Share Trading comparison
Commsec Pocket vs Webull
CommSec Pocket is a stripped-back ETF-only app from Australia's biggest bank, while Webull is a full-featured global broker that lets you trade ASX shares, US stocks, options and crypto under one login. The biggest practical difference is reach: Pocket limits you to a curated set of ASX ETFs, whereas Webull opens up US markets, fractional shares and advanced order types — but it holds your US assets in custody rather than under your HIN.
Choose
Commsec Pocket
if…
- ›You want the simplest possible investing experience with just a handful of ASX ETFs to choose from
- ›You're happy to bank with CBA and want instant funding from a linked CommBank account
- ›You want to start with as little as $50 and pay no monthly or inactivity fees
- ›You value CHESS sponsorship for every trade — your HIN, your holdings, full ASIC ownership
- ›You want a promotional $0 brokerage window on ETFs from April to July 2026
Choose
Webull
if…
- ›You want to trade US stocks and ETFs with $0 US brokerage and fractional shares
- ›You need options trading, crypto, or access to Hong Kong and China A-share markets
- ›You want joint, company, trust or SMSF account structures — Pocket only offers individual accounts
- ›You use stop-loss and conditional orders, or want after-hours trading capability
- ›You prefer a desktop trading platform with a demo account to practice before committing real money
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | Webull |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage (minimum) | $2 | $1 |
| US shares supported | No | Yes ($0 US brokerage, fractional shares) |
| CHESS sponsorship | CHESS (individual HIN) | CHESS (individual HIN) |
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $500 |
| Account types | Individual only | Individual, Joint, Company, Trust, SMSF |
Verdict
Pick CommSec Pocket for dead-simple, CHESS-sponsored ETF investing on a budget; pick Webull if you want US stocks, options and multi-account flexibility.
Cost calculator
What would Commsec Pocket vs Webull 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 | Webull |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | chess |
| Individual HIN | Yes | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | Yes |
| 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 | Hong Kong, China (A-shares) | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | Yes |
| Options trading | No | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Crypto trading | — | Yes |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 0.5% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 0.5% |
| Holds USD account | — | Yes |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $49.99/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. | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $1 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.2% | 0.03% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | $3,333 |
| 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. | ASX ETFs: $0 brokerage on all trades, no conditions. ASX shares: not free — $1 minimum or 0.03% (whichever greater). |
| 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 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $54 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | Webull Securities (Australia) Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 536,980 |
| AUSTRAC registration | — | Yes |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 2,022 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | Webull Corporation (NASDAQ: BULL), Cayman Islands holding company; originally backed by Hunan Fumi Information Technology (China) with investors including Xiaomi, General Atlantic, Coatue, Lightspeed |
| Country of incorporation | AU | Australia |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $50 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | Linked CBA transaction account (CDIA, Smart Access, Streamline Basic, NetBank Saver, etc.) - direct debit | PayTo, Bank transfer (EFT), International wire |
| Settlement period | T+2 | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-2 business days for AUD bank transfer; 1-5 business days for international wire |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | Yes |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | No |
| Free research reports | No | No |
| 2FA support | SMS + PIN | authenticator |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, in-app messaging | Phone, Email, In-app chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) | Phone: Mon-Fri 08:30-18:00 AEST/AEDT. In-app chat: advertised 24-hour. |
| Education content | structured courses | structured |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | 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 | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | weighted |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |