{"id":104404,"date":"2024-06-03T02:01:43","date_gmt":"2024-06-03T02:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/?post_type=review&#038;p=104404"},"modified":"2026-05-11T01:42:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T01:42:54","slug":"best-share-trading-platform-australia","status":"publish","type":"review","link":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/best-share-trading-platform-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Best Share Trading Platforms In Australia For 2026 [Unexpected]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>You are spoiled for choice when it comes to online share trading platforms. Dozens of them, aimed at experienced traders and novice investors alike, have flooded the Australian market in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They lure you with zero commissions, advanced candlestick charts, CHESS memberships, and access to a massive range of tradeable assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But do these features even matter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More importantly, which platforms offer you the lowest fees? And which ply you with a thick layer of marketing BS?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike every other review online, mine goes deeper than generic facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I dissect each platform&#8217;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).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>But first, a warning &#8211; I&#8217;m not a financial expert. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m an Australian entrepreneur who built my wealth by building successful businesses &#8211; and I needed to invest my money in a smart way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, I did my homework. I&#8217;m now sharing it with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I even reveal secret fee reduction hacks that share platforms don&#8217;t want you to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s my list of the 13 best share trading platforms in Australia for 2026, ranked from best to worst.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Do not be\u00a0fooled by promises of low or zero commissions. These don&#8217;t mean the platform is cheap or free. Trading platforms make money from 1) currency conversion spreads, 2) upsells to leveraged trading and 3) data feed charges. Those are the fees you must watch out for.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a>.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Best overall share trading platform.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-australia-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-121792\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-australia-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-australia-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-australia-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-australia-1.jpg 1475w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: eToro&#8217;s clean and approachable desktop interface doesn&#8217;t take long to figure out.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:24px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It also offers rock-bottom fees &#8211; but only if you use it correctly (see below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/etoro-review-australia\/\">eToro Full Review: Pros, Cons, Fees &amp; Ugly Details<\/a>).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And like all platforms in this review, eToro is heavily regulated in Australia by ASIC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:29px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-block-accordion\">\n    <details>\n        <summary class=\"gb-accordion-title\">\n            Reasons To Use &#038; Avoid eToro.&nbsp;\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"acf-do-dont-card-accordion\">\n            <div class=\"left\">\n                <div class=\"card-left\">\n                    <div class=\"title\">\n                        Reasons To Use:&nbsp;\n                    <\/div>\n                    <ul>\n                        <li>Leverage the expertise of advanced traders (rated for past success\/risk) via its top-notch copy trading features.<\/li><li>Cheap fees on ASX shares. Reasonable fees on US and other international shares.<\/li><li>3,000+ tradable instruments, including ASX, UK, US and HK shares and ETFs.<\/li><li>Buy crypto (albeit for somewhat steep 1% fee + spreads).<\/li><li>Access to share, forex, crypto and commodity CFD.<\/li><li>Access to fractional shares.<\/li><li>Easy-to-learn and easy-to-use interface.<\/li><li>eToro Club members get support from their account manager via WhatsApp.<\/li><li>Cool perks (e.g., tickets to AO and soccer games) if you reach higher eToro Club levels by depositing more than US$50K<\/li>                    <\/ul>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"right\">\n                <div class=\"card-right\">\n                    <div class=\"title\">\n                        Reasons To Avoid:&nbsp;\n                    <\/div>\n                    <ul>\n                        <li>Customer support is via ticket and AI-assisted live chat. No immediate human support is availahle.<\/li><li>Tools are nowhere near as advanced as what you get in TWS, cTrader or MT4\/5.<\/li><li>Investors who want advanced features and don&#8217;t plan to copy trade are better off with Interactive Brokers.<\/li>                    <\/ul>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-block-accordion\">\n    <details>\n        <summary class=\"gb-accordion-title\">\n            What Features Must You Know About?&nbsp;\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"gb-accordion-content\">\n            <p><!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"reviewlist\"} --><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\"><strong>Commissions<\/strong>: $2 on stocks, $0 on ETFs<!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"reviewlist\"} --><\/li>\n<li id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\"><strong>Currency<\/strong> <strong>Conversion<\/strong> <strong>Fees<\/strong>: 75 basis point (roughly 0.75%) currency conversion fee from AUD to USD (I discovered two ways to reduce it to ~0.15% &#8211; see my secret hacks below).<!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"reviewlist\"} --><\/li>\n<li id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\"><strong>Available<\/strong> <strong>Markets<\/strong>: 17 major exchanges, including ASX, NASDAQ, NYSE, LSE, HKEX, TSX and Euronext<!-- \/wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"reviewlist\"} --><\/li>\n<li id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\"><strong>Trading<\/strong> <strong>Platforms<\/strong>: Proprietary desktop app. Fully featured mobile app for iOS and Android.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n&nbsp;\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-block-accordion\">\n    <details>\n        <summary class=\"gb-accordion-title\">\n            What&#8217;s The Best Way To Sign Up?&nbsp;\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"gb-accordion-content\">\n            <p><!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"reviewlist\"} --><\/p>\n<p id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\">\u27a4 <a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">Click For A Great Rate<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><i><\/p>\n<p>eToro Service ARSN 637 489 466 promoted by eToro AUS Capital Limited ACN 612 791 803 AFSL 491139. Capital at risk. Other fees apply. See <a href=\"https:\/\/www.etoro.com\/customer-service\/terms-conditions\/\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">PDS<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.etoro.com\/customer-service\/regulation-license\/aus-risk-warning\/\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">TMD<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><\/i><\/p>\n&nbsp;\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a> excels at catering to two types of users:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Novices<\/strong> <strong>and<\/strong> <strong>intermediates<\/strong> who want to build their first stock and ETF portfolio.<\/li><li><strong>Advanced traders<\/strong> who want to benefit from eToro&#8217;s Popular Investor program by sharing their moves with less experienced traders (more on this below).<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>eToro&#8217;s proprietary desktop trading platform and mobile app are remarkably friendly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"674\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/which-stock-trading-platform-is-best-1-1024x674.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122037\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/which-stock-trading-platform-is-best-1-1024x674.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/which-stock-trading-platform-is-best-1-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/which-stock-trading-platform-is-best-1-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/which-stock-trading-platform-is-best-1.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: eToro&#8217;s mobile interface is particularly intuitive. The learning curve is not steep.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In my experience, eToro does a fantastic job of not scaring off novices while providing sufficient research and reporting features to reasonably experienced users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\"> eToro&#8217;s trading platform isn&#8217;t as advanced as TWS (<a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a>&#8216; top-tier platform &#8211; see below), MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 or cTrader (offered by IC Markets). But it&#8217;s nowhere near as intimidating.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>But ease of use isn&#8217;t eToro&#8217;s main selling point. Copy trading is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No trading platform does copy trading better than eToro:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>First<\/strong>, <strong>you get access<\/strong> to the historical performance of experienced private traders through eToro&#8217;s CopyTrader function. Once you&#8217;re comfortable with their skills, you can copy their moves.<\/li><li><strong>Second<\/strong>, <strong>you can delegate <\/strong>your investment decisions to eToro&#8217;s Smart Portfolios. Curated by professional investors, they give you the ability to invest in diversified classes of stocks or target particular sectors (e.g., mining and financial services).<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Why do I like copy trading?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-121802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-in-australia.jpg 1475w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: eToro lets you hand-pick investors to copy. You can compare their investment styles and historical performance (but remember: past performance doesn&#8217;t guarantee future returns).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It gives me back my most important asset &#8211; my time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While amateur investors spend hours (often days) poring over company earnings reports and candlestick charts, I invest that time into building my businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>I have zero interest in becoming a share trading expert. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Nor do I delude myself into thinking that I can out-maneuver a professional full-time investor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hence my decision to lean on eToro&#8217;s copy trading functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, these features come at a price (see below), but in my case, the price is worth my time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This brings me to the topic of fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>eToro&#8217;s have traditionally been relatively high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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 &#8220;privilege&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I viewed this as the cost of admission to its excellent copy trading features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But this is no longer the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"987\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/australian-share-trading-platforms-1024x987.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/australian-share-trading-platforms-1024x987.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/australian-share-trading-platforms-300x289.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/australian-share-trading-platforms-768x740.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/australian-share-trading-platforms.jpg 1212w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: eToro&#8217;s mobile app is clear and logical. And yes, I do wish I bought Bloom Energy last year (this is NOT a stock tip).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since late 2025, eToro has become one of the cheapest trading platforms in Australia because it changed two things. You can now:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Have an AUD trading account <\/strong>(which does not attract any currency conversion or deposit fees).<\/li><li><strong>Pay only 75 basis points<\/strong> (until June 30th, allegedly) when exchanging internally from AUD to USD.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Bad news &#8211; 75 basis points translates to roughly 0.75% per side. It&#8217;s not terrible, but still nowhere as low as <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers App\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers-app\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers&#8217; measly 0.002%<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yep, you read that right. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>0.2 of a basis point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">eToro charges this spread on the AUD side of the exchange. Unlike Selfwealth, below, which cheekily charges its 60 bps spread on the USD side &#8211; effectively increasing it to about 0.9%.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Good news &#8211; I found two hacks for reducing these fees even lower, down to about 0.15%:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Increase the size of your eToro portfolio.<\/strong> This automatically triggers tiered discounts on the currency conversion fee, all the way to 80%.<\/li><li><strong>Use my secret Revolut hack. <\/strong>Revolut allows you to convert your AUD into USD at a much better rate. You then deposit USD into eToro &#8211; paying Revolut&#8217;s tiny 0.15% fee in the process.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I wrote a comprehensive article that describes exactly <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/etoro-fees\/\">how I bypass eToro&#8217;s fees<\/a> using both of these methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"791\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-accounts-1024x791.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122019\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-accounts-1024x791.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-accounts-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-accounts-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-accounts.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: You can cut your eToro fees by 20%-80% by growing your portfolio.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These methods make eToro one of the cheapest trading platforms in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Did You Know?<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">eToro has waived all currency conversion fees on recurring investments until March 31st, 2026. Yep, instead of making separate deposits, simply create a recurring investment, and you won&#8217;t pay a cent.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Apart from the currency conversion fees, you&#8217;ll pay eToro a $2 commission per side when buying stocks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ETF purchases do not attract a commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is almost a trivial amount, although it will add up if aggressively opening and closing positions multiple times per day (e.g., day trading).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>By the way, eToro puts a huge range of tradable assets at your fingertips.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You get access to 3,000 ASX, Euro, UK and US stocks, 250+ ETFs, 101 crypto coins and hundreds of indices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, you can short most of these positions, and you can apply leverage to amplify market exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"840\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-1024x840.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-121809\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-1024x840.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-300x246.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-768x630.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms.jpg 1475w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: eToro loves to recommend trending and high-performing stocks.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve used eToro for nearly three years, and the only time I didn&#8217;t find an asset I wanted on eToro was when I was looking for Aussie-based ETF that tracks the US tech sector (e.g., U100). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had to go with a US-based ETF instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Did You Know?<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Yes, <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a> offers a larger range of assets. But as I mentioned above, I\u2019m not a full-time investor, so I keep things simple. I don&#8217;t hunt rare, volatile stocks &#8211; so the extra options don\u2019t add much value to me. If anything, I find the extra options a distraction.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When I started reviewing share trading platforms a few years ago, eToro&#8217;s list of &#8220;Cons&#8221; was vast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Its currency conversion fees applied on all deposits &#8211; even if you wanted to buy ASX shares. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And they were sky-high (150 basis points per side!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"672\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/stock-platforms-in-australia-1024x672.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122158\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/stock-platforms-in-australia-1024x672.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/stock-platforms-in-australia-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/stock-platforms-in-australia-768x504.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/stock-platforms-in-australia.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: eToro&#8217;s order interface. Notice the options to short, apply leverage and choose extended trading hours<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Its education was &#8220;meh&#8221;. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The support was ticket-only and available during 24\/5 only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As of early 2026, these issues have been fixed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Support<\/strong> is now top-notch, with human live chat added.<\/li><li><strong>USD conversion fees<\/strong> have been slashed in half (down to 75 basis points).<\/li><li><strong>ASX<\/strong> purchases no longer attract a currency conversion fee.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I honestly don&#8217;t have much to criticise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If I were to get very picky, I&#8217;d first point out that the 1% spread on crypto purchases is still high when compared with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/best-crypto-exchange-australia\/\">dedicated crypto trading platforms<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s the price you pay for the convenience of housing your stocks and crypto under one eToro roof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Second, advanced users may want the extra firepower that only MetaTrader 4 or 5 can offer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need sophisticated charting, access to bonds, complex order types and algos, eToro&#8217;s approachable DNA becomes a limitation. <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a> will serve your needs better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">If your trading strategy involves speculating mainly or exclusively on CFDs, this review is not for you. Look into a <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/best-cfd-trading-platform-australia\/\">serious CFD-centric trading platform<\/a> like Vantage or Pepperstone.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-121807\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-1.jpg 1475w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: eToro helps you decide who you want to copy. Here, you can see the investor&#8217;s 3-year performance breakdown and current holdings.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, eToro prods people who make frequent withdrawals or go MIA for long periods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Withdrawal<\/strong> fee is $5.<\/li><li><strong>Inactivity<\/strong> fee is $10\/month if you go missing for 12 months.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I don&#8217;t view these as consequential downsides per se. To me, they&#8217;re subtle incentives that encourage me to stick with good trading habits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the withdrawal or inactivity fees start to add up, I&#8217;m likely either being too impatient or neglecting my portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a> is my top pick for time-poor beginner and intermediate investors who want to take full advantage of its rock-bottom fees, copy trading features, or both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Its intuitive WebTrader platform means I didn&#8217;t have to spend days learning how to use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Personally, I don&#8217;t have time to pore over stock charts, so I rely on eToro&#8217;s professional investors to make investing decisions for me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But when I do decide to pick a stock, I know that eToro&#8217;s new 2026 fee structure will take a small bite out of it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>ASX fees are ridiculously low.<\/strong> You pay $2 per side to trade.<\/li><li><strong>US and other International fees are modest.<\/strong> You pay $2 per side plus a 75 basis point conversion fee (but I figured out how to almost eliminate the latter (see above).<\/li><li><strong>User experience is excellent.<\/strong> Learning curve is gentle, and the interface reminds me more of a social media platform than an intimidating trading platform.<\/li><li><strong>Security credentials are top-notch.<\/strong> eToro is regulated by ASIC in Australia.<\/li><li><strong>Day traders will get stung<\/strong> by the $2 per side commission &#8211; and should look elsewhere (e.g., <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers App\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers-app\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a> &#8211; see below).<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Did You Know?<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">If you&#8217;re an experienced trader, you can earn 1.5% of your total assets under management by allowing beginner eToro investors to copy your trades. In other words, if your copiers hold over $1,000,000 in assets, you&#8217;ll get $67,000 per year in commissions &#8211; on top of your trading returns. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Best-in-class copy trading features<br>\u2714 Zero commissions on ETFs, $2 on stocks<br>\u2714 Fantastic range of tradable assets<br>\u2718 1% fee on crypto trading<br>\u2718 No Meta Trader 4 or 5<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>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. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.etoro.com\/customer-service\/terms-conditions\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Refer to our Terms and Conditions<\/a>. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.etoro.com\/customer-service\/regulation-license\/aus-risk-warning\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">See full disclaimer<\/a>. 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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">How eToro Stacks Up<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Score<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Market Access<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">5.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Fees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">5.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ease Of Use<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">5.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Customer Service<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Research &amp; Analysis<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>4.7<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a>.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The most powerful trading platform in Australia.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"653\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/top-10-trading-platforms-1024x653.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-121911\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/top-10-trading-platforms-1024x653.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/top-10-trading-platforms-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/top-10-trading-platforms-768x489.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/top-10-trading-platforms.jpg 1475w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: Interactive Brokers\u2019 web-based Client Portal delivers serious trading power &#8211; and is relatively easy to use.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:26px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:3px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditionally the weapon of choice for active day traders and sophisticated investors, <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a> has recently made itself more appealing to novice and intermediate investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ASIC-regulated and listed on the NASDAQ (buying shares in your trading platform is very <em>meta<\/em>, don&#8217;t you think?), Interactive Brokers is the oldest stock brokerage in this review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/interactive-brokers-review\/\">Interactive Brokers Full Review: Pros, Cons, Fees &amp; Ugly Details<\/a>).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Founded 48 years ago in 1978, it&#8217;s a fully blown multinational brokerage that allows Australians to trade shares, futures, options, currencies and bonds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-block-accordion\">\n    <details>\n        <summary class=\"gb-accordion-title\">\n            Reasons To Use &#038; Avoid Interactive Brokers.&nbsp;\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"acf-do-dont-card-accordion\">\n            <div class=\"left\">\n                <div class=\"card-left\">\n                    <div class=\"title\">\n                        Reasons To Use:&nbsp;\n                    <\/div>\n                    <ul>\n                        <li>You&#8217;re not stuck with one app or platform. Access markets via one of 2 mobile apps and 3 desktop platforms, depending on your skill level.<\/li><li>Rock-bottom fees.<\/li><li>The platform\u2019s fundamental, technical research and reporting tools are robust. Powered by Morningstar, they offer high-resolution insights and live market data.<\/li><li>Get access to a mind-boggling 10,000+ assets in 160 global markets.<\/li><li>Access to fractional shares.<\/li><li>Decent Live Chat support. Speedy and responsive, but not always friendly and competent.<\/li>                    <\/ul>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"right\">\n                <div class=\"card-right\">\n                    <div class=\"title\">\n                        Reasons To Avoid:&nbsp;\n                    <\/div>\n                    <ul>\n                        <li>You\u2019ll get a headache trying to understand Interactive Broker\u2019s fees across multiple plans and asset types.<\/li><li>No copy or social trading features.<\/li><li>Even &#8220;beginner-friendly&#8221; Client Portal is cumbersome &#8211; and not as intuitive as eToro&#8217;s.<\/li><li>Possible overwhelm. Caused by a huge variety of asset types, markets and extra features like ESG investing and earning interest on returns.<\/li>                    <\/ul>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-block-accordion\">\n    <details>\n        <summary class=\"gb-accordion-title\">\n            What Features Must You Know About?&nbsp;\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"gb-accordion-content\">\n            <ul>\n<li id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\"><strong>Commissions<\/strong>: 0.08% of trade value (or a minimum of AUD$6) for Australian stocks and ETFs. Depending on your trading volume, US share commissions start from as low as US$0.0005%.<!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"reviewlist\"} --><br \/>\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"reviewlist\"} --><\/li>\n<li id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\"><strong>Available<\/strong> <strong>Markets<\/strong>: 160 global markets, including 90 stock markets.<!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"reviewlist\"} --><\/li>\n<li id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\"><strong>Trading<\/strong> <strong>Platforms<\/strong>: Mobile app X2, Desktop platform x3.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n&nbsp;\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-block-accordion\">\n    <details>\n        <summary class=\"gb-accordion-title\">\n            What&#8217;s The Best Way To Sign Up?&nbsp;\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"gb-accordion-content\">\n            <p id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\">\u27a4 <a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">Click For A Great Rate<\/a>.<\/p>\n&nbsp;\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most share trading platforms focus on either beginner\/intermediate or intermediate\/advanced investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a>, meanwhile, caters to both &#8211; by offering no less than 7 trading interfaces within a single account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"987\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/which-share-trading-platform-is-best-1024x987.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/which-share-trading-platform-is-best-1024x987.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/which-share-trading-platform-is-best-300x289.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/which-share-trading-platform-is-best-768x740.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/which-share-trading-platform-is-best.jpg 1212w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: Screenshots from Global Trader, IBKR&#8217;s mobile app aimed at beginners. It&#8217;s only a tad more complex than eToro&#8217;s.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beginners get:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Client<\/strong> <strong>Portal<\/strong> &#8211; a web-based interface (aimed at beginners, but nowhere near as easy to use as <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro In-Article (Share Trading)\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-stocks\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro&#8217;s<\/a> platform).<\/li><li><strong>Global<\/strong> <strong>Trader<\/strong> &#8211; a beginner-friendly trading app.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Advanced users with a thirst for pro-level features will love:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Trader Workstation (TWS)<\/strong> &#8211; cr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me of online trading platforms aimed at algorithmic and day traders (but with an archaic interface).<\/li><li><strong>IBKR Desktop<\/strong> &#8211; powerful platform for intermediate \/ advanced users (and with a great interface).<\/li><li><strong>IBKR Mobile<\/strong> &#8211; a fully featured mobile app. <\/li><li><strong>APIs<\/strong> &#8211; for algorithmic trading.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>And, for socially conscious investors, there is the IMPACT platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"791\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-trading-platform-australia-for-beginners-1024x791.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122007\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-trading-platform-australia-for-beginners-1024x791.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-trading-platform-australia-for-beginners-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-trading-platform-australia-for-beginners-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-trading-platform-australia-for-beginners.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: Each of IBKR&#8217;s 7 platforms targets a specific type of user. Some are web-based, while others need to be downloaded to a desktop.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>IB&#8217;s research tools are excellent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;ll find all the usual tools like Fibonacci charts and Bollinger bands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But more impressively, Interactive Brokers allows you to formulate a solid trading plan with deep dives into:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Company<\/strong> research with Morningstar ratings and P\/E ratios.   <\/li><li><strong>Company<\/strong> financials and ownership information (did you know that James Murdoch owns $32m of Tesla stock?).   <\/li><li><strong>Analyst<\/strong> forecasts, market commentaries, and ESG and Economic Moat scores. <\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Reporting features are equally outstanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Professional-grade performance summaries, trade logs, cash balances, and fee summaries give you a bird&#8217;s-eye view of your investing strategy and allow you to course-correct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zero monthly inactivity and low brokerage fees make <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a> especially appealing to cautious buy-and-hold investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"791\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-asx-trading-platform-1024x791.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122011\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-asx-trading-platform-1024x791.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-asx-trading-platform-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-asx-trading-platform-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-asx-trading-platform.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: For most mortals, buying shares on the ASX with IBKR means paying a 0.088<\/em>%<em> commission per side. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You get a choice of two fee pricing plans: fixed and tiered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both plans have some of the lowest commissions in the industry (expect to pay AU$8.80 to buy $10,000 worth of shares &#8211; and the same again to sell them), but professional and serious traders will be better off choosing tiered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">As you&#8217;ll see in the table above, your brokerage fee will drop by about 30% (from 0.088% to 0.055%) once your monthly trading volume exceeds $3m.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, the fee system gets complicated once you start trading in multiple share markets (more on this shortly).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, don&#8217;t get caught by currency conversion fees. While IB charges very low spreads (expect to 2-5bps when converting AUD to USD), it also charges a US$2.2 flagfall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This translates to roughly AU$3.3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is it a problem? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No &#8211; unless you&#8217;re one of those people who likes to deposit $100 into their share trading platform at a time. On such $100 deposit, this flagfall effectively becomes a whoping 3.3% fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"558\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-for-the-asx-1024x558.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122023\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-for-the-asx-1024x558.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-for-the-asx-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-for-the-asx-768x419.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-for-the-asx.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: IBKR Desktop is a trading powerhouse with a fully customisable interface.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready for more good news?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>IB doesn\u2019t lock you into a base currency (unlike, say, eToro).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can set it when opening your account (AUD, USD, GBP, and EUR are available to Australian traders), but you can change it later with a few clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As you&#8217;d expect from a top-tier share trading platform, you can buy fractional stocks. US, Canadian, and European shares and ETFs are also available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Interactive Brokers&#8217; range of tradable assets and markets is mind-boggling and beats other brokerages by a long shot.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you know how your smartphone has dozens of features you rarely use? <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a> is a bit like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apart from trading shares, currencies, commodities and stocks, you get access to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>ESG<\/strong> investing options.<\/li><li><strong>Ability<\/strong> to earn interest of up to 3.57% on cash balances over AU$15,000.   <\/li><li><strong>Scan<\/strong> the globe for undervalued stocks with a feature called GlobalAnalyst.   <\/li><li><strong>Compare<\/strong> the prices and metrics of global stocks in the same currency.\u00a0   <\/li><li><strong>Earn<\/strong> extra income (not much &#8211; likely less than 0.3%) by agreeing to lend your assets to IB as part of their Stock Yield Enhancement Program.   <\/li><li><strong>Access<\/strong> over 1 million bonds via IB&#8217;s Bond Marketplace.   <\/li><li><strong>Access<\/strong> over 48,000 funds with IB&#8217;s Mutual Fund Marketplace. <\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Will you ever use these features? Possibly, though not likely. I certainly don&#8217;t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"674\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/interactive-brokers-vs-etoro-1024x674.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122027\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/interactive-brokers-vs-etoro-1024x674.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/interactive-brokers-vs-etoro-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/interactive-brokers-vs-etoro-768x506.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/interactive-brokers-vs-etoro.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: Dashboard of my portfolio in IBRK Client Portal. A lot of data &#8211; and I don&#8217;t use 90% of it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I look at it this way &#8211; to get an edge in the heavily contested share trading industry, Interactive Brokers packed their platform with the equivalent of iPhone&#8217;s Siri and Screen Time features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>They&#8217;re nice in theory, but not consequential to my life.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A form of distraction, even.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, my biggest gripe with Interactive Brokers is its fee structure. It is clunky, making it difficult to forecast costs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Stocks, options, forex and futures have different fee structures. But it gets worse when you realise that each of these structures has different sub-structures for each geographical region.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, trades of Australian shares are based on monthly trading volume, while trades of US, Canadian and Mexican stocks are based on brokerage fees per stock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember that IB runs proprietary platforms only. Algorithmic day traders accustomed to MT4 and MT5 will be disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a> is Australia&#8217;s most comprehensive online brokerage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, you can access the market via one of its 7 trading platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Second, rock-bottom brokerage fees mean you get to keep more of your money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Third, the range of tradable assets is unbeatable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to trading shares, you can access hundreds of options, futures, forex, cryptocurrencies, bonds, and funds in 150 markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oh, and you can leverage margin loans and a bottomless inventory of research tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>This flexibility is both a blessing and a curse.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Some may never take full advantage of the platform&#8217;s features (and may even find them distracting), while others will feel right at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">The fee structure of <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a> is complex but can be summarised as follows: the fees are low initially, and the more you trade, the lower they become.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Professional day traders will love Interactive Brokers for its power, flexibility and ultra-low fees (especially once they reach high trading volumes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Novice buy-and-hold investors will love it for the same reasons, plus zero inactivity fees and the intuitive Global Trader app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Huge range of assets<br>\u2714 Very low commissions<br>\u2718 Lots of options means lots of distractions<br>\u2718 Complex fee structure<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:43px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:39px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">How Interactive Brokers Stacks Up<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Score<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Market Access<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">5.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Fees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">5.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ease Of Use<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Customer Service<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Research &amp; Analysis<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">5.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>4.4<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"TigerBrokers Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/tigerbrokers-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Tiger Brokers<\/a>.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Best easy-to-use, low-fee share trading platform.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-in-australia-1024x628.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122245\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-in-australia-1024x628.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-in-australia-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-in-australia-768x471.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/share-trading-platforms-in-australia.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: Tiger Brokers gives you a comprehensive desktop-based platform.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/tigerbrokers-trading-platform\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Tiger Brokers is a rapidly growing, ASIC-regulated share trading platform with over a million users worldwide and a strict focus on low fees.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aimed primarily at investors rather than traders, it offers a reasonably sophisticated trading platform and one of the best mobile trading apps in the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It appears to attempt to provide a USP, with its TigerGPT AI feature \u2013 \u201cthe first financial AI investment assistant of its kind\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, is you look past the marketing flull, you&#8217;ll see that TigerGPT is based on OpenAI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This means that anyone who has the paid version of ChatGPT is unlikely to see any additional benefit from this function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First, it gives you access to a competitive range of assets, including ASX, HK and US shares and ETFs, plus US options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">This enables a decent amount of diversification without adding complexity.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"987\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-trading-platforms-australia-1024x987.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-trading-platforms-australia-1024x987.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-trading-platforms-australia-300x289.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-trading-platforms-australia-768x740.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-trading-platforms-australia.jpg 1212w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: The Tiger Brokers mobile app is usable, but nowhere as clear and minimalist as eToro&#8217;s or Interactive Brokers&#8217;.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tiger Brokers used to offer a 90-day fee-free period (which was a great way to build a portfolio without paying any fees at all), but that was scrapped in 2024.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll pay:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\">$2.99 per trade for ASX shares<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\">, or 0.03% &#8211; whichever is higher.<\/span><\/li><li><strong style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\">US$1.99 per trade for US share<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\">, or $0.01 per share &#8211; whichever is higher.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This makes ASX fees very competitive, especially if you\u2019re investing less than $20,000 a pop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US fees switch to a per-share pricing model (hello, complexity) and attract (relatively minor) regulator fees, while the fx conversion fee of 0.55% is relatively competitive (why they insist on calling it pips I do not know).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In practical terms, this model is very cost-effective when buying expensive shares (e.g., Visa or Hubspot). You\u2019ll rarely pay more than $2 per side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you decide to buy $10,000 worth of a cheap stock like Reneo Pharmaceuticals (roughly $1.6\/share \u2013 and no, this is not a stock tip), you\u2019ll suddenly be up for $62.5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, Tiger Brokers has switched from a custodial to a CHESS sponsorship model. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;Oh, and you get a clean, attractive desktop interface and mobile app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Absolute novices<\/strong> will find the interface more complex than eToro&#8217;s, but the design is intuitive and easy to learn.<\/li><li><strong>Intermediate investors<\/strong> will feel right at home. <\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/australian-share-trading-platform-1024x628.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/australian-share-trading-platform-1024x628.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/australian-share-trading-platform-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/australian-share-trading-platform-768x471.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/australian-share-trading-platform.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Fractional share investing in US companies is available, as is autoinvesting. However, copy trading features aren&#8217;t. If the latter is a deal-breaker for you, <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a> is the better choice.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tiger Brokers has gone to great lengths to shake off some of the \u201cChinese brokerage\u201d stigma and build an aura of trust around its brand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, throughout 2023, Tiger Brokers has consistently landed in hot water with regulators.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>It was forced to pay $900,000 in New Zealand for breaches of anti-money-laundering laws and had its licence cancelled by NZX.\u00a0<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The media also reported on some eyebrow-raising staffing issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a relatively young company, and these could be nothing more than \u201cgrowing pains\u201d. Most new businesses step on regulators&#8217; toes in their early years (remember Uber?).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>The difference, of course, is that you\u2019re not investing your life savings with Uber.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Tiger Brokers&#8217; patchy track record with regulators is the #1 reason I didn&#8217;t rank it higher in this list of best trading platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"635\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-australia-for-beginners-1024x635.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122242\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-australia-for-beginners-1024x635.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-australia-for-beginners-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-australia-for-beginners-768x476.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/best-share-trading-platform-australia-for-beginners.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: Tiger AI is always at your fingertips and provides insights into company fundamentals and trade history<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether this track record concerns you is a decision you&#8217;ll need to make yourself, weighing it up against Tiger Brokers&#8217; (admittedly excellent) features and fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Crypto trading is not available on Tiger Brokers. If you plan to add these assets to your portfolio, consider <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a> instead.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tiger Brokers offers rock-bottom pricing and a nice user interface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The trading platform is a great fit for investors who want to build a portfolio of ASX shares and ETFs, diversify it with some US shares and have the option to trade regularly or hold for long periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Very motivated to earn your business, the company is offering one of the best signup bonuses I&#8217;ve ever seen.\u00a0<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The range of assets is wider than what\u2019s available on its low-cost rivals like Superhero, Pearler and Selfwealth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Unfortunately, I hesitate to rank Tiger Brokers highly because of the company\u2019s recent legal issues. It\u2019s a shame, as the product itself is very compelling. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If the company manages to stay out of the media and the courts throughout 2026, I\u2019ll be happy to recommend it as one of the best share trading platforms in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Easy to use platform and app with great UX<br>\u2714 Listed on the NASDAQ for improved transparency<br>\u2718 A few legal bumps<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:26px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/tigerbrokers-trading-platform\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">How Tiger Brokers Stacks Up<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Score<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Market Access<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Fees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Trading Platform &amp; App<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ease Of Use<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Customer Service<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Research &amp; Analysis<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>4.3<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"SelfWealth\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/selfwealth\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Selfwealth<\/a>.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Good for passive investing in Aussie stocks &amp; ETFs.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/investment-platforms-australia-1024x628.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/investment-platforms-australia-1024x628.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/investment-platforms-australia-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/investment-platforms-australia-768x471.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/investment-platforms-australia.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"SelfWealth\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/selfwealth\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Selfwealth<\/a> is an Australian CHESS-sponsored online trading platform founded in 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since its launch, it has become popular among Australian investors due to a healthy range of Australian and international markets and rock-bottom, flat-fee pricing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Its #1 selling feature is the predictable, low, $9.5 per side trading. &#8220;No hidden fees&#8221;, Selfwealth wants you to believe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, as you&#8217;ll see shortly, the truth is more complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"SelfWealth\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/selfwealth\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Selfwealth\u2019s<\/a> platform fees are always predictable and easy to calculate \u2013 regardless of your trade size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>The platform will give you a (very reasonable) $9.5 haircut when you buy shares \u2013 and the same amount again when you sell them.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>When you buy US shares, you\u2019ll be charged the fee in US Dollars. When you buy Australian shares, you\u2019ll be charged in Australian dollars. Simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But not so fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The platform also charges a 60-basis-point currency conversion spread, which you&#8217;ll cough up when you convert your AUD to USD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, as you&#8217;ll see shortly, Selfwealth does something sneaky that amplifies the fee considerably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hint &#8211; it doesn&#8217;t charge the spread in AUD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"544\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/selfwealth-vs-etoro-fees-1024x544.jpg\" alt=\"selfwealth vs etoro fees\" class=\"wp-image-86739\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/selfwealth-vs-etoro-fees-1024x544.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/selfwealth-vs-etoro-fees-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/selfwealth-vs-etoro-fees-768x408.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/selfwealth-vs-etoro-fees-1536x817.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/selfwealth-vs-etoro-fees.jpg 1640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As someone allergic to complexity, I find the flat trading fee structure a welcome breath of fresh air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In contrast, I\u2019ve been using (and reviewing) Interactive Brokers for almost a year, and I still haven\u2019t fully wrapped my head around their fee structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To be fair, Selfwealth has fewer features than \u201cbig boy\u201d trading apps like Interactive Brokers, eToro, IG and CMC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"987\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-trading-platform-australia-1024x987.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122392\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-trading-platform-australia-1024x987.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-trading-platform-australia-300x289.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-trading-platform-australia-768x740.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-trading-platform-australia.jpg 1212w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ll talk about those shortfalls below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span><em>Access to the HK stock exchange is an unexpected bonus, and allows you to get exposure to emerging Asian markets.<\/em><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The platform\u2019s interface strikes a nice balance of simplicity and sophistication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Don\u2019t expect MetaTrader level of analysis \u2013 because that\u2019s not the point. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The mobile app allows you to place orders, create watchlists and monitor your portfolio\u2019s performance in real-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As you\u2019d expect, company research is also available within the app, and is surprisingly detailed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Income, balance and cashflow projections will satisfy Benjamin Graham-inspired value investors among you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>(Until you realise that pinching into a balance sheet on a small screen can be clunky, and start using the desktop app for meaningful stock analysis instead).<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Note to self:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>The mobile app<\/strong> is for dopamine hits.<\/li><li><strong>The desktop app<\/strong> is for strategy. <\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Thankfully, the latter is also excellent, and definitely built with value investors in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You get a built-in company event calendar, news, financials, ratios, basic performance charts, yield and Refinitiv buy-and-sell ratings. I\u2019ll discuss these limitations in the \u201cCons\u201d section below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least, you get in-app live chat support. I\u2019ve used it a few times, and it\u2019s brilliant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Operators appear to be offshored, but are quick to respond, earnest and competent.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve already hinted at <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"SelfWealth\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/selfwealth\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Selfwealth\u2019s<\/a> CHESS sponsorship, but let me emphasise this feature, as cheaper Australian brokerages rarely offer it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Selfwealth will hold in your name using a unique-to-you Holder Identifier Number (HIN). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Theoretically, this feature offers you more security than the alternative custodial model, although this topic is hotly debated online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">What is my opinion? If I were investing spare change, I\u2019d be comfortable with a custodial model. But for building substantial portfolios, I will insist on CHESS sponsorship every time.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s talk about the sneaky way Selfwealth does currency conversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It charges the 60 basis point haircut in USD. Not AUD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Depending on the AUD\/USD rate, it ends up being roughly 0.9%. Or a whopping $90 per AU$10,000 you exchange. And you&#8217;ll need to pay the same when you transfer USD back into AUD.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Selfwealth doesn&#8217;t look very low-cost all of a sudden, does it? The $9.5 platform fee suddenly pales into insignificance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think this is somewhat disingenuous on Selfwealth&#8217;s part. Their marketing pulls your attention towards the flat $9.5 platform fee, but the real cost is hidden elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m writing this as someone who bought over $500K of US stocks via Selfwealth &#8211; before catching this nuance. It means I&#8217;ll pay almost $10,000 in currency conversion fees by the time I exit my positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>With Interactive Brokers, in contrast, I would have paid less than $500.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>And with eToro, I would have qualified for the Diamond level of eToro Club &#8211; and paid $0 in currency conversion spreads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"628\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-share-trading-sites-1024x628.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-122397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-share-trading-sites-1024x628.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-share-trading-sites-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-share-trading-sites-768x471.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/online-share-trading-sites.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, I would have received some cool perks, like free tickets to the Australian Open and Sydney FC games. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, Selfwealth doesn\u2019t have every stock under the Sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You get access to all the main assets and quite a lot of obscure ones, but you won\u2019t find penny stocks, brand-new IPOs or very obscure companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>I\u2019ve never not found a stock that I wanted to buy on Selfwealth, but I did come across a couple of exotic ETFs that were not available.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember that Selfwealth doesn\u2019t offer \u201cfancy\u201d features like margin trading, leverage, copy trading, Euro stocks, commodities, crypto or forex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, Selfwealth is great for defensive, buy-and-hold investors interested in getting exposure to Australian and US stocks and ETFs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>While Selfwealth\u2019s reporting is good, it misses out on stock screeners, advanced charting and pricing alerts.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>While quasi-social trading feature is available (you can watch and follow portfolios of other Selfwealth members), it\u2019s only free for 90 days, after which you\u2019ll need to pay $29\/month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Selfwealth Premium costs relatively little &#8211; if your portfolio is $100,000. But if you\u2019re investing $1,000, the $29 fee will erode 30% of your capital in one year. Be careful. Thankfully, Selfwealth doesn&#8217;t auto-enrol you into the paid program.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"SelfWealth\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/selfwealth\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Selfwealth<\/a> is one of my favourite low-cost brokerages in Australia because of its CHESS sponsorship and relatively clear pricing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t have to wrestle with tiers, pay pass-through fees or calculate percentages of trades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just pay $9.5 per side when buying Australian stocks and ETFs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Selfwealth is far less attractive for US equity investors. As I showed above, the 60bps fee keeps roughly 0.9% of your AUD (because Selfwealth charges the spread in USD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>This is FAR greater<\/strong> than Interactive Brokers (which will charge you about $5 in conversion fees for an equivalent transaction).<\/li><li><strong>And it&#8217;s more expensive than eToro&#8217;s<\/strong> (but only if you use the secret hacks I described above). And with eToro, you&#8217;re paying for fantastic copy trading tools &#8211; not available at Selfwealth.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>My verdict is this &#8211; Selwealth is a great choice for buy-and-hold investors who want to pick their own stocks and ETFs &#8211; and stick to the ASX only. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And it&#8217;s definitely NOT for aggressive day traders for two reasons. First, the $9.5 flat fee will get in the way. Second, the platform doesn&#8217;t offer leverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Simple $9.5 structure<br>\u2714 Aussie-owned and managed<br>\u2714 Great interface on desktop and app<br>\u2718 High USD conversion fee sneaks up on you<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:53px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/selfwealth\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:17px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">How Selfwealth Stacks Up<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Score<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Market Access<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Fees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Trading Platform &amp; App<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ease Of Use<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">5.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Customer Service<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Research &amp; Analysis<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>4.1<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:41px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Webull Australia\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/webull-australia\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Webull Australia<\/a>.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Decent low-cost share trading platform.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"569\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/low-cost-australian-share-trading-platform-1024x569.jpeg\" alt=\"low-cost-australian-share-trading-platform\" class=\"wp-image-97262\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/low-cost-australian-share-trading-platform-1024x569.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/low-cost-australian-share-trading-platform-300x167.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/low-cost-australian-share-trading-platform-768x427.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/low-cost-australian-share-trading-platform.jpeg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Webull Australia\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/webull-australia\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Webull<\/a> is a low-fee share trading platform that offers access to Australian shares, US shares, and options. It also offers access to shares in emerging Asian markets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ASIC regulates the platform in Australia, while the SEC, FINRA and SIPC do the same in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Compared with Interactive Brokers, <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Webull Australia\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/webull-australia\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Webull<\/a> offers a more limited range of features, asset classes and order types (i.e., no social trading, leveraged trading or access to crypto, commodities or forex). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>But you do get rock-bottom fees, decent trading tools and a generous sign-on bonus (see below for details).<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-block-accordion\">\n    <details>\n        <summary class=\"gb-accordion-title\">\n            Reasons To Use &#038; Avoid Webull.&nbsp;\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"acf-do-dont-card-accordion\">\n            <div class=\"left\">\n                <div class=\"card-left\">\n                    <div class=\"title\">\n                        Reasons To Use:&nbsp;\n                    <\/div>\n                    <ul>\n                        <li>Webull\u2019s fees are dirt cheap compared to online brokers with similar features.<\/li><li>Easy-to-understand fee structure (unlike Interactive Brokers&#8217;).<\/li><li>Access to crypto (albeit for somewhat steep 1% fee).<\/li><li>Access to fractional shares.<\/li><li>Easy-to-learn and easy-to-use interface.<\/li>                    <\/ul>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"right\">\n                <div class=\"card-right\">\n                    <div class=\"title\">\n                        Reasons To Avoid:&nbsp;\n                    <\/div>\n                    <ul>\n                        <li>No copy or social trading features. <\/li><li>&#8220;Made in China&#8221; stigma.<\/li><li>eToro and Interactive Brokers offer a larger inventory. Webull limits you to Australian and US shares and ETFs, US options and select Asian shares.<\/li>                    <\/ul>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-block-accordion\">\n    <details>\n        <summary class=\"gb-accordion-title\">\n            What Features Must You Know About?&nbsp;\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"gb-accordion-content\">\n            <ul>\n<li id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\"><strong>Commissions<\/strong>: Trade value X 0.0003 for ASX stocks, with a $4.9 minimum. Trade value x $0.00025 to buy US stocks, slightly higher fees to sell.<!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"reviewlist\"} --><br \/>\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"reviewlist\"} --><\/li>\n<li id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\"><strong>Available<\/strong> <strong>Markets<\/strong>: ASX, NASDAQ, Cboe, HKE and exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen<!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"reviewlist\"} --><\/li>\n<li id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\"><strong>Trading<\/strong> <strong>Platforms<\/strong>: Mobile-first philosophy makes the app the focus, but a proprietary desktop version is also available.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n&nbsp;\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-block-accordion\">\n    <details>\n        <summary class=\"gb-accordion-title\">\n            What&#8217;s The Best Way To Sign Up?&nbsp;\n        <\/summary>\n        <div class=\"gb-accordion-content\">\n            <p id=\"9ecf31c0-ad4f-4fb5-8ead-f7a779677d43\" class=\"reviewlist\">\u27a4 <a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"Webull Australia\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/webull-australia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">Click For A Great Rate<\/a>.<\/p>\n&nbsp;\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Webull Australia\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/webull-australia\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Webull<\/a> is one of the few low-cost Australian trading platforms offering CHESS-sponsored shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>(Superhero and Tiger Brokers are the others &#8211; scroll down or up, respectively, for detailed reviews of each).<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The usability is excellent, with an easy-to-use, intuitive and modern web-based desktop interface and mobile app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Australians planning to build a portfolio focused on Australian and international equities, as well as ETFs and options, will be impressed with the range of tradeable assets:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Australian<\/strong> stocks and ETFs.<\/li><li><strong>US<\/strong> stocks, ETFs and options.<\/li><li><strong>Hong<\/strong> Kong Stocks.<\/li><li><strong>Chinese<\/strong> A-Shares.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Fractional shares on US stocks and ETFs are available, giving you additional flexibility in diversifying your portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, Webull&#8217;s biggest differentiator is its focus on low trading fees. While Superhero is the outright cheapest for ASX stocks, Webull is a clear winner for a more diversified portfolio of holdings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And while <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a> (below) slaps you with marked-up currency conversion fees, Webull does the opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>You won&#8217;t pay currency conversion fees, but you will have to pay a commission for each trade.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Thankfully, Webull&#8217;s fees are some of the lowest fees I&#8217;ve come across in the industry.&nbsp;Australian stocks, for example, will cost 0.0003 x trade value, with a $4.9 minimum.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">On trades of about $16330 and below, you&#8217;ll pay the mandatory minimum of $4.9 per side. Higher amounts will attract a proportional rate. For example, buying $25,000 worth of BHP shares will cost you $7.5.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Back in August 2024, Webull reduced its commissions on ETFs to zero. Yep, zero. Both sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fees on US stocks are also very competitive but harder to calculate precisely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Buy<\/strong> orders on stocks and ETFs cost 0.00025 x trade volume (i.e., buying $10,000 of shares will cost US$2.5).<\/li><li><strong>Sell<\/strong> orders attract (borderline negligible) SEC and FINRA fees.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>They add up to a sell commission of 0.00043 x volume (i.e., Webull will charge you US$4.3 to sell $10,000 of US shares).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Purchases of stocks in Emerging Asian (Hong Kong and Chinese) markets will attract the least competitive fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though the rate matches Australia\u2019s at 0.0003 x trade volume, the transactions trigger a (relatively) hefty $15 minimum flagfall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">For a limited time, Webull is not charging brokerage fees for the first 20 trades. It means you can build out your initial portfolio without paying a cent in commissions.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, you&#8217;ll earn up to 4.8% on idle USD in your cash account (see T&amp;Cs for details), a great incentive to keep your USD account funded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Did You Know?<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">I&#8217;ve missed plenty of trading opportunities (e.g., April&#8217;s MSFT dip to $389) because I forgot to fund my USD account. Most share trading platforms take about two days to convert and clear USD, and the trading opportunity is often gone by the time the funds arrive.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>And if you transfer your stocks from another share trading platform, Webull will give you some trading vouchers. The bigger the transfer, the bigger the bonus:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><tbody><tr><td>$Up to $19,999<\/td><td>$50<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>$20,000+<\/td><td>$200<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To qualify for the bonus, you must keep your funds on Webull&#8217;s platform for over 90 days. Transferring your money to Webull, taking the bonus, and running away will not work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a> offers you 8 trading platforms, Webull offers just two &#8211; a mobile and desktop trading app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This won&#8217;t be a stumbling block for casual traders, but more sophisticated investors will likely miss having a more sophisticated trading platform available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Stock Trading App\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-stock-app\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a>, <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Webull Australia\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/webull-australia\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Webull<\/a> doesn\u2019t offer any copy or social trading features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You get access to a &#8220;global community of traders&#8221;, but these are likely to be other retail investors looking for tips and offering advice you can&#8217;t sanity check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">I&#8217;ve already mentioned this, but let me reiterate &#8211; leveraged trading isn&#8217;t available on Webull. For this, you&#8217;ll need <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Vantage Trading\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/vantage-trading\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Vantage<\/a> or <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Pepperstone CFD\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/pepperstone-cfd\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Pepperstone<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Webull will give you access to margin lending as a consolation prize, but their 9.6% interest rate is hardly competitive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, go elsewhere if you want to get fancy and buy assets with borrowed funds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a>, for example, offers margin lending at between 5.6% and 6.6%.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;ve seen complaints about Webull&#8217;s less-than-stellar educational materials, and I agree. All you get is a blog that explains common trading terms and shows you how to perform technical analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, I don&#8217;t see it as a stumbling block, as you must not rely on brokers for your education anyway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Their interests are not aligned with yours, and they won&#8217;t teach you to invest in ways that lead to success. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides, most share trading platforms&#8217; training materials are publicly available. No one will stop you from trading on Webull while helping yourself to eToro&#8217;s Academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">I&#8217;m not allowed to provide investing advice, but if you want to learn, leave a comment below. I&#8217;ll email you details of educators who I trust.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Webull Australia\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/webull-australia\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Webull Australia<\/a> is an excellent low-cost share trading platform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You get a user-friendly interface with a shallow learning curve, low commissions and a surprisingly powerful suite of research tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s the best platform for beginner and intermediate investors looking to build investment portfolios focusing on Australian and US shares and ETFs without paying hefty fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US options and Asian shares are on the menu for people with an appetite for more exotic asset classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Remember to take advantage of Webull&#8217;s 20 free trades sign-on bonus. You can use it to build a big chunk of your portfolio for free. After that, you&#8217;ll pay $4.9 (or so) per side &#8211; one of the lowest commissions in Australia.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, you miss out on copy and social trading features. If those are non-negotiable, <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Stock Trading App\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-stock-app\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a> is still your best option.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>CHESS sponsorship offers an extra layer of security, while the $50-200 of trading vouchers is a nice sweetener<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Trade ASX, US, HK and Chinese stocks<br>\u2714 Ultra-low commissions with first 20 trades free<br>\u2714 CHESS sponsorship with your individual HIN<br>\u2718 No copy trading or social trading features<br>\u2718 No leveraged trading<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:44px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/webull-australia\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">How Webull Stacks Up<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Score<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Market Access<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Fees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">5.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ease Of Use<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">5.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Customer Service<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Research &amp; Analysis<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>4.4<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6. <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Superhero Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/superhero-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Superhero<\/a>.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Good share trading platform for ASX stocks and ETFs<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"569\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/what-is-the-best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-1024x569.jpg\" alt=\"what is the best share trading platform australia\" class=\"wp-image-85840\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/what-is-the-best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/what-is-the-best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/what-is-the-best-share-trading-platform-in-australia-768x427.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/what-is-the-best-share-trading-platform-in-australia.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Superhero Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/superhero-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Superhero<\/a> is one of the newer fintech disruptors, fighting for dominance in the Australian online trading market since 2020. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It competes directly with <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"TigerBrokers Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/tigerbrokers-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Tiger Brokers<\/a>, Stake, SelfWealth and &#8211; to a lesser extent &#8211; <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a>, to give you access to the share market at rock-bottom fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Commitment to affordability is <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Superhero Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/superhero-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Superhero&#8217;s<\/a> key differentiator. You pay $0 on ETF purchases (but cop $5 when you sell them) and $2 on ASX share transactions, both ways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Zero account-keeping and inactivity fees continue to impress, and will appeal to investors who like to buy and HODL.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Start trading US shares, however, and fees will start to add up (more on this shortly).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking of America, Superhero supports fractional share trading on US stocks, but not on the ASX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This means that, instead of saving up $420 to buy one share in Microsoft, investors can purchase a fraction of a share at a current price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Investing in fractional shares gives you more flexibility, but also increases your trading costs.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The desktop user interface and the mobile app are very simple to use, while the signup process is quick and easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>As someone who hates admin<\/strong>, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Superhero offers a sophisticated tax reporting function.<\/li><li><strong>Instead of forcing you to wade through spreadsheets<\/strong>, it allows you to export pre-compiled reports that you simply pass on to your accountant.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I also love the comprehensive customer support available through live chat and email. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a> and other online share trading platforms, Superhero doesn&#8217;t offer access to CFDs, crypto or commodities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While this is great if you plan to build a portfolio centred around ASX stocks and ETFs, you&#8217;ll be forced to switch to a more comprehensive platform if you decide to play around with leverage or diversify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Don&#8217;t fall for Superhero&#8217;s &#8220;zero brokerage on US stocks&#8221; offer. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, it is true, but you&#8217;ll also cop Superhero&#8217;s high currency conversion fee of 0.65 bps<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like Selfwealth, this is not 0.65%, as you may imagine, but 65 bps added to the spot rate. Confused? Don\u2019t worry, you\u2019re not alone. It works like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>A$1,000 trade<\/strong> at a spot rate of US$1 = A$0.65 <\/li><li><strong>Deduct 65bps<\/strong> from this (their margin) = 0.6435<\/li><li><strong>A$1,000 trade<\/strong> becomes US$643.50<\/li><li><strong>Effective<\/strong> <strong>conversion<\/strong> fee = 1% \/ 100 bps%<em style=\"font-size: revert; color: initial; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\">.<\/em> <\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/superhero-trading-platform\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Superhero<\/a>&nbsp;are not alone in using this method to calculate this fee (looking at you Stake and Selfwealth), but it feels unnecessarily complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Superhero Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/superhero-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Superhero<\/a> charges this fee in USD, which translates to almost 1% in net Aussie dollar terms. You&#8217;ll need to pay it again when you transfer your money back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the way, Superhero can keep its fees low because it operates on a shared HIN (custodian) model. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Last but not least, Superhero doesn&#8217;t have any copy trading features. If this is a must-have for you, go with <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a>.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;ll get the most out of <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Superhero Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/superhero-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Superhero<\/a> if you stick to the ASX and reduce the sting of the $2 brokerage fee by resisting the urge to make small, frequent trades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US stock investors will be better off with a more holistic platform like <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a>, which is just as easy to use and gives you access to free copy trading features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>That said, Superhero is a great, low-cost option for novice and intermediate traders who want a straightforward and affordable way to get into the Australian share market.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Low-fee ASX trading<br>\u2714 Pay zero brokerage fees for US fractional shares and ETFs<br>\u2714 No monthly fees<br>\u2718 Limited reporting, analysis and charting<br>\u2718 FX fee is higher than it appears<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/superhero-trading-platform\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">How Superhero Stacks Up<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Score<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Market Access<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Fees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">5.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ease Of Use<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Customer Service<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Research &amp; Analysis<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>3.9<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>8. <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"IG\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/ig\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">IG<\/a>.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Good all-round share trading platform.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"569\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/best-platform-for-professional-investors-1024x569.jpeg\" alt=\"best for professional investors\" class=\"wp-image-85844\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/best-platform-for-professional-investors-1024x569.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/best-platform-for-professional-investors-300x167.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/best-platform-for-professional-investors-768x427.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/best-platform-for-professional-investors.jpeg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>IG is another custodial broker, sitting between <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"IC Markets\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/ic-markets\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">IC Markets<\/a> and <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Interactive Brokers\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/interactive-brokers\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Interactive Brokers<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It offers professional-grade tools and access to a wide variety of tradable securities. However, like IC Markets, most of these are available via CFD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The share trading platform has existed for over 50 years and has established itself as a trusted and reliable choice for traders worldwide, with offices in 18 countries, including Sydney and Melbourne. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It has amassed over 300,000 clients and offers access to an absurd number of markets (currently, 17,000+!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>IG offers an extensive selection of financial instruments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can trade shares, ETFs, CFDs, futures, options, commodities, and cryptocurrency and diversify your capital evenly across them, thus minimising your risk exposure to a specific market, asset or sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Traders get access<\/strong> to top-notch market research tools. <\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You have IG&#8217;s in-house IGTV, Reuters financial news, an economic calendar, weekly market forecast, and daily blog updates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Advanced trading tools like customisable screens, auto-charts, auto pattern recognition, and others make IG worthwhile for advanced traders. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Aside from that, the 60,000-strong IG community brings together fellow investors and helps them to learn from one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fees are also quite reasonable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>You can trade US and UK shares with 0% brokerage fees and Australian stocks for as little as $5 &#8211; as long as you&#8217;ve made three trades during the previous month. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>New traders also get a fully functioning demo brokerage account with $20,000 worth of virtual assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">IG also offers an extended hours trading feature that lets you trade certain US shares before and after market hours. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The top-notch mobile trading app makes trading on the go very easy. The app is fully featured, offering desktop-like features (e.g., market analysis and auto-syncing charts), and functions properly with no bugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>IG charges inactivity fees and a fee for guaranteed stop orders, which kind of sucks when you consider that stop orders are free on many other trading platforms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>The inactivity fee<\/strong> is steep, at $50 per quarter for those making less than 3 monthly trades.<\/li><li><strong>And there&#8217;s a relatively high 0.7%<\/strong> currency conversion fee.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least, I found IG customer support slow and unresponsive, with the live chat function offline frequently during business hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>IG is a noteworthy online share trading platform, especially for advanced traders and definitely worth a comparison for investors using or considering Interactive Brokers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The top-notch trading interface, competitive fees and wide availability of financial instruments are IG&#8217;s key differentiators. But the complexity of the platform could be a turnoff for newbies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Top-notch mobile trading platform<br>\u2714 Solid market research news<br>\u2714 Great demo account<br>\u2718 High fees on small trades<br>\u2718 Can get overwhelming for beginners<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:26px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/ig\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">How IG Stacks Up<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Score<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Market Access<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Fees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Trading Platform &amp; App<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ease Of Use<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Customer Service<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Research &amp; Analysis<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>4.3<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>8.&nbsp;<a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"IC Markets\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/ic-markets\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">IC Markets<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/webull-australia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a>.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The low-cost forex broker expands to equities<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"569\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/trading-platform-australia-1024x569.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-113084\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/trading-platform-australia-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/trading-platform-australia-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/trading-platform-australia-768x427.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/trading-platform-australia.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>IC Markets is a name almost every forex trader has heard of. Famous for its low spreads and competitive product selection, it has now made the move to offer equity trading on its platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>IC Markets offers MetaTrader 4 and 5 as its investment platforms, which will be familiar to most and provide enough functionality for all but the most advanced traders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, share trading is a new feature for them, and so their live support may improve over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">If you\u2019re mainly a forex trader, then the addition of equity trading to IC Markets may provide added convenience, allowing your investments to be held in one place.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike some of the newer entrants to the market, IC Markets is an established brand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The platform has been in business for nearly 20 years, providing you with reassurance that they are financially sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:42px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Their equity selection is relatively limited, with just ASX and US stocks available, although this will likely be adequate for many investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their fees are not expensive, but at $7.70 per side, they are not competitive in the current Australian market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ASIC regulates the platform in Australia, while the company is mainly regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in the Seychelles, a tier-2 financial regulator and thus imposes less stringent regulations than a tier-1 broker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While ASIC is a tier-1 regulator, it is notable that IC Markets is not regulated in the US or the UK, with the FCA recently warning that IC Markets was not regulated to offer its services in their jurisdiction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">This is probably not a huge cause for concern, but it is a key reason I was reluctant to rank IC Markets higher in this list of the best share trading platforms in Australia.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Solid brand reputation<br>\u2714 Great for CFD investors who want to trade shares<br>\u2718 Limited range of shares available<br>\u2718 Fees aren&#8217;t super competitive<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:26px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/ic-markets\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">How IC Markets Stacks Up<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Score<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Market Access<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Fees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Trading Platform &amp; App<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ease Of Use<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Customer Service<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Research &amp; Analysis<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>4.3<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>9. <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Pearler\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/pearler\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Pearler<\/a>.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Good share trading platform for passive investors.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"569\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/share-trading-platforms-australia-1024x569.jpg\" alt=\"share trading platforms\" class=\"wp-image-85848\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/share-trading-platforms-australia-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/share-trading-platforms-australia-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/share-trading-platforms-australia-768x427.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/share-trading-platforms-australia.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Pearler is an innovative Australian online trading platform that has gained much traction since its launch in 2018. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the platform&#8217;s pitch: most investors do not beat the market over the long term, not even professionals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, Pearler believes your best option is to invest regularly into a set asset allocation as cheaply as possible. As they say, time in the market beats timing the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The platform focuses on providing you with a user-friendly experience and tools to help you build a long-term passive investing stock portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pearler is quite easy to use. The share trading platform was designed to get out of your way and accomplishes just that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No superficial features, needless clutter, obtrusive icons or buttons. Just a simple platform that new investors will find quite appealing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>nabtrade<\/strong> &#8211; are you paying attention?<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Pearler&#8217;s main focus is on long-term, passive investing, and it accomplishes this using automated investment plans and fractional investing to help users build and maintain diversified portfolios. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You can set up a regular investment plan to automatically purchase shares of selected ETFs each month, so your portfolio effortlessly grows over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pearler also does not charge inactivity fees, making it suitable for users who may not trade frequently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Additionally, like <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"eToro Trading Platform\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/etoro-trading-platform\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">eToro<\/a>, Pearler offers social insights through its platform, allowing users to follow and interact with like-minded investors.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pearler currently only offers access to ASX-listed shares and ETFs. This could constrain and\/or turn off Australian investors who want to trade&nbsp;other financial instruments or access international markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another potential downside of Pearler is the absence of advanced trading tools and research resources that some experienced Australian brokers might expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While its micro-investing product offers the ability to invest with as little as $100, fees at this level can be prohibitively expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">A $1,000 portfolio will be hit with a 2.3% management fee, ten $100 trades to get to this level would cost $65. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This means your total fees for that year would be around 6.5% (or more than the average long-term real returns for equities). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They have put in features that allow you to build deposits before investing at a certain level to mitigate this, while balances of $5,000+ begin to have a more palatable 0.41% management fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Pearler is a user-friendly and accessible trading platform primarily geared toward novice investors and those interested in long-term, passive investing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With automated investment features, it&#8217;s an ideal next-generation trading platform for casual traders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 User-friendly and intuitive UI<br>\u2714 Auto-invest feature that actually works<br>\u2718 Basic research tools<br>\u2718 Limited range of assets<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:26px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/pearler\/\">See Platform In Action<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">How Pearler Stacks Up<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Score<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Market Access<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Fees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Trading Platform &amp; App<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ease Of Use<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Customer Service<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Research &amp; Analysis<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>4.0<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10. Stake.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Good trading platform for buying US equities.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"569\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/top-share-trading-platforms-australia-1024x569.jpg\" alt=\"share trading platforms\" class=\"wp-image-85869\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/top-share-trading-platforms-australia-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/top-share-trading-platforms-australia-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/top-share-trading-platforms-australia-768x427.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/top-share-trading-platforms-australia.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Stake is a relatively new platform that takes pride in simplicity, as hinted at by its monochrome colour palette. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Its offering is straightforward \u2014 perfect for investors who want the bare minimum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in a world where brokers are battling to innovate, is simplicity enough?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Stake offers a $3 flat trading fee on trades up to $30,000, making it a popular choice for several traders looking to save costs on trading fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stake\u2019s no-frills, monochrome layout functions seamlessly and reduces the annoying distractions and chaos you can experience with some of its competitors (yes, you NABTrade). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s unlikely anyone would be unhappy with Stake&#8217;s user experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, Australian shares bought on Stake are CHESS-sponsored, meaning they are registered with the ASX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Additionally, Stake offers access to a wide range of US equities, including stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Stake would like to think its simplicity is a selling point. However, it feels like it\u2019s almost too simple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can deposit, trade, and withdraw. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s some company analysis tucked behind the \u2018Stake Black\u2019 paywall, but it\u2019s pretty barebones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While this is probably all most investors need, the $14 monthly subscription feels a bit of a stretch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">For context, that\u2019s $168\/year on top of your trading costs for basic analysis containing publicly available info. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For a $1,000 portfolio, that\u2019s 17% of your portfolio eaten up each year. Even for a $10,000 portfolio, 1.7% is massive \u2013 professional traders could make a career from beating the market by this amount annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is also reflected in the selection of assets provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you definitely don\u2019t need the range provided by IB or IG, Stake perhaps keeps it too simple, with just two equity markets: Australia and the US. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond that? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll need to use a range of US-traded ETFs for more diverse exposure. It\u2019s fine for those who want to dabble in local or US markets, but the lack of direct access to European or Asian stocks will frustrate many investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Another drawback of Stake is its limited customer support service.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no live chat option. So, you can only contact the customer support service via email, which can take over 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Stake is a decent choice for traders seeking a simple and affordable way to own a few Australian stocks, but intends on majoring in US stocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Low fees!<br>\u2714 Good range of major instruments<br>\u2718 Controversial custodial model<br>\u2718 Limited customer support<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">How Stake Stacks Up<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Score<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Market Access<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Fees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Trading Platform &amp; App<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ease Of Use<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">5.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Customer Service<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Research &amp; Analysis<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>4.0<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>11. <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow noindex\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"nabtrade\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/recommends\/nabtrade\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">nabtrade<\/a>.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Share trading platform for anxious people who only trust big banks.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"569\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/nab-share-investing-platform-australia-1024x569.jpeg\" alt=\"share trading platform australia\" class=\"wp-image-85854\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/nab-share-investing-platform-australia-1024x569.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/nab-share-investing-platform-australia-300x167.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/nab-share-investing-platform-australia-768x427.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/nab-share-investing-platform-australia.jpeg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>nabtrade is a trading platform founded in 2011 and backed by NAB, one of Australia&#8217;s Big Four banks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The platform offers access to over 10,000 stocks and ETFs at stock exchanges in Australia, the USA, Germany, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>nabtrade gives you good expert analysis, market news, and company reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to the comprehensive data, nabtrade offers integrated banking services for NAB customers, simplifying the process of transferring funds and managing investments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>I personally bank with NAB and can testify to the efficiency of this setup. Even though nabtrade is separate from your main NAB online banking account, the integration between the two platforms is seamless. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You can send money back and forth without any delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NAB&#8217;s brand value is also hard to ignore. If you&#8217;re anxious about leaving your money with global platforms like eToro, nabtrade is a good option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first disadvantage of nabtrade is its user interface, which I find more clunky than Windows 95. Compared with newer trading platforms like eToro and Superhero, it looks like it belongs in the stone age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Small screen elements, confusing menus and a lack of a good mobile app add unnecessary friction to the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second issue I have with nabtrade is its fee structure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 0.5% inactivity fee, triggered when you don&#8217;t make trades for 12 months, is outrageous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">If you have a $50,000 portfolio that stays dormant, you&#8217;ll cough up $250 per year in inactivity fees alone.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The same fees on eToro, charged at $10\/month, add up to $120, while low-cost brokers like Superhero and Tiger Brokers charge zero inactivity fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>nabtrade brokerage fees<\/strong> are tiered and range between $9.95 and $19.95 up to $20,000 and switch to 0.11% of trade value above $20,000. This is comparatively high, again.<\/li><li><strong>International share purchases<\/strong> attract an additional currency conversion fee between 0.5% and 0.8%, which is far from ideal.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>nabtrade is a reputable trading platform suited to NAB customers who want to keep their finances under the roof of a trusted Australian institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because nabtrade is backed by the National Australia Bank, you&#8217;ll sleep well knowing your money is as safe as it can be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But you will pay for this with high fees and time lost navigating its unintuitive interface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Solid brand reputation<br>\u2714 Comprehensive research tools<br>\u2718 Clunky platform<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">How Nabtrade Stacks Up<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Score<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Market Access<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Fees<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Trading Platform &amp; App<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ease Of Use<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Customer Service<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">4.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Research &amp; Analysis<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">3.5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>OVERALL<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>3.8<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>12.  Bell Direct.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"569\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trading-platforms-1-1024x569.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-124680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trading-platforms-1-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trading-platforms-1-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trading-platforms-1-768x427.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/trading-platforms-1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Bell Direct is the online broking arm of Bell Financial Group, a global financial advisory firm that has offices in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Bell Direct firmly makes a play for offering the best customer service of all the online brokers in the market. Evidence from customers does seem to support it, with many recommending the broker, despite its limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The level of market analysis and data is up there with some of the best on offer, thanks to its ties to Bell Financial Group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, while there are cheaper data packages available, it\u2019s still pretty reasonable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, its mobile app functions reasonably well, if not quite at the level of Stake but certainly not a nails-on-chalkboard experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While it does offer some good features and the customer service will be a pleasant surprise, it\u2019s offering is pretty limited. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While a step above HSBC and Macquarie, investors are still limited to Australian-domiciled investments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, its fees are still at the top end of the market at $15.50 per trade. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a tiered pricing model, but $10\/trade on your 31<sup>st<\/sup> trade is hardly going to sway day traders to the platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:59px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Bell Direct\u2019s offering is fine. If you\u2019re happy with Australian securities and value customer service it may work for. However, it\u2019s unlikely to be the only broker most investors will use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>13. HSBC Online Share Trading<\/strong>.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>HSBC will be a name familiar to many reading this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the world\u2019s largest banks, it returned to the Australian securities market a few years ago, via Bell Financial Group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:58px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pros.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For investors already banking with HSBC, its online trading account offers the ability to have a clear view of your overall financial position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, thanks to its link to Bell Financial Group, you can access sell-side analysis reports that would normally only be available to professional or full-service clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking this one step further HSBC offers a wealth of market data at a somewhat reasonable price of $10\/month \u2013 which is what Stake charges just to access publicly available data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cons.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While the above is great, HSBC is basically just the same offering as Macquarie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It offers access to ASX-listed shares and Australian-domiciled mutual funds only, which is pretty limiting when the ASX makes up just 2% of the global market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, its fees are about as uncompetitive as it gets, equalling Macquarie\u2019s $19.95.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Overall.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>HSBC\u2019s online share trading account is unlikely to appeal to the masses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you already have all your banking with HSBC and trade large sums relatively infrequently, then the ease of use may be worthwhile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">In addition, if you value market data and company information, then it could be worth using HSBC to make a few trades in return for their data packages.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>One slight concern is how Bell Financial Group\u2019s planned purchase of Selfwealth will impact HSBC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Current indications are that BFG will run Selfwealth as is, while continuing to receive commissions from HSBC, but it is definitely something to keep an eye out for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3 Factors To Consider When Choosing The Best Share Trading Platform.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t get distracted by shiny objects. Here are the top factors that make or break a platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Range Of Assets.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your risk appetite is the biggest predictor of your asset needs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Riskier portfolios<\/strong> typically include CFDs on stocks, forex, crypto and ETFs.<\/li><li><strong>Commodities<\/strong> such as gold, coal and titanium are often used as a hedge against this risk.<\/li><li><strong>Market<\/strong> <strong>volatility<\/strong> of specific regions (e.g., APAC, North America) can be absorbed by investing in stocks on respective exchanges.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why sophisticated investors who set out to build balanced portfolios choose trading platforms that offer access to a large range of markets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Fee Structure.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Trading platforms use fees strategically to attract and repel certain types of investors. Choose a platform that best matches your trading style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Interactive Brokers <\/strong>is home to professional (or otherwise serious) investors who move high volumes frequently. Its fees are tiered, with only 0.025% on trading sums above $100 million.<\/li><li><strong>Other platforms<\/strong>, meanwhile, use its &#8220;zero fees on stocks and ETFs&#8221; policy as a loss leader. They lose money on those products but make up for it with market-rate fees on CFDs and crypto.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:55px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Ease Of Use.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you surprised to see this as a key prerequisite? Don&#8217;t be. You&#8217;re less likely to interact with a clunky, unintuitive platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Good software gets out of your way, eliminating friction and allowing you to place trades on the fly from your mobile device. <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Some platforms (e.g. CMC Markets) offer the well-regarded but complex Meta Trader package, while others (e.g. eToro) opt for proprietary software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions About Share Trading Platforms.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>People have consistently asked me the following questions about trading on the Australian stock market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What fees do Australian online brokers charge?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Fees are calculated in a variety of ways including percentages, flat rates and based on volume \u2014 which can make it harder to understand and compare costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Reasonable fees per buy\/sell order vary from a minimum of around AUD$5-10.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Some brokers have a no-commission model, but beware that these platforms make money through fees charged on currency conversions, spreads when you apply leverage, and costs related to using your account (e.g., withdrawing money, inactivity).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Are online brokerages safe?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Thousands of Australians safely invest and trade every day using the reputable, established, and regulated share trading platforms compared in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Reasonable fees per buy\/sell order vary from a minimum of around AUD$5-10<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re keen to directly hold your shares for added protection in case of a broker\u2019s insolvency, you might prefer a CHESS-sponsored broker compared to a broker with a custodial model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:59px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Are The Risks Of Investing In Shares?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you buy shares from an online broker, you spend money without guarantee of a return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>You also accept the chance that you could lose all of your capital.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>While Australian and international markets tend to add value over the long term (in a broad sense), individual stocks can be volatile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each company\u2019s share price depends on a huge variety of macro, performance-based and consumer-led factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Even well-run companies can be overtaken by competitors or lose relevance due to changing trends.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Is CHESS Sponsorship?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>CHESS stands for Clearing House Electronic Subregister System, and it&#8217;s the software the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) uses to manage and record a change of ownership in shares when they\u2019re bought or sold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">When you use a CHESS-sponsored broker, you\u2019ll have peace of mind that your shares are securely registered as belonging to you via ASX\u2019s settlement system.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Your ownership is represented by a unique Holder Identification Number (HIN) you\u2019ll receive from your broker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:61px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How many Australians invest in the share market?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Deloitte, investing on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) puts you in good company \u2013 over 30% of Australians own assets listed on an exchange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These include shares, bonds, ETFs, managed funds, warrants, options and futures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:59px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Which trading platforms in Australia have the lowest fees?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The table below compares the fees of 9 share trading platforms in Australia. Remember to place these into context. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, look for low, percentage-based commissions if you&#8217;re a high-volume trader. Look for zero inactivity fees if you&#8217;re a passive investor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Platform<\/th><th>Brokerage Fee<\/th><th>Tradeable Assets<\/th><th>Signup Bonus<\/th><th>Tradeable Indices<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">eToro<\/td><td>1% fee on crypto assets, 1.5% currency conversion fee (can be bypassed), US$2 per side on stocks<\/td><td>Stocks, ETFs, crypto assets<\/td><td>None<\/td><td>NYSE, NASDAQ, ASX, LSE, HKEX<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Superhero<\/td><td>$5 flat fee on ASX stocks and ETFs, $0 on US stocks, 0.5% FX conversion fee<\/td><td>Stocks and ETFs<\/td><td>$10 of Tesla stocks for $100 <\/td><td>ASX, NYSE and NASDAQ<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Tiger Brokers<\/td><td>0.055% or $5.5 minimum for ASX trades, 0.013 USD\/share or $2 minimum for US trades<\/td><td>Stocks, ETFs, options and futures<\/td><td>$50 of fractional shares<\/td><td>ASX, NYSE, NASDAQ, HKEX and more<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">CMC Markets<\/td><td>From $9.90 or 0.075% for ASX trades, from US$10 or 2c per share for US trades, 0.6% FX conversion fee<\/td><td>Stocks, ETFs, CFDs and forex<\/td><td>None<\/td><td>ASX, NYSE, NASDAQ and more<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">IG<\/td><td>From $8 or 0.1% for ASX trades, from US$10 or 2c per share for US trades, 0.7% FX fee<\/td><td>Stocks, ETFs, CFDs and forex<\/td><td>None<\/td><td>ASX, NYSE, NASDAQ and more<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Pearler<\/td><td>From $9.50 per trade for ASX stocks and ETFs<\/td><td>Stocks and ETFs<\/td><td>None<\/td><td>ASX<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">nabtrade<\/td><td>From $14.95 or 0.11% for ASX trades, from US$14.95 or 0.11% for US trades, up to 0.6% FX fee<\/td><td>Stocks and ETFs<\/td><td>None<\/td><td>ASX, NYSE and NASDAQ<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Selfwealth<\/td><td>$9.50 flat fee per trade for ASX stocks and ETFs, $9.50 flat fee per trade plus FX fee of 0.6% for US stocks and ETFs <\/td><td>Stocks and ETFs<\/td><td>None<\/td><td>ASX, NYSE and NASDAQ<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">ThinkMarkets<\/td><td>From $8 or 0.08% for ASX trades, from US$9.95 or 2c per share for US trades, up to 1% FX fee <\/td><td>Stocks, ETFs, CFDs and forex<\/td><td>5 free ASX trades (T&amp;Cs apply)<\/td><td>ASX, NYSE and NASDAQ<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Which share trading platform in Australia is best for beginners?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Beginners should look for a trading platform that offers the following features, as a minimum:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Solid security credentials<\/strong> (ensure the platform is registered with ASIC).<\/li><li><strong>Easy-to-use<\/strong> web interface and mobile app.<\/li><li><strong>Strong<\/strong> customer support (preferably with live chat).<\/li><li><strong>Low<\/strong> costs per trade (beginner traders are more likely to make small deposits).<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, I recommend eToro as the best platform for novice traders and investors &#8211; because it scores very highly across all of the criteria above. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Customer support is its main weakness, as eToro doesn&#8217;t offer live chat to its Australian users.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:39px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Do I Make Money From Trading Shares?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Investors trade shares online with the aim of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Profiting<\/strong> from dividend payments each company pays out to shareholders.<\/li><li><strong>Realising<\/strong> capital gains on the shares. <\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Capital gains made through an increase in a stock\u2019s value on the market hinge on the company\u2019s real-world performance, its perceived value in the eyes of investors (sentiment), and when you buy in and how long you hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">As a general rule, the share price of a company with good fundamentals tends to rise over the long term despite short-term fluctuations in value.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Are The Risks Of Investing In Shares?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you buy shares from an online broker, you spend money without guarantee of a return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You also accept the chance that you could lose all of your capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Australian and international markets tend to add value over the long term (in a broad sense), individual stocks can be volatile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each company\u2019s share price depends on a huge variety of macro, performance-based and consumer-led factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Even well-run companies can be overtaken by competitors or lose relevance due to changing trends.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Is CHESS Sponsorship?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>CHESS stands for Clearing House Electronic Subregister System.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s the software the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) uses to manage and record a change of ownership in shares when they\u2019re bought or sold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">When you use a CHESS-sponsored broker, you\u2019ll have peace of mind that your shares are securely registered as belonging to you via ASX\u2019s settlement system.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Your ownership is represented by a unique Holder Identification Number (HIN) you\u2019ll receive from your broker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:59px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>HIN vs custody: does it matter?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A custodial model allows the comingling of assets under the same HIN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each system has its pros and cons, but I believe that separate HINs are better for serious investors &#8211; because it gives you direct ownership of your shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Getting your shares back<\/strong> if a custodial broker goes bust could be difficult and time-consuming.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re simply dabbling in share trading, or have a small portion of your net worth tied up in stocks, a custodial model is less of an issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Expert Tip.<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">CHESS (Clearing House Electronic Subregister System) is a system used by the Australian Stock Exchange to enable the transfer of shares between buyers and sellers. A HIN is a tracking number used by CHESS to track your trades and holdings.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How To Compare Trading Platforms And Brokers?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As this comparison of share trading platforms and online brokers demonstrates, your choice will be driven by your investing experience and plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, there\u2019s no reason to compare platforms that only offer CFDs if your goal is to invest long-term in stocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clarify your own priorities first. You might narrow your options by determining:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong style=\"color: initial; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\">What<\/strong><span style=\"color: initial; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\"> assets or product types you want to invest or trade in?<\/span><\/li><li><strong style=\"color: initial; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\">How<\/strong><span style=\"color: initial; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\"> often you plan to invest\/trade and in what amounts?<\/span><\/li><li><strong style=\"color: initial; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\">Will<\/strong><span style=\"color: initial; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\"> you put time an effort into research, or want a hands-off experience?<\/span> <\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Fees Do Australian Online Share Trading Platforms Charge?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A number of dependable, low-cost stock broking apps are competing for market share in Australia, aimed at making investing affordable for retail investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fees are calculated in a variety of ways including percentages, flat rates and based on volume \u2014 which can make it harder to understand and compare costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Reasonable fees per buy\/sell order vary from a minimum of around AUD$5-10.<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Some brokers have a no-commission model, but beware that these platforms make money through fees charged on currency conversions, spreads when you apply leverage, and costs related to using your account (e.g., withdrawing money, inactivity).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Are Online Share Trading Platforms Safe?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thousands of Australians safely invest and trade every day using the reputable, established, and regulated share trading platforms compared in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>Reasonable fees per buy\/sell order vary from a minimum of around AUD$5-10<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re keen to directly hold your shares for added protection in case of a broker\u2019s insolvency, <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:41px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bottom Line For Choosing The Best Share Trading Platform In Australia.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In conclusion, the Australian share market offers plenty of opportunities for investors and traders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you begin, learn the basics of investing &#8211; and choose a share trading platform that suits your trading style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The perfect trading platform doesn&#8217;t exist. You must choose the best trading platform for your needs by understanding the respective strengths and weaknesses of each. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Disclaimer.<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">The information presented here is general in nature and does not endorse any investment product, market, provider, or service. It is not intended as financial advice or a recommendation to trade &#8211; or not to trade. Trading futures, shares, ETFs, options, CFDs, and forex involves a high level of risk and may result in significant losses, particularly when leverage is used. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Before trading, consider whether the product is appropriate for your circumstances and seek independent professional advice. Refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) on the provider\u2019s website.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:26px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Steven<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":84146,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"single-review.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[267,305],"class_list":["post-104404","review","type-review","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money","category-trading-platforms"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>13 Best Share Trading Platforms In Australia [Unexpected]<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is the best online trading platform in Australia? 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