But regardless of your destination, let me ask you a serious question – have you chosen the best travel insurance for your needs?

If you catch a stomach bug, like my wife Irene did a couple of years ago (in Mexico City, of all places), you may be stuck with a hospital bill that makes you want to vomit.

Back then, our American Express Platinum Card covered the $11,400 medical bill. Comprehensive travel insurance is included as one of the perks, and we relied on it to trot around the globe.

Now that we’re parenting a toddler back in Australia and only take 1-2 family holidays per year, the $1750 annual fee didn’t seem like great value.

So I decided not to renew my Amex membership – but to compare a few travel insurance providers, so I could buy it on an ad-hoc basis.

With that in mind, I present you with a comparison of the best travel insurance providers in Australia.

Before I unpack each insurance provider in detail, here are my controversial discoveries that most Aussies don’t know:

1. Zoom Insurance.

Best overall, best for resort skiing holidays.

Zoom’s differentiator is that it is almost always the cheapest – especially at the base policy level.

You can get a quote for a simple base policy, then tailor it around your individual risk appetite.

Pick one of three plans (medical only, standard, comprehensive), choose your excess and cancellation coverage, and toggle on any bolt-ons you want (winter sports pack, sports and adventure pack, cruise pack, etc).

Pros.

Getting a quote for Zoom Travel Insurance takes less than 10 seconds – because the website interface is seamless and remarkably fuss-free.

Bringing your kids along? No need to insure them separately – they’re included for free on your policy.

Zoom is a value insurer, so the quotes I got were almost always the cheapest, when compared with the other insurers in this review

(A month-long family holiday to Europe will cost about $350. A solo getaway to Bali – about $100).

But, just in case another insurance provider beats Zoom on price, they have a price-match function that guarantees the best deal.

I love that all plans include unlimited overseas medical cover – this comes in handy when travelling to expensive destinations like the United States.

But, to be fair to the other top Australian insurers in this review, so do most of them.

Now let’s talk about skiing.

Zoom is the best travel insurance in Australia for this. Its Winter Sports add-on pack will cover you on groomed and off-piste runs – but only if you stick within the resort’s boundaries.

However, Zoom’s ski insurance is terrible if you’re an advanced (*cough* pretentious *cough*) skier who thinks resorts are for losers, and you spend your days exploring backcountry.

If that’s you, FastCover (below) is the far better insurance product. If I was going heli-skiing, that’d be the one I use. Dude.

Cons.

One thing to watch out for – Zoom’s cancellation cover starts 72 hours after you purchased the policy. If you buy Zoom travel insurance last minute, the day of your departure, you won’t be covered if something happens.

My other three favourites (Butter, AllClear, Fast Cover) start the moment you enter your credit card.

But don’t expect to take the piss by buying insurance the moment your car broke down – the claim will be denied if you “reasonably” expected a delay or cancellation to happen.

Zoom’s pre-existing condition definition is one of the most restrictive. It includes conditions you or your travelling partner had “at any time in your life”.

That’s an enormous surface area for potential denial of claims – you might get denied because you had heart, respiratory, neck/back or any recurring illness 20 years ago.

They’ll charge you a double excess for any ski-related claims (usually $200, so you’ll cough up $400).

This leaves a bit of a sour note when claiming anything minor. For example, if I break or lose a $1,000 set of skis, I’ll be glad that I’m not up for the full grand, but I’m not exactly happy about shelling out the $400.

Verdict.

Zoom travel insurance took the #1 spot in my comparison of the best travel insurance in Australia.

You get unlimited medical coverage at a lean starting price, and a smart tier system that you build up your coverage.

Plus, it’s best for beginner to intermediate skiers who don’t plan to venture outside of the resort’s boundaries.

You get coverage for all the essentials – piste closure, heli evacuation, equipment loss – without having to pay for backcountry heroics you have no intention of attempting.

2. AllClear Insurance.

Best for seniors, or if you have a pre-existing condition.

AllClear wins the second spot in my roundup of best travel insurance providers because it’s not trying to be everything to everyone.

Instead, it solves the hardest part of insurance shopping for older travellers and people with health histories.

Pros.

Requesting a quote is easy and seamless – almost as easy as with Zoom.

The only difference is that AllClear Insurance wants you to provide names and dates of birth of all travellers before showing a quote – this gets a little clunky if you just want to compare a few quotes.

If you have all documents handy, it will take you less than 7 minutes to submit your documents and obtain your quote.

Speaking of ailments, AllClear’s marketing propaghanda says that the company covers you for 1300 different pre-existing conditions. And apparently 62% of its customers have more than one.

My wife actually has some chronic conditions that have the potential to mess with our travels, which is why I view AllClear as one of the best travel insurance options for us.

The difference is that the base policy (Traveller) isn’t a bare-bones medical-only product. It includes goodies like $3,000 luggage cover and $5,000 travel delay cover.

The other difference is that Gold and Gold Plus plans have no upper age limit – which is quite unique among Aussie insurers, and is excellent for seniors.

But the majority of the value seniors get from AllClear is not immediately obvious – and is buried in the fine print.

For example, its trip cancellation cover can be triggered by an illness of your carer or close business associate – while Zoom limits the same cover to just you and your close relatives.

When making a claim, you get a personal claim manager, who you can call back on their own phone line. This means you don’t have to call the main switchboard and get routed to a different person every time.

This one is easy to overlook, but it makes all the difference when making a claim.

Don’t know about you, but I don’t want my insurer to sound like they’re doing me a favour when discussing a payout. I want to feel cared for.

Cons.

The claims process is one of the best of all providers in this review – but not perfect.

AllClear Insurance outsources it to a 3rd party provider (Europ Assistance / Gallagher Bassett), and it sometimes gets under some people’s skin.

You’ll see plenty of reviews online, with people complaining about slow claims (AllClear doesn’t have the 10-day claim guarantee, as Zoom does) and repeated document requests.

It’s also more expensive than most. I compared a few different quotes, and they consistenly were about 10-20% more expensive than Zoom.

Verdict.

AllClear Insurance is in second place overall, and is best for people with bodies that have unfortunately started to let them down. If that’s you, AllClear’s policy structure is built around your needs.

It sits behind Zoom not because it’s a worse insurance provider, but because it’s far more specialised.

3. Butter Insurance.

Best for healthy minimalists.

If AllClear Insurance (above) is for seniors and people with deep medical histories, Butter Insurance is anti-AllClear.

It’s a no-frills insurer designed for

Pros.

Butter’s policy around medical conditions is the simplest one here.

It simply lists 50 conditions that it will cover you for (as long as you’ve not been hospitalised for them within the past 24 months, and the meds you take for them haven’t changed for the past 6 months).

These “conditions” made me chuckle – because they’re mostly mild or borderline negligible (e.g., gastric reflux and plantar fasciitis).

Interestingly, Butter doesn’t even give you the option to declare another pre-existing condition – even if you want to pay for it.

In doing so, it makes a clear statement about the types of people it wants to do business with – healthy people without a meaningful medical history.

But – and this is a big but – it’s the only value insurer in this review with a huge age upper limit – 99 years of age.

(Although the overall level of coverage will also be lower).

The cost is Butter’s other main drawcard. It’s one of the cheapest here – almost as cheap as Zoom.

It’s also the only one to offer extended coverage for pet boarding arrangements at checkout.

Cons.

Butter’s cancellation ceiling tops out at $40,000. It’s OK, but can make one feel nervous when going on a substantial holiday with the entire family.

This datapoint acts as a gentle reminder that Butter is likely targeting younger, healthy people and couples who are doing short adventures (e.g., hikes, Bali getaways and Perisher ski trips).

Not well-off families from eastern suburbs indulging in the 5-star opulence of Portofino.

While Zoom is OK with you going off-piste – as long as you stay within the resort’s boundaries – Butter insists you stay on groomed runs only.

Verdict.

Butter is insurance for people who think they don’t need insurance. Young, healthy adventurers.

It’s similar to Zoom, but is about 20% more expensive, which is why I placed it in the #3 spot. But I do suggest you get quotes from both – you may get a better deal than I did.

4. Fast Cover.

Best travel insurance for aggressive ski terrain.

Most Australian travel insurers treat advanced skiers as a risk they need to avoid. Read the fine-print of a PDS and you’ll notice the same caveats – your cover is valid only within resort boundary lines.

Granted, some resorts have off-piste sections that let you experience powder.

You’ll go exploring proper back-country. You’ll be trying to ski glaciers. You’ll be eyeing off that helicopter in the sky and wondering how much it costs to do a heli drop – if you split it with 5 mates.

Basically, you’ll be doing everything that standard ski insurance frowns upon.

Pros.

Enter Fast Cover. The company is a Sydney-based specialist insurer, underwritten by Lloyd’s of London. Yep, that Lloyd’s, with that pedigree.

A 338-year-old company that insures everything from SpaceX launches to oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

As you’d expect, the signup process is rapid. Fast Cover’s website recently got an update, making it the most usable and modern-looking one here.

Tick “I’m going skiing” – and you’re covered for snow cat, heli, off-piste, snow mobiling and all advanced terrain.

You also get a choice of three excess levels – $100, $200, and $500 – although choosing the most expensive one doesn’t drop the fee by a lot.

All the other stuff I liked about Zoom applies here too – especially unlimited medical cover.

Cons.

One caveat you must know about – the advanced terrain cover only applies if you’re skiing with a professional instructor.

Most heli-ski and cat-ski operators will insist that you have one, anyway – unless you’re a total pro. But if you’re pro, you’re likely not browsing this site, anyway.

Fast Cover’s cruise offering is materially thinner than Zoom’s and AllClear’s. No cabin confinement. No missed port insurance. No formal wear cover. Definitely not a fit for a lover of the high seas.

Verdict.

Fast Cover earned a 3rd place in my comparison of best travel insurance because it includes everything an advanced skier wants – while Zoom and other insurance providers actively exclude it.

But Fast Cover isn’t just for skiers. It actually offers decent travel insurance for the general public.

Your mum can use it to insure her sightseeing vacation and be relatively happy. Except if she plans to take a cruise ship there.

5. Covermore.

Best travel insurance for cruising holidays.

Covermore had a few rough years, with customer feedback falling steeply. In fact, there are currently 69 reviews of it on Google, with an average rating of 2 stars.

I do take these reviews with a heavy dose of salt – because happy people tend not to leave reviews. And to complicate things further, not all negative reviews are credible.

Many people whose claim gets rejected on legitimate grounds jump online to vent.

Nonetheless, Cover More remains popular – and appears to be bundled with some of CBA’s travel products.

Pros.

Cover More has a genuine cruise-specific benefit schedule that Zoom, Fast Cover and AllClear lack.

If your cruise operator insists that you must remain in your cabin (e.g., if you catch a stomach bug), you’ll get cabin confinement cover at $100/day (but only up to $1,500).

If on top of that you miss non-refundable shore excursions, Cover More will cover up to $1,000 worth of those.

But, just as Zoom isn’t a one-trick pony limited to ski aficionados, Cover More isn’t just the #1 pick for lovers of cruising.

Underwritten by Zurich, it has impressive pedigree – and its benefit is one of the most comprehensive in this review (e.g., you get around $50,000 cancellation cover).

Cons.

Unfortunately, because Cover More tends to overpack its policies with goodies, it tends to be on the more expensive side.

Expect your policy to cost about 10% more compared with the rough equivalent with my #1 overall pick, Zoom.

It’s still very much usable – but definitely a generation behind the others. Don’t expect a sleek user experience.

The travel delay benefit deserves a special mention because it’s surprisingly thin for a market leader.

You’ll get only $300, and only after a 6-hour delay – and another $300 per full 24-hour period after that.

Zoom, in contrast, pays out $2,000 straight away (although its exclusions rule out far more triggers – e.g., cyber incidents, weather and mechanical breakdowns).

So, Cover More is likely to provide you with cover in more scenarios (I guess hence the name, ha!), but is more likely to be stingy about it.

Verdict.

Cover More wins the cruising category for a structural reason – its cruising policy appears to be designed by someone who thought deeply about what typically goes wrong at sea:

Yes, the high volume of negative reviews is a bit of a concern for me, but if I was looking for strong cruise-specific cover, I’d probably turn a blind eye to them.

6. World2Cover.

Best for sightseeing in Europe and the USA.

Compared with other travel insurance providers, World2Cover offers a $10,000,000 legal liability cover – the highest of any other provider.

Like Fast Cover, World2Cover offers unlimited coverage for medical, cancellation and emergency expenses.

What worries me most is that the feedback they receive online is appalling.

I get that online reviews always tend to skew negative (happy customers are less likely to leave reviews, as they have better things to do), but World2Cover’s reputation is in a class of its own.

My point of view on it is as follows. A lot of the negativity is due to World2Cover’s particularly bureaucratic claims process – not (what can seem like) greedy intent to deny people their cover.

Unfortunately, it means a lot of people have their claims mistakenly denied, and have to go back-and-forth with the company to resolve the issue.

7. Insure&Go.

Good all-round travel insurer.

Insure&Go is one of the cheapest travel insurance providers in this review.

My wife has used them twice when we visited Bali, and found their prices unbelievably cheap. I verified this by getting a quote for a 1-month holiday in Europe, and it came in at $380. Out-bloody-standing. This makes it 20% cheaper than World2Cover and 15% cheaper than Zoom Insurance.

What I don’t love is that they don’t cover you for pre-existing conditions.

This makes Insure&Go great for younger folks – if you’re older than 40 years of age, I recommend you go with AllClear instead.

Why Do You Need Travel Insurance?

I watched an SBS News special recently that revealed Australians are a pretty risk-averse bunch – 86% of Aussie travellers have travel insurance cover when venturing abroad.

However, the remaining 14% expose themselves to significant levels of risk by travelling uninsured, and are most likely to be:

Andrew Hall, the Chief Executive Officer of Insurance Council of Australia, had a stark warning to those doubting the value of travel insurance:

That puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?

Do You Need Travel Insurance To Go Skiing?

Short answer – hell yes. Especially if you go off-piste.

Irene and I love anything related to the mountains (whether it’s driving, hiking, or skiing) – especially in Europe.

If you’re the same, remember that medical help in the mountains can be absurdly expensive – especially if you need an air ambulance.

What If You Need An Air Rescue When Skiing Overseas?

With a few minor exceptions (that you shouldn’t count on), you’re 100% liable for the cost of a helicopter rescue in overseas skiing destinations like Austria, Germany, Italy and France.

Above: Irene and I skiing in Saalbach, Austria a couple of seasons ago.

If one plucks you from the side of a mountain, you’ll pay about £100 (AU$165) for every minute the helicopter is in the air – this includes the time it spends getting to you.

A short hop to the local medical centre will take about 30 minutes (15 to get to you, and 15 to return) – that’s £3,000 (AU$4,950).

The worst case scenario is one where your injury is too severe to be treated at the local clinic, or the weather is too severe for the chopper to land there.

You’ll end up flying to a regional hub like Sallanches in France or Innsbruck in Austria, which will cost about £10,000 (AU$16,500).

What If You Need An Air Rescue When Skiing In Australia?

Ski emergencies in Australia can be even more expensive, with Victoria’s air ambulance being the priciest of them all.

If you break a leg skiing in Mt Hotham and require an airlift to Melbourne, you will pay just over $13,175 for the privilege.

New South Wales is dirt cheap in comparison – the state’s ambulance service charges a combination of flagfall and per-kilometre rate, which is capped at $7,299 – regardless if they send you by road or by air.

So yeah. Even a “simple” rescue can cost more than your whole ski trip.

Does Your Travel Insurance Policy Cover Air Rescue?

This one is worth double-checking.

And no – you don’t need to read 40 pages of fine print. Scan the PDS for the following (the phrasing may vary):

Most travel insurers give you the option of adding a skiing-specific add-on to your policy.

But these “ski packs” or “winter sports” add-ons are NOT primarily a rescue benefit. Instead, it’s a set of ski-specific benefits layered on top of your basic policy. For example:

Zoom Insurance is the outlier here, which is why I like it the most. It goes further than paying for damaged skis and unused ski passes – it’s a legitimate snow-sports medical assistance and expense cover.

Above: Irene overlooking Stelvio Pass in Italy – one of the best driving roads in the world. Although I think Grimsel and Susten Passes in Switzerland are better.

Do I Need Travel Insurance To Go On A Cruise?

OK, let me be 100% honest here – I’m not a fan of cruising. Not yet, anyway.

I’m 45 years of age, and still in the “hotel + adventure travel” stage of my life. The idea of being on a boat with a few thousand people just doesn’t appeal as much as driving through mountain passes of Europe with my family.

Sometimes you just want to switch off – while an army of waiters and entertainers take care of every single one of your needs.

So while I don’t have first-hand experience with cruising, I did my best to understand the risks – and ways travel insurance can solve them. Here are the top three that I found:

Do I Need Travel Insurance To Go On A Domestic Cruise?

Yes. Because emergency expenses you incur on a ship are likely not covered by Medicare.

A doctor working on a cruise is unlikely to have an Australian Medicare provider number. His license is likely registered in Italy or Greece.

And his name is likely Antonio. Or Pablo.

This is why it’s important to be covered by an international travel insurance policy – even if sailing in Australian waters. Or a domestic insurance policy with a specific cruising add-on.

Which Destinations Are Not Covered By Travel Insurance?

Planning an action-packed holiday in the Strait of Hormuz? Don’t expect any of the providers to cover you.

Always start your travels by checking the threat level of your destination on the Australian government’s SmartTraveller website.

Above: Lake Atitlán in Guatemala – arguably prettier than the much more famous Lake Como in Italy.

Personally, I use these with a heavy grain of salt – because, in my experience, they significantly overestimate the risk level.

For example, I’ve travelled extensively through huge parts of Mexico, as well as Guatemala and Cuba.

According to the infinite wisdom of the Australian government, they are always stuck at threat levels of 3 and 4.

But these areas are home to a huge number of Australian expats who’ve built extraordinary lives there, many of whom I now call friends.

The bigger problem is that Level 4 destinations are likely not to be covered by standard travel insurance policies.

Level 3 destinations, meanwhile, vary between providers. So check – and double check – the Product Disclosure Statement of your insurer.

Why Is Travel Insurance So Expensive?

A part of me has always resented having to pay for travel insurance. Even when the quote appeared modest, I always baulked at the idea of paying it.

(Probably because that money doesn’t go towards purchasing anything tangible – but rather, a reduction in risk).

But recently a businessman I respect taught me a perspective that changed how I view travel insurance forever.

He said,

That was a game-changing reframe for me, because it put the value of travel insurance in stark contrast.

I’d give up a single-digit value of an asset to protect its near-full value every day of the week.

How Much Should Travel Insurance Cost?

When shopping around, it helps to know whether your travel insurance quote is sensible or excessive. Here are the ballpark costs you can expect to pay.

How I Compared The Travel Insurance Providers.

The biggest problem with choosing travel insurance is that they all appear the same. Nearly all provide the same combinations of single-trip or multiple-trip cover, with optional bolt-ons for specialty trips. Such as:

Moreover, each provider allows you to dial in the amount of cover you want, depending on your budget.

For example, AllClear gives you three levels, with the main difference being the top amount of cover you get for things like luggage loss.

To make like-for-like cost comparison between different providers meaningful, I requested quotes from providers for five types of trip, common in Australia:

I then added up the costs to arrive at an average figure for each travel insurance provider.

I also assessed two main other areas: ease of claims and ease of signup.

Does A Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) Substitute Travel Insurance?

11 countries have reciprocal agreements with Australia that act as a shared safety net for the cost of medical treatment.

I didn’t even know these agreements existed – until I ended up in a Milan hospital after slipping in a hotel bathroom.

To my amazement, they simply asked for my Australian Medicare card, and told me that payment was taken care of.

The RHCA doesn’t cover anything outside of immediate emergency treatment in the public system, either – so you will be out of pocket for expenses like an ambulance.

Also, some countries are more stingy than others – and will expect you to co-contribute to your bill. For example, Belgium will expect you to pay between 25% and 40% of a GP’s fee.

Limits Of Travel Insurance You Need To Know About.

OK, this is something I discovered the hard way. If your airline screws up (e.g., a delayed flight causes you to miss a connection, or a cancelled flight means you miss a Taylor Swift concert), your travel insurer won’t help.

But ultimately, in Australia, airlines are responsible for any issues that arise as a result of their operations. It is their responsibility to offer you a replacement flight and, if applicable, accommodation.

This seems reasonable, except that noone appears to be liable for the losses you incur (e.g., whose responsiblity is it to reimburse you for that missed concert ticket?) Yours, it seems.

Enjoy your travels!

Steven

In reality? They:

The ball’s always in their court.

So why bother signing up with recruitment firms?

It’s worth improving your understanding of how recruiters work and which are the best Australian recruitment agencies to approach.

What Jobseekers Need To Know About Recruitment Agencies.

The #1 thing you must know about recruitment agencies is-

They don’t all work the same way.

Recruitment agencies usually focus on either contingency recruiting or retained executive search.

Some of Australia’s largest firms will have arms for both.

Your typical recruitment agency takes on a large number of searches at once and prioritises speed and efficiency — because they only get paid for their wins.

And often they’re competing with other firms the employer has also engaged.

But as the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants points out, executive search consultants may only take on a few, exclusive searches a year and-

That brings us to the #2 thing you need to acknowledge about recruiters to stay sane during your job search.

Reaching out to them is usually a waste of your time.

That’s not to say recruiters are rude and unfeeling.

Most recruiters get a thrill out of placing great people into positions that help them grow their careers.

But you are not their customer.

If you happen to attract the undivided attention of a recruiter, do what you can to make it count: be quick to respond and be prepared to sell yourself.

But don’t invest significant time chasing down recruiters. It shouldn’t be a core pillar of your job search strategy.

6 Best Generalist Recruitment Firms In Australia.

The quality of an agency is hard to gauge.

Your experience will almost entirely hinge on the dedication and interest shown by the particular recruitment consultant you engage with.

Working with recruiters is basically only worthwhile because they have reach that you don’t.

This is why some of the best recruitment agencies in Australia have significant market share – by virtue of the fact they’re placing more roles across more locations.

For ‘regular’ professional and management roles, consider contacting one of the top six firms we’ve identified below.

1. Hays

Website: https://www.hays.com.au/

Hays is a global firm that’s seen as a market leader for both skilled trades and professional roles that run the full spectrum of experience levels.

In Australia, their footprint is impressive.

They’ve got offices in all the capital cities, and a strong presence across regional Queensland, NSW and Victoria as well.

That makes them a highly accessible recruiter with robust employer networks.

Hays places hundreds of thousands of people into permanent and temporary roles yearly.

2. Michael Page

Website: https://www.michaelpage.com.au/

Michael Page started in London in the 1970s before expanding globally across 36 countries.

It launched an office in Australia in 1996, and has a strong reputation among employers for recruiting roles from mid-management through to C-suite executives.

Its consultants tend to have good levels of prior industry experience (and networks).

If you’re vying for high-level finance roles, it’s comforting to be working with a former finance professional.

3. Robert Half

Website: https://www.roberthalf.com/au/en

Another global firm known for its professional approach to recruitment, Robert Half has offices in Australia’s major capital cities.

Founded in New York way back in 1948, Robert Half is now a massive corporation that’s been widely lauded for its innovation and being a great employer.

It helps Australian employers hire from entry-level to the C-suite across contract and permanent roles, but it’s squarely focused on professional fields.

4. Chandler Macleod

Website: https://www.chandlermacleod.com/

Founded in Australia in the 1950s, Chandler Macleod is one of Australasia’s largest recruiters.

It’s represented in Australia’s major city centres, but also has multiple regional office locations across New South Wales and Victoria.

5. Manpower

Website: https://www.manpower.com.au/

A global powerhouse, Manpower has offices around the world and boasts that it puts over one million people into jobs every year.

Within Australia, its national presence and well-resourced team means it’s got deep market insights and employer relationships across multiple industries.

6. Programmed

Website: https://www.jobs.programmed.com.au/

Australian-based Programmed provides both recruitment and labour hire services, largely into industrial, transport, trades, mining, energy, farming, government and engineering industries.

The company has been shortlisted in the category of ‘Large Recruitment Agency of the Year’ at the SEEK Annual Recruitment Awards (SARA) for the past four events (and it won the award in 2023).

Which Smaller Recruitment Agencies Are Worth Using?

There are thousands of generalist recruiters beyond the big names that may be worth your time. Agencies including Haylo People, u&u, people2people, and WorkPac get an honourable mention.

Smaller firms can also be great, especially if they focus on your specific part of the country or your niche industry/profession.

For instance:

5 Best Retained Executive Search Firms In Australia.

You can expect a more personalised experience if you’re tapped on the shoulder by a head hunting firm. But the bar to impress executive search consultants is also higher.

If you’re a senior executive, it’s worth understanding the key players in the executive search market.

There are five market leaders, collectively referred to as SHREK firms: Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, Egon Zehnder, Korn Ferry, and Russell Reynolds.

1. Spencer Stuart

Website: https://www.spencerstuart.com/

Spencer Stuart has over 60 locations in more than 30 countries.

Its Australian presence includes Sydney and Melbourne branches.

The firm has a range of proprietary techniques and tools it uses to build a comprehensive picture of candidates for high-level roles in industries including tech, finance, consumer, education, healthcare, industrial and more.

The local consulting team is led by Samantha Marks, who’s an expert in CEO succession and leadership development, with a background in financial services and professional services.

2. Heidrick & Struggles

Website: https://www.heidrick.com/en

A global executive search and leadership consulting firm, Heidrick’s Australian operations includes offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

Some core industries they recruit in include healthcare, technology, consumer markets, industrial and financial services.

As you might expect, its Perth chapter has a particular emphasis on recruiting for the energy, natural resources, mining and infrastructure sectors. 

3. Egon Zehnder

Website: https://www.egonzehnder.com/

Egon Zehnder has bases in Melbourne and Sydney alongside its impressive global consulting operations, which are headquartered in the US.

Melbourne-based country lead, Fiona McGauchie, is a former lawyer with infrastructure and logistics industry experience.

The firm takes a special interest in connecting companies with talent in situations like the creation of new positions, replacing incumbent leaders and people needed to drive large-scale transformational changes.

4. Korn Ferry

Website: https://www.kornferry.com/au

Korn Ferry takes pride in its proprietary IP designed to collect and analyse data about potential candidates for assessment purposes.

It also actively encourages candidates to register for its ‘candidate community’, which it uses to help identify executive search talent.

The Australian operation of this global firm includes offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

Graeme Bricknell heads up the Australian and NZ executive search function, and specialises in placing C-suite roles in the financial services industry as well as key governance roles.

5. Russell Reynolds

Website: https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/

Founded in New York in the late 1960s, Russell Reynolds now spans the globe and claims to take a data-driven approach to executive search.

The firm is particularly focused on helping employers fill roles like CFOs, COOs as well as compliance, HR, growth and sustainability leaders — across industries such as professional services, finance, education, tech, and industrial.

Russell Reynolds’ Australian-based offices can be found in Melbourne and Sydney.

Its country manager is Alistair Macrae, who handles search assignments across all sectors, and was CFO at Fairfax Media earlier in his career.

4. Boutique Executive Search Firms To Be Aware Of.

There are a number of executive search boutique firms in Australia.

They’re usually a great option because many were started by SHREK alumni, but there’s less competition.

That means you’ll have better odds when reaching out to them.

Some firms to consider, include:

Frequently Asked Questions About Working With A Recruiter.

Getting a recruiter’s attention, and keeping it, can feel like a mysterious dark art.

But when you know a bit more about how the industry works, you can direct your efforts where they’ll have the most impact.

Why Do Recruiters Ghost Me After Reaching Out?

While finding the ‘best fit’ for a role definitely guides a recruiter’s work, they’re also in a race to find them. And they cast their nets wide.

Maybe you got a friendly message from a recruiter via LinkedIn asking about a role? Chances are, they sent the same email to 20-30 other people with similar qualifications and experience.

If 10 people responded before you, the recruiter may have enough to keep them busy.

Dealing with a generalist recruiter often feels transactional in nature. Don’t get your hopes up and decide whether to engage while knowing to expect:

How Do You Get Your Resume Noticed By Recruiters?

Time-poor recruiters need to be able to quickly understand the value you can bring to their clients when they view your resume. That means getting noticed requires:

For more help to craft an excellent resume, we have a number of guides to explore:

How To Build Relationships With Executive Search Firms?

Former Chairman of executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles, Tom Friel, said that building a good relationship with an executive search firm starts with not wasting the recruiter’s time.

Be specific and clear about what you want, be honest about your track record, and speak up if you have reservations about your suitability for a role. Good faith interactions are essential to avoid hard feelings.

He said search consultants may approach senior leaders for recommendations, which is why building a strong network and staying in touch with mentors can be so valuable.

Friel suggested you might even ask a former boss if they know anyone in the search firm world they might be willing to introduce you to.

Do Recruiters Ever Actually Hire From Their Talent Pools?

Yes, recruiters do contact candidates that join their databases. Building a strong pool of talent is valuable to recruitment firms because it gives them a starting point for their search.

For jobseekers, it’s important to manage your expectations. You might submit your resume to multiple recruiters via their online forms, and never hear back — that’s a reality.

But what if you do? Only you can decide if it’s worth your time.

Do Recruiters Take a Cut Of Your Salary?

A recruiter’s fee is generally calculated as a percentage of the hire’s salary — not subtracted from your salary. So, if you’re hired as a team’s new CMO on $200k a year, the fee the recruiter will charge to the client might be 15%, which comes out to $30k.

Even if you enter a contract via a labour hire firm, your agreed hourly rate should be safe from fees. Payroll processing fees would typically be charged back to the client as part of the overall service fee.

Jody

Consumer platforms that most people use for long term investing (e.g., Selfwealth, Stake) are not suitable for day trading.

Day trading requires a different mindset and different tools.

(Related: How To Day Trade In Australia.)

You’ll need professional-grade, real-time charts to stay attuned to price movements and market news.

And you’ll need confidence that the platform will execute your trades rapidly, while also helping you to manage risks and keep trading costs down. 

For beginner day traders especially, it’s important to choose a platform that:

1. Pepperstone.

Best platform in Australia for day trading CFDs.

An Australian-made brokerage firm, Pepperstone is based in Melbourne and has built a strong reputation for value and usability over its 15 years in operation.

It’s designed specifically for active traders keen to grow their profits using leverage, with a focus on contracts for difference (CFDs) and foreign currency exchange (FX).

Pros.

Many traders’ preferred expert advisors – MetaTrader and cTrader – are supported by Pepperstone. So you’ll have some of the leading decision-making tools at your fingertips.

That’s backed by top-notch execution speeds.

You can also get a free TradingView subscription (normally AU$22.19 per month) for access to charting, and easily connect your TradingView account to directly place trades via Pepperstone.

It gives you access to 93 forex pairs and raw spreads starting from 0.0 points, and you’ll pay a commission of US$3.50 per lot, per side. Or if you’re using MT4/5 and your account is in Australian dollars, you’ll pay a commission of AU$7 round trip.

And while you’ll likely be closing positions within the same day, its overnight interest rates are considered some of the cheapest in the market.

There are cheaper FX and CFD platforms. For example, Fusion Markets (which comes in at #3) offers similar spreads, and has a lower commission on trades.

In addition to popular currencies, you can trade CFDs in 40 commodities, 26 indices, 31 cryptos and almost 1500 global shares and ETFs.

If you’re trading at volumes that make you eligible, you can apply for Pepperstone’s Active Trader Program to get rebates on commissions across FX, indices and commodities trading.

Example:

Active traders can also hook into Pepperstone’s virtual private server (VPS) for free, which offers powerful, low-latency infrastructure for 24/7 uptime and faster automated trading. Plus the platform’s analysts will send you insights and daily signals.

(Related: What Is Slippage In Trading, And How To Avoid It?)

Cons.

If you want to use a single platform for day trading and managing a share portfolio, you’re out of luck. The limited focus on CFDs and Forex trading is a downside for Pepperstone.

Pepperstone does offer a solid proprietary trading platform, available via a browser or a nifty mobile app.

But it falls short by not enabling automated trading, backtesting, depth of market data, or advanced take-profit/stop loss levels.

The temptation to try to maximise your gains can be great. And the losses can be truly devastating if you’re careless with leverage.

Overall.

Pepperstone’s range of assets, reputation for speed and transparent, economical fees make it my #1 day trading platform in Australia – but only if you plan to trade FX and CFDs.

However, if you mostly plan to trade underlying equities, you’re better off choosing Interactive Brokers (see below).

2. Interactive Brokers.

Best trading platform in Australia for day trading equities.

Aussie day traders flock to Interactive Brokers (aka IBKR) primarily because of its rock-bottom fees and a huge selection of tradable assets.

While longevity isn’t always a sign that a platform is high quality, IBKR is both longstanding (it’s been around since 1978) and award-winning.

In particular, it’s known as the top choice for advanced and professional traders.

Beginner traders with big day trading ambitions that don’t want to risk outgrowing simpler platforms will also find a lot to like.

Pros.

IBKR gives you access to 160 markets in 36 countries. You can trade the full gamut of assets including stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, ETFs, funds and contracts for difference (CFDs).

You can choose from 28 currencies to use to fund your account and trade in, and its margin interest rates are relatively low.

The platform’s fees make it affordable for both beginner day traders, who won’t be playing with large sums, and the professional traders trading big money at high volumes.

For example, on its tiered pricing model:

Value-for-money across the spectrum makes IBKR an ideal choice if you’re still learning, but know you’ll gradually be investing more as you take a crack at mastering day trading.

There are seven different desktop and mobile interfaces, with two main proprietary tools aimed at intermediate to advanced traders: IBKR Desktop and Trader Workstation (TWS).

Whereas TWS has a reasonably steep learning curve, but the rewards are great. It has a stellar reputation among day traders for being:

You’ll get free streaming data on US-listed stocks and ETFs, and you can pay a monthly fee for level 2/market depth data feeds across a staggering number of markets/exchanges.

As a guide, L2 ASX data will cost you $25 per month.

For the experienced and tech-savvy day trader, IBKR also makes it easy to:

Cons.

While the fees are low, it’s not straightforward to calculate the cost of a trade in advance. It’ll do your head in navigating its complex fee structure across different assets and geographies.

You’re spoilt for choice in features, yes. But that means IBKR can’t achieve the streamlined simplicity of some stockbroking apps. The interfaces are professional but less friendly than a typical consumer-facing app.

Clunky onboarding into the app can also be an issue, and IBKR’s help isn’t always helpful.

Overall.

Market-leading rates make IBKR a standout. But its comprehensive and powerful product offering also makes it hard to go past, especially if you’re looking to trade more niche regions or products like options.

If you’re deep into technical analysis (or plan to be), you’ll appreciate the comprehensiveness of its charting and trading tools, although diehard Metatrader fans might prefer a broker that easily links to MT4/5.

3. Fusion Markets.

A top choice for day trading Forex.

Another Melbourne-based winner that gives Australian Forex and CFD day traders an edge.

Fusion Markets launched trading for clients just six years ago, and has been consistently committed to providing value-for-money — which has seen it consistently lauded with industry awards.

Pros.

Fusion Markets has staked its reputation on offering the lowest trading fees.

With its ZERO account, the FX spreads are low (averaging 0.0 for major pairs) and you’ll pay AU$4.50 round turn commissions, and zero commissions on US share CFDs. 

That’s a major plus. But added to that, its non-trading fees and other account funding conditions are excellent. They include:

For day traders applying scalping strategies, rest assured Fusion Markets is also zippy.

Your analytical and market data needs are well in hand. The broker gives you access to best-in-class trading platforms including:

Within your Fusion Markets account you’ll also get access to trading tools such as analyst views, insights into TA indicators and popular trades by other users, as well as an AI-powered tool to track news and events.

Expert day traders looking for leverage up to 1:500, volume-based rebates, or to explore copy trading, can apply to become a Pro client (wholesale account). 

In addition to premium support and perks, Pro clients can access the platform’s New York based VPS for free, provided you trade more than 20 lots of FX or metals within a 30-day period.

Cons.

Cheap. Fast. What’s the catch?

As alluded to in my review for the #2 position — variety is lacking. Compared to Pepperstone’s 1300+ product range, Fusion Markets has just 250 products available and you can’t trade ASX stocks.  

While its website has a modern, appealing feel, the educational resources are thin on the ground.

That’s a red flag for beginners looking to build their skills in day trading.

Even its demo account is a bit more restricted. It’s deactivated after 30 days unless you request an extension (by comparison, Pepperstone’s demo accounts only expire after 60-90 days of inactivity).

(Related: AUD To Euro Forecast: Trouble Ahead?)

Overall.

If you already limit yourself to a specific range of currency pairs, commodities and US stocks that Fusion Markets has covered, you won’t feel constrained by its product range.

In which case, it’s a no-brainer due to its rock-bottom fees and reliability.

Combined with its dearth of learning materials, Fusion Markets isn’t well-suited for the beginner-to-intermediate day trader still exploring or testing their trading strategies.

4. AvaTrade.

A decent option for CFD day trading.

AvaTrade is a global online brokerage that’s regulated across six continents and turns over more than $60 billion in trading volumes every month.

It’s clearly a legitimate platform that has earned the trust of traders since it launched in 2006.

AvaTrade offers CFD trading across currencies, commodities, indices, options, cryptocurrencies, and stocks/ETFs — although not ASX-listed shares. 

Pros.

Day traders will appreciate that AvaTrade enables automated trading and scalping. It gives you access to some of the best EA tools around: MetaTrader 4 and 5.

In terms of other trading platforms, your options include:

AvaTrade doesn’t charge commissions. All trading fees are captured by the fixed spread, which provides stable pricing.

Like all CFD trading platforms, using AvaTrade lets you play with leverage and also easily go long or short, which gives you greater flexibility and potential for gains in day trading.

You’ll be restricted to a maximum of 30:1 leverage if you sign-up for an Australian-based retail account. But if you can show you’re an expert trader (or you’ve got assets worth over $2.5 million or a high income) you can access leverage up to 400:1 with an AvaTrade Pro account.

AvaProtect lets you protect a specific trade against losses of up to $1 million over a certain time period. It comes with “a modest hedging cost”. 

Of course, the fee might eat into your profits more than you’d like. But it might give you peace of mind as you progress to placing larger positions.

An even better way to grow your confidence? Practice, practice, and practice some more.

AvaTrade offers a 60-day demo account for paper trading and decent free educational content in its AvaAcademy. 

Cons.

While AvaTrade’s spreads are good, they aren’t great. And they can differ pretty widely by currency pair.

Depending on your favourite majors, minors or crosses, you might get better value from a broker that offers raw spreads, even with the commission factored in.

You can’t trade ASX-listed share CFDs and its selection of tradable crypto CFDs is small.

An avoidable, but irritating bugbear for AvaTrade users is its inactivity fee: you could be slugged US$50 if you don’t use your account for three months.

But it doesn’t stop there. If you keep your account open, but it stays inactive for 12 months, the platform may also deduct a hefty admin fee.

Overall.

AvaTrade is highly accessible, with multiple trading tools and a strong educational offering.

If you’re a novice or intermediate day trader, you’ll benefit from its breadth of platforms and comprehensive support.

While it has roughly the same number of available tradable instruments as Fusion Markets, its trading costs aren’t as good. I do rate the simplicity of its account structure, fixed spreads, and risk management tools.

5. Webull.

Founded in 2017, Webull has tens of millions of users across more than 180 countries, so it’s no fly-by-night operation.

It’s a well-liked day trading app with an emphasis on US and Australian shares and ETFs.

The company is headquartered in the US but has offices globally and holds multiple licences, including a Sydney branch and an AFSL.

Pros.

If your intraday strategies are underpinned by trading stocks, Webull is ideal. It has low trading fees — you’ll pay a commission of just $0.0003 x trade value on ASX stocks, and $0.00025 x trade value on US stocks.

The depth of US and Australian shares and ETFs available is impressive. Webull lets you trade:

A definite win for day traders: Webull offers free ASX and CBOE realtime and snapshot data for the Aussie market, and free Level 1 data for US markets.

If seeing the full order book is critical to how you trade, you can also subscribe for L2 data.

(Related: 19 Best ETFs And Index Funds In Australia.)

You can also:

Webull’s trading platforms include a desktop interface featuring data feeds, in-depth analytics, and trading tools.

Its mobile trading app is an award-winner and has 4.5 stars on the app store. That’s justified, because it refreshingly easy to navigate and includes the most logical features and charts for on-the-go trading.

It only recently launched crypto (spot) trading, but offers a robust selection of 240 common coins through an integration with Coinbase which provides custody of the digital assets.

Webull has also been recognised for the strength of its free paper trading tool:

Cons.

If you’re a wiz with Metatrader and it’s fundamental to your day trading approach, Webull won’t be your top pick as it only offers its two proprietary tools.

Webull did introduce the ability to integrate with TradingView, but it’s only available to US users right now. That was a huge disappointment for many Aussie day traders.

