Top 7 Australian Share Trading Platforms

Traders in Australia looking to participate in share trading have plenty of options at their disposal when it comes to choosing best online share trading platforms.

With this in mind, we have curated a comprehensive review of the best share trading platforms in Australia. Our in-depth analysis of these share trading platforms and accounts in Australia breaks down the highlights, offerings and downsides of these services.

Read on to find the best share trading platform for your trading needs.

Top Australian Share Trading Platforms – Full Review

In this section of our guide, we will explore some of the top share trading platforms that are available to Australian residents.

eToro – Overall Best Share Trading Platform In Australia 

eToro is renowned as one of the biggest share trading platforms in Australia right now. With its user-friendliness, cost, mobile access, reputation, fees and exceptional trading tools, eToro delivers best-in-class trading experience.

It has excellent accessibility, allowing users to trade Australian stocks on a desktop, web-based and mobile app. Furthermore, eToro is one of the most user-friendly trading platforms, with plenty of resources for beginners.

Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) among other tier-1 authorities, it has a sterling reputation for security.

When it comes to trading fees, its trading tools and research features are exceptional. Based on these and other features, eToro has earned the trust and confidence of users in Australia and beyond.

eToro is regulated by multiple entities such as the ASIC, Australia’s top-tier regulator. Since its establishment in 2007, it has strived to be a market leader in the fintech revolution.

Though it started out as a general trading platform, it has evolved over the years to keep up with market changes and changing user demands. The site’s product catalogue currently covers over 1,500 shares among other things.

You can either buy physical stocks here or trade them as CFDs with leverage. Professional traders can get up to 1:400 in leverage. Traders get access to a web-based, mobile and desktop trading platform.

In addition to sporting a clean design and great usability, the trading platform offers multiple language support and 2FA for security. It has a built-in search feature that is easy to use and predictive.

You can easily set notifications and price alerts as well as request for various reports. These features work together to make it ideal for newbies. The mobile app is available for iOS and Android, with plenty of mobile specific functions.

These include push notifications and great touch interactions. To illustrate, it is possible to open a new trade or access charts by swiping right and left respectively.

It offers some of the most alluring fee structure to its EU clients who enjoy commission-free stock and ETF trades. And even though it requires a minimum deposit of $200, residents of Australia only pay $50. There is a $5 withdrawal fee and the minimum amount you can withdraw is $50.

Share Trading Fees:

• US and UK stock trading – Free
• EUR/USD Benchmark fee – $19.6
• Brokerage – $8 or 0.1%

Other Fees:

• Withdrawal fees – $25
• Inactivity Fee – $10 monthly after a year of inactivity

Visit eToro

Webull – 24/7 Customer Support

Founded in the US, in 2017, Webull is a regulated trading platform under top-tier authorities like the SEC (US). In addition to being regulatory-compliant, it is also credible and has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

It deals with Stocks, ETFs and Options, and offers a variety of over 2000 assets. Webull offers education resources and charting tools with analytical markers, trackers and indicators.

With its in-depth quotes, powerful charting, and comprehensive tools, professional traders can make informed trading decisions and maximize their investments.

Customer support is available 24/7 and quickly accessible both on email and live chat, providing quality and round-the-clock assistance when necessary. Although there is no phone support, you can reach the team via WhatsApp.

For beginners, there is a demo account and some basic videos. However, there are no tutorial videos to help you get a grasp on trading.

Another exciting aspect of Webull is its cash management program that allows traders to earn a 5.0% APY on their unused cash. Also, with Webull, traders can own fractional shares with as little as $5. This feature makes it possible for you to own your dream stock regardless of the price.

In addition, Webull’s fractional shares trading approach opens the opportunity for you to even invest in more companies.

Getting started is quite easy – Create an account, pick any of the supported stock and decide how much you want to invest.

While Webull does not take commissions for trading stocks, traders may be required to pay a $0.55 per contract fee for specific options trades.

Overall, Webull is an ideal location for newcomers and seasoned traders alike.

Sharing Fees:

• Brokerage fees – $5 per trade

Other Fees:

• Deposit fee – Deposit via U.S. Domestic Wire – $8 /per, Deposit via International Wire – $12.5 /per
• Withdrawal fees – Withdrawal via U.S. Domestic Wire – $25/per, Withdrawal via International Wire – $45

Visit Webull

Axi – Advanced Trading Tools

Launched in 2017, Axi has established itself as one of the top share trading platforms available to Australian residents. It offers a variety of industry-standard tools and features like copy trading to help traders make lucrative returns on their investments.

With its copy trading feature, newbies can automatically imitate the positions of experienced traders and make money from market changes.

Beyond the copy trading feature, Axi also caters to highly skilled traders with a host of analytical tools to help them gain enough market insights and make informed decisions.

With its low fee structure, advanced AI technology, and user-oriented approach, the platform has positioned itself as a standard destination for all traders. That said, deposits and withdrawals on the platform are completely free.

In addition, the deposit gateways on Axi are easy to use and are structured to offer fast and secure payments. You can make payments on the trading platform with a Debit/Credit card, Bank transfer, Skrill, and Neteller.

However, some supported third-party payment gateways like Skrill usually impose transaction fees. Despite having its roots in Australia and the United Kingdom, Axi appeals to users from every corner of the world, thanks to its support for numerous account-based currencies.

Axi is regulated by a host of well-known regulatory bodies like the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Financial Markets Authority (FMA), and Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) among many others.

Another impressive thing about Axi is that it is accessible through its website and mobile app, making it an ideal choice for all. Apart from shares, Axi also provides trading options for forex, indices,  and commodities amongst others.

This makes the platform a suitable option for those seeking to diversify their portfolios and explore a wide range of opportunities across various markets.

Like others on this list, Axi is tested and trusted. It provides different account types to suit the trading goals and objectives of all traders.

Share Trading Fee:

• Brokerage fees – $3.50 per trade

Other Fees: 

• $/€10 Monthly inactivity fee after 12 months of no open trades
• Spread – Starts from 0.4 Pips for standard account, and 0.0 Pips for Pro account.
• Withdrawal fees – None

Visit Axi

Pepperstone – Low Fees

Established in 2010, Pepperstone is a regulated entity operating under the ASIC and FCA. It offers some of the lowest spreads in the Australian market.

On this site, you can only trade share CFDs, and not physical stocks. There are over 60 top quality stocks that include big names like IBM, Facebook, Boeing and Exxon.

Leverage for trading shares CFDs on Pepperstone is 20:1 and the margin is 5%. Additionally, it allows for direct access to over 150 financial service providers, 400+ buy and sell firms as well as more than 60 exchanges.

Another reason behind its reputation for tight spreads is its Price Improvement Technology. When it comes to pricing, the best choice is an account known as the Razor account.

It is a commission-based account that incorporates fees on prevailing spreads. The Standard account has higher spreads, so even though it is commission-free, its fees are higher.

Users on the Active Trader program get even better rates thanks to its discount program. Pepperstone uses third-party trading platforms as it does not have its own proprietary app.

Though this is a downside, they make it work to their advantage by offering access to almost every top-tier third party platform. Research features are above average as you will find trading ideas that are based on technical tools, as well as quality market reports.

However, there is no fundamental data and poor quality news feed. For beginners, there is a demo account, webinars, plenty of educational texts and a tutorial for the trading platforms.

Customer support is accessible via live chat, email and phone, all of which offer fast responses. But these are not available 24/7.

Share Trading Fees (CFDs):

• Commission – $0.02 per share
• Spread costs – Taken from NYSE, no pips added

Other Fees:

• Account Maintenance – $0
• Withdrawals – $0
• Deposits -$0
• Inactivity – $0

Visit Pepperstone

Trade Nation – Leading Share Trading Platform With Low Fees

Launched in 2014, Trade Nation is a share trading platform that, through its integral use of MT4 and TN, makes trading more analytical and informed for its user base. It comes with a fast, intuitive, and easy-to-use platform to deliver excellent share trading services.

Established in the UK, Trade Nation has gained traction in all over Australia thanks to its support for CFD trading for multiple asset classes, including forex pairs, commodities, shares, and indices.

Following a unique pricing structure with spreads as low as 0.0 pips, Trade Nation has been designed in a way that investors can trade assets affordably. Trade Nation offers three types of accounts – Standard, RAW, and TN Trader. With this, it caters to various preferences.

There is no commission charged for the standard account. With a RAW account, there is only a $3.5 commission and spreads as low as 0.0 pips. And also, with TN Trader, Trade Nation’s proprietary platform, the share trading platform has kept the spreads at a low and fixed level.

Here, investors can leverage up to 500x, make easy deposits and withdrawals, and get to use a trading platform that has been regulated by FCA, ASIC, SCB, and FSA. Initiating trades only requires a $1 deposit that can be made through a myriad of payment options.

Additionally, Trade Nation supports copy trading, allowing newbies to find and copy the strategies of highly successful traders. Like eToro, Trade Nation is reliable and highly regulated.

In terms of user experience, it offers a mobile site that is fully optimized to cater to those who love to trade on the move. As such, users can explore all the offerings provided by Trade Nation any time, any where.

Also, customer support is available round the clock, and the platform has acquired a 4.7 rating on Trustpilot.

Considering all these features, Trade Nation comes highly recommended to professional traders and newbies seeking for the best share trading platform in Australia.

Share Trading Fees:

• Brokerage fees – $3.5 per trade (for RAW account)

Other Fees:

• Spread – Starts from 0.0 Pips
• Minimum deposit – $1
• Inactivity Fee – $12 monthly after 2 years

Visit Trade Nation

IG Markets – Best Platform For Research & Tools

Established in 1974, IG Markets is a publicly traded share dealing platform, offering the service on 19 international exchanges. With over 195,000 active users, it offers a compelling blend of features in more areas than one.

To start with, it has a comprehensive catalog of various investment products including shares on the ASX and international markets. In addition to Australian shares, you can trade over 11,000 international shares on this platform.

Available markets include the ASX, NYSE, NASDAQ, LSE and AMEX. You can access live share market data by activating the feed on your trading account.

Fees are average and the fee system is transparent. Commission for trading Australian shares is a mere $8 per trade or 0.1% of the trade value.

There are no deposit, withdrawal or account maintenance fees. And even though there is an inactivity fee, it is low and would only apply after 2 years of inactivity.

The site has a remarkably robust research section. It offers tools for social analysis, showing the percentage of customers who have traded specific shares in the past week.

Its community research is particularly impressive, allowing clients with live accounts to discuss markets and trading on various forums. A market screener screens individual stocks by at least 34 data points.

It offers a live video thrice daily with various analyses. Other research features include an extensive library of videos and regular interviews featuring CEOs.

There are 30 technical indicators and 19 charting tools and you can trade directly from the chart as well as save your layouts for future use. The ability to create watchlists and trade with a single click are other great highlights.

IG is a regulated entity operating under the purview of such top-tier authorities as the ASIC and FCA among others. It is also listed on the LSE and has negative balance protection for its account holders.

Share Trading Fees:

• Brokerage fees – 0.10% or $8 per trade, whichever is higher
• Phone trading – 0.1% or $50

Other Fees:

• Monthly fee – $16.67 (This can be waived if you trade thrice per quarter using your share trading or CFD account and hold no open position by the end of the quarter.)
• Foreign exchange margin – 0.3%
• Withdrawal Fee – None
• Inactive fee – $12 after 2 years

Visit IG Markets

AvaTrade – Reputable Share Trading Platform

Founded in 2006, AvaTrade has created a stellar reputation in the market. It is a regulated entity under a number of financial authorities including the ASIC and Central Bank of Ireland.

The Irish platform only offers forex and CFDs for its Australian users, with 19 stock indices on its CFD markets.

There are no real stocks or mutual funds. In this regard, it falls below eToro which has physical stocks as well and a much wider product offering.

It makes use of trading platforms from MetaTrader, offering multiple language support and a highly customizable interface. But it also has two of its own apps, AvaOptions for forex trading and Webtrader for general trading.

However, these are not accessible in Australia. One of the factors contributing to its great reputation is the social trading feature.

It makes use of two third parties, ZuluTrade and DupllTrade, to allow users to copy others’ trades. Nevertheless, the feature is not as extensive as eToro’s.

Both its trading and non-trading fees are average, but there is an inactivity fee and an administration fee. Research features are above average, thanks to its integration with Autochartist.

Charting tools are great and you can make use of 31 technical indicators. There is a demo account on AvaTrade as well as a host of other educational materials including tutorials and educational videos. But there are no webinars.

When it comes to customer support, live chat is the best option, accessible in multiple languages. You can also use phone support, but it’s not the most reliable, and it’s not accessible 24/7.

Share Trading Fees:

• Stocks – 0.0028%
• Commission – None

Other Fees:

• Inactivity Fee – $50 after 3 months
• Deposit Fee – $0
• Withdrawal Fee – $0
• Administration Fee – $100 after a year of inactivity

How To Choose An Australian Share Broker

Share trading services differ remarkably in features, offerings and other respects. However, some of the aspects that define a good platform overlap.

These overlapping aspects make it possible to make a comparative analysis and tell apart the best from the average.

To help you along, we have analyzed some of the key features that the best share trading platforms Australia should have. Take a look below.

• Fees

Fees differ significantly from one platform to the next. These include trading and non-trading fees, all of which can eat into your gains. Pepperstone’s $0.02 commission per share is also highly competitive.

• Access to Different Markets

The best trading platforms offer opportunities to trade shares in different markets. A platform like eToro will give you access to international markers, and so will Webull and IG Markets.

However, Pepperstone and AvaTrade have a relatively limited scope.

• Security

The safety of your funds is without a doubt one of the most important considerations to make when choosing a service. Regulated providers have to adhere to the stringent security measures stipulated by the ASIC.

This includes keeping user funds in a segregated account among others. All the share trading platforms discussed above are regulated by the ASIC.

• Customer Support

No matter your level of experience, from time to time you will likely experience problems and require assistance. Live chat is one of the best support features as it is likely to offer immediate responses.

eToro takes the day with regards to customer support, as the team has a reputation for being polite, helpful and patient.

• Trading Platform

Find a trading platform that matches your trading style and also your tech needs. From the 7 platforms discussed above, Webull and eToro offer some of the best trading platforms.

• Ease of Use

Whether you are a veteran share trader or a newbie, user-friendliness is a crucial factor to consider. Trading is complex enough without being made more complicated by a trading platform.

eToro, IG and Webull have highly intuitive interfaces that can new traders will like.

• Accessibility

If you want to have the ability to trade on your desktop as well as your phone, then eToro is the best share trading platform for you. It offers accessibility on desktop, mobile and on the web.

• Education

For newbies, this is one of the most important features when choosing a service. What types of education resources are available? And what is the quality of information available?

On Pepperstone, eToro and AvaTrade, you will find one of the handiest education tools, a demo account. And eToro’s account stands out above the rest as it has $100,000 in virtual money.

• Account Offerings

Depending on whether you want to make a long-term investment or not, there are different accounts to choose from.

The Razor account on Pepperstone and Professional account on eToro are some of the best options available.

• Service Reliability

At the end of the day, everyone wants a reliable service that executes flawlessly for easy trading. And the service in question should function seamlessly on the different operating systems.

IG Markets and eToro have some of the most robust and reliable platforms, with high execution speeds and responsive interfaces.

Conclusion

All the Australian share trading platforms discussed above are secure and can provide you with all the tools you need to hone your trading skills. Pick one of them and start share trading today!

Lastly, if you are still new to share trading, remember to only invest what you can afford to lose. Only trade a huge amount of money once you’re confident about your trading skills.

FAQs

Are share trading platforms in Australia safe?

The Australian share trading platforms mentioned above are proven to be safe. They are also regulated by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC).

Which Australian share trading platfom is best for beginners?

eToro is the best share trading platform Australia for beginners. You can take advantage of its copy trading platform and great educational resources.

How much do I need to start share trading in Australia?

eToro only requires Australians to have a minimum deposit of $50 to start trading.

Is it easy to create a share trading account?

Yes. All you need to do is provide your name, email and password to create a share trading account. It will only take you a few minutes to do so.

What payment methods are supported by Australian share trading platforms?

Most of the share trading platforms in Australia support credit/debit card, PayPal and wire transfer as payment methods.