Share Trading comparison
CommSec vs Marketech Focus
The biggest difference between CommSec and Marketech Focus is that CommSec is a full-service broker backed by the Commonwealth Bank, offering US and international markets, while Marketech Focus is a niche ASX-only platform that charges a $20/month fee for features like CGT reports and distribution breakdowns. CommSec has no monthly or inactivity fees; Marketech Focus costs $240 a year before you place a single trade.
Choose
CommSec
if…
- ›You want to trade US stocks and ETFs (including fractional shares) without a separate US brokerage account
- ›You want zero monthly, inactivity, or market-data fees — CommSec charges nothing to hold an account
- ›You need access to international markets beyond Australia: UK, Europe, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan and more
- ›You want a polished mobile app with live chat support and the backing of Australia's biggest bank
- ›You occasionally trade options or want IPO access on the ASX
Choose
Marketech Focus
if…
- ›You want built-in CGT reports and distribution component breakdowns at tax time — Marketech Focus includes these natively
- ›You prefer a dedicated desktop trading platform alongside the mobile app
- ›You trade ASX shares exclusively and don't need US or international markets at all
- ›You're comfortable paying $20/month for a streamlined, no-frills CHESS-sponsored broker with a lower brokerage rate above $16,667
Where they differ
| Fact | CommSec | Marketech Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly platform fee | $0 | $20/month ($240/year) |
| US & international shares | Supported (US, UK, Europe, Canada, HK, Japan, etc.) | Not supported (ASX & Cboe Australia only) |
| Market data fees | $0/month (free real-time data) | $20/month |
| CGT calculator / report | Not available natively | Built-in CGT reports and distribution breakdowns |
| ASX brokerage (above threshold) | 0.12% for trades over $25,000 | 0.03% for trades over $16,667 |
Verdict
Choose CommSec for zero holding costs and global access; choose Marketech Focus only if you trade ASX stocks heavily and want tax reports built in.
Cost calculator
What would CommSec vs Marketech Focus 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 | Marketech Focus |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | chess |
| Individual HIN | Yes | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | — |
| Company account | Yes | — |
| Trust account | Yes | — |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | — |
| 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 States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Japan, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Sweden | Cboe Australia, NSX (National Stock Exchange of Australia) |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | — |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | Yes | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.55% | — |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.55% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| FX currency switch trick | No | — |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $20/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $59.95 | — |
| Corporate action fees | Corporate actions (SPP, rights issue, takeovers, demergers, dividend payments) are not separately charged by CommSec. They are processed via the share registry/issuer. CommSec does not send trade confirmations for off-market events, so Sharesight/other tracker sync requires manual updates. Failed-settlement fees apply if payment is late ($10 minimum or 0.66% above $1,500). | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 | $5 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 3% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | $16,667 |
| ASX free trade conditions | Conditional: $5 minimum requires linked CDIA (Commonwealth Direct Investment Account) or CommSec Margin Loan as the settlement account AND CHESS sponsorship with CommSec. Without CDIA linkage, brokerage starts at $29.95 for trades up to $9,999.99 and 0.31% above. Promotional $0 brokerage offers occasionally run for new customers (e.g. 30 free trades up to $50,000 each, May–Nov 2026 offer for new sign-ups). | — |
| US brokerage minimum | US$5 | — |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.12% | — |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $20/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $240/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | — |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $54 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | Marketech Online Trading Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 337,927 |
| Year founded | 1,995 | 2,021 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) | Australian-owned private company; AFSL backing from Sanlam Private Wealth Pty Ltd; trade execution via OpenMarkets Australia Limited |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Direct debit, Bank transfer (CDIA), Cheque, Cash deposit (CBA branch/ATM) | Bank transfer (to Macquarie CMA), Direct credit |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX) / T+1 (US) | T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | Same-day to 1 business day (instant when funds in CDIA via real-time transfer) | Same-day to 1 business day (via Macquarie CMA) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | Yes |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS + authenticator | — |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat (in-app), secure mail (in-platform), social media (X, Instagram) | email, support portal |
| Support hours (AU time) | Phone 8am-6pm Mon-Fri Sydney time (general & options); extended trading-hours support during ASX session. No 24/7 support. | — |
| Education content | structured courses | basic articles |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | Yes |
| CGT calculator / report | No | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | No |