Share Trading comparison
Interactive Brokers Australia vs Stake
Interactive Brokers and Stake sit at opposite ends of the investing spectrum. IBKR is a global trading powerhouse with access to 150+ markets, options, CFDs, and bonds — but it's complex and lacks CHESS sponsorship. Stake keeps it simple with a polished app, CHESS-sponsored ASX trades, and a flat $3 brokerage, but you're limited to Australia and the US.
Choose
Interactive Brokers Australia
if…
- ›You trade options, CFDs, bonds, or any asset class beyond plain shares and ETFs
- ›You want access to 30+ global markets — from Hong Kong to London to Johannesburg
- ›You need a desktop trading platform with advanced order types (conditional, stop-loss, bracket orders)
- ›You trade frequently in USD and want near-zero FX spreads (0.00002% vs Stake's 0.0055%)
- ›You're comfortable with a custodian model and don't need your own HIN
Choose
Stake
if…
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN for ASX-listed holdings
- ›You prefer a clean, mobile-first app with no desktop software needed
- ›You're a casual investor making small ASX trades — $3 brokerage beats IBKR's $6 minimum
- ›You want free real-time ASX data without paying for market data subscriptions
- ›You like paying with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or debit/credit card for instant deposits
Where they differ
| Fact | Interactive Brokers Australia | Stake |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6 | $3 |
| CHESS sponsorship | Custodian model — no individual HIN | CHESS-sponsored — you get your own HIN |
| Global market access | 30+ countries including Asia, Europe, Africa | Australia and US only |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.00002% | 0.0055% |
| Options & CFDs | Supported | Not supported |
Verdict
Pick Stake for simple, CHESS-sponsored ASX investing on mobile; pick Interactive Brokers if you need global markets, options, or rock-bottom FX.
Cost calculator
What would Interactive Brokers Australia vs Stake 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 | Interactive Brokers Australia | Stake |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | custodian | mixed |
| Individual HIN | No | Yes |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | Yes | No |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | No |
| 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, Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Israel, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, China (Stock Connect), South Korea, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico | United States |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | Yes | No |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | Yes |
| IPO access | No | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.002% | 0.55% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | 0.002% | — |
| Holds USD account | Yes | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | No | Yes |
| Market data fees | — | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | Corporate action processing is generally fee-free for standard events (dividends, splits, mergers). Some voluntary corporate actions and ADR pass-through fees apply per the published fee schedule. Mandatory reorganisations are processed at no charge. | Corporate actions (dividends, SPPs, rights issues, takeovers) are passed through where mandatory; Stake does not provide a DRP — investors must elect DRP directly with each company's share registry. No published per-event fee. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6 | $3 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.08% | 0.01% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | — | $30,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | No free-trade promotion ordinarily offered; brokerage waived for 12 months on transferred ASX holdings worth A$1,000+ |
| US brokerage minimum | US$1 | US$3 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.05% | 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 | $0 | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd | Stakeshop Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 453,554 | 548,196 |
| Year founded | 1,978 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBKR) | Privately held (Stakeshop AFSL Pty Ltd group); investors include AGL Energy's former CEO and various private investors |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $20 |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY, International wire (SWIFT) | Bank transfer (Osko/PayID), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Debit card, Credit card |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US equities | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days for AUD EFT; same day possible for AUD instant transfers within Australia | 1-2 business days for AUD (Stake AUS); 2-3 US business days for USD (Stake Wall St) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | Yes | No |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | Yes |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat, in-app secure message | Email, In-app chat, Help centre |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24 hours, Monday to Friday (Sydney) — local AU phone support during business hours; global desks cover overnight | Business hours AEST/AEDT (approximately Mon-Fri); chat/email response varies |
| Education content | video + courses | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | No |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | multiple | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |