Share Trading comparison
easyMarkets vs nabtrade
easyMarkets and nabtrade are barely in the same category. easyMarkets is a CFD and options broker — it doesn't support ASX shares, ETFs, or US equities at all. nabtrade is a full-service CHESS-sponsored broker backed by NAB, offering ASX, US, UK, German and Hong Kong shares. If you want to actually own Australian shares under your own HIN, nabtrade is the only real option here.
Choose
easyMarkets
if…
- ›You want to trade CFDs, forex, or options rather than owning underlying shares
- ›You're comfortable with a custodian model — easyMarkets does not offer CHESS sponsorship or an individual HIN
- ›You want a low $25 minimum deposit and can fund via crypto, Skrill, Neteller, or POLi
- ›You need 24/5 customer support and a demo account to practice
- ›You want after-hours/overnight trading access
Choose
nabtrade
if…
- ›You want to buy and hold ASX shares or ETFs under your own HIN with CHESS sponsorship
- ›You need a full range of account types — joint, trust, SMSF, and kids/minor accounts are all available
- ›You want access to managed funds, bonds, and ASX IPOs alongside shares
- ›You need an Australian tax statement and CGT calculator/report for end-of-year
- ›You prefer a big-bank broker with instant withdrawals to NAB accounts and Sharesight integration
Where they differ
| Fact | easyMarkets | nabtrade |
|---|---|---|
| ASX shares & ETFs | Not supported | Supported (CHESS-sponsored, individual HIN) |
| US shares & ETFs | Not supported | Supported (plus UK, Germany, Hong Kong) |
| Monthly market data fee | $0/month | $19.95/month |
| Minimum initial deposit | $25 | $500 |
| Account types | Individual and company only | Individual, joint, company, trust, SMSF, kids/minor |
Verdict
If you want to own real ASX shares under your HIN, choose nabtrade. easyMarkets is for CFD and options traders, not share investors.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | easyMarkets | nabtrade |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | — | chess |
| Individual HIN | — | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | No | Yes |
| SMSF account | No | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | Yes |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | No | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| US shares supported | No | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| Other markets supported | United Kingdom (LSE), Germany (Xetra), Hong Kong (HKEx) | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | Yes |
| Bonds supported | No | Yes |
| IPO access | No | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 80% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 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 |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | — | $9.95 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | — | 11% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | — | $20,000 |
| US brokerage minimum | — | US$9.95 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 11% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | — |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | — |
| Inactivity fee | $25 | — |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | — | $55 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | easyMarkets Pty Ltd | WealthHub Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 246,566 | 230,704 |
| Year founded | 2,003 | 2,012 |
| Parent / ownership | Blue Capital Markets Ltd (private, Cyprus-headquartered easyMarkets group) | National Australia Bank Limited (ASX: NAB) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | private | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $25 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | Credit/Debit Card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), Bank Wire Transfer, BPAY, Skrill, Neteller, POLi, Crypto (BTC, ETH, USDT) | Direct credit / EFT, BPAY, Internal transfer from linked NAB account |
| Settlement period | — | ASX T+2; US T+1; UK/Germany/HK T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | 1 business day to process; 3-10 business days for funds to arrive depending on method | Instant to linked NAB accounts; 1 business day to other Australian banks |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | Yes | 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 | Phone, Email, Secure messaging (via NAB Internet Banking) |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24/5 (Monday to Friday, around the clock during market hours) | Mon-Fri 8am-6pm AEST/AEDT (contact centre typically 9am-5pm) |
| Education content | structured courses | structured |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | No | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| CGT calculator / report | No | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | No | 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) | No | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | No |