Share Trading comparison
CommSec vs Superhero
The biggest difference between CommSec and Superhero is ownership structure: CommSec is a CHESS-sponsored broker that gives you a HIN, while Superhero is a custodian model — it holds your ASX shares on your behalf, not in your name. That distinction drives most of the practical trade-offs between a 30-year-old bank-owned heavyweight and a low-cost fintech upstart.
Choose
CommSec
if…
- ›You want your ASX holdings under your own HIN with direct CHESS sponsorship — your name on the register, not the broker's.
- ›You trade US, UK, European, Canadian, Hong Kong or Japanese stocks — CommSec supports 13 global markets; Superhero only does ASX and US.
- ›You need options trading, managed funds, bonds or IPO access — CommSec offers all four; Superhero offers none.
- ›You want joint accounts, trust structures or kids accounts — CommSec supports all account types including joint and minor accounts.
- ›You value phone support and structured educational content — CommSec has phone lines, live chat and courses; Superhero is email and in-app chat only.
Choose
Superhero
if…
- ›You want the lowest ASX brokerage — Superhero charges $2 flat per trade up to $20,000, compared to CommSec's $5 minimum (or $29.95 without a CDIA).
- ›You want to automate regular investing — Superhero supports auto-invest with multiple frequency and amount options; CommSec has no DCA feature.
- ›You want a built-in CGT report — Superhero includes a CGT calculator; CommSec does not.
- ›You're starting small — Superhero's minimum initial deposit is $100 versus CommSec's $500.
- ›You prefer a custodian model and don't need a HIN — Superhero's flat $2 US trades and tight 0.5% FX spread undercut CommSec's $5 US minimum and 0.55% FX spread.
Where they differ
| Fact | CommSec | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage (minimum) | $5 (with CDIA) / $29.95 (without) | $2 flat up to $20,000 |
| CHESS model | CHESS-sponsored — you get a HIN | Custodian — no HIN |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Not supported | Supported (multiple frequency options) |
| Global markets | 13 countries including UK, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan | ASX and US only |
| CGT calculator | Not available | Included |
Verdict
Choose CommSec for CHESS ownership and global markets; choose Superhero for rock-bottom fees, auto-invest and simpler tax reporting.
Cost calculator
What would CommSec vs Superhero 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 | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| 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 | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | 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% | 0.5% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.55% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| 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 | $2 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 0.01% |
| 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$2 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 0.01% |
| 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 | Superhero Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 430,150 |
| Year founded | 1,995 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) | Independent (founder-controlled). Previously merged into Swyftx in 2022; demerger completed December 2022 returning ownership to co-founders John Winters and Wayne Baskin. |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $100 |
| Deposit methods | BPAY, Direct debit, Bank transfer (CDIA), Cheque, Cash deposit (CBA branch/ATM) | PayID, BPAY, bank transfer |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX) / T+1 (US) | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | Same-day to 1 business day (instant when funds in CDIA via real-time transfer) | 1-3 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 | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | SMS + authenticator | SMS |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat (in-app), secure mail (in-platform), social media (X, Instagram) | email, in-app chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Phone 8am-6pm Mon-Fri Sydney time (general & options); extended trading-hours support during ASX session. No 24/7 support. | Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm AEST |
| Education content | structured courses | basic |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | 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 | — |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | No |