Also, Webull’s margin interest rate is pricey, making the platform not worth using for margin trading.

Overall.

It’s definitely possible to build a responsive and well-informed day trading habit using Webull’s in-house platform. It’s reliable, data-rich and comes with low transaction fees.  

You might be more comfortable executing stock trades as a beginner day trader, rather than more complex assets or risky, leveraged products like CFDs.

Being able to spend what you can afford on fractional US shares is also helpful if you’re starting small.

6. Moomoo.

Launched in 2018 in the US, Moomoo has a spunky energy and user-friendly interfaces.

It’s been operating in Australia since 2022 and currently sees annual trading volumes in excess of US$997 billion.

Moomoo offers share trading across Australian, US and Hong Kong markets as well as US options trading.

Pros.

Share market analysis and making trades are both a real pleasure on Moomoo’s platform. The tools are powerful, the design is easy-to-navigate, and the experience is smooth.

Its app is quick on execution and well-equipped for day traders looking to go down a few research rabbit holes. It features:

Paper trading is integrated into the app so you can easily test and refine your day trading skills with $1M in virtual money.

Its pricing is also very reasonable:

CHESS-sponsored Australian shares means you retain control — especially useful if you want to manage long-term investments alongside day trading stocks.

And because it’s still in growth mode, Moomoo offers some nice rewards for new sign-ups or transfers from other brokers, including $0 brokerage on US and ASX stocks for 30 days.

You can also earn interest on invested cash sitting in your trading account. Its ‘Cash Plus’ feature offers:

Cons.

There’s no support for third-party trading platforms like MT4/5 — although as of January 2026 you can now integrate Moomoo with your TradingView account.

It’s only a deal-breaker if you’re wedded to a particular platform, not because Moomoo’s own tools are lacking.

Overall.

Moomoo is a cost-effective brokerage with a clean user experience and genuinely useful analysis tools. But your day trading strategy will have to revolve almost entirely around Australian and US stocks and ETFs for Moomoo to be your top choice, unless you’re happy running multiple accounts.

7. IG.

IG Australia is the local arm of a 50-year old London-based company called IG Group that started as a spread betting company.

It has a track record of being a dependable online broker and is one of the most popular choices for Australian CFD traders.

Its popularity largely arises from being a good one-stop-shop — letting traders explore a wide range of markets via CFDs but also buy, sell and hold Australian and international shares.

Pros.

IG’s CFD trading fees are a competitive range with spreads from 0.6 points on FX pairs, 0.8 points on major indices and 0.1 points on commodities.

A round trip Australian share CFD trade will cost AU$7 or 0.08%.

Directly buying and selling shares comes with zero commission, and you can choose from thousands of stocks across Australian, UK, US, Germany and Ireland.

The range of assets you can trade using CFDs is extensive:

You can also get lower margins and volume-based rebates if you qualify for IG’s Pro account.

IG shines when it comes to the availability of trading platforms and integrations that day traders look for. It offers:

Cons.

IG’s spreads aren’t market-leading.

And while its no-commission share trading sounds good, the 0.7% foreign currency exchange fee is pretty steep if you fund your account in AU$ but are consistently trading US stocks.

Sometimes it doesn’t seem like IG’s chat support is equipped to provide answers or handle your problems in real-time, which means it’s just a fast way to feel frustrated.

Overall.

It doesn’t have the comprehensiveness of platforms like IBKR. It doesn’t offer the same level of value as some other CFD-focused apps listed here.

But it does have a sufficient mix of both qualities, making IG a good middle ground for many day traders. It depends a great deal on the instruments and markets you’re looking to trade.

Jody

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have the time (or desire) to study securities, commodities, forex or crypto markets in-depth.

And while products like index funds make it easier to plan portfolios for long-term horizons, shorter-term active trading seems out of reach.

Copytrading allows you to mirror the portfolio of a more experienced or professional trader, with automatic adjustments and trades executed on your behalf.

Copy trading is legal in Australia, provided the platform holds a financial services licence issued by the regulator, ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission).

But it is not low risk:

That means it’s vital to choose a copy trading platform that’s regulated and has transparent fees, data on signal providers’ success rates, and risk management features.

Below are my thoughts on the pros and cons of reputable copy trading platforms available in Australia.

1. eToro.

Best copy trading platform in Australia.

Above: The eToro desktop interface is clean, minimalist and simple to wrap your head around.

An all-in-one trading platform, eToro gives you access to stocks and ETFs from 17 exchanges globally.

You also get access to commodities, currencies, and crypto.

Like all copy trading platforms in this review, eToro is regulated by watchdogs in Australia (ASIC), the UK, and Europe.

Pros.

Social trading – where novice investors can leverage expertise of others – is native to eToro.

No integration or add-ons required.

Once you’ve created an account, you’re ready to begin copy trading immediately.

Unlike many other copy trading platforms (looking at you, Pepperstone), eToro doesn’t limit you to contracts for difference (CFDs).

You can build a portfolio with any asset mix (shares, ETFs, crypto, futures, commodites or options) by copying investors who specialise in a specific asset type or sector.

Above: With eToro, you can mirror specific traders. You can review their track records and investment approaches (but keep in mind that historical results aren’t a guarantee of future gains).

You can search available signal providers based on various filters, and then drill down into their profile to see details, including:

Each ‘popular investor’ listed on eToro also has a social feed where they can post updates about their approach/decisions and respond to comments and questions.

You’ll need to allocate $200 minimum to copy another trader, so there’s a low barrier to entry. Opening and closing copy trades is straightforward, and you can:

The popularity of eToro is another advantage.

The copy trading platform is well-known and used by more than 20 million people worldwide.

This means successful signal providers have a good reason to share their expertise on eToro, and you have a lot of traders to choose from.

Above: eToro gives you comprehensive insight into each signal provider. This view shows an investor’s three-year performance history alongside their current portfolio holdings.

Last but not least – eToro’s fees are excellent.

The platform introduced AUD accounts at the end of 2025, so you no longer have to pay a currency conversion fee when buying Aussie stocks and ETFs.

It also slashed the 150 basis point AUD/USD currency conversion fee to 75 basis points (until 30th June, allegedly), bringing its fees in line with Australian low-cost platforms like Selfwealth.

Cons.

Some critics of eToro argue that the formula used by the platform to calculate a trader’s monthly returns is questionable and open to manipulation.

For instance, a trader can minimise losses by depositing additional funds.

Personally, I don’t blindly follow a trader without exploring their strategy and stats, and also developing at least a basic understanding of the assets they’re invested in.

I must also point out that the 1% fee on crypto is quite steep when compared with 0.25-0.40% you’ll pay on dedicated crypto trading exchanges like Coinbase Advanced and Kraken Pro.

Verdict.

I ranked eToro as the #1 copy trading platform in Australia. Why? Its copy trading features are better – and easier to use – than those of any other platform.

They save your most valuable asset – your time.

The way I look at it is – if my time is worth $100+ an hour, and eToro’s copy trading features allow me not to spend 10 hours a month researching stocks, I’m way ahead.

The new fee structure makes eToro even more attractive. I love the fact that we no longer have to pay currency conversion fees on ASX purchases.

And the 75 basis point USD currency conversion fee translates to about AU$75 for every AU$10,000 you convert into USD.

This is on par with other Australian trading platforms – albeit ones without copy trading features.

And you can reduce the fee using my hacks above.

Best-in-class copy trading features save you time
$0 commissions on ETFs, no FX fees on ASX trades
Fantastic range of tradable assets
✘ Choosing the best investor to follow takes time

eToro AUS Capital Limited AFSL 491139. eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Trading history presented is less than 5 complete years and may not suffice as basis for investment decision. Copy Trading does not amount to investment advice. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. eToro AUS Capital Limited ACN 612 791 803 AFSL 491139. Crypto assets are unregulated and highly speculative. There is no consumer protection. You risk losing all of your capital. Refer to our Terms and Conditions. See full disclaimer. eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared by our partner utilising publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.

2. Pepperstone.

Best CFD-only copy trading platform.

Pepperstone is a contracts-for-difference (CFD) and foreign exchange (FX) trading platform, used by over 400,000 traders globally.

The company operates internationally, with its headquarters located in Melbourne, Australia.

It’s multi-regulated, including having an Australian Financial Services Licence issued by ASIC – as well as licenses from FCA, SCB, DFSA, CMA, CySec, and BaFin. 

Pros.

The biggest upside to using Pepperstone as your copy trading platform is the ability to combine copy trading with an Australian-based, locally supported CFD and Forex offering. 

Cost-wise, it’s excellent value for high-volume trading, with spreads as low as 0.0 pip on major FX pairs and commissions per side of 0.07% on Australian share CFDs.

You also have options for accessing traders to copy.

You can set up third-party integrations that connect with your Pepperstone MT4 or MT5 account via apps, including:

Within Metatrader, you can browse thousands of available signal providers, view their performance metrics and then subscribe to automatically replicate their trades.

Your account is updated in almost real-time as the traders you’re copying take action.

Auto-execution of copied trades is also a key feature of DupliTrade.

By connecting DupliTrade to your Pepperstone MTX4/5 account you can also control the exact proportion of a signal provider’s trade sizes to copy.

So, you could copy just 25% of a professional trader’s positions, for example.

Cons.

Linking an add-on copy trading app to your Pepperstone MT4/5 account adds more passwords, and more complexity – and Pepperstone isn’t as easy to navigate as some other brokers listed here.

While trade execution on Pepperstone is cost-effective, they depend on which social trading tool you connect to your brokerage account – and the signal providers you copy.

You may also have to pay:

A disappointing aspect for fans of cTrader, which Pepperstone supports, is that the platform’s copy trading feature, cTrader Copy, is not supported by the broker.

Verdict.

If you’re an intermediate forex trader who wants to grow your analytical and technical skills by learning from more experienced traders, Pepperstone is a great option.

You get fantastic copy trading via MetaTrader.

And if you’re a patriot, you can feel great about using a platform with deep Australian roots.

Great 3rd-party copy trading features
Fast execution
Excellent range of trading platforms
✘ Access to CFDs only

CFDs are complex instruments with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to risk losing your money.

3. AvaTrade.

Great alternative to Pepperstone.

AvaTrade is a multi-award-winning CFD trading platform founded in 2006.

With over 1,250 instruments available to trade, it’s a popular option for people interested in trading forex, crypto, stock, commodities and indices.

It’s a multi-national brokerage, regulated in Europe, Australia, Japan, British Virgin Islands and South Africa. In addition to being ASIC-regulated in Australia, AvaTrade has a physical office located in Sydney. 

Pros:

Like Pepperstone, AvaTrade offers a choice of social trading apps that integrate with the trading platforms it offers, including AvaTrade’s proprietary WebTrader tool and MT4.

Australians looking to copy expert traders can link their AvaTrade accounts to the well-known DupliTrade, or use the AvaSocial app.

Again, like Pepperstone’s native copy trading app, AvaSocial appears to be a rebranded version of Pelican Trading – which includes:

Together with the broker’s robust features, it’s easy to see why you might choose it as your copy trading platform.

CFD trading is notoriously high-risk, but AvaTrade is appealing to experienced investors looking to access high leverage accounts.

For newer traders not necessarily looking to maximise leverage, AvaTrade’s main draws include:

Cons.

AvaTrade’s trading fees are comparable to many other reputable brokers, but the devil is in the detail. Withdrawing your funds is a bit pricey, and they’ll also slap you with inactivity fees.

Its available copy trading apps can also add costs through performance fees charged by certain signal providers, which can be sizeable.

Verdict.

AvaTrade caters well to investors at all levels of experience, and enables automated copy trading platforms to boost convenience.

The differences between AvaTrade and Pepperstone aren’t major.

If I was hemming and hawing between the two, I’d suggest you base the decision on the likely fees (do the sums based on your expected amounts/volumes) and platform usability.

The rest is relatively unimportant.

Great 3rd-party copy trading features
Fast execution
Excellent range of trading platforms
✘ Access to CFDs only

CFDs are complex instruments with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to risk losing your money.

4. IG Australia.

Another good copy trading platform.

IG is well-liked by Australian investors who want the convenience of owning shares and ETFs, in addition to CFD trading, from a single account.

IG Australia offers both ASX-listed and international stocks, and CFD trading across 17,000 markets.

IG’s local office is based in Melbourne, and it holds an AFSL regulated by ASIC.

Its parent company, IG Group, operates across 18 countries and maintains compliance with key local financial regulations.

Pros.

IG is a top choice in terms of being established and trusted, offering competitive commissions and spreads, and having a substantial selection of markets and tradable instruments.

Copy trading works a bit differently on IG Australia’s platform.

The platform doesn’t support integrations with a separate copy trading tool. Instead, it draws on expertise from two third-party providers to deliver buy and sell suggestions on its own trading platform, right within its desktop or mobile app.

From your standard IG account you can:

It’s a handy approach for the risk-averse. You can easily explore ideas from professionals about positions to copy, but retain control over whether to make a trade.

Once you’ve found a signal you want to copy, you can select to ‘copy to Order’ within IG Markets and then complete your pre-populated order.

Cons.

Copy trading isn’t automated on IG Australia.

You’ll still save time – market analysis to identify promising trading opportunities is done for you. But you’ll need to do some work to review, create and monitor your orders. 

IG Markets also closed down a dedicated community forum they used to offer to give traders space to share ideas about strategies.

However, its website does indicate a replacement may be coming soon.

Verdict.

IG is a dependable choice with a powerful trading platform.

IWant professional trading expertise at your fingertips, but prefer to execute your own trades?

IG’s copy trading feature is an effective alternative to traditional automated trading. 

5. IC Markets.

Complex copy trading platform with basic copy trading features.

Online forex and CFD broker IC Markets is an Australian-owned platform, based in Sydney, with international reach. It’s regulated by ASIC in Australia and offers comprehensive customer support available 7 days a week.

IC Markets is a leading platform for CFD trading, with a broad range of trading platforms and account types to match varying strategies.

It also lets Aussies invest in over 2,200 ASX-listed stocks. 

Pros.

Due to its quick execution, great volume pricing and accomodation of strategies like scalping, IC Markets is typically considered best for intermediate to experienced active traders.

You can deepen the benefits of IC Markets’ platform by integrating your account with either a DupliTrade or a ZuluTrade copy trading account.

The key benefits of access to ZuluTrade include:

Cons.

IC Markets could be overwhelming for a beginner trader.

If you’re not using copy trading to learn or apply advanced strategies, a simpler platform might suit you better.

Verdict.

IG Markets brings the reliability of an established broker to the automated trading space.

Its combination of copy trading and algorithmic capabilities makes them a versatile choice for a wide range of traders.

6. Darwinex.

Copy trading platform with a difference.

A bit of a dark horse, Darwinex is a broker worth looking at due to its singular focus on copy trading — but not as you know it.

Launched in 2012, Darwinex is regulated in Seychelles (FSA), the EU (CNMV) and the UK (FCA).

It encompasses CFD trading across over 1,500 instruments. Available assets include stocks, futures, ETFs, and forex.

Pros.

Darwinex’s proprietary system connects experienced and developing traders, with investors looking to benefit from their strategies.

But the platform doesn’t automatically copy trades on your behalf.

Trading strategies and portfolios, which it calls DARWINS, are wrapped as a managed index – which protects the intellectual property of traders vying to attract investment:

The platform has a seed funding allocation feature that’s designed to build its stable of successful traders.

Essentially, traders using the platform who perform well attract financial rewards, and achieve rankings that enable their strategies to become investible.

Cons.

Darwinex isn’t licensed locally in Australia, and you’ll need to use its UK version, which may make it more difficult to access any consumer protections if things go south.

Darwinex’s website is aimed squarely at traders looking to develop their own returns and reputation as someone to follow, and the benefits and features available to investors aren’t as clear-cut.

The minimum amount required to invest is €200 (AUD $350), which is affordable but not cheap. 

As an investor, you’ll pay a 1.2% management fee to Darwinex and a 20% performance fee on your net, individual profits. 

Verdict.

A unique take on copy trading, Darwinex boasts potential upside for investors of between 4-12% p.a. and offers a less traditional route to making gains based on the expertise of other traders.

7. Crypto Traders.

Best copy trading platform for crypto trading.

Crypto Traders’ offers a copy trading bot and social community, with integration for trade executions via the BloFin digital currency exchange. 

Pros.

Crypto Traders’ copy trading bot and social community is delivered via the Discord social media platform.

It’s a genuine community forum, with lots of interaction and learning between members — in addition to providing automated copy trades managed by the bot.

Trades are executed via BloFin exchange, which offers crypto spot and futures trading.

The exchange is integrated with Chainalsysis’ crypto risk solution for real-time monitoring, and also claims 1:1 proof of reserves.

Within the Discord group, you can easily select traders to follow and pick signals to copy by selecting an emoji.

You’ll then be prompted to confirm via a direct message from the bot, and can adjust your stop-loss preferences at that time.

You can also:

Cons.

Crypto Traders is a US-based app, but details are thin on the ground about the team or support behind the app and it’s not a regulated platform.

Accessing the copy trading bot requires a paid membership. If you join for a year, you’ll pay US$42 per month (~AUD$65) — which is a hefty chunk of change.

You’ll need a bit of time and technical savvy to set-up Crypto Traders copy trading platform as you to join Discord, create a linked BloFin account, become a Crypto Traders member, and then set-up API keys for the bot to activate it.

Verdict.

Crypto is unpredictable and less regulated, so it’s higher-risk.

Crypto Traders’ highly engaged social trading community gives you a good opportunity to sense-check your ideas as well as streamline copy trading.

Final Word On The Best Copy Trading Platforms In Australia.

Copy trading platforms fall into two camps.

The first is native.

An example of this is eToro – its copy trading features are built into the platform, and allow you to copy moves of professional traders, effectively delegating your investing decisions to them.

The second is 3rd party. Providers like ZuluTrade, for example, integrate with platforms like Pepperstone to offer similar (but often less advanced) copy trading features.

Which option is best for you? Hopefully, I was able to answer this question above. If I missed something, feel free to ask a question below.

Jody

But just because automated trading has hit the headlines and a few influencers are trying to convince you they have the golden ticket, should you even be considering it?

Well, there are really two main reasons people get into this space. You either:

No matter which camp you fall into, I’ve tested ALL the major platforms available to Australian traders, and I’m breaking down the seven best options that could potentially transform your trading game.

1. Pepperstone.

Best if you want to trade CFDs only.

Above: Pepperstone’s proprietary platform looks pretty modern (by CFD trading platform standards). You also get cTrader, MT4/5 and TradingView.

Pepperstone sits at the sweet spot between professional-grade features and accessibility.

Its interface is intuitive, powerful, and structured.

Just enough to allow retail investors to scale their automation skills – without drowning in complexity.

Pepperstone is one of the few brokers that not only supports MetaTrader 4/5 – it actively built a high-performance trading environment around it.

Not as overwhelming as Interactive Brokers, Pepperstone has carved out a reputation as THE go-to platform for Aussie investors wanting to use MetaTrader automated trading.

Pros.

What really makes Pepperstone shine is its execution infrastructure.

Razor accounts offer raw spreads from 0.0 pips on major forex pairs with a $3.50 commission per side, and execution latency as low as 30ms.

Their 99.89% fill rate is backed by a No Dealing Desk (NDD) model that routes orders directly to a network of Tier 1 liquidity providers.

Unlike IBKR, where trades are routed to central limit order books with greater control but higher latency (typically 75–130ms), Pepperstone prioritises execution speed over venue control.

This makes it an ideal choice for strategies where milliseconds, not microstructure, are the edge.

But Pepperstone’s value goes beyond execution.

It’s one of the few brokers that genuinely supports trader development beyond MetaTrader.

You can start with EAs in MT4/5, then progress to structured strategy design in C# using cTrader Automate, and eventually connect to custom systems via REST or FIX API.

This ecosystem gives retail algo traders exposure to concepts like latency management, server co-location, third-party execution engines, and multi-platform scripting.

While your code won’t carry over directly to a platform like IBKR, the technical fluency you build with Pepperstone’s tools makes that leap feel a lot less daunting.

Cons.

One key drawback with Pepperstone is that, despite its strong automation infrastructure, it’s still an OTC CFD broker.

(Meaning all trades are routed through liquidity providers rather than executed on regulated exchanges).

This:

In short, Pepperstone is ideal for strategy execution, but not strategy design that depends on the structural nuance of real markets.

Another limitation is the lack of a native, broker-supported backtesting or research environment.

While platforms like MT5 and cTrader offer basic strategy testing tools, they lack the data granularity, customisable slippage models and simulation capabilities that more sophisticated traders need.

In that sense, Pepperstone is different from brokers like IG (with ProRealTime) and platforms such as QuantConnect or IBKR’s Python API.

Those platforms offer dedicated tools for accessing historical data and running forward-tests in sandboxed environments.

Pepperstone does not.

For serious quant or multi-strategy traders, this means needing to stitch together third-party tools and external data sources.

This adds friction to the development pipeline.

Verdict.

Pepperstone strikes a compelling balance between accessibility and technical depth.

It delivers the execution speed, platform flexibility, and API access that retail algorithmic traders need to operate competitively.

While it doesn’t offer the market structure transparency or research infrastructure of platforms like IBKR, it provides a rare opportunity to build the operational skills and automation fluency needed to eventually step into that world.

For many, it’s not the final destination, but it’s one of the best places to start taking algorithmic trading seriously.

Tight spreads and deep liquidity for scalpers and high-frequency traders
Rock-solid automated trading support via MT4 and DupliTrade
✘ Limited to OTC CFDs
✘ No native, broker-supported backtesting environment

2. eToro.

Best trading platform for copy trading.

Above: eToro’s clean and friendly interface has a gentle learning curve.

Feeling overwhelmed by talk of execution latency and APIs?

You’re not alone – and the good news is, algorithmic investing doesn’t always require writing code or renting a VPS.

eToro is designed for a different kind of trader.

Someone who wants the benefits of automation and diversification, but without having to build systems or monitor every price tick. Are you:

eToro offers a streamlined alternative through its social copy trading model.

You can allocate capital to expert human traders with strong track records and customise your exposure – without writing a line of code.

This auto trading platform is not built for high-frequency execution or granular trade control.

But for many investors, that’s exactly the point.

Pros.

Where eToro really excels is in democratising automated investing.

Through its CopyTrader system, you can automatically mirror the trades of experienced investors.

You can choose from a range of strategies based on risk level (e.g., recently IPOed US startups), asset class (e.g., ETFs) and even geography (e.g., Asian finance sector).

Above: It’s like Tinder for investors Choose from dozens of investors based on their investing style and historical performance (but remember – past performance doesn’t guarantee future returns).

You’re not stuck with a one-size-fits-all ETF, nor do you need the capital or expertise to hire a discretionary manager.

Instead, eToro sits in the middle ground.

It gives you personalised, transparent access to human-led strategies that still execute automatically once copied.

It’s automation with a human layer on top, making it ideal for time-poor investors who still want to be strategic.

The platform is easy to use, with a gentle learning curve.

Unlike Interactive Brokers‘ borderline WWII-era TWS graphics, eToro spoils you with clean, friendly interfaces.

You can filter potential investors to copy based on drawdown, average trade duration, portfolio composition, and even how frequently they communicate with followers.

Above: You can check an investor’s past performance (3-year monthly lookback), risk levels and ability to beat the S&P500.

There’s also a built-in virtual portfolio mode, allowing you to test copy strategies with simulated funds before committing real capital.

(A rare feature in the social trading space).

And unlike platforms that separate crypto, equities, and FX into different silos, eToro allows users to build and copy strategies across all of them from a single account.

Cons.

One limitation to keep in mind is eToro’s all-in pricing model.

Spreads are higher than what you’d pay at a raw-spread broker like Pepperstone (above).

That makes the platform ill-suited for ultra-short-term or high-frequency trading.

However, the wider spread effectively bundles everything – trade execution, portfolio monitoring, and manager selection – into a single, transparent cost.

I personally find that when I’m running longer-term, swing-style copy strategies, that extra few tenths of a pip tends to matter less than the time saved by not having to research, code, or rebalance positions manually.

But you do get a rich data layer:

In other words, eToro trades surgical control for a turnkey, “portfolio-in-a-box” experience – an exchange many busy investors are happy to make.

One important consideration for Australian investors is eToro’s 75 bps (i.e., 0.75%) AUD/USD conversion fee, which you’ll need to cough up when trading on international exchanges.

(But I figured out how to reduce it – see below).

Above: Where the rubber hits the road. You get access to shorting, stop losses, leverage and outside-of-hours trading.

However, this fee is partially offset for members of eToro’s “Club” program, a tiered benefits system aimed at more serious investors.

Just deposit more than US$5,000 to automatically join the Club and receive discounts of 20-80% on conversion fees.

These benefits reflect eToro’s broader strategy: it’s not trying to win over high-frequency scalpers or self-hosted coders.

Instead, it’s positioned as a platform for time-poor investors who don’t want to spend hours each week deciding which positions to open, and which to close.

Verdict.

eToro isn’t trying to compete with raw-spread brokers or advanced algo platforms.

And that’s exactly what makes it valuable.

It offers a low-friction way to automate your investing without needing to wrestle with APIs or monitor charts.

Are you a time-poor investor willing to learn how to bypass eToro’s high-ish currency conversion fees, so you can take full advantage of its hands-off portfolio automation?

You won’t get real-time control, but you will get to delegate your investment decisions to human experts.

Incredibly intuitive copy trading
Extensive network of proven traders to follow
✘ Limited customisation options for those wanting more control
✘ Moderate AUD/USD FX fee (unless you know how to reduce it)

eToro AUS Capital Limited ACN 612 791 803 AFSL 491139. Social trading. eToro
does not approve or endorse any of the trading accounts customers may choose
to copy or follow. Assets held in your name. Capital at risk. See PDS and TMD.

3. Interactive Brokers.

Best for algo day traders.

Above: Interactive Brokers’ Client Portal – a decent mix of sophistication and ease of use.

Interactive Brokers remains the benchmark platform for serious algorithmic traders in Australia.

It’s not built to be sleek or simple; it’s designed for precision, performance, and scale.

IBKR’s ecosystem is engineered to support everything from delta-hedged options strategies to multi-leg futures arbitrage across global exchanges – all in one interface.

For some this may be a dealbreaker, but it’s worth pointing out that this is a deliberate design choice.

IBKR’s infrastructure is fundamentally different from most CFD brokers.

Rather than routing trades to internal liquidity pools or synthetic pricing, they offer direct market access (DMA) to 150+ exchanges globally.

Pros.

Where IBKR really stands out is in its API suite – which supports Python, Java, C++, C#, and FIX protocol.

This isn’t a marketing bullet point.

Their APIs are used by hedge funds and quant shops, not just retail traders experimenting with mean-reversion scripts.

REST and WebSocket options are also available via third-party wrappers like IB-insync, a popular Pythonic interface.

Another advantage to IBKR is its routing transparency.

Their SmartRouting engine scans for the best available price across exchanges and dark pools, considering fees, rebates, and slippage in real time.

Traders using the API can override this and route directly to specific venues – something virtually no retail-focused CFD broker allows.

Commission rates start from $0.0005 to $0.0035 per share on US equities, with a $1 minimum.

This is practically unbeatable if you’re trading volume.

Forex spreads are tight and commission-based, rather than baked into widened spreads like many MT4 brokers.

Cons.

IBKR offers reliable performance, but it’s not optimised for ultra-low-latency scalping in the way a broker like Pepperstone is.

Expect 75–130ms on average through the TWS or IB Gateway API, with FIX protocol ranging from 100–250ms depending on location, connection method (VPN vs direct line), and exchange.

While this may sound high for high-frequency trading, it’s more than sufficient for most portfolio-level strategies, statistical arbitrage, or event-driven models.

Especially when paired with co-location services or server proximity.

In addition, the user experience is blunt – not friendly.

IB expects you to be familiar with API authentication, error handling, and latency buffering.

There’s also no out-of-the-box backtesting engine (unlike ProRealTime or TradingView – more on these below).

Verdict.

Interactive Brokers is for the serious algo trader who values execution quality and customisation above all else.

If you’re building serious automation – especially cross-asset, multi-market strategies – or need execution control at the exchange level, there is no substitute.

Just don’t expect a training wheels experience.

Full API access offering incredible customisation depth
Ultra-low commissions that high-frequency traders will love
✘ Not optimised for ultra-low-latency scalping
✘ TWS interface is overdue for an update

4. AvaTrade.

Best alternative to Pepperstone.

By this point, you might be thinking:

“I like the idea of automation .. but do I really need to learn code, compare VPS latency, and run backtests in my spare time?”

If that’s you, AvaTrade might be your comfort zone.

It’s one of the few automated trading platforms that supports both sides of the automation spectrum:

These aren’t just gimmicky copy-paste tools.

They allow you to connect with established traders, view their track records, and automate strategy replication based on your own risk preferences.

Unfamiliar with these? Don’t worry, here’s the key points.

AvaSocial

Think of AvaSocial as a more curated version of eToro’s CopyTrade, targeting a slightly more sophisticated investor.

While anyone with enough followers can become a “Popular Investor” (i.e., users can copy their trades), AvaSocial vets signal providers more strictly.

In theory, this increases the quality of these investors, but also reduces the quantity available.

It does feel reassuring that there is some sort of quality control. However, plenty of fund managers have proven that technical ability does not equal performance.

eToro’s fees for their model are also more transparent and the trading history will be easier for beginners to understand.

DupliTrade

While AvaSocial is a proprietary offering, DupliTrade is a third-party product that integrates with MetaTrader 4/5.

It operates more like a curated marketplace, offering a smaller pool of vetted strategies from professional money managers with real skin in the game.

It’s less flexible, but also lower friction – ideal for traders who want automation without opening a spreadsheet every time they rebalance.

ZuluTrade

ZuluTrade and DupliTrade are broadly similar in that they let you mirror the strategies of other traders, but the user experience – and the expectations placed on you – differ.

ZuluTrade gives you access to a much wider range of signal providers, including retail traders, semi-professionals, and niche strategies across FX, crypto, and indices.

But with that choice comes the burden of discernment.

Performance stats can be noisy, drawdowns can be hidden in the detail, and you’ll need to apply your own filters to separate consistent systems from short-lived lucky streaks.

Pros.

Where AvaTrade stands out is in its dual-path approach to automation.

Whether you’re leaning toward hands-on algorithmic trading or just want to follow the signals of experienced traders, the platform gives you room to explore both.

With native support for MetaTrader 4 and 5, users can deploy expert advisors (EAs), customise indicators, or run technical systems with VPS support – all without needing to jump through integration hoops.

At the same time, integrations with ZuluTrade, DupliTrade, and AvaSocial provide pathways for strategy replication and social trading.

Few brokers offer this level of flexibility across both DIY and signal-based automation, making AvaTrade a strong pick for traders who are still refining their preferred workflow.

Another advantage of AvaTrade is its emphasis on user protection and learning-by-doing.

Features like guaranteed stop-loss orders, negative balance protection, and fixed spreads on some account types offer a sense of control that’s often missing from more barebones algorithmic platforms.

For newer traders experimenting with automation – whether through EAs or signal-following – these risk controls can make the difference between a steep learning curve and a manageable one.

AvaTrade also offers free demo accounts across all supported platforms, so you can trial EAs, copy strategies, or custom indicators in a no-risk environment.

Cons.

One of AvaTrade’s main drawbacks is that while it offers access to multiple tools, none of them are particularly customisable or cutting-edge by today’s automation standards.

And while AvaSocial’s tighter vetting may appeal to cautious users, the limited pool of available traders means fewer strategies to choose from.

Particularly if you’re looking for niche exposure or uncorrelated returns.

Another limitation is that AvaTrade’s fee structure and platform experience can feel dated compared to more modern brokers.

While spreads are generally competitive on forex majors, there’s no raw spread + commission model available – meaning high-frequency traders or scalpers may find pricing less favourable over time.

The trading platforms themselves (especially the proprietary AvaTrade WebTrader) lack the refinement and speed of newer alternatives.

The experience, while functional, doesn’t quite match the slickness of platforms like eToro or IG.

For users who value execution transparency, modern UI design, or ultra-tight pricing, these details may start to matter.

Verdict.

In many ways, AvaTrade is the “bridge broker”.

It’s ideal for traders who aren’t ready to dive headfirst into code-heavy platforms but want more control and flexibility than passive copy trading alone can offer.

Its support for MT4/5 allows for real automation via expert advisors, while integrations with ZuluTrade, DupliTrade, and AvaSocial open the door to signal-based strategies and curated social trading.

It’s not the most advanced or modern broker on the list, but for users who want to explore both sides of the automation spectrum – building and borrowing – AvaTrade offers a valuable, low-pressure proving ground.

Unmatched variety with access to AvaSocial, DupliTrade, ZuluTrade, and MetaTrader platforms
Unique AvaProtect feature for automated risk management
✘ Lack of depth and sophistication
✘ User experience lags compared to some of its competitors

5. IG Markets.

Great alternative to Interactive Brokers.

Feel like the automated trading platforms I discussed so far are close, but not quite what you’re after?

That’s not surprising.

While the first four brokers cover the full spectrum – from hands-off copy trading to deep-code customisation – each comes with trade-offs.

Some lack transparency. Others demand too much technical skill (looking at you, Interactive Brokers), and a few leave you boxed into a single ecosystem.

It’s one of Australia’s most trusted brokers, but it’s also not stuck in the past – quietly adapting its platform to serve the needs of modern, automation-minded traders.

It may not shout about APIs or algo frameworks, but under the surface, there’s more going on than you might expect.

And if you’ve found yourself torn between IBKR’s transparency and Pepperstone’s usability, IG might offer a third path worth exploring.

Pros.

What impresses me about IG Markets is their versatility in platform options.

Beyond the standard MetaTrader offering, IG provides access to TradingView, ProRealTime, and L2 Dealer – creating an impressive toolkit for different automated trading approaches.

Let’s break down why these matter:

TradingView integration allows you to execute automated strategies through one of the most popular charting platforms in the world.

The Pine Script language lets you create custom indicators and strategies with a much gentler learning curve than MQL5 in MT5.

While IBKR offers similar API access, IG’s implementation is more user-friendly and doesn’t require the same level of programming expertise.

ProRealTime is where IG truly differentiates itself.

This platform offers one of the most powerful backtesters in retail trading, with the ability to code automated systems in ProscriptRLG language.

Its latest update allows more granular strategy development and automatic execution with native OOP scripting, making it closer to MQL5.

IBKR is the only other platform on the list to offer similar functionality.

However, this requires significantly more technical know-how compared to ProRealTime’s more accessible interface.

L2 Dealer is available for equities and forex, giving you visibility into the full order book and allowing you to place, amend, and cancel orders directly within the market. This level of control is usually reserved for institutional traders.

Unlike IBKR, which often requires third-party platforms or API integration to unlock similar functionality, IG delivers it within a single, streamlined interface, paired with browser-based ProRealTime scripting tools for strategy automation.

Just keep in mind: while IG’s DMA is user-friendly, it’s also more limited in scope – IBKR offers DMA access to a much broader range of asset classes.

But if your focus is primarily on shares or currencies, IG gives you a clean, accessible way to trade with precision – without the technical overhead.

Cons.

One of IG’s trade-offs is that while it offers serious tools, it doesn’t go as deep or wide as Interactive Brokers or Pepperstone.

As I mentioned, L2 dealer is only available on equities and forex.

If you’re looking to build automated strategies around commodities, crypto, or derivatives, this may be prohibitive.

Similarly, while ProRealTime is powerful, it’s a closed ecosystem.

There’s also no native support for third-party platforms like MetaTrader in Australia, which could be a deal-breaker for those already using EAs.

In short, IG is streamlined and smart, but it’s not open-source. It’s ideal if you want control without complexity, but less so if you’re looking to push the boundaries of custom automation.

In addition, spreads on standard accounts are also not the tightest in market, particularly if you’re trading outside of major forex pairs.

But for those scaling up automated strategies, the lack of ultra-low raw spreads or commission-based pricing may eat into performance over time.

And if your trading eventually outgrows ProRealTime’s ecosystem, the path to more advanced customisation isn’t as clear as it is with a broker, such as Pepperstone, that supports Python, APIs, or MT4/5.

Verdict.

IG won’t be the flashiest name on this list, but that’s part of its strength.

It’s a broker built on trust, transparency, and solid infrastructure, with just enough modern tooling to support meaningful automation.

For traders who want direct market access without a complex setup, or who are curious about scripting but not ready to dive into code-heavy environments, IG offers a clean and credible middle ground.

It’s not ideal for MT4/5 users or those chasing raw spreads and open-source flexibility.

But for automation-minded traders who value simplicity, structure, and regulation, IG is a platform that’s easy to grow with, and hard to outgrow too quickly.

Wide range of automated tools supporting both beginners and experts
Strong industry reputation backed by extensive market access
✘ Lacks the customisation of some of its competitors
✘ Higher costs may be a dealbreaker for high-frequency or FX traders

6. Eightcap.

Great alternative to Pepperstone and AvaTrade.

Now for something genuinely different.

Eightcap is carving out a niche for traders who want algorithmic strategies without writing a single line of code.

While it doesn’t carry the name recognition of giants like IG or IBKR, Eightcap has quietly become one of the most accessible platforms for automation-first traders.

By integrating tools like Capitalise.ai (for natural-language strategy creation) and TradingView (for script-based trading with Pine Script), it’s bridging the gap between low-code convenience and serious automation.

Pros.

What makes Eightcap stand out is its partnership with Capitalise.ai – a platform that lets you build automated strategies using plain English.

No coding, no scripting, just logic and execution. It’s a genuinely low-friction way into algo trading.

Combine that with support for both MT4 and MT5, plus surprisingly tight spreads on forex pairs, and Eightcap starts to look like a very approachable option – especially given it’s one of the smaller names on this list.

Cons.

One noticeable gap in Eightcap’s offering is the lack of a copy trading feature – something most other brokers on this list include in some form.

While its no-code automation tools lower the barrier to entry, they still assume a certain comfort level with strategy building.

As a result, I can see Eightcap serving as a stepping stone into the world of algo trading – only to lose clients later to many of the other platforms on this list which offer richer ecosystems.

For a broker targeting newcomers to algorithmic trading, there’s surprisingly little structured learning support, though the recent rollout of webinars suggests that may be changing.

Finally, while Capitalise.ai is an excellent entry point, its logic remains fairly basic.

Users have noted that features like portfolio rebalancing, multi-timeframe triggers, or advanced position management aren’t yet supported.

Verdict.

Eightcap is the dark horse in Australia’s automated trading scene.

Their no-code approach through Capitalise.ai makes algorithmic trading accessible to everyone, not just those with programming backgrounds.

However, this is pretty much all it offers, so it will not be suitable for everyone.

Revolutionary no-code automation through Capitalise.ai
Support for both MT4 and MT5 with competitive spreads
✘ No copy/social trading feature
✘ Fewer educational resources for algorithmic traders

7. Vantage.

Good automated trading platform for CFD traders.

Last but certainly not least is Vantage.

It’s an automated trading platform that’s laser-focused on creating the ideal environment for MetaTrader algorithmic traders, while also supporting TradingView integration for those scripting in Pine.

It doesn’t try to do everything – and that’s its edge.

If your focus is running EAs on MT4/5, or building strategies via TradingView, Vantage offers one of the most optimised environments around.

In that sense, it’s closest in spirit to Pepperstone – but there are key differences in infrastructure and positioning that set the two apart.

Pros.

Where Vantage truly shines is its commission structure.

At $3 per lot per side on RAW accounts (vs Pepperstone’s $3.50), it offers one of the lowest-cost environments for algorithmic traders in Australia.

For high-frequency strategies executing hundreds of trades, that small difference compounds fast.

Vantage also stands out in how it handles infrastructure.

While Pepperstone is known for fast execution, Vantage has tuned its servers specifically for MT4 Expert Advisors, helping reduce latency where it matters most.

And finally, there’s a philosophical difference: Vantage is generally more permissive toward aggressive EA strategies, including scalping during volatile conditions.

That might sound like a small detail, but if you’re running a tight, latency-sensitive system, it could be the difference between scaling and stalling.

Cons.

The trade-off for Vantage’s laser focus on MT4 is a less polished experience for MT5 users.

If you’re planning to migrate from MT4 or want to run strategies across both platforms, Pepperstone’s dual-platform support is noticeably smoother.

Vantage also doesn’t integrate with DupliTrade or similar copy trading tools, which may limit those who want to blend automated and social trading strategies.

For a broker catering to algorithmic traders, its resources feel relatively light – particularly compared to Pepperstone’s structured guides and third-party content partnerships.

Lastly, while Vantage’s liquidity network is solid, it doesn’t quite match Pepperstone’s deeper Tier-1 pool, which means spreads can occasionally widen during volatile or thin markets.

It’s a small detail – but one that matters more the tighter your system’s tolerances become.

Verdict.

Vantage isn’t trying to be everything to everyone – and that’s exactly why it works.

For traders who live inside MT4 and want a broker that’s built for speed, precision, and expert advisor compatibility, it delivers.

With tight commissions, latency-tuned infrastructure, and a more permissive stance toward aggressive EA strategies, Vantage is tailored for performance-focused automation.

It may lack some of the hybrid tools, platform breadth, or educational depth of competitors like Pepperstone, but for those who know exactly what they want – and want it to run fast – Vantage is an efficient, purpose-built solution.

More competitive commission structure than Pepperstone
Server infrastructure specifically optimised for MT4 Expert Advisors
✘ Less developed MT5 offering compared to Pepperstone
✘ No DupliTrade integration for complimentary copy trading options

Final Word On The Best Automated Trading Platforms In Australia.

So there you have it – the seven best automated trading platforms available to Australian traders in 2026.

It’s a lot of information to digest, and your perfect match depends entirely on what you’re looking for. Here’s my two cents on where each platform shines:

What’s The Difference Between MT4 And MT5?

Quick point regarding MetaTrader and specifically, the difference between MT4 and MT5.

Tom

Do you care that Alex Harper and Angus Goldman founded Swyftx?

I certainly don’t. It’s irrelevant.

These reviews keep you stuck in analysis paralysis, as you try to decide on the best crypto trading platform.

Meanwhile, the Bitcoin price keeps marching upwards.

In this guide, I ranked and reviewed the 9 best Australian crypto exchanges and highlighted my #1 choice for January 2026, so that you can start buying Bitcoin and your favourite altcoins sooner.

But before I unpack each crypto exchange in detail, here are my controversial discoveries that the crypto platforms don’t want you to know:

Let me reiterate before I get stuck into comparing the platforms: don’t get distracted by irrelevant details.

Coinspot is headquartered in Melbourne, while Coinbase is 100% remote.

Meaningless.

Kraken offers 480 currencies while Swyftx offers 440.

A distraction.

What matters are the following 5 criteria – in their order.

*Complete criteria available at the bottom of the article.

1. Coinbase Advanced.

Best overall crypto exchange in Australia.

People love to hate Coinbase.

I know I did.

Yet, it’s the biggest crypto exchange in the US.

And second only to Binance worldwide when measured by trading volume.

It’s also publicly traded. Yes, you can see snazzy SEC filings and quarterly reports – if that makes you feel safer.

Regulatory misdemeanours?

UK’s FCA fined Coinbase $3.5m in 2024 for minor regulatory breaches. And it’s been in a battle with the SEC in the US for quite a few years. But it looks like it’s a battle they may win.

Coinbase has also suffered two hacks. Most recent, in 2025, was a minor data leak that exposed less than 1% of its customer accounts.

The more concerning incident happened in 2021, when hackers bypassed 2FA on 6,000 Coinbase accounts to steal funds.

Coinbase does flex its $255 insurance policy, but it only covers funds that sit on the exchange’s hot wallets.

Less than 5% of the exchange’s assets ever sit in these, so the odds of you needing to trigger this cover are low.

Last but not least, Coinbase doesn’t offer a Proof Of Reserves, nor does it hold the sexy ISO 27001 certification.

Pros.

You’re greeted by an easy signup process – the smoothest among all crypto exchanges in this review.

Coinbase offers you two tiers:

I never use the standard Coinbase for the same reason I always use Kraken Pro instead of standard Kraken (see below). The fees are outrageous.

The default login is into the standard Coinbase, which tempts you with a big “Buy” button. Be careful with this one.

Since you’re not interacting directly with the order book, you’ll pay a terrible spread (usually 2%) on top of platform fees.

Besides, the interface isn’t as advanced as the name implies.

Fees at Coinbase Advanced are roughly 15-40% higher than on the absolute cheapest crypto exchange in Australia – Kraken Pro. )

But they’re balanced by the exchange’s 2X larger trading volume and 20% more liquidity.

And they’re still very low.

And they’re far cheaper than what you get on Swyftx and eToro.

Coinbase rewards you nicely for two things:

Above: Coinbase Advanced uses a maker/taker model with volume discounts.

What you see in the table above is what you’ll pay. Coinbase Advanced doesn’t charge a spread on top of this fee.

Notice the huge discount you can obtain by avoiding Market orders and trading a decent volume.

A Market order at the first tier attracts a hefty 1.2% fee. Meanwhile, a Limit order at $1,000 volume attracts a measly 0.35%.

You get the usual AI-powered chat within the interface.

But if you want to speak with a human, you can say “speak with a human agent” and the app will acquiesce.

When I tested this feature, I was connected to a support team member in under 1 minute.

She definitely wasn’t based in Australia – judging by her somewhat canned and overly gushy tone – but that’s a minor quibble. She was competent and eager to help.

Cons.

Coinbase’s mobile app is starting to show its age. It looks overdue for an update – especially when compared side-by-side with eToro’s and Kraken’s sleek apps.

As I said elsewhere in this article, I haven’t placed much emphasis on UX in this review – because I expect it to be excellent. We’re in 2026, people.

But I felt that Coinbase’s app deserved mention. It needs to pull up its socks.

(Its desktop app, however, is outstanding).

In theory, you get zero trading fees (up to a certain limit, depending on your monthly fee), a staking rewards boost and a few other minor perks.

But that’s not worth it, as it only applies to trades with standard Coinbase.

So you’ll overpay on nasty spreads – only to have the privilege of trading fees removed in exchange for a monthly retainer.

No thanks.

It’s the only blemish on an otherwise impressive safety record (the 2025 hack led to a loss of some customer data – not funds – so I’m less concerned about it).

Verdict.

Coinbase Advanced is the best crypto trading platform in Australia.

(Standard Coinbase, meanwhile, is very convenient, but overpriced. I’d avoid it at all costs – unless I was a total crypto newb who is terrified of technology).

Toggle Advanced on in the bottom left corner of the Coinbase interface after logging in to unlock low fees and a more powerful trading interface.

You’ll pay less than 0.35% on most trades (assuming Maker orders, trading volume of above $1,000/month), which is very competitive. Not as low as what you get with Kraken Pro, but close.

And you get far more liquidity.

Publicly listed exchange
Huge liquidity
Low fees with maker/taker fee model (around 0.5%).
✘ Not as cheap as Kraken Pro
✘ Had a security breach

2. Kraken Pro.

2nd best crypto exchange in Australia.

Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the oldest crypto exchanges in the world.

It’s also one of the safest. If not THE safest.

The former, brought by the SEC, was later dropped with no admission of wrongdoing. It was later described as a “politically motivated campaign” by Kraken.

The latter suit, won by ASIC, alleged that Kraken was promoting its margin lending product too enthusiastically.

A minor regulatory quibble in my view.

Your funds are not insured, but that’s pretty standard in the crypto space. Only Coinbase offers this as a perk.

Kraken is not a publicly traded company, so you don’t get access to SEC filings, but it does offer Proof of Reserves – arguably a better security measure.

It means an independent accounting firm confirms that the platform holds the assets it claims on behalf of clients.

It’s an international gold standard for security management.

Pros.

The account setup process is streamlined. You jump through a couple of KYC hoops (personal details, photo ID and mugshot) and you get full access to the crypto trading platform.

Expect it to take 15 minutes max.

All the usual free AUD onramps and offramps are available – PayID, Bank Transfer/Osko, or BSB/Account Number.

Speaking of fees, Kraken’s are out-bloody-standing. They’re:

I’ll talk about fees in detail in a moment, but before I do, a strong recommendation –

The best thing is – as with Coinbase Advanced, it doesn’t cost you anything extra. You simply have to log in to it.

Here’s the fee breakdown on Kraken Pro. The higher your trading volume is, the more you’ll save:

Above: Kraken offers even larger volume discounts, all the way up to $0 fees for $100m volume. Yep, if you’re a baller placing $100m of maker orders every month, you won’t pay any fees at all.

If you qualify as a wholesale investor, Kraken will offer you margin trading on FIAT currency.

But this isn’t available to crypto bros working full-time as baristas.

You’ll need to pass a high means test (assets of at least $2.5m or a salary of $250K for 2+ years).

Or you need to be a licensed finance professional.

But if you wish to trade crypto on margin (e.g., borrowing ETH to open a 4X long position on BTC), no further checks are required.

Kraken charges between 0.01% and 0.02% of the order value to open a margin trade. Plus the same amount again as rollover fees every 4 hours.

If this sounds over your head, it probably is. Stick to trading non-leveraged long positions.

I personally never dabble in leveraged trading, as I find it too risky.

Cons.

Like standard Coinbase, the standard Kraken is expensive. You’ll pay a 1% trading fee plus spreads. Yes, the simple trading interface is tempting, but you get ripped off.

You may be tempted to sign up to Kraken+, which is a subscription that offers reduced fee trading and other perks on standard Kraken.

Don’t.

You’ll pay $4.99/month to waive fees on up to $10K in trading volume – but you’ll still pay hidden spreads.

Unnecessarily.

Kraken offers AI live chat support that can route you to a human support agent.

I tested it with a classic “speak with a human” request. It did – eventually – but made me jump through quite a few annoying qualifying questions.

But once connected, Kraken’s human support agent was competent and enthusiastic. No complaints.

My last complaint is that Kraken’s website promises the ability to buy stocks and ETFs.

That would be excellent, as it’d allow us to use a single platform for both equities and crypto assets.

Verdict.

Kraken Pro is one of the best crypto trading platforms in Australia. It’s definitely the cheapest.

Its mobile app is excellent – and far better than Coinbase’s and Swyftx’s.

Its security credentials are top-notch, and the platform has never been hacked (this is rare).

But the real hook? The rock-bottom fees.

I can’t think of any other crypto exchange that will charge me only 0.4% for a market order. Or an even more ridiculous 0.25% for a limit order.

Never been hacked
Rock-bottom fees on Kraken Pro
Intuitive interface
✘ Stock trading is not available in Australia
✘ Kraken+ is pointless (just use Pro)

3. Swyftx.

Best crypto platform for absolute beginners.

Founded 7 years ago in 2017, Australian-based Swyftx has never reported a hack or a lawsuit.

Mazel tov!

Like Coinbase, it doesn’t insure your funds, nor is it a publicly traded company.

But it does hold the coveted ISO27001 certification and offers a Proof of Reserves.

Pros.

Signup process is painless. Just have your Australian license or passport ready, and you’ll be up and running within 15 minutes.

I prefer Coinbase’s and Kraken’s – by a slight margin – because they look cleaner. But all are equally easy to navigate (and eToro’s is even easier – see below).

Swyftx won’t charge you fees to make deposits and withdrawals, and offers the usual on / offramps – direct bank transfer, PayID, OSKO.

You can also use VISA debit cards, but will get stung with a 1.895% fee (Only financially illiterate people do this).

But let’s talk about the juicy stuff – Swyftx’s trading fees.

Higher than Coinbase’s, they’re reasonable – but not for everyone. You’ll pay:

I don’t love this model, but I take my hat off to Swyftx for making the spreads transparent. You can easily look them up on this page.

For your convenience, below are a few spreads you can expect to pay (correct as of 5th January 2026).

As a rough guide, you’ll pay between 1.6% and 2.7% total fee each side for mainstream coins, and up to 5% per side for more exotic pairs.

But because I dollar-cost-average and hold my assets, I don’t find these fees to be a deal-breaker.

Swyftx offers discounts on trading fees for high-volume traders, but these are borderline laughable for two reasons:

Swyftx used to offer both phone and ticket support, but in early 2025 switched to live chat support only.

Powered by Intercom, it makes you jump through a couple of small AI bot hoops before connecting you with a human support agent.

Their responses are on point, and their English is fluent (and not robotic).

Wait times are usually 15 minutes or less. 

And they always follow up to make sure you’re happy. Great touch, Swyftx.

Cons.

Swyftx’s main downside is its moderately high fees, which I’ve unpacked in the section above. Apart from that, I only have one (minor) complaint.

Like Coinbase Advanced, Swyftx doesn’t give you access to stocks or ETFs. Copy trading and margin trading aren’t available, either.

Overall.

Swyftx is the best choice for people just starting in the cryptocurrency market.

The reasonable 0.6% + spread fee model, simple interface and outstanding Australian-based support make it appealing to people willing to pay slightly higher fees in exchange for convenience.

However, if you’re an experienced trader seeking more than just buying and selling options, you’re better off with Coinbase Advanced.

Never been hacked or sued
Transparent 0.6% + spread fee model
Intuitive single interface
✘ 0.6% + spread fees are on the higher side.
✘ No access to margin, copy trading or equities.

4. eToro.

Best crypto broker for building a diversified portfolio.

eToro ranks high in my review of top crypto exchanges because it’s the only platform here to offer copy trading features and access to stocks, ETFs, commodities and futures).

10,000 other assets, to be exact. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

But the platform reported one data leak in 2020 that resulted in the sale of customer data from 62,0000 accounts on hacking forums. Another minor DDoS attack also happened back in 2009.

ASIC sued eToro in 2023 – but not over crypto.

Like Kraken, eToro got a little too excited about pushing leveraged products (CFDs) to Aussie punters. ASIC gave it a good old-fashioned slap on the wrist and a stern warning.

The platform doesn’t offer Proof Of Reserves, nor is it publicly traded.

But it keeps your funds offline in cold storage while holding the ISO 27001 certification.

$1m insurance may give you peace of mind, but it doesn’t protect you against data breaches. It covers you against the unlikely event of eToro’s insolvency.

Pros.

No other platform on this list makes joining and trading as simple as eToro.

There’s something almost toy-like about eToro’s UI. It looks more like a social media platform than a ‘serious’ money-making tool.

eToro’s target audience is time-poor beginner investors not willing to wade through endless questions during signup.

Nor are they planning to learn Fibonacci retracements or stepwise regressions.

Rather, they sign up to eToro for its flagship feature – copy trading.

eToro’s flagship feature, however, is copy trading.

This is the reason you’re paying (the somewhat hefty) 1% to trade crypto on the platform. In addition to the modest (0.75%-2%) spread on most coins.

Copy trading allows you to mimic the moves of successful (often professional) investors on eToro.

Why do I love this feature?

Time.

Saving of time, specifically.

I don’t pretend to be a sophisticated investor, and I have better things to do with my life than obsess over resistance and support levels.

eToro’s second major selling point is its access to the world of equities. You don’t need to manage your stock and crypto portfolios separately. Everything can live under one roof.

Cons.

One of eToro’s most significant disadvantages for Australian investors is the need for currency conversion.

eToro’s base currency is USD, so Australian users pay a hefty FX spread of 1.5% when depositing AUD.

The good news? I discovered two little-known hacks for avoiding this fee.

The first reduces your fees to zero as your portfolio grows.

The second bypasses the fee altogether.

Instead of depositing AUD into my eToro account from my Australian bank account, I do this:

Revolut has multiple pricing tiers (from $0 to $29/month), and these determine monthly transfer limits and fee discounts.

But these are far lower than eToro’s currency spreads. On top of its 1% crypto fee. On top of its crypto spreads.

eToro also falls behind dedicated crypto exchanges in the number of cryptocurrencies on the menu.

Kraken, Coinbase and Swyftx offer 400+ of coins, but eToro offers only about 100.

Last but not least, eToro’s customer support is good – but limited to email/ticket mode only. No live chat option at all. You’ll likely have to wait overnight to get a response.

Overall.

eToro is an oddball in this group. First, it’s not a crypto exchange at all. It’s a stock trading platform that also offers access to crypto markets.

Moreover, it’s a stock trading platform with best-in-class copy trading features.

And herein lies its appeal.

It uniquely offers something no other crypto exchange does – copy trading features that save you time.

Rather than endlessly looking for the right coin to buy at the right time in the cycle, you can choose an investor you trust (their historical metrics are available for all to see) and delegate your investing decisions to them.

Best of all, you’re not limited to crypto. eToro can be the one-stop-shop for all of your tradable assets. These include equities, futures, options and commodities.

Copy trading features
Excellent security credentials
Access to 10,000 assets apart from crypto
✘ Hefty currency conversion fee on every deposit (I show you how to dodge it above).
✘ Ticket-based customer support

Disclaimer: Crypto assets are unregulated & highly speculative. No consumer protection. Capital at risk.

5. Coinspot.

Easy to use, but unnecessarily expensive.

Aussie traders searching for the best Australian crypto exchange can’t ignore CoinSpot.

Melbourne-based and founded in 2013, CoinSpot has earned a reputation for providing a “safe as houses” crypto trading environment.

Pros.

CoinSpot has some of the best security measures in the business to ensure your money and cryptoassets are secure.

I love that CoinSpot looks after Aussie crypto traders by supporting inexpensive local payment methods.

Some crypto apps on this list (see below) operate in USD or charge deposit fees for AUD deposits.

However, CoinSpot offers free AUD deposits through PayID, POLi, and EFT bank transfers.

Staking is also available.

You can stake 21 coins to make passive income through crypto interest. The cryptos in the CoinSpot Earn Program (fancy name for staking on CoinSpot) include – but are not limited to –

Into NFTs?

No problem.

CoinSpot offers you access to the vast NFT marketplace OpenSea. You can buy and sell NFTs using digital currencies in your crypto wallet.

This is a huge bonus compared to competitor crypto exchanges that require certain coins or fiat currencies for NFT purchases, and triggering hefty currency exchange fees in the process.

This exchange’s desktop site and mobile apps offer intuitive, uncluttered dashboards that make learning the ropes easy and getting help when needed.

Users can chat with customer support 24/7 and submit service tickets through the Help Desk.

Cons.

Coinspot charges a low 0.1% commission on market orders. But this is misleading. A huge (often 2%+) spread is baked in on top.

CoinSpot is also not the best option for advanced traders looking to create a diversified portfolio of CFDs, shares or ETFs.

Only crypto assets are available. Leverage on crypto assets isn’t available, either.

However, users cannot use an international card, American Express card, crypto debit card, or prepaid card as a payment method on CoinSpot.

Using a debit or credit card also includes a fee of 2.58%, the highest deposit fees on this platform.

Overall.

Coinspot is a decent exchange for beginner and intermediate traders. Experienced traders, however, may desire more features.

And you’ll overpay on fees.

For example, if you’re building a sophisticated portfolio and need to keep all your assets (both crypto and stocks) under one roof, eToro is the better choice (see below).

Easy to use interface
Fantastic range of tradable crypto assets
✘ High fees (hidden under 0.1% fee BS)
✘ Crypto assets only. No access to equities, futures, CFDs or options

6. ByBit.

Excellent crypto platform for advanced traders.

If you have experience trading crypto and need the best crypto app for derivatives trading and margin trading, ByBit is an excellent choice.

Founded in 2018, ByBit offers Aussie traders a unique cryptocurrency exchange with margin trading and derivatives trading opportunities.

You enjoy a full suite of trading tools and features, including a copy trading program, an NFT market, and a Rewards Hub where you can earn cash awards for completing specific tasks.

Pros.

ByBit was created as a derivatives trading platform and has grown into a popular crypto exchange with more than 2 million registered accounts.

This crypto exchange is #3 on my list of the best cryptocurrency apps in Australia mainly due to its margin trading capabilities.

Advanced traders with high risk tolerances should consider this platform for margin and derivatives trading opportunities.

Not many crypto exchanges offer margin trading, and those that do often have low leverage maximums of 5x to 20x.

Experienced traders seeking insight into cryptocurrency price movement without owning coins can trade in crypto derivatives. ByBit offers:

The derivatives market on ByBit includes more than 150 available contracts.

ByBit expanded users’ trading abilities in 2021 when it began offering spot trading.

This addition was a natural response to popular demand, with many other exchanges offering a crypto spot market. ByBit provides more than 220 coins users can trade against USDT.

Cons.

Australian traders must use ByBit’s fiat gateway to buy the USDT, BTC, and ETH to be traded on the marketplace.

Luckily, the fiat gateway accepts many deposit methods, including Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Visa, Mastercard, bank transfer, PayID, and more.

Before purchasing the fiat gateway, review the service provider and their fees to manage your expectations.

This exchange lacks the regulation of other crypto apps, which means riskier trading for users.

Lack of regulation means users do not need to verify their identities before buying and selling crypto on the exchange.

Although ByBit doesn’t require verification, it does restrict withdrawals and deposits for users who have yet to pass a KYC (know your customer/client) check.

Users can pass a level one check with a government-issued ID and a selfie and a level two check with proof of address, such as a bank account statement or utility bill with their name and address.

Lastly, ByBit doesn’t offer fiat currency markets, so investors who want to trade in fiat-based assets may choose another exchange.

Overall.

ByBit is a top exchange for traders interested in crypto derivatives and margins.

Beginner traders may not prefer this platform’s complexity, but experienced traders enjoy its variety of highly scalable trading instruments and customisable, robust trading interface.

Users can trade on desktops or on the go through the high-performance mobile app available on Android and iOS, hailed by many as the best crypto trading app for Australian traders.

I recommend ByBit to crypto traders with some experience who want to explore trading opportunities beyond spot trading and enjoy competitive trading fees.

Access to 100X leverage
Low fees
✘ Clunky funds deposit process

7. Binance.

Great for advanced traders, but hard to trust after its legal troubles.

Experienced crypto traders who want access to the largest crypto exchange in the world by trading volume look to Binance, an exchange platform launched in 2017.

Many users consider this well-known crypto exchange the best cryptocurrency app in Australia: it supports more than 600 cryptocurrencies and has a list of trading features, including spot trading and futures trading.

Pros.

The main differentiator for Binance is its size.

This cryptocurrency exchange boasts more than 120 million registered users and a massive 24-hour trading volume of $38 billion.

Traders on Binance don’t have to worry about limited liquidity or a lack of trading opportunities with hundreds of cryptocurrencies on the platform.

This crypto exchange also offers a wide range of trading features, including spot trading, margin trading, P2P trading, futures trading, derivatives trading, and staking.

Users can use staking options to earn interest on idle coins through the Simple Earn feature.

Traders on this platform can also buy and sell NFTs or mint their own NFTs on the NFT marketplace.

With a Visa card from Binance, users can spend their held crypto at more than 60 million merchants around the globe and earn 8% cash back on eligible purchases.

This card doesn’t include annual fees, foreign exchange fees, or ATM withdrawal fees.

Binance sets itself apart from other crypto apps in Australia by providing three interface options:

Finally, I must address Binance’s impressive response to the 2019 cyber attack that stole $40 million of Bitcoin from the platform.

It’s fair to assume Binance would not still be the largest crypto exchange in the world had the company not illustrated its willingness to protect users from financial loss.

Cons.

Binance does fall short in some regards as an Australian cryptocurrency exchange.

Traders in Australia don’t have access to the platform’s margin trading features, so Aussie traders looking for this feature may want to choose another crypto exchange like ByBit.

The Binance app is also not the most user-friendly platform for new crypto traders with little to no experience.

However, if you have the time and motivation to learn a somewhat complex platform, Binance is a full-featured exchange with low trading fees and a vast selection of cryptocurrencies.

Some reviewers report losses due to phishing scams on the platform. Unfortunately, scammers exist on every investment platform, not just crypto exchanges.

Lastly, Binance is licenced to provide crypto exchange services to Australia by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (AUSTRAC) but lacks registration with other regulatory bodies in Australia.

Overall.

If you join the hundreds of millions of users on Binance, you can access your account on your computer or through the mobile app on your Android or iOS device.

Traders who make many daily trades enjoy this platform’s wide variety of trading features, low trading fees, and deep liquidity.

You can expand your crypto trading opportunities with this trusted crypto app.

If you’re an experienced crypto trader looking for advanced features and frequent trading within a very liquid marketplace, Binance is your best crypto exchange.

8. Crypto.com.

Trusted, large brand – but too expensive.

Another excellent choice for high security and trading feature variety is Crypto.com. You may try this crypto app if you’re looking for a beginner-friendly global exchange with 0% buying and selling commission fees.

Crypto.com was founded in 2016 and has quickly grown to one of the top crypto exchanges with more than 70 million worldwide users.

I couldn’t create a list of the best crypto apps without including this one due to its sheer variety of crypto assets and other perks, like the Crypto.com Visa Card and great staking options available to Australian users.

Pros.

One of the main benefits of Crypto.com is the Visa Card, a prepaid card available to users staking the exchange’s token, CRO. The more money the user has staked in CRO, the better the perks.

Potential perks include cashback and rebates on Spotify, Netflix, Prime, and more.

Other benefits of this crypto app include the following:

Users with questions and concerns can contact customer support through email and live chat. Like other exchanges on this list, reviews on customer service quality vary.

Cons.

Crypto.com suffered a major hacking event in 2022, making some users hesitant to use this exchange. Since the attack, the company has reportedly improved its security.

Other drawbacks of Crypto.com include the following:

If you want to purchase crypto coins and other assets using your desktop computer, Crypto.com isn’t the best cryptocurrency exchange in Australia.

Users spending AUD must use the Crypto.com mobile app for Android and iOS due to a lack of support on the desktop version.

Overall.

Despite its accessibility limitations for Aussie traders, Crypto.com offers a user-friendly cryptocurrency exchange with robust features and ample opportunities to earn rewards.

If you use your phone or another mobile device for most of your financial apps, being limited to mobile may not bother you as much as it would for some users.

I highly recommend this app for experienced traders who want to earn passive income and reap the benefits of the Crypto.com Visa Card.

9. KuKoin.

This is a new crypto exchange that recently caught my attention. Apparently, it’s great for altcoins. I’ll report back on it soon.

5-Point Checklist For Choosing The Best Crypto Trading Platform.

Don’t get distracted by irrelevant details.

These are the only details that matter. In their order of appearance below.

1. Security. Security. Security. (Non-Negotiable).

You need to feel confident that your exchange takes security seriously.

This is the most important criterion, as a total loss of your funds to a bad actor means you’re unlikely to ever see your money again.

Here’s what matters:

I’m also a huge fan of background checks. Google your exchange with words like “lawsuit” and “hack”. What shows up?

Minor regulatory quibbles? (To be expected in an emerging industry like crypto).

Or major class action lawsuits brought by customers who lost their money?

Also, how many times has the exchange been hacked during its lifetime? Kraken, for example, is one of the oldest (14 years old) and has never been hacked. That’s an excellent track record.

2. Low Trading Fees. (Mandatory).

Crypto exchanges love to hide their fees behind layers of BS.

As a rule of thumb, the more convenient the trade is, the more you’ll pay in fees.

See that big blue “Buy Crypto” or “Instant “Buy” button in the top right corner?

Use it, and you’re likely to pay up to 4% in fees.

And you’ll need to pay the same again to get out of your position.

The sneakiest fee is the spread. Exchanges don’t often display it as a separate line item. They simply bake it into the price of the asset.

Only Kraken Pro in my list above doesn’t charge spreads on top of their trading fees – making it the most transparent and the cheapest crypto exchange.

The least important fees are fixed deposit and withdrawal fees.

Don’t fret about those. Most large exchanges don’t charge them. And the ones that do, the fee is only around $5 – a tiny amount in the grand scheme of things.

3. Live Customer Service. (Highly Desirable).

All major crypto platfoms offer AI-powered chatbots and/or knowledgebases.

But you’ll need human support at some point. Trust me on this one.

Some will redirect you almost instantly. The human on the other side will be smart, well-trained and able to go beyond canned responses.

Others will make you jump through qualifying questions. The agent will struggle with English and simply send you links to existing knowledgebase articles, which you could have Googled yourself.

4. Features. (Nice to have).

People get obsessed with comparing features.

How many coins does the exchange give you access to? Does it have margin lending features (that you’ll never use).

Does it offer staking?

Most of these features are “nice to have” for advanced traders, and completely unnnecessary for beginners.

5. Ease Of Use. (Tablestakes).

This is 2026, people. A crypto trading platform with an unfriendly interface will go bankrupt quickly.

Excellent user interfaces are now the norm – not the exception.

Yes, some are better than others (e.g., Kraken’s mobile app is more user-friendly, powerful and faster than Coinbase’s).

But if I didn’t see Kraken’s app, I’d think Coinbase’s was pretty good.

Don’t fret about this one.

What Is The Safest Way To Buy Bitcoin In Australia?

Prices for Bitcoin went crazy in 2021, then they came crashing down.

You can lose a lot of money if you don’t buy Bitcoin the proper way, so let me share with you how I think about it:

Are Australian Crypto Exchanges Better Than Global Exchanges?

No.

In the past, crypto exchanges headquartered in Australia had to be registered with AUSTRAC, and global exchanges were exempt from such regulation.

Fast forward to 2026, and all global exchanges I recommended in this review operate through Australian companies.

For example, Binance operates through Binance Australia ABN 98 621 652 579, and is registered with AUSTRAC.

When trading on the best global exchanges, you effectively trade through their Australian subsidiaries – and are protected by AUSTRAC’s Anti-money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF) laws.

Steven

I exaggerate, of course. But keeping on top of passwords has become an administrative nightmare – in our personal and professional lives.

You don’t need that kind of headache. You need a password manager that works across multiple devices and operating systems.

1. NordPass.

Monthly Paid Plans Starting At $1.29.

Nord is arguably one of the most reputable companies in the online privacy and security sector.

Their encryption algorithm is one of the most advanced and safest in the market. Here’s why I love using NordPass above all else.

Pros.

Unlike many password managers, NordPass has no storage limits on how many secure passwords you can use. Dashlane’s free account only lets you use up to 25 passwords.

NordPass also captures addresses, phone numbers, and credit card information, so you don’t need to key in those every time you submit a form.

It syncs beautifully between different ecosystems – say, if you’re using Windows on your laptop and iOS and Android apps on your smartphone.

Total Password (which features in this review) doesn’t give you that functionality. If you’re unfamiliar with SSO, you can sign in once and gain access to multiple independent apps – and once only!

It’s such a bore-fest when you’re starting your working day, and have to log into several independent systems, all with unique passwords and usernames.

You can also set up NordPass with two-factor authentication (highly recommended!) – which is massive peace of mind if your master password falls into the wrong hands.

It’s quick and easy to perform a scan, and the intuitive dashboard makes it easy to identify and troubleshoot any existing passwords that need changing.

Lastly, you can store up to 3GB of secure notes (company accounts, classified documents, intellectual property, strategic plans, etc.) that you want to keep out of the public domain but away from shared network drives like OneDrive and Dropbox.

That’s more storage space than any other in this review.

Cons.

NordPass’s biggest hindrance is its free version, which only allows you to stay logged in on one device at any time.

That’s a pain if you’re in the habit of using your smartphone and laptop while you work or go about your life admin.

There have been times when I’ve had to copy my password from NordPass manually, then paste it into my application because auto-fill decides to randomly take a snooze.

Doing this manually is going to cost you a few minutes.

It was my fault, though. I just needed to enter each app’s settings to grant permission to auto-fill and save the information.

Usually, you’re prompted when opening the software program, but that’s not the case with all apps.

The customer service team is uber-professional, though.

Verdict.

The features in the free version of NordPass are superb, yet the full product’s regular price is completely affordable.

The web scan feature is worth paying for the premium version.

The secure password-sharing feature is only available in premium plans, though, so if you want to share passwords with family members seamlessly, you’ll need to pay your tithe.

Besides, being unable to log in to multiple devices becomes a logistical challenge.

Nordpass Specifications.

2. LastPass.

Monthly Paid Prices Starting At $4.50.

LastPass is well-known for both the right and wrong reasons.

Before dropping truth bombs on their shortcomings, I want to share the best bits. LastPass made it into this review on merit, despite suffering a couple of rocky patches.

Pros.

LastPass’s enterprise options are great for medium to large businesses. Firstly, a word on compliance: LastPass is SOC 2, SOC 3, C5, ISO 27001, and GDPR compliant.

For example, Passwork, a password manager exclusively targeting businesses, confirmed that they “don’t have certificates and public security audits”.

They then proceeded to ask me to “clarify whether SOC 2 and ISO 27001 are ‘must-have’ features?”

I don’t doubt that they were trying to be helpful, but even asking me to clarify suggests they don’t know that businesses need this level of reassurance.

Without these external audits, there is no way of independently verifying the security standards of a company.

Unlike NordPass, which gives you access to a dashboard, LastPass notifies you if your information gets compromised through its dark web monitoring.

Business managers get access to a command centre to manage and monitor usage across the organisation for more robust compliance, auditing, and reporting.

Managers can also restrict access to specific devices and locations. There are over 100 policies you can mandate.

Access to this centrally is a huge time-saver because you can grant and revoke access to LastPass and all the applications within a user’s vault through your user directory.

LastPass’s free account also lets you share passwords with others, unlike NordPass’s free account.

Cons.

So, time to spill the tea.

In August 2022, LastPass suffered a security breach, which took LastPass’s security team four days to detect and shut down the attackers.

But back in 2015, LastPass was hacked, and the hackers gained access to email addresses, password reminders, and authentication hashes.

It’s not a great track record, but the most recent hack could be seen as a stress test. Even after four days of free rein in 2022, the hackers couldn’t access passwords and customer data.

The platform is closed-source, meaning it’s not possible to know if there are any vulnerabilities in the software.

Bitwarden (discussed later) is open-source software, meaning anyone can scrutinise the application’s code.

Open-source programs are transparent because they have nothing to hide.

The system in itself is good, although the user interface is a little drab and void of personality.

Annoyingly, if you want to get in touch with a sales or technical team, you’ve got to fill out a web form.

Verdict.

Do password managers deserve second (and third) chances? LassPass’s track record is hard to ignore.

Companies that value convenience will appreciate the features LastPass offers their team – as will individuals who can share credentials with their family members.

But security-conscious people should seek out an open-source platform like Bitwarden or Passwork.

LastPass Specifications.

3. Dashlane.

Monthly Paid Prices Starting At $3.33.

Dashlane is a great password manager that accommodates both large businesses and individuals.

It has some distinctive features that other password managers haven’t yet launched, so they’re ahead of the curve in many areas – yet they’re behind in other aspects of their basic infrastructure.

Pros.

Amongst all the usual features of a password manager (such as password generation, secure sharing, etc.), there are some aspects of Dashlane that few password managers offer.

ExpressVPN costs around $10.99 per month for just a VPN service.

And don’t forget that Nord offers a standalone VPN service.

It’s a shame they don’t do a bundle with a discount. So, Dashlane’s offering isn’t some gimmicky add-on. They’ve partnered with Hotspot Shield to offer a superb package.

Aside from the VPN bonus, Dashlane’s newest password feature is an absolute game-changer! You can change all your passwords at once with just one click.

It’s not hard to imagine a future in which it’s possible to do this for all your applications – and I would imagine Dashlane will be one of the earliest pioneers of that.

We know we’re supposed to change our passwords every three months or so, but it’s just not feasible when you have hundreds of online accounts.

While this feature is currently only available on PC and Mac, Dashlane is working on adding this functionality to its mobile apps.

Cheap as chips.

Conversely, LastPass charge $6 per month for a family plan and gives you only six seats.

Cons.

The price of Dashlane is slightly unappealing compared to the other competitors in this review – especially when some offer free plans, like Bitwarden.

Having said that, the real value is in team plans. The starter plan is $20, and you can have up to ten seats. Others out there, like LastPass, will slap you with a bill per user per month.

As with LastPass, there’s no direct phone line, but the live chat has limited operating hours. Better hope you never need to contact customer services.

You’ll need a business account for that.

You want a password manager to bring some sense of order, right? An endless list of passwords without folders adds a dash of chaos that you could do without.

It’s even harder to share your saved passwords with others, as each has to be done individually.

That’s going to cost you a lot of time, particularly if you’re using this for business purposes and in the habit of sharing entire folders of passwords with colleagues.

Also, if you’re looking for a password manager with a desktop app, Dashlane doesn’t support one. Check out LastPass or Bitwarden for a solid desktop app.

Verdict.

I want a password manager to bring order to my otherwise chaotic working habits.

If seeing an endless list of passwords in Dashlane will give you palpitations, choose a password manager that gives you control over how you store passwords and categorise them.

Dashlane is worth it if you haven’t yet jumped on the VPN bandwagon.

Dashlane Specifications.

4. Bitwarden.

Monthly Paid Prices Starting At $1.00.

Bitwarden is loved by the nerds in the developer community for its open-source stance (more on why that’s important shortly).

Their paid-for plan is one of the best value-for-money options on the market, and the free version is my all-time favourite.

Pros.

What’s not to love about unlimited password storage on unlimited devices?

Remember, Dashlane’s free account only allows you to store 25 passwords, and NordPass’s free account only allows you to log into one account at any time.

It’s genuinely one of those freemium services where you’ll never be forced or coerced into upgrading. Its free plan is the best on the market.

But here’s where it gets juicy, particularly if you’re a bit of an IT nerd. Bitwarden is open-source, meaning anyone can scrutinise the program’s code for potential issues or bugs.

Why is that important?

Apart from Passwork (discussed later), Bitwarden is the only open-source password manager in this review.

Being open-source means Bitwarden can offer a self-hosting option, which is fantastic (although relatively difficult to set up).

That means you can store all your passwords on your own server behind your own firewalls instead of on a password manager’s servers (Bitwarden’s, in this case).

Large companies will appreciate the additional security this offers.

Cons.

My biggest peeve? The autosave function.

I’ve found that the auto-filling and auto-saving of passwords can be temperamental on lesser-known sites and platforms.

Every now and then, you’ll need to manually dive into your password manager account and copy and paste the password. And this isn’t exclusive to the free plan.

While you can store secure notes, credit cards, and login details, other competitors like NordPass allow you to create custom options like addresses and Wi-Fi networks, so you have to shoehorn that information into an unrelated category.

As far as core features are concerned, the main reason why most need to upgrade to a premium version is that the free plan does not allow 2FA.

And if you’re looking to adopt Bitwarden owing to its open-source credentials, know that setting it up is not for the faint of heart.

Even though Bitwarden provides a solid tutorial for getting started, a lot of patience is required.

Verdict.

Those looking for a freebie need not look any further. Bitwarden is the best free password manager by a country mile.

It’s about as secure as they come (and generous with its features). It also has the greatest browser coverage.

If temperamental technology sends you into a rage, then you might want to consider NordPass, which is more reliable for auto-saving and auto-filling passwords.

Bitwarden Specifications.

5. Norton Password Manager.

No Monthly Paid Prices – Product Is Free.

Wait, what? Another freebie?

Norton is a dedicated password manager and, therefore, pretty standard in its features, but can you really complain when a product costs you absolutely nothing?

Pros.

Norton’s free password manager shouldn’t necessarily be compared like-for-like with the behemoths in this review.

If you want to access your password data on all your devices (for diddly squat) – Android, Windows, iOS, etc – then Norton is a superior alternative to the default proprietary alternatives.

Your vault automatically keeps all your logins synced across all your devices. You can use biometrics to log in with your passwords, too.

From here, you can create new passwords with a one-click password generator.

You can also see alerts and details of compromised passwords that have shown up in a data breach. You’ll realise just how pathetic some companies are at storing your data – yes, even big e-commerce sites.

These organisations don’t go out of their way to inform you. That’s why you need a dashboard like Norton’s.

It’s not quite as savvy as LastPass’s, which gives you a password score for all your passwords, but it’s good to know which passwords present an imminent threat to your digital security.

Cons.

I feel like a playground bully for picking on Norton when it’s free, but certain things can’t go unsaid.

Here comes the first swirly!

You want to share your Netflix login?

You’ll have to write it down on a piece of paper and ask them to cast it into the nearest hearth when they’ve read it.

They still have to go through the rigmarole of copying and pasting it into their password manager.

There are no different plans with Norton: no family plans, no business plans.

The website sucks, too. There’s hardly any information on there worth reading. It would be quicker to click “Install” to see what the password manager offers.

However, you can expect Norton to gently nudge you to purchase its other tools as part of its security suite, which includes a VPN and cloud backup – inferior products in their respective markets.

Verdict.

It’s operationally deficient for business use and families.

Even so, you have nothing to lose by setting up an account, trying it out, and comparing it with the other dedicated password managers like Bitwarden.

Norton Password Manager Specifications.

6. 1Password.

Monthly Paid Prices Starting From $2.99.

1Password is trusted by some big tech businesses such as IBM, Slack, and Intercom.

Not only that but it’s won awards like Wirecutter’s Top Pick For Password Managers, and it’s the best-rated password manager on Trustpilot.

Pros.

1Password is another password manager that operates in the enterprise space.

Sure, there are many secure password managers with enterprise plans, but many lack the infrastructure for medium to large businesses.

Like LastPass and Passwork, 1Password gives you the ability to create, manage, and enforce password policies.

Couple that with the super-easy user interface and you have a recipe for mass adoption across your organisation.

Employees need to see an instantaneous shortcut that makes their life easier, otherwise they won’t adopt new ways of working – and 1Password offers convenience.

The benefit?

Password management is a breeze.

Users can create multiple vaults for work and personal password storage. What’s more, you can enable or disable these categories based on the web browsers you’re using.

No need to mix business with pleasure.

The business subscription also gives a license for a personal account user, which can be shared with family.

Remember, the likes of Dashlane show you an endless list of passwords with no folders.

1Password also features advanced security features like the Watchtower, a dashboard that reveals weak, duplicate, and expiring passwords.

Their customer service is top-notch. Seriously, they’re the best in class. If you email them, chat with them, or tweet them, they come back with a swift, personalised response.

Cons.

Unfortunately, there’s no free version with 1Password. But other than Bitwarden, I’ve yet to discover a free version that you wouldn’t have to upgrade to a paid version at some point.

And since most employees these days hop around, this benefit is something users should take with a pinch of salt.

It’s not a long-term solution to password protection.

You can migrate your vault quickly enough, but I imagine some ex-employees may forget to do so before the licence expires.

Many previous customers of 1Password are up in arms about the subscription fees.

It used to be offered as a one-time cost for a couple of bucks in the App Store. Now, it’ll cost you a similar amount every month.

This is the international standard to manage information security – and it’s surprising that a business operating in the enterprise segment doesn’t have this accreditation.

Verdict.

1Password is fairly vanilla, whereas the likes of NordPass and Bitwarden are can be considered Neopolitan (a blend of many features and flavours).

It does everything you expect it to do well, but I dislike that there’s no free version you can take for a test drive before fully committing.

1 Password Specifications.

7. Keeper.

Monthly Paid Prices Starting At $4.58.

Keeper is a password manager that has some advanced add-ons, such as a secrets manager, a connection manager, and KeeperChat (which encrypts instant messaging).

Their products range from personal to enterprise to the public sector.

Pros.

Keeper uses role-based access control (RBAC) to allow team managers to roll out privileges and track user activity from every location on every device.

What I particularly like about Keeper’s password generator is that you can choose the length of the password before pressing the magic dice.

You can only create a password up to 40 characters with Dashlane, but Keeper lets you create a password up to 100 characters (which would take centuries for a hacker to crack).

The only issue with long passwords is if you ever need to type them out.

If you want to bolster your IT infrastructure, Keeper offers some amazing add-ons that’ll make it seem like a digital Fort Knox.

The Secrets Manager gives your DevOps team a fully cloud-based, zero-knowledge platform for managing company secrets such as API keys, database passwords, access keys, certificates, and other confidential data.

If your eyes glazed over then, move on swiftly!

Cons.

The biggest nuisance I’ve found with Keeper is that when you create a new password, it doesn’t ask you which folder you want to save it to.

You must go into your vault and move it to your preferred folder.

What a chore!

It sucks that some of the core features which are included in other password managers are not included in the standard plans – features like security alerts and the secure storage of files.

Also, IT managers are likely to raise their eyebrows at the inability to mandate password policies.

Keeper has no free version – so if you want to get a feel for the user interface, you’ll need to cough up.

Also, it only works with web applications, not desktop apps.

Verdict.

Keeper is well-regarded by its user base, but I’m not entirely convinced about the practicality of its features.

Sure, it seems like it’s a safe haven for all your accounts and sensitive data, and it’s easy enough to adopt, but having to pay extra for security alerts renders them uncompetitive.

Keeper Specifications.

8. Passwork.

Monthly Paid Prices Starting At $40.00.

Passwork is an exclusively corporate offering – in fact, it’s the only one in this review.

All the other top password managers include offerings for both personal and business use. So, how does a corporate password manager stack up versus the rest?

Pros.

Passwork provides local system administrators with the power to distribute rights and actions to employees within their teams.

Their plans are Start (25 users), Business (50 users), Premium (100 users), and Enterprise (100+ users).

What Passwork offers, which no other password manager does, is a lifetime subscription.

Here’s what they cost on the standard variants:

Seem steep?

If you’re paying for a plan per employee per month, Passwork could work out much, much cheaper.

Passwork’s live chat is lightning-fast, and their customer service team was especially helpful on the three separate occasions that I contacted them with requests for information.

Cons.

Passwork doesn’t have a free version, although their technical team is available to run you through a demo if required.

There is no mention of any accreditation on their website (such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, etc.), which is a huge red flag for large organisations.

They then asked me if I could “please clarify whether SOC 2 and ISO 27001 are must-have features?”

It’s an emphatic yes.

Almost all the other password managers in this review have that accreditation. Being the most expensive, you’d expect Passwork to be hitting those high industry standards.

They also don’t have a biometric login feature, so it seems as though they’re a bit behind the curve with innovation, too.

Verdict.

Passwork is only a practical solution for medium to large enterprises.

Setting up and managing a self-hosted password manager requires a considerable investment of time and effort. Do you have the time, funds, and dedicated resource to implement this?

Passwork Specifications.

9. Total Password.

Monthly Paid Prices Starting At $1.99.

Total Password is a password manager without all the bells and whistles.

But it’s nice to have that without all the unnecessary distractions that come with a feature-packed password manager like NordPass.

Pros.

Total Password can be bought as a standalone password manager or as part of TotalAV Total Security. It’s well worth getting the full suite for $49 for your first year (but this renews at $179 per year).

That might sound expensive, but it’s a bargain when you consider it gives you full internet protection: malware scanner, VPN, web protection, ad block, and protection for up to six devices.

My favourite functionality of Total Password is the option to create passwords that are “Easy to type”.

This will generate passwords with fewer changes in caps and random characters.

Secure Me is a solid feature that lets you log out from all websites you’re logged into and gives you the option to close all your tabs and delete your cookies, history, and bookmarks.

It’s like a kill switch for every app and program.

Cons.

You’ll be hard-pressed to get in touch with anyone at Total Password if you’re not a current customer. The “Contact Us” links suck, and they don’t take you anywhere.

If you need to get in touch, you have to go into account dashboard to raise a query.

There’s no file storage with Total Password, no emergency access (hugely concerning), and no single sign-on.

Also, if Firefox is your default browser, you’ll need to choose from one of the many other password managers in this review. They don’t support Firefox.

Verdict.

The Secure Me feature is unlike anything that’s been offered in any other password manager.

I’m surprised that Total Password doesn’t make a song and dance about this.

It’s a huge unique selling point that’ll tempt many. Most, however, will find the lack of other features unsatisfying.

Total Password Specifications.

What To Look For In A Password Manager.

Password manager services love to throw big words out there to make their tech sound savvy. But almost all password managers feature 256-bit military-grade encryption technology.

That’s standard these days.

Some love to harp on about their zero-knowledge architecture, but again, this is a standard feature of most password managers.

It essentially means that they can’t access or decrypt your stored passwords.

Any reputable password manager auto-fills your credentials, uses a password generator, and uses biometric logins, such as fingerprint, facial recognition, and voice recognition technology.

So, what makes the best stand out?

From an operational perspective, you want a password manager that:

I also love the ability to export the details of my password vault to keep a local backup, which I print and keep in my safe at home.

Have you ever taken a two-week break from work and sat at your computer only to forget your strong master password? Too many piña coladas.

Frequently Asked Questions On The Best Password Managers.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the best password managers to keep your data safe and secure.

Should I Use A Free Password Manager?

Most of us have used or are using free password managers such as Google’s, Microsoft Edge’s, or Safari’s, but the problem with those is that they tie you into a single ecosystem.

A third-party password manager is a much safer solution for keeping your passwords safe across all your devices. Bitwarden is regarded as one of the best free password managers.

Which Password Manager Has Been Hacked?

As recently as August 2022, LastPass was hacked when one of their employee’s personal computers was installed with keylogger malware, allowing hackers access to the company’s cloud storage.

That was the first incident.

These vaults were encrypted using 256-bit AES technology, so it would take an extraordinary amount of time and computing power to crack them.

But Brian Krebs, a security expert, suggests there was a link between a wave of attacks on crypto wallets shortly after the LastPass – most likely due to stolen “seed phrases” (in essence, passwords to crypto wallets).

The truth? We’ll never know.

What Is The One Catch With Password Managers?

Password managers offer great security until a malicious actor gains access to your master password. Once they have this, all your passwords become exposed.

Even so, as with the LastPass incident mentioned above, data breaches do occur from time to time. It’s all about weighing up the risk versus the reward.

You may have previously been a victim of card cloning or an online scam, but has that stopped you from using your credit card or online shopping?

Probably not because paying in cash isn’t always feasible, and there are other inherent risks associated with carrying cash (such as loss or theft).

Using a password manager, on the whole, keeps your credentials much safer, but there are still associated risks.

Final Word On The Best Password Manager Australia.

“Open sesame” was the magical phrase uttered by Ali Baba to open a treasure cave – after he heard one of the thieves saying it before proceeding to enter.

And if you don’t come up with strong passwords, others might find it just as easy to spy on you and break into your treasure cave.

The best password managers have been built with safety and security in mind, but they’re only as safe and secure as the person in the driving seat: you.

Don’t go broadcasting your passwords to the world and always practise good password hygiene.

Tommy

Top Australian Property Investing Podcasts.

Buying, managing and profiting from investment properties is a hot topic in Australia given the housing affordability crisis, so it pays to understand the latest developments in the housing market as well as the fundamentals of real estate.

These are some of the top podcasts for property investing in Australia:

Best Stock Investing Podcasts From Australia.

As the foundation of most Australians’ portfolios, knowing the ins and outs of share investing — especially in ASX-listed and US stocks — is critical to growing your wealth.

Take a listen to these gems to expand your knowledge:

Worthwhile Personal Finance Podcasts In Australia.

Being able to invest hinges on having your finances in good shape, so it makes sense that many inexperienced investors gain the most from a more holistic podcast. Check out these Australian personal finance shows:

Economics And Financial News Podcasts Not To Miss.

Understanding what’s happening in the financial sphere, in big business, and across the political and geopolitical spectrum globally is key to making good investment decisions.

Explore these top-rated finance news podcasts in Australia:

Top Global Finance Podcasts For Aussie Investors.

For Australian investors and traders, getting an international perspective can be helpful for managing a diversified portfolio that includes global stocks and other assets impacted by macroeconomic changes.

Keep your ears open to global finance and market news with these quality shows:

Best International Economics And Finance News Podcasts.

Top-Rated Global Stock Market Investing Podcasts.

Whether you like to listen during your morning walk, on your commute, or while relaxing after work, podcasts make it easy to access interesting ideas delivered by smart people — usually for free. So why not make some time to listen to some of the podcasts listed here.

Jody

You’ll find a bit of nerd talk in this review, but I promise it won’t be overwhelming. Just enough to help you compare different providers and help you make the right choice.

1. Crazy Domains.

Monthly prices starting at $7.50.

You want to know what’s crazy about Crazy Domains?

They have servers in Australia, Europe, Asia, India, New Zealand, the Middle East, the UK, and the USA. No other web hosting provider in this review has a comparable geographic spread.

Pros.

For websites that attract international audiences from all over the world, having this kind of server spread gives you greater consistency over speed.

My tests registered an average speed of 867ms. It might not be as fast as GoDaddy’s 292ms (see below), but anything less than one second is generally considered fast.

Being fast is one thing, but being consistently fast is another. You see a wider range of speeds when using faraway servers.

I’d rather see a much less volatile range of speed with a less volatile moving average.

Malware protection is included in all hosting packages, so you won’t feel coerced into purchasing any hidden bolt-ons at the checkout.

And if things don’t work out, you’ve got a 60-day money-back guarantee.

It’s not like they’re making a big difference like GreenGeeks, who are carbon neutral, but it’s a step in the right direction towards a greener future.

Cons.

Crazy Domains is on the stingy side when it comes to SSD storage. Their basic plan comes with 10GB, and if you want to unlock greater storage, it’s going to cost you $19.50 per month for 50GB.

The average Internet webpage is 230MB, so you’re covered for around 40 to 50 pages of content.

Let’s not forget that Hostinger offers 50GB right off the bat with their basic plan. A2 Hosting (see below) offers 100GB. Yep, 100 big ones.

So if you’re a content creator, or if you publish visual media regularly, Crazy Domain will start to verge on expensive.

Your hosting under the basic plan covers you for one website, whereas Hostinger lets you host up to 100.

Only those looking to host a single site will find Crazy Domains good value for money.

That said, you don’t get the freebies like domain registration. And you only get an SSL certificate for your first year.

There is no telephone support with Crazy Domains, either.

They’ve got a telephone line for sales, though.

Because making money is more important than keeping you online – at least, that’s my cynical view, but perhaps there’s some truth in there. What do you think?

Verdict.

For Australian web traffic, Crazy Domains is as good as it gets.

It’s the best web hosting provider for people who plan to host one simple site (e.g., personal blog, small company website).

But if you need huge amounts of storage, be prepared to spend a little extra (or choose Hostinger, below).

Specifications.

2. Hostinger.

Monthly prices starting at $2.99

Hostinger is an employee-owned web hosting service and domain registrar that offers fast shared hosting to beginners.

Advanced and enterprise users, meanwhile, get private dedicated servers, and even cloud hosting.

Pros.

Hostinger’s lowest-tier package, Premium, packs some serious firepower for a package starting at $2.99.

Are you currently paying more?

You know, we really ought to be sharing our web host subscriptions like we do our Netflix subscriptions.

Other hosts, like GoDaddy, literally only allow you to host one website under their base package.

If you’re a website builder, you can offer hosting to your clients and charge a small markup to give them a fully comprehensive website management service.

GoDaddy’s base package will cost you over twice as much at $7.95, hardly a justification for the imperceptible speed difference.

Hostinger has great server location coverage, including servers in Singapore and Indonesia.

Some web hosting providers literally concentrate their resources in the USA or Europe – leaving us Aussies under-serviced.

Hostinger also offers free domain registration and a free SSL certificate.

For comparison, Namecheap charges an annual fee of $5.99 for an SSL certification (more details on what they are in the FAQs section).

You’ve also got 50GB of storage with the basic plan, so content-rich websites need not worry about limits. A typical plan has around 10GB to 20GB, some have as low as 5GB

Cons.

Although Hostinger stipulate unlimited bandwidth, there is a fair use policy – but almost all website hosts use some kind of trickery to suck you in.

Like it or lump it, that’s the industry we’re dealing with.

You can count on my signature if you’ve got time to set up a petition and organise a rally. However, your time is better spent researching to find the actual policy and its limitations.

Hostinger states:

Doesn’t sound like it’s unlimited, does it?

Most web hosts use this marketing phraseology (I cover the difference between unlimited bandwidth and unmetered bandwidth later in this article).

Hostinger also dispenses with the most popular control panels widely used across other web hosts (cPanel and Plesk).

hPanel is available, and while it’s an intuitive control panel and easy to use, you might already be familiar with the widely adopted cPanel. I suspect those who are will begrudgingly adopt this new control panel.

In the past, I’ve had serious issues when migrating from one host to another, and other challenges in the day-to-day operations of my site.

If your website is down, especially if it’s generating a tonne of revenue, you can’t afford to hang around waiting for someone to get back to you a few hours later.

Basic hosting plans cost you over ten times as much, though.

Verdict.

Hostinger is the best web hosting service, a superb all-round option that pleases most of the people most of the time, and prices are totally reasonable, perhaps because they’re employee-owned.

The biggest detractor is the inability to get through to a human on the telephone like you can with Liquid Web, GoDaddy, and Bluehost.

It’s rare you’ll need to, but it’s a feature you may wish you had if your online trading comes to a sudden halt.

Specifications.

3. Bluehost.

Monthly prices starting at $4.42.

Bluehost is one of the stalwarts of the industry and has been around since 2003, and they’re trusted by over two million people.

It’s the longest-running WordPress-recommended host, but what does being a veteran of the hosting space mean for you?

Pros.

Bluehost packages come at an excellent price. Despite not being the cheapest, the basic package costs just under $4.50 per month when paid for annually.

They offer a free domain with most hosting plans. That’s not something that Crazy Domains, Namecheap, and Liquid Web offer.

This is especially ideal for bootstrapped startups and freelancers. You want to minimise the costs you sink to dip your toes in the water to see if your venture is viable.

It’s great that Bluehost has telephone support despite its somewhat limited operating hours (7 am-12 am EST).

If you’re in Australia, you can call them from around 8 am till 4 pm, which is fairly decent. Although that’s not quite as generous as GoDaddy’s 24/7 service for their Melbourne and Sydney offices.

Other hosts like Namecheap and Crazy domains guarantee only 99.9%.

You might not think that makes a huge difference, but that works out at about three additional days of uptime throughout the year.

An uptime guarantee of 99.98% guarantees your site will run for at least 364.3 days per year.

Bluehost is heavily focused on attracting the WordPress and WooCommerce market, and with each account, they automatically install and update WordPress.

Their bespoke web hosting services provide a suite of plugins and tools designed specifically for optimising these websites.

If you’re in that space, you’ll benefit from their additional features and support.

Such features include Yeost SEO, store creation, gift cards, and web analytics.

Cons.

The speed of Bluehost isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be (maybe it is for those in other corners of the world). Website page loading speeds surpassed one second.

It’s not the king of speed that will send visitors packing, but it might impact their engagement levels on your pages.

As for what’s included in their plans, they’re hardly feature-rich. The basic plan covers only one website, and the pro plan covers only five websites.

Wait a minute.

Those starting new projects and needing time to warm up domain authority don’t want to be encumbered with hosting costs while you’re in the build phase of your enterprise.

The basic package doesn’t come with telephone support, nor do they carry out backups or malware scanning – features which I would argue are basic.

While you get a free domain in your first year, the renewal rates are ridiculously high, at around $20 per year.

Bluehost offers you a Free SSL certificate for the first year – Namecheap and Liquid Web don’t. You have to pay a monthly fee for those, starting at $5.99 per year.

Even so, others are non-discriminatory and offer you a free SSL certification yearly.

Verdict.

If you’re building WordPress sites or WooCommerce stores, Bluehost is a front-runner.

However, anyone who owns a suite of websites will want to find a more cost-effective solution. Multiple subscriptions soon get expensive.

Specifications.

4. Dreamhost.

Monthly prices starting at $2.59.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a budget-friendly host that offers a 100% uptime guarantee.

But is the promise of 100% uptime worth sacrificing a little speed? With data centres based exclusively in the US, those on different continents are the most impacted by slower speeds.

Pros.

Dreamhost is the second-cheapest web hosting service in this review, with hosting plans starting at $2.95 per month.

The cheapest is Namecheap, whose prices start at $1.98 per month.

But Namecheap doesn’t promise a 100% uptime guarantee.

If they don’t, they recompense the customer in line with the established guidelines.

A failure to provide 100% uptime will result in customer compensation in line with the terms of service.

Okay, so they’re not going to reimburse you for lost sales, but a web hosting company that pays out is willing to take a hit themselves.

That kind of financial pressure keeps them on their toes.

Dreamhost also offers a free SSL certificate regardless of whether it’s your first or tenth year. You can also register a domain for free, too.

You have little to lose, as they offer a 97-day money-back guarantee. The likes of Bluehost and Hostinger only offer 30 days. Ninety-seven days is by far the most generous I’ve come across.

SSD of 50GB is also generous and ten times what VentraIP offers (5GB).

Cons.

Dreamhost is a great budget-friendly option, but it does not deliver high performance. Their servers are slow.

Website page speed averages around 1.75 seconds, dangerously close to the three seconds experts unanimously agree drive traffic away.

Australians are likely to suffer more due to the geographic distance.

If you want a stable connection, VentraIP (discussed shortly) has a server based in Sydney, which provides us Aussies with reliable web hosting!

If you go over your allocated transfer bandwidth for a month, they bill you at the rate of $1 per additional 10GB.

I find their acceptable use policy wholly unacceptable – not because of the charges but because of the smoke and mirrors surrounding the mention of “unlimited”.

You must also pay for malware bolt-ons like DreamShield Protection, which costs an additional $3 per month.

Even though there is no telephone support, they came back to me in less than 30 seconds and they were helpful when I deliberately asked a couple of dumb questions.

There appears to be no difference in price. The only difference is that one allows you to host unlimited websites.

So many people will miss that and look elsewhere.

Verdict.

The promise of 100% uptime, unlimited website hosting, and free SSL certificates is enticing, but the trade-off of sluggish speeds and lack of malware protection means your performance will, at times, suffer.

Why would you want to pay an additional $3 per month for malware protection (a cost that is higher than the hosting service itself)?

Specifications.

5. Namecheap.

Monthly prices starting at $1.98.

Namecheap, as the name implies, is unsurprisingly – you guessed it – cheap.

In fact, it’s the cheapest web hosting service in this review. But is there a compromise in quality? Let’s take a closer look.

Pros.

If you self-identify as a cheapskate, your eyes will be drawn immediately to the price tag of $1.98 per month.

Rub your eyes – pinch yourself if you must.

When ogling the prices of Namecheap packages, it’s a little like wearing beer goggles, when the effects of alcohol make a person seem more attractive.

The stellar prices can distort our logic in this same way. But get up close and personal, and you start to see some imperfections (which we’ll discuss in a moment).

Wow!

All that for around $3 per month.

In fact, I’ve not been totally honest, because you can get these plans even cheaper when you sign up for the 2-year plan.

Based on that, you’d expect some significant catch, but you get a free SSL certificate for the first year, a 100% uptime guarantee, and free domain registration.

It’s well worth the extra dollar per month for the Stellar Plus package because that gives you access to AutoBackup – their proprietary technology that archives your all-important files.

In the worst-case scenario of losing your site, you’d never have to rebuild it from scratch with outdated versions.

Not only does Namecheap back your website up, but your account files, databases, emails, and settings are all stored too.

Plus, while 20GB is a modest amount of SSD storage, it’s a damn site better than the 10GB you get with Bluehost or the paltry 5GB you get with VentraIP.

Cons.

Namecheap performed pretty poorly in our speed tests, and that’s likely due to the servers being based in the US, the UK, and the Netherlands.

It’s right on the verge of the point where visitors consider clicking the back button.

When it comes to managed WordPress hosting, as opposed to the standard shared hosting, they boast 0.7 seconds loading time, suggesting that they’re faster than Bluehost and GoDaddy.

But these results have not been independently verified, so I remain dubious.

By the way, if you want to tap into a UK server, you have to pay an extra dollar per month. Seems a poor excuse for picking a man’s (or woman’s) pockets every month.

I also found it confusing that their mid-tier plan, Stellar Plus, has unlimited space, but the upper tier has a limit of 50GB.

I asked the question, but the response I got from Namecheap was that there is extra caching with the premium tier.

I was also peeved to learn that free SSLs are not included in the EasyWP Starter subscription. Namecheap does a clever job of only revealing this to you once you’ve signed up.

Even though an SSL certificate costs around $5.99, I still can’t condone the lack of transparency. They know what they’re doing.

Verdict.

Namecheap is the cheapest standalone hosting service I could find, but if you’re not price-sensitive, you might want to consider choosing a web hosting provider that provides a faster service.

If you’re blogging for a hobby or setting up one of your first websites, Namecheap is a sound choice.

Specifications.

6. Liquid Web.

Monthly prices starting at $17.50.

Liquid Web is one of the few web hosts that doesn’t rely on woolly marketing phraseology like “unmetered bandwidth” and “unlimited bandwidth” to plug its products.

So if it’s not offering unlimited anything, then what is it offering?

Pros.

Let me kick off with that point specifically. Here we have a host for serious business, with prices starting at $17.50 per month (ten times as much as Namecheap).

Here, wipe it up with this: Liquid Web offers 2TB (or 2,000GB) of bandwidth. All the other hosts out there claim to offer unlimited or unmetered bandwidth, but we already know those guys give you the sucker punch in their “fair usage” policies.

LOL.

It’s a wonder the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission doesn’t crack down on this blatant false advertising.  

Hostinger states, “Shared hosting accounts are allotted up to 3GB for database usage.” 3GB versus 2,000GB?

Each website is different, but businesses need approximately 100Mbps per 1,000 users.

You’ll quickly run out of bandwidth on other plans. Can you afford to run out?

I wanted to hammer that point home, but there’s so much more to shout about.

You’ve also got unlimited access to tech experts. And the best part? They commit to answering your call within 59 seconds.

They self-certify as the most helpful humans in hosting. I don’t disagree. Oh, and they guarantee 100% uptime like Bluehost and Dreamhost.

To do this, they’ve pumped a lot of resources into proactively monitoring server performance, and they detect most issues before they cause disruptions or downtime.

Cons.

Liquid Web is expensive, but is it really? When you weigh up the value you’re getting, many would argue that it’s inexpensive.

If Hostinger will hold you ransom to an unlimited-but-not-really-limited cap of 3GB of bandwidth, that means they’re only offering 0.15% of what Liquid Web is.

Granted, if you’re a startup or freelancer, you’re much better off signing up to Namecheap and saving yourself a few bucks every month.

It’s a service aimed at keeping businesses operational, to protect their omni-channel presence.

Move on swiftly if you’re not prepared to pay this kind of money.

Their plans go up to 10TB of bandwidth.

Verdict.

I could go on at length about the business packages that Liquid Web offers, but I don’t want to overwhelm you.

If you’re prepared to spend a little more, you gain a whole lot more.

If your websites generate tens of thousands of dollars in revenue, what’s $20, $50, or a few hundred bucks a month? A sound investment to keep you operational, that’s what. You’re buying peace of mind.

Specifications.

7. VentralP.

Monthly prices starting at $7.

You want a custom plan? VentraIP enters the chat.

You have complete control over your resource limitations that suit your hosting needs – with the freedom and flexibility to change this anytime after you’ve activated your plan. It’s also an Australian web hosting provider.

Pros.

Ever been locked into a plan only to find yourself looking for ways to get out of it? You don’t need to do that with VentraIP.

You can ramp up your disk space (starting at 5GB and going up to 100GB), your CPU usage, and memory.

However, the custom plans don’t always work out as competitive. If you want 50GB of storage, plans start at $19 per month.

Hostinger gives you that for $2.99 – A2 Hosting (discussed shortly) gives you a whopping 100GB with prices starting at $2.99.

There are other standard plans (without the customisation) starting at $7 per month.

All plans come with a free SSL certificate, indefinitely. They won’t start suddenly billing you the following year like Namecheap.

Local servers are more reliable and will give you consistent speeds. If most of your online business is domestic trade, go with a host with an Australian server.

You get hourly backups of your web files too, which is the most superb version control being offered in this review.

They even offer reseller hosting plans, something many hosts refrain from dabbling in.

Cons.

If you have an international reach, your traffic might be consistent for Aussie users but substandard for those on the other side of the world.

The storage in the basic plan is about the most minimal money can buy.

But why would you want to pay $7 for 5GB of storage when you can pay a lot less with A2 Hosting and unlock 100GB?

VentraIP isn’t the best hosting provider as far as value for money is concerned. Their basic packages are so watered down that you’ll need to upgrade to a medium tier to get a comparable basic service.

Their Starter+ is in “free trial” territory, and I wouldn’t advise anybody to part with $7 a month for it.

You might as well go with Liquid Web and get access to the best experts in the marketplace and a response time of less than 59 seconds.

What next, a charge on mouse clicks?

Come on, guys, you can do better than this.

Verdict.

Despite being an Australian web hosting company, something which we should always make an effort to support to keep the money circulating in our own country, it has a long way to go to be viewed in the same light as the market leaders.

Their speeds are great, but the bolt-on charges suck. The price isn’t consistent with the service being offered.

Specifications.

8. A2 Hosting.

Monthly prices starting at $2.99.

A2 Hosting packs a serious punch and does things that few other hosts do at this price.

Take a look at any Reddit forums and you’ll find tonnes of fanboys singing their praises, and rightly so.

Pros.

A2 Hosting comes at an excellent price, regardless of the package you pay for. The Startup package comes as low as $2.99, and the Turbo Max (the highest tier) starts as low as $14.99.

Submit a ticket, email them, chat with them, call them. Get in touch with them however you prefer –whether it’s at 3:00 am, New Year’s Eve, or February 29th.

Where A2 Hosting is superior is its generous SSD storage of 100GB in the base package. Remember, VentraIP charge $7 and only offers 5GB.

No cap.

(And I mean that in both senses – no cap as in the American slang that’s infiltrating Aussie lingo these days, meaning “no lie”.)

They don’t interrogate you if you want to part ways, and you don’t have to send what I refer to as a shitter-gram (strongly worded emails that can’t be ignored) just to get your money back.

Cons.

Website loading speeds on A2 Hosting were just below one second. It’s acceptable, but it’s not lightning-quick. If you’re publishing lots of visual media, every millisecond counts.

That’s even more exceptional considering they don’t have an Aussie server. Our closest one for GoDaddy is Singapore.

You don’t get a free domain with A2 Hosting. If you want the full package (including a free domain and SSL certificates), VentraIP has you covered.

Verdict.

With lots to love and little to loathe, A2 Hosting has become one of the top web hosting companies in the industry since its launch in 2001.

The storage space is a huge draw.

If you’re a photographer uploading high-resolution images or a videographer uploading 4K or 8K footage, you won’t run out of space for a long time with A2 Hosting.

Specifications.

9. GoDaddy.

Monthly prices starting at $7.95.

GoDaddy is the original gangster of domain registrars. It was founded in 1997, and it ditched its butt-ugly, goofy daddy mascot from its logo in 2018.

It’s undergone quite an evolution since its conception.

It’s the largest hosting company in the world, hosting over 15% of all websites. However, it’s in the process of handing over the keys to Bezos and Amazon Web Services. Eugh.

Pros.

Like many, GoDaddy was the first host I ever used. You pop in a Google search and GoDaddy is likely to be the one at the top of the list.

That’s exactly the kind of stable speed you need when you’re an e-commerce site. You don’t want to give customers a single reason to abandon their shopping carts.

Give them speed, and they give you money.

This impressive speed paves the way for seamless transactions.

But who cares if they can deliver on what truly matters?

Included in all packages is telephone support, a free SSL certificate, and domain registration.

The basic plan comes with 25GB of SSD storage, which is better than most, although not as amazing as A2 Hosting’s 100GB.

So, why does GoDaddy feature towards the back end of this review?

Cons.

GoDaddy loves to pester you with constant phone calls, trying to upsell you. They’ll still pester you if you ever part ways until you block their number.

I wish they put as much effort into developing a great customer service team. They’re seriously lacking where competitors are thriving.

They have nothing on VentraIP’s guru crew or Liquid Web’s tech experts.

The chat support is inconsistent, too. A default response from a human adviser consists of signposting you to the FAQs forums to do it yourself.

Back when I was a complete noob to the web hosting game, I had serious issues trying to change my nameservers when migrating from another host manually.

The process wasn’t convoluted by any stretch, but it wouldn’t have been difficult for the adviser to intervene and roll up their sleeves instead of turning me away.

At least they have telephone support, though. Hostinger, Dreamhost, and Namecheap are only available through chat and ticketing.

Verdict.

GoDaddy is a brand you can trust, make no mistake about that. Despite their size, they’re not some faceless, inaccessible corporation.

With blazing-fast speeds, free domain registration, and free SSL certificates, it’s a solid all-rounder that more than covers most.

Specifications.

10. Cloudways.

Monthly prices starting at $12.63.

Cloudways by Digital Cloud offers managed cloud hosting that caters to the technophiles out there, and it’s a host that offers true scalability.

Pros.

Cloudways doesn’t have any physical data centre and instead acts as an intermediary, enabling you to host your data at different centres. You can choose from around 65 data centres around the world.

This makes it super easy to scale your business across different regions when demand and traffic increases.

With Cloudways, you can pay as you go on an hourly or monthly basis and simply stop paying when you deactivate.

I like the pricing page and how they list the packages instead of showing them side by side.

The only differences between the plans are RAM, processors, storage, and bandwidth. So it’s simpler to decide based on your system requirements.

At Cloudways, help is always given to those who ask for it. You’re only 90 seconds away from being able to get in touch with a human.

My favourite feature that’s unique to Cloudways is the real-time server monitoring application that’s available on your own dashboard.

Liquid Web offers real-time monitoring, but they don’t give you visibility. You have to trust that they’re doing what they say they are.

With Cloudways, you can see for yourself how you’re performing versus your hosting plan limitations.

Cons.

When looking through their website, they make a tonne of claims about performance and power and reliability and flexible and ironclad security.

They talk about how they’re powered by a fully optimised stack with built-in advanced cache and CDN.

But what the hell does this mean for us buffoons?

For the average user, it makes it hard to compare what’s actually being offered.

Just give us the facts, and we’ll make up our own minds about how you measure up versus the other industry veterans.

Cloudways packages are expensive, starting at $12.63, but cloud hosting is a separate service in its own right. But now is not the right time to digress and discuss the differences.

But on paper, cloud hosting can seem costly compared to shared hosting and WordPress site solutions.

Verdict.

Only go for Cloudways if you’re up to speed with the benefits of using a cloud hosting service. Better value-for-money packages exist for hobbyists, freelancers, and SMEs alike.

Specifications.

11. HostPapa.

Monthly prices starting at $2.95.

HostPapa is a cheap web hosting solution on par with Hostinger, Dreamhost, Namecheap, and A2 Hosting for its budget-friendly prices.

Its infrastructure is basic, but there’s nothing overtly offensive about its product offering. Storage is where HostPapa trumps them all.

Pros.

HostPapa’s monthly prices are competitive – great if you’re looking to host a blog or a startup business.

With their basic plan, they give you a generous 100GB of storage. That’s higher than any other in this review, like A2 Hosting.

They’re an international team, though. You won’t get through to a fellow Aussie like with VentraIP.

HostPapa offers a free SSL certificate, free domain registration, and decent speeds.

Cons.

HostPapa’s base package only covers you for one website, so serial entrepreneurs and website owners with multiple sites need to look elsewhere.

I hate to burst your bubble if you’re looking for unlimited bandwidth. It doesn’t exist. Despite the marketing spiel, you don’t actually get that with HostPapa.

According to their policy, there is “no defined upper limit”, but that doesn’t stop them from imposing an upper limit.

They’ve been known to send out automated messages and shut down small blogging websites, basically holding people to ransom until they upgrade their package and pay a much higher monthly fee.

When you have little technical knowledge, what else can you do?

Their ethics and business practices are questionable.

Verdict.

HostPapa, for all its freebies, just doesn’t set the world on fire.

It seems to lack an identity, a certain je ne sais quoi that distinguishes it from all the other hosting services in this review, apart from the 100GB storage.

They offer shared hosting, reseller hosting, WordPress hosting, and dedicated hosting – everything but cloud hosting.

Specifications.

What To Look For In A Web Hosting Service.

There’s a whole heap of marketing jargon that web hosting services like to throw out there, like DDoS protection – which is pretty standard across all services.

You might need them a little when setting up, but I doubt it’s ever going to be an emergency.

As for uptime guarantee is much of a muchness, with most promising and delivering above 99%. And almost all web hosting providers offer you a free site transfer or migration.

So, here’s where the difference lies:

1. Loading Speeds.

If your web pages take longer than three seconds to load, over 50% of your traffic will move on.

Amazon carried out a study back in 2006 that found that every 100ms in added page load time cost them 1% in sales. Walmart carried out a similar study that saw a +2% conversion per one-second load time improvement.

Although many web hosting services boast lightning-fast speeds, they rarely offer any guarantees or display transparent information about their average speeds, partly because there are so many variables.

The biggest one? Server location.

If you’re living in Australia, you’ll want a hosting service like VentraIP which has a server based in Sydney. Failing that, find a host with a server location in Singapore.

2. Unlimited Bandwidth Versus Unmetered Bandwidth.

You’ll often hear of a hosting company offering unmetered bandwidth and unlimited bandwidth, both of which are slightly different.

Bandwidth is a measure of speed, that is, the maximum amount of data your connection can handle (measured as Mbps or Gbps). So it’s misleading to suggest bandwidth is unlimited. Data transfer speeds cannot be limitless.

Even the speed of light, the fastest known substance in the universe has a limit.

There is always a maximum.

Prioritise transparency and providers who are explicit about their limitations. That way, there won’t be any nasty surprises as you scale your business.

3. SSL Protection And Certificates.

If your website is requesting personal information from visitors or customers, it needs to have an SSL certificate, though it’s not a legal requirement.

An SSL certificate:

Many website hosts will include a free SSL certificate, some offer a free certificate for the first year of your subscription, and others will charge you a flat monthly fee.

Most websites need SSL security, so find a host that offers you one as part of the package.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Web Hosting Services.

Here are some frequently asked questions that add further context to the subject of web hosting services.

What Are The Three 3 Main Types Of Web Hosting?

There are three main types of hosting, each offering a slightly difference service and user experience.

What Happens If I Don’t Host My Website?

Without a host, your website will be invisible. Even a direct search using the web address will return an error. You need a host.

Even if you intend on building your website from the ground up, there is no DIY option for hosting.

Your only backup is with your current website builder. You are unlikely to delve into archives to restore previous versions of your website.

When you cancel your hosting plan, they’ll keep your website files for around 30 days. If you’re unhosted, be sure to manually back up your files from your site’s root directory.

Keep your backup in a safe place, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage.

If you ever lose a website, visit the Wayback Machine. This awesome internet archive has captured more than 869 billion web pages (yours included).

What Is The Difference Between Windows Hosting And Linux Hosting?

Most hosting services fall under one or two operating systems: Windows hosting and Linux hosting. The general consensus is that, because Linux is open-source and free, it remains the most flexible solution for web developers.

Hosting companies that run on Windows servers have to pay Microsoft a license, the cost of which will raise the price slightly for end customers.

But why pay more for a web hosting service that has less flexibility? Linux uses customer software and supports most programming languages like MySQL.

Save Money On The Best Web Hosting Services.

More often than not, the best web hosts offer great introductory offers. You can sign up with one host and get up to a 70% discount on your first year, then switch to another host the following year.

Keep shopping and hopping about on an annual basis.

I know life admin sucks, and it often feels like you’re drowning in renewals of subscriptions and direct debits, but squandering money sucks more, doesn’t it?

Set up a recurring event reminder in your calendar, and bookmark this page to revisit next year. You’ll save hundreds of bucks over the next decade for just a few minutes of your time.

Tommy

They lure you with zero commissions, advanced candlestick charts, CHESS memberships, and access to a massive range of tradeable assets.

But do these features even matter?

More importantly, which platforms offer you the lowest fees? And which ply you with a thick layer of marketing BS?

Unlike every other review online, mine goes deeper than generic facts.

I dissect each platform’s fee structure to show how these platforms distract you with one hand ($2 brokerage fee) while ripping you with the other (whopping 60-200 basis point spread on currency conversion).

I’m an Australian entrepreneur who built my wealth by building successful businesses – and I needed to invest my money in a smart way.

So, I did my homework. I’m now sharing it with you.

I even reveal secret fee reduction hacks that share platforms don’t want you to know.

Here’s my list of the 13 best share trading platforms in Australia for 2026, ranked from best to worst.

1. eToro.

Best overall share trading platform.

Above: eToro’s clean and approachable desktop interface doesn’t take long to figure out.

eToro took out the #1 spot in my review of best trading platforms in Australia because it has a fantastic user interface, a huge range of tradable assets and the best social trading features.

It also offers rock-bottom fees – but only if you use it correctly (see below).

(Related: eToro Full Review: Pros, Cons, Fees & Ugly Details).

And like all platforms in this review, eToro is heavily regulated in Australia by ASIC.

Pros.

eToro excels at catering to two types of users:

eToro’s proprietary desktop trading platform and mobile app are remarkably friendly.

Above: eToro’s mobile interface is particularly intuitive. The learning curve is not steep.

In my experience, eToro does a fantastic job of not scaring off novices while providing sufficient research and reporting features to reasonably experienced users.

But ease of use isn’t eToro’s main selling point. Copy trading is.

No trading platform does copy trading better than eToro:

Why do I like copy trading?

Above: eToro lets you hand-pick investors to copy. You can compare their investment styles and historical performance (but remember: past performance doesn’t guarantee future returns).

It gives me back my most important asset – my time.

While amateur investors spend hours (often days) poring over company earnings reports and candlestick charts, I invest that time into building my businesses.

Nor do I delude myself into thinking that I can out-maneuver a professional full-time investor.

Hence my decision to lean on eToro’s copy trading functions.

Yes, these features come at a price (see below), but in my case, the price is worth my time.

This brings me to the topic of fees.

eToro’s have traditionally been relatively high.

Its base currency was USD, and the platform automatically converted all Aussie dollars to USD during the deposit process, charging you a 150-basis-point spread for this “privilege”.

I viewed this as the cost of admission to its excellent copy trading features.

But this is no longer the case.

Above: eToro’s mobile app is clear and logical. And yes, I do wish I bought Bloom Energy last year (this is NOT a stock tip).

Since late 2025, eToro has become one of the cheapest trading platforms in Australia because it changed two things. You can now:

Bad news – 75 basis points translates to roughly 0.75% per side. It’s not terrible, but still nowhere as low as Interactive Brokers’ measly 0.002%.

Yep, you read that right.

0.2 of a basis point.

Good news – I found two hacks for reducing these fees even lower, down to about 0.15%:

I wrote a comprehensive article that describes exactly how I bypass eToro’s fees using both of these methods.

Above: You can cut your eToro fees by 20%-80% by growing your portfolio.

These methods make eToro one of the cheapest trading platforms in Australia.