Share Trading comparison
Pearler vs SelfWealth
Pearler and SelfWealth both offer CHESS-sponsored ASX trading, but the biggest difference comes down to cost and how you trade US stocks. Pearler charges $6.50 per ASX trade and a razor-thin 0.005% FX spread on US shares, while SelfWealth charges $9.50 per trade and a 0.6% FX spread — though SelfWealth gives you a USD account to hold greenbacks. Pearler also lets you buy fractional US shares and automate your investing with rebalancing, whereas SelfWealth is built for more traditional, hands-on trading.
Choose
Pearler
if…
- ›You want the cheapest ASX brokerage at $6.50 per trade vs SelfWealth's $9.50
- ›You want to buy fractional US shares — Pearler lets you invest as little as $1 in US stocks and ETFs
- ›You want near-zero FX costs on US trades (0.005% spread vs SelfWealth's 0.6%)
- ›You want automated investing with portfolio rebalancing, not just a simple DCA
- ›You want to invest in managed funds alongside your shares and ETFs
Choose
SelfWealth
if…
- ›You want to hold actual USD in a dedicated USD account to time your currency conversions
- ›You want stop-loss and conditional orders for more active trading strategies
- ›You want after-hours trading access on US markets
- ›You want access to Hong Kong stocks as an additional market
- ›You want a Premium subscription that gives you 10 free trades per year ($29/month or $240/year)
Where they differ
| Fact | Pearler | SelfWealth |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage | $6.50 | $9.50 |
| US brokerage | $6.50 USD | $9.50 USD |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.005% | 0.6% |
| USD account | No | Yes |
| Off-market transfer fee | $0 | $27.50 |
Verdict
Pearler wins on fees and automation; SelfWealth wins on trading features and a USD account.
Cost calculator
What would Pearler vs SelfWealth actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Pearler | SelfWealth |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | mixed | mixed |
| Individual HIN | Yes | 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 | 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 | HK | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | No |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | Yes | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | — |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.5% | 60% |
| Holds USD account | No | Yes |
| FX currency switch trick | No | — |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | — | $0 |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $6.5 | $9.5 |
| ASX free trade conditions | — | Selfwealth Premium subscribers ($29/month or $240/year) receive 10 complimentary trades annually; otherwise no free-trade conditions. |
| US brokerage minimum | US$6.5 | US$9.5 |
| 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 | $27.5 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Pearler Investments Pty Ltd | SelfWealth Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 337,927 | 421,789 |
| Year founded | 2,018 | 2,012 |
| Parent / ownership | Privately held (founder-led); backed by investors including AfterWork Ventures | Syfe (Svava Pte Ltd, Singapore) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | private | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $500 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $0 | $0 |
| Deposit methods | PayID, Osko, Bank transfer, PayTo (direct debit replacement) | OSKO, BPAY, EFT/bank transfer |
| Settlement period | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) | T+2 |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-2 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 | No | No |
| Free research reports | No | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator_app | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | email, phone, in-app | live chat, email, phone |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 9am-5pm AET | 10am-4pm AET, Monday-Friday (closed public holidays) |
| Education content | video_and_courses | basic articles |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | Yes | — |
| CGT calculator / report | No | No |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | No | Yes |
| Conditional orders | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | rebalancing | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | Yes |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |