Best trading platforms in Australia for beginners: Features and fees compared

Yadana Chaw

Looking to invest to grow your nest egg? If you’re a new investor, you’ll probably find using a digital trading platform the easiest way to keep on top of your finances with low fees. So, what is the best trading platform in Australia for newer investors?

This guide introduces some popular picks for the best trading platform in Australia for beginners - plus we’ll touch on Wise as a smart way to cut currency costs when you invest internationally.

Table of contents

What is a trading platform?

A trading platform is an app or website that lets you easily buy and sell assets like stocks and view your investments all in one place.

Platforms charge fees for their services, which can include monthly costs, per-trade fees, and other charges, including currency conversion costs. Generally, trading platforms also offer self-service tools to allow you to research company performance and pick your next buys.

Keep reading to learn more about what is the best platform to invest in stocks, ETFs, and other assets locally and overseas.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is for reference purposes only. Wise does not offer to buy or sell stocks, and all information on this page should not be considered financial advice. All investment decisions should be made after thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor. Remember that investments, even in low-risk funds, are never guaranteed and your capital is at risk.

Things to look out for when choosing a trading platform

There’s not really one single best trading platform in Australia for beginners - instead, there are several popular options which all offer some handy features depending on what’s most important to you.

Here are a few things to think about when you’re weighing up which is best for you:

  • Market and asset availability: Look for providers that cover the asset types you’d like to buy, and offer a broad range of markets globally to help you diversify.
  • Ongoing and trading fees: Look for a service with low or no ongoing fees, and low trading fees for the specific assets you want to buy.
  • Foreign exchange and withdrawal costs: If you’ll be investing in foreign markets, you may benefit from a service which has low conversion fees to buy and withdraw in different currencies
  • Ease of use: Trading platforms are usually online and in-app, so finding one with an interface you enjoy using makes a big difference

Top trading platforms in Australia

Let’s start with an overview of our top picks, looking at some important features and also who the account is best for, from a beginner’s perspective.

PlatformBest forMarket accessKey fees
Commsec¹Familiar services from a well-known local bankAustralia, the US, and 12 other markets available
  • Trade from 5 AUD/USD
  • 0.55% FX fees²
Webull³No broker fees on US and ASX ETF tradesAustralia, the US, and Hong Kong
  • No fee on US/ASX ETF trades
  • US stocks from $0.00025 X Trade Value
  • ASX stocks from $0.0003 x Trade Value
  • Wire and FX fees apply⁴
Moomoo⁵Practise funds for beginners to learn to trade without putting their own money at stakeAustralia, the US, and Hong Kong
  • Trade from 3 AUD/0.99 USD
  • Hong Kong trades 3 HKD + 15 HKD platform fee⁶
Etoro⁷Social trading options to let beginners learn from the investments made by other popular account holdersBroad selection of markets with different asset options
  • No trading fee for ETFs
  • 2 USD fee for share trades
  • Withdrawal and dormant account fees may apply⁸
CMC Invest⁹CFD trading, including great learning tools for new startersASX and 15 international markets
  • 1 daily trade on ASX for no fee, then 11 AUD
  • No fee for some major markets, including US and UK¹⁰
Sharesies¹¹Automated investing features to add to your nest egg regularlyAustralia, the US, and New Zealand
  • Monthly fees from 0 AUD - 20 AUD
  • Plans with monthly fees include some trades with no extra cost
  • Pay as you go plan has 1.9% trade fees¹²
Tiger Brokers¹³Community features and great range of analysis tools for new investors to track progressAustralia, the US, and Hong Kong
  • 3 AUD/2 USD brokerage fee
  • FX fees apply when currency conversion is needed¹⁴

*Details correct at time of research - 10th September 2025

Commsec overview

Commsec is part of CommBank and one of the longest-established digital brokers in Australia. This may make it an appealing service if you’re familiar with Commbank’s apps and services, and want the reassurance of trading with a local bank.

Key features:

  • Well established option, in business for 25+ years already
  • Trade in Australia, the US, and 12 other markets
  • Resources offered to help beginners learn more about trading
  • New customer bonus options, including discounts on trading fees

Important fees:

  • Invest in ASX stocks from 5 AUD, with varied fees depending on trade value
  • Trade on US markets from 5 USD or 0.12%
  • Other markets in Europe and beyond have fees from around 0.4%
  • 0.55% FX fees whenever you convert from one currency to another

Webull overview

Webull has intuitive and technology driven platform access, to invest in stocks, ETFs and options in major markets across Australia, the US and Hong Kong. Fee structures vary depending on the products you want to invest in - brokerage fees are waived on US and ASX ETF trades at the time of research.

Key features:

  • Access to Australian, US, and Hong Kong markets
  • Invest in stocks and ETFs
  • 24-hour trading
  • Beginner research tools to help new investors learn more about trading

Important fees:

  • No fee on US/ASX ETF trades
  • US stocks from $0.00025 X Trade Value
  • ASX stocks from $0.0003 x Trade Value
  • Wire and FX fees apply

Moomoo overview

Moomoo is a good trading platform for beginners as it has virtual fund accounts, which allow you to learn to trade before investing. Plus, there are good new customer offers that can get you fee reductions and other perks when you sign up. Invest in Australian, US, and Hong Kong markets with options for shares, ETFs, and fractional shares, depending on which market interests you.

Key features:

  • Trade on Australian, US, and Hong Kong markets
  • Very strong new customer offers, with learning tools for beginners
  • Earn interest on uninvested cash
  • Research tools available to decide on your next purchase

Important fees:

  • Trade Australian Shares and ETFs from 3 AUD
  • US Shares, ETFs and Fractional Shares from 0.99 USD
  • Hong Kong trades 3 HKD + 15 HKD platform fee

Etoro overview

Etoro offers unusual social trading tools that let you track and copy the investing actions of their account holders. This can be handy for learners who would like to see what more experienced investors are getting up to. There are no trading fees on ETFs, with low costs for share trades across key markets.

Key features:

  • Trade in Australia, the US, and the Middle East, as well as other major markets
  • Get a demo account to practise trading risk-free
  • Learn from other investors and influencers
  • Broad range of asset types across many major markets

Important fees:

  • No trading fee for ETFs
  • 2 USD fee for share trades
  • Withdrawal fees can apply depending on the currency you hold in your account
  • Dormant account fees may apply if you don’t transact for 12 months

CMC Invest overview

CMC Invest has been established for over 30 years and has an exceptional reach across major markets globally. There are no fees for some trades on big international markets, although costs for some trades are pretty high, including New Zealand share trades at 59 AUD.

Key features:

  • Extremely broad access to 15 major markets, across many asset classes
  • Speciality in CFD trading - beginners should check the available learning resources to understand the risks involved
  • Some Australian trades are without brokerage fees
  • Major international markets can have no broker fees

Important fees:

  • 1 daily trade on ASX for no fee, then 11 AUD
  • No fee for some major markets, including the US, Canada, Japan, and the UK
  • 59 AUD/trade for Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, and Spain
  • FX spreads apply

Sharesies overview

Sharesies allows you to sign up on a pay-as-you-go plan or pay a monthly fee to unlock free trades to a set limit. Accounts also have automatic investment tools and features that make it easier to invest on a regular basis, helping new investors in Australia to grow their portfolios more easily.

Key features:

  • Buy shares and assets in Australia, the US, and New Zealand
  • Automated investing features to add to your nest egg regularly
  • Investor-directed services to get advice on what assets to buy
  • AI research tools

Important fees:

  • Monthly fees from 0 AUD - 20 AUD
  • Plans with monthly fees include some trades with no extra cost
  • Pay as you go plan has 1.9% trade fees

Tiger Brokers overview

Tiger Brokers has an intuitive app with a custom dashboard to give you an overview of your assets and track their progress. You can invest in Australia, the US, and Hong Kong with flat fees, which may even be reduced or waived for new sign-ups.

Key features:

  • Invest in Australia, the US, and Hong Kong
  • Accounts offer customisable dashboard access and analysis tools
  • Community features allow new investors to learn from others
  • Good new customer promotions are often available

Important fees:

  • 3 AUD/2 USD brokerage fee
  • Discounts on new customer fees available
  • FX fees apply when currency conversion is needed

Invest internationally without high fees. Fund your trading account with Wise and get the mid-market rate on every conversion.

Investing in foreign markets is a common strategy to diversify your portfolio and manage risk. But it can also mean getting hit by fairly high currency conversion costs. Cut the costs of managing your money across currencies with Wise.

Open a Wise account to hold currencies, and use it to fund your trading account when you buy assets in foreign currencies like USD, HKD. This can help you save on currency conversion fees as Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees. You can also use Wise to receive payouts from trading platforms in foreign currencies with local account details, to avoid excessive fees when you sell overseas assets.

Plus, if you have a balance you’re not ready to invest just yet, Wise also lets you earn returns on AUD and USD balances - so your money is never idle.

🚀 Open a Wise account


This general advice does not take into account your objectives, financial circumstances or needs and you should consider if it is appropriate for you. Please see Terms of Use and product availability for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.


Sources:

  1. Commsec
  2. Commsec fees
  3. Webull
  4. Webull fees
  5. Moomoo
  6. Moomoo fees
  7. Etoro
  8. Etoro fees
  9. CMC Invest
  10. CMC Invest fees
  11. Sharesies
  12. Sharesies fees
  13. Tiger Brokers
  14. Tiger Brokers fees

*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.

We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.

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