Share Trading comparison
CommSec vs nabtrade
The biggest practical difference between CommSec and nabtrade is cost. CommSec can be as cheap as $5 per ASX trade if you use a linked CDIA account, while nabtrade starts at $9.95 and charges 0.11% above $20,000. nabtrade also hits you with a $19.95 monthly market data fee, whereas CommSec gives you real-time data for free. For anyone trading regularly, those fees add up fast.
Choose
CommSec
if…
- ›You want the lowest possible ASX brokerage — $5 per trade with a linked CDIA account, versus nabtrade's $9.95 minimum
- ›You trade US stocks regularly and want a tight FX spread of 0.0055% (nabtrade charges 0.8%) plus a dedicated USD account
- ›You want free real-time market data without a monthly subscription fee
- ›You need access to more international markets — CommSec covers 13 countries including Canada, Japan and France
- ›You want fractional US shares and after-hours trading, neither of which nabtrade offers
Choose
nabtrade
if…
- ›You prefer a simpler, all-in-one brokerage experience linked to your existing NAB banking — instant withdrawals to NAB accounts
- ›You want a built-in CGT calculator to help with tax reporting at EOFY (CommSec doesn't offer one)
- ›You trade infrequently and don't mind paying $9.95 per trade because the monthly data fee can be waived with certain NAB account packages
- ›You want access to UK (LSE), German (Xetra) and Hong Kong (HKEx) markets without needing a separate platform
Where they differ
| Fact | CommSec | nabtrade |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $5 (with linked CDIA) | $9.95 |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.0055% | 0.8% |
| Monthly market data fee | $0 | $19.95 |
| CGT calculator | Not offered | Included |
| International markets | 13 countries | 3 countries (UK, Germany, HK) |
Verdict
CommSec wins on cost and global access; nabtrade is only worth it if you value CGT tools or NAB banking integration.
Cost calculator
What would CommSec vs nabtrade 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 | nabtrade |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | chess |
| Individual HIN | Yes | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | Yes | Yes |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| Other markets supported | United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Japan, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Sweden | United Kingdom (LSE), Germany (Xetra), Hong Kong (HKEx) |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds supported | Yes | Yes |
| IPO access | Yes | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.55% | 80% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.55% | 80% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| FX currency switch trick | No | — |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $19.95/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | $59.95 | $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 | $9.95 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 11% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | $20,000 |
| 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$9.95 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 11% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | — |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | — |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | — |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $54 | $55 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | WealthHub Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 230,704 |
| Year founded | 1,995 | 2,012 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) | National Australia Bank Limited (ASX: NAB) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| 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) | Direct credit / EFT, BPAY, Internal transfer from linked NAB account |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX) / T+1 (US) | ASX T+2; US T+1; UK/Germany/HK T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | Same-day to 1 business day (instant when funds in CDIA via real-time transfer) | Instant to linked NAB accounts; 1 business day to other Australian banks |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS + authenticator | SMS + PIN |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat (in-app), secure mail (in-platform), social media (X, Instagram) | Phone, Email, Secure messaging (via NAB Internet Banking) |
| Support hours (AU time) | Phone 8am-6pm Mon-Fri Sydney time (general & options); extended trading-hours support during ASX session. No 24/7 support. | Mon-Fri 8am-6pm AEST/AEDT (contact centre typically 9am-5pm) |
| Education content | structured courses | structured |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| 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 |