Share Trading comparison
Interactive Brokers Australia vs Tiger Brokers
The biggest practical difference between these two is ownership structure: Tiger Brokers is CHESS-sponsored, meaning you get your own HIN and shares are held in your name on the ASX register. Interactive Brokers is a custodian model — shares are held in IBKR's name. That single distinction drives most of the choice between them, though the fee and market-access differences are also stark.
Choose
Interactive Brokers Australia
if…
- ›You want the lowest possible FX spreads — IBKR's 0.00002% is essentially at institutional cost, while Tiger charges 0.0055%
- ›You need access to 30+ global markets beyond the US and Asia, including Europe, Scandinavia, Israel and South Africa
- ›You trade options, CFDs or bonds — Tiger doesn't offer CFDs or bonds at all
- ›You want zero account minimum and no off-market transfer fee (IBKR charges $0 vs Tiger's $50)
- ›You're comfortable with a custodian model and don't need a personal HIN for ASX holdings
Choose
Tiger Brokers
if…
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN so your ASX shares are held directly on the register in your name
- ›You're a new or casual trader who wants zero brokerage on up to 4 ASX/US trades per month
- ›You trade Hong Kong or China A-shares — Tiger supports these markets directly; IBKR does too but Tiger's platform is more Asia-focused
- ›You want free real-time market data included (Tiger gives it free; IBKR charges for it)
- ›You prefer a modern, app-first experience with PayID/PayTo deposits and a lower ASX brokerage floor of $3
Where they differ
| Fact | Interactive Brokers Australia | Tiger Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship model | Custodian (no HIN) | CHESS-sponsored (individual HIN) |
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6 | $3 |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.00002% | 0.0055% |
| Off-market transfer fee | $0 | $50 |
| Free real-time market data | No (paid add-on) | Yes (included) |
Verdict
Choose Tiger if CHESS ownership matters; choose Interactive Brokers if you want rock-bottom FX, global markets and zero account fees.
Cost calculator
What would Interactive Brokers Australia vs Tiger Brokers 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 | Tiger Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | Hong Kong, China A-shares |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | Yes | Yes |
| CFDs supported | Yes | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| IPO access | No | Yes |
| 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 | No |
| 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. | — |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6 | $3 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.08% | 0.03% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | — | $10,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | New clients receive zero-brokerage on up to 4 trades per month on ASX/US stocks, ETFs or options (minimum brokerage waived; third-party fees still apply). |
| US brokerage minimum | US$1 | US$2 |
| 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 | $50 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Interactive Brokers Australia Pty Ltd | Tiger Brokers (AU) Pty Limited |
| AFSL number | 453,554 | 300,767 |
| Year founded | 1,978 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBKR) | UP Fintech Holding Limited (NASDAQ: TIGR) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $0 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (EFT), BPAY, International wire (SWIFT) | PayID, PayTo, Bank transfer (direct credit) |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US equities | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-3 business days for AUD EFT; same day possible for AUD instant transfers within Australia | 1-2 business days (Tiger review) plus bank processing; can arrive same day |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | Yes |
| Demo account | Yes | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | — |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, live chat, in-app secure message | phone, email, live chat, in-app |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24 hours, Monday to Friday (Sydney) — local AU phone support during business hours; global desks cover overnight | Phone: 9am-5pm weekdays (AET). Live chat: 9am-8:30pm weekdays. Email: ongoing. |
| Education content | video + courses | structured courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | 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 | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | multiple | single asset |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |
Visit
Interactive Brokers Australia
www.interactivebrokers.com.au
Visit
Tiger Brokers
tigerbrokers.com.au