Share Trading comparison
Halo Technologies vs Westpac Online Investing
The biggest practical difference between Halo Technologies and Westpac Online Investing comes down to cost structure versus ownership. Halo charges a hefty $159/month platform fee but offers razor-thin brokerage and FX spreads for active traders. Westpac charges zero monthly fees and has low ASX brokerage from $4.95, but you pay for it through wider FX spreads and higher percentage brokerage on larger trades. The other major fork: Westpac is CHESS-sponsored (you get your own HIN), while Halo holds assets in custody.
Choose
Halo Technologies
if…
- ›You trade frequently and want near-zero brokerage ($15 flat or 0.12% on ASX) and ultra-low FX spreads of 0.005% on international shares
- ›You want access to 30+ global exchanges including UK, Europe and Japan — not just the standard US and Canadian markets
- ›You're happy to buy US fractional shares and don't mind a custodian model (no personal HIN)
- ›You trade large volumes where the $159/month platform fee is easily offset by the low transaction costs
- ›You want a single platform for ASX, US, international shares and managed funds without juggling multiple brokers
Choose
Westpac Online Investing
if…
- ›You want true CHESS sponsorship with your own HIN — your ASX holdings are registered directly in your name, not held by a custodian
- ›You're a casual or infrequent trader and don't want to pay $159/month just to keep an account open
- ›You want zero monthly fees, free real-time market data and free research reports included
- ›You already bank with Westpac and want seamless transfers between your Cash Investment Account and brokerage
- ›You trade options or want access to IPOs — Westpac supports both; Halo does not offer options
Where they differ
| Fact | Halo Technologies | Westpac Online Investing |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly platform fee | $159/month | $0/month |
| ASX brokerage minimum | $15 | $4.95 |
| CHESS sponsorship | Custodian (no HIN) | CHESS-sponsored (your own HIN) |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.005% | 0.65% |
| Free real-time data & research | $19/month market data fee; no free research | Free real-time data and research included |
Verdict
Pick Halo if you trade large volumes globally and the $159 fee is trivial; pick Westpac for low-cost, CHESS-sponsored investing with no monthly commitment.
Cost calculator
What would Halo Technologies vs Westpac Online Investing 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 | Halo Technologies | Westpac Online Investing |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | chess |
| Individual HIN | No | 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 |
| 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 | US (NASDAQ, NYSE), UK, Europe, Japan (NIKKEI), Asia Pacific, 30 exchanges total | United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Austria, Portugal, Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | — | Yes |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds supported | — | Yes |
| IPO access | — | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.5% | 65% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.5% | 65% |
| Holds USD account | — | Yes |
| Market data fees | $19/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | — | $0 |
| Phone trade surcharge | — | $50 |
| Corporate action fees | — | Corporate action processing (rights issues, takeovers, SPPs) is generally free for CHESS-sponsored clients — Westpac/AUSIEX passes elections to issuers/registries. Specific fees only apply in exceptional circumstances per the FSG. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $15 | $4.95 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 11% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $12,500 | $28,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | Promotional offer: $0 brokerage on trades up to $250,000 (per landing page /0-brokerage-on-trades-up-to-250000); standard FSG schedule remains $15/0.12%. Conditions not fully disclosed publicly. | No free brokerage offered. Lower brokerage tiers ($4.95 minimum) require settlement via linked Westpac Cash Investment Account; settling via other-bank accounts incurs $29.95 / 0.29% minimum. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$15 | US$4.95 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.12% | 11% |
| Monthly platform fee | $159/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $2,508/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | — | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | — | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | — | $50 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | HALO Technologies Pty Ltd (ABN 54 623 830 866); ultimately wholly owned by HALO Technologies Holdings Limited ABN 73 645 531 219 | Australian Investment Exchange Limited (AUSIEX); Westpac Securities Limited issues the branded service |
| AFSL number | 484,264 | 241,400 |
| Year founded | 2,017 | 2,010 |
| Parent / ownership | HALO Technologies Holdings Limited (ASX:HAL) — ultimate parent; publicly listed | Brand: Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX: WBC); operator AUSIEX is wholly owned by Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (TSE: 4307) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | — | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | — | $0 |
| Deposit methods | AUD bank transfer / direct credit (to HALO trust account) | Westpac Cash Investment Account (linked), External bank Direct Credit, BPAY, Internal transfer between Westpac accounts |
| Settlement period | — | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | — | Same-day to 1 business day for Westpac-to-Westpac transfers; 1-2 business days to external bank accounts |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | — | No |
| Demo account | — | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | No | Yes |
| 2FA support | — | SMS + authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat | phone, email, live chat, in-app |
| Support hours (AU time) | — | Phone: 8am-7pm Sydney time Mon-Fri (domestic); 24 hours on US trading days for international; Live chat: 9:30am-5pm Sydney time Mon-Fri |
| Education content | basic articles | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | — | No |
| CGT calculator / report | — | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | — | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | — | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | — | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | multiple | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | — | No |