strategies. The only thing they share is a $0 monthly fee.
Choose
Commsec Pocket
if…
- ›You want to buy ASX ETFs with brokerage as low as $2 on trades up to $1,000
- ›You value CHESS sponsorship and holding your own HIN on the ASX
- ›You want a simple, app-only experience with auto-invest (DCA) into a single ETF
- ›You're a CommBank customer who wants instant deposits from your CBA transaction account
- ›You need an Australian tax statement and CGT report at tax time
Choose
tastytrade
if…
- ›You want to trade US stocks and ETFs with $0 commission and no minimum deposit
- ›You trade options — tastytrade is built around multi-leg option strategies with zero-commission opening trades
- ›You need a desktop trading platform with advanced order types (stop-loss, conditional orders) and after-hours trading
- ›You want free real-time US market data and a demo account to practice before going live
- ›You're comfortable with a custodian model (no HIN) and can work with US-market support hours
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| Markets available | ASX ETFs only | US stocks, US ETFs, options, bonds |
| Brokerage on first $1,000 | $2 flat (0.2%) | $0 (US markets) |
| CHESS sponsorship | Yes — individual HIN | No — custodian model |
| Options trading | Not supported | Supported — zero-commission opening trades |
| Minimum deposit | $50 AUD | $0 AUD |
Verdict
Pick CommSec Pocket for simple, cheap ASX ETF investing under your own HIN; pick tastytrade for zero-commission US stocks and options.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Commsec Pocket | tastytrade |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | Yes |
| Company account | No | Yes |
| Trust account | No | Yes |
| SMSF account | No | No |
| Kids / minor account | No | No |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | No |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | No |
| US shares supported | No | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| Other markets supported | ||
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | Yes |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| 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. | Standard US corporate action processing applies (dividends, splits, mergers). Mandatory corporate actions are processed at no fee; voluntary corporate actions (e.g. tender offers) may incur a fee per tastytrade's fee schedule. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | — |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.2% | — |
| 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. | Not applicable — tastytrade does not offer ASX trading. |
| 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 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | — |
| Off-market transfer fee | $54 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | tastytrade, Inc. |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | — |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | US |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $0 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $50 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | Linked CBA transaction account (CDIA, Smart Access, Streamline Basic, NetBank Saver, etc.) - direct debit | international wire (USD), ACH (US only), check (US only) |
| Settlement period | T+2 | T+1 (US equities/ETFs, from May 2024) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | International wire withdrawals to AU typically 3-5 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | Yes |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | No | No |
| 2FA support | SMS + PIN | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, in-app messaging | phone, email, live chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) | Monday-Friday, approx. 7am-5pm US Central Time = approx. 10pm-8am AET (next day). Weekend support limited. No AU business-hours coverage. |
| Education content | structured courses | video + courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |