Online share trading platforms make it cheaper and easier to buy and sell shares from Australia and overseas. You can use our stock broker comparison table below to compare fees and features and find the best deal for you.
Looking to start online share trading? There are a number of online platforms available, but it's important to compare them before you sign up.
This guide will teach you how online share trading platforms work, how you can make money from trading, what fees you'll pay and what all the investment terms mean.
An online stock broker, allows you to buy, sell and