Share Trading comparison
Stake vs Superhero
The biggest practical difference between Stake and Superhero comes down to ownership structure. Stake is CHESS-sponsored, meaning you get your own HIN and shares are held in your name on the ASX register. Superhero is a custodian model — the platform holds the legal title, not you. That distinction matters for everything from corporate actions to switching brokers down the track.
Choose
Stake
if…
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN so your ASX holdings are legally in your name
- ›You trade US stocks regularly and want a dedicated USD account to avoid repeated FX conversion fees
- ›You need after-hours / overnight trading access for US markets
- ›You want free real-time market data plus research reports included at no extra cost
- ›You plan to transfer an existing ASX portfolio and want brokerage waived for 12 months on holdings worth $1,000+
Choose
Superhero
if…
- ›You want the lowest minimum deposit — just $100 to open and start trading
- ›You're looking for auto-invest / DCA functionality to dollar-cost average into ETFs automatically
- ›You want to set up a minor / kids account for investing on behalf of children
- ›You prefer a slightly cheaper flat brokerage fee on both ASX ($2) and US ($2) trades
- ›You're comfortable with a custodian model and don't need your own HIN
Where they differ
| Fact | Stake | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| CHESS sponsorship | Yes — individual HIN provided | No — custodian model |
| USD account | Yes — holds USD | No — converts each time |
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.55% | 0.50% |
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Not available | Available with multiple options |
Verdict
Choose Stake if CHESS ownership matters; choose Superhero if you want lower minimums, auto-invest, or a kids account.
Cost calculator
What would Stake vs Superhero 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 | Stake | Superhero |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | mixed | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | No |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | Yes | Yes |
| SMSF account | Yes | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | 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 | United States | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | Yes | Yes |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | No | No |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | Yes | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | 0.55% | 0.5% |
| Holds USD account | Yes | No |
| FX currency switch trick | Yes | — |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | 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 | $3 | $2 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $30,000 | $20,000 |
| 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$3 | US$2 |
| US brokerage percentage | 0.01% | 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 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Stakeshop Pty Ltd | Superhero Securities Limited |
| AFSL number | 548,196 | 430,150 |
| Year founded | 2,017 | 2,020 |
| Parent / ownership | Privately held (Stakeshop AFSL Pty Ltd group); investors include AGL Energy's former CEO and various private investors | Independent (founder-controlled). Previously merged into Swyftx in 2022; demerger completed December 2022 returning ownership to co-founders John Winters and Wayne Baskin. |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | private | private |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $500 | $100 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $20 | $100 |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (Osko/PayID), Apple Pay, Google Pay, Debit card, Credit card | PayID, BPAY, bank transfer |
| Settlement period | T+2 for ASX; T+1 for US | T+2 for ASX, T+1 for US |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days for AUD (Stake AUS); 2-3 US business days for USD (Stake Wall St) | 1-3 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | Yes | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator app | SMS |
| Customer support channels | Email, In-app chat, Help centre | email, in-app chat |
| Support hours (AU time) | Business hours AEST/AEDT (approximately Mon-Fri); chat/email response varies | Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm AEST |
| Education content | structured courses | basic |
| 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 | No | — |
| Auto-invest / DCA | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | none | multiple |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | No | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | No |