Share Trading comparison
CommSec vs SelfWealth
The biggest practical difference between CommSec and SelfWealth is price vs ecosystem. CommSec's ASX trades can be as cheap as $5 if you link a CDIA, but its standard brokerage jumps to $29.95 — far above SelfWealth's flat $9.50. SelfWealth is the cheaper default for most trades, while CommSec wins on global market access, research, and banking integration.
Choose
CommSec
if…
- ›You trade US stocks regularly — CommSec charges just 0.12% (min $5 USD) vs SelfWealth's $9.50 USD flat fee, and CommSec supports fractional US shares
- ›You want access to 13 global markets (UK, Europe, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, etc.) — SelfWealth only offers ASX, US and Hong Kong
- ›You value deep research and education — CommSec includes free real-time data, research reports, and structured courses; SelfWealth offers neither
- ›You trade options or want IPO access — CommSec supports options trading and IPO participation; SelfWealth offers neither
- ›You're already a CBA customer — linking a CDIA unlocks the $5 minimum brokerage and instant same-day withdrawals
Choose
SelfWealth
if…
- ›You want simple, flat-rate pricing — SelfWealth's $9.50 brokerage on ASX and US trades is straightforward with no CDIA requirement or tiered structure
- ›You want to automate your investing — SelfWealth offers a proper auto-invest/DCA feature with multiple scheduling options; CommSec has none
- ›You plan to transfer out eventually — SelfWealth charges $27.50 for off-market transfers, roughly half CommSec's $54 fee
- ›You trade infrequently and want lower ongoing costs — SelfWealth's standard $9.50 is cheaper than CommSec's standard $29.95 for small trades
- ›You prefer a lean, no-frills platform — SelfWealth keeps it simple without upsells, while CommSec's interface is heavier with banking cross-sells
Where they differ
| Fact | CommSec | SelfWealth |
|---|---|---|
| ASX standard brokerage (small trade) | $29.95 (trades under $10k without CDIA) | $9.50 flat |
| ASX minimum brokerage (with CDIA) | $5 | $9.50 |
| US brokerage minimum | $5 USD | $9.50 USD |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.0055% | 0.6% |
| Off-market transfer fee | $54 | $27.50 |
Verdict
Choose CommSec for global markets and banking integration; choose SelfWealth for simple, low-cost Australian trading without the CBA tie-in.
Cost calculator
What would CommSec vs SelfWealth 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 | SelfWealth |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | mixed |
| 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 | HK |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| 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% | 60% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.55% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | No | — |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/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 | $9.5 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.12% | — |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $25,000 | — |
| 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). | Selfwealth Premium subscribers ($29/month or $240/year) receive 10 complimentary trades annually; otherwise no free-trade conditions. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$5 | US$9.5 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.12% | — |
| 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 | $27.5 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | SelfWealth Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 421,789 |
| Year founded | 1,995 | 2,012 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) | Syfe (Svava Pte Ltd, Singapore) |
| 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) | OSKO, BPAY, EFT/bank transfer |
| 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) | 1-2 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | No |
| Demo account | No | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | No |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | SMS + authenticator | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat (in-app), secure mail (in-platform), social media (X, Instagram) | live chat, email, phone |
| Support hours (AU time) | Phone 8am-6pm Mon-Fri Sydney time (general & options); extended trading-hours support during ASX session. No 24/7 support. | 10am-4pm AET, Monday-Friday (closed public holidays) |
| Education content | structured courses | basic articles |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | — |
| CGT calculator / report | No | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |