General advice only: The information on this site does not take into account your personal financial situation, needs or objectives. It is not financial advice. Always read the PDS and consider seeking independent financial advice before investing.
Updated March 2026 · Australia

Cheapest broker in Australia

Brokerage fees vary wildly — from $0 to $19.95 per trade for the exact same share. We've compared every major Australian broker so you know exactly who charges the least for your trade size.

Top picks
#1 Lowest ASX flat fee
Superhero
ASX & ETF Platform
$2
flat per ASX trade
Australia's lowest flat fee. $0 on ETFs. CHESS sponsored. Best for trades between $500–$15,000.
Open Superhero →
#2 Lowest US commission
Stake
US & ASX Shares
$0
US share commission
$0 on US stocks. $3 flat for ASX. CHESS sponsored. Best all-rounder for AU + US investors.
Open Stake →
#3 $0 brokerage on own ETFs
Vanguard
ETF & Index Funds
$0
brokerage on Vanguard ETFs
Zero brokerage + ultra-low MERs. Ideal for passive buy-and-hold ETF investors. Vanguard funds only.
Open Vanguard →

See what you'd pay at your trade size

Drag the slider to your typical trade amount and see exactly how much each broker charges.

Fee comparison by trade size
Trade size $5,000

Full broker fee comparison — Australia 2026

Every major Australian broker, ranked by ASX brokerage fee. All fees verified March 2026.

Broker ASX shares US shares ETFs CHESS Min deposit
SuperheroCheapest ASX $2 flat $0 + 0.7% FX $0 $100
StakeCHESS $3 flat $0 + 0.5% FX $3 flat $0
eToro ~0.5% spread $0 + 0.5% FX ~0.5% spread $50 USD
PearlerCHESS $6.50 flat $6.50 + 0.5% FX $6.50 flat $0
VanguardFree ETFs N/A N/A $0 (Vanguard only) $500
IBKR $6 or 0.08% $0.005/share $6 or 0.08% $0
Webull Coming soon $0 $0 $0
CommSecMost expensive $10–$19.95+ 0.31% min $8 $10–$19.95 $0

Cheapest broker by use case

🇦🇺
ASX shares — small trades (under $5k)
→ Superhero ($2 flat)

Superhero's $2 flat fee is unbeatable for trades under $5,000. Second cheapest is Stake at $3. CommSec charges $10–$19.95 for the same trade.

🇺🇸
US shares
→ Stake or eToro ($0 commission)

Both charge $0 commission. The real cost is FX conversion — Stake charges 0.5%, eToro 0.5%. For large trades, IBKR's 0.002% FX rate is far cheaper.

📊
ETF investing (buy and hold)
→ Vanguard ($0 brokerage)

Vanguard charges $0 brokerage on its own ETFs AND has the lowest management expense ratios (MER) in Australia. Ideal for passive investors.

📈
Active trading (large amounts)
→ IBKR (0.08% or $6 min)

For trades above $20,000, IBKR's percentage-based fee (0.08%) beats the flat-fee brokers. Also has the cheapest FX rates of any Australian broker.

🔄
Auto-investing / DCA
→ Pearler ($3 auto-invest)

Pearler's automatic investment feature charges just $3 per scheduled purchase, less than Superhero's $2 manual fee. Set and forget.

🔰
Complete beginner
→ eToro or Superhero

eToro has the most beginner-friendly interface and a $100k virtual practice portfolio. Superhero is simpler than most if you just want to buy ASX shares.

Why CommSec is so expensive

CommSec is owned by Commonwealth Bank, one of Australia's largest companies. Its pricing reflects a full-service brokerage model that was designed before discount brokers existed — and it hasn't had to change because millions of Australians use it by default through their CBA banking relationship.

On a $5,000 ASX trade, CommSec charges $19.95. Superhero charges $2 for the exact same trade. Over a year of monthly investing that's $239.40 vs $24 — a difference of over $215. Compounded over 10 years that gap becomes significant.

CommSec does offer genuine value in its research tools, Morningstar data, CGT reporting, and CBA integration. But for most investors, those features don't justify paying 10x the brokerage.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way to buy shares in Australia?
For ASX shares, Superhero at $2 flat is the cheapest. For US shares, Stake or eToro at $0 commission. For ETFs, Vanguard Personal Investor charges $0 brokerage on all Vanguard ETFs. Use our fee calculator above to compare based on your exact trade size.
Is Superhero the cheapest broker in Australia?
For ASX share trades, yes — Superhero's $2 flat fee is the lowest of any CHESS-sponsored broker in Australia. However, for US shares, ETFs-only investing via Vanguard, or very large trades, other brokers may be cheaper. Use the slider tool above to see your specific scenario.
Are $0 commission brokers really free?
Not entirely. Brokers like eToro and Stake make money on the bid-ask spread (typically 0.5%), currency conversion fees (0.5% on US trades), and in eToro's case, inactivity fees. They're still significantly cheaper than CommSec or traditional brokers, but zero commission doesn't mean zero cost.
What is CHESS sponsorship and do I need it?
CHESS is the ASX's share registry system. CHESS-sponsored brokers register shares directly in your HIN (Holder Identification Number) — you legally own the shares directly. Custodial brokers hold shares in their name on your behalf. Both are safe and legal. CHESS gives you direct ownership and makes it easier to transfer shares between brokers.
Which broker has no inactivity fees in Australia?
Most Australian brokers have no inactivity fees — including Superhero, Stake, CommSec, IBKR, Pearler, and Vanguard. eToro is the notable exception, charging $10/month after 12 months of inactivity. If you invest sporadically, avoid eToro or make sure to place at least one trade per year.
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General Advice Warning: The information on this website is general in nature and does not take into account your personal financial situation, needs or objectives. It is not financial advice and should not be relied upon as such. BrokerVsBroker does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). Before acting on any information on this site, you should consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances and seek independent financial advice if necessary. Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of capital. Fee information is sourced from broker websites and is subject to change — always verify current fees directly with the provider. BrokerVsBroker may receive affiliate commissions from brokers featured on this site. This does not influence our fee data or comparisons. © 2026 BrokerVsBroker. All rights reserved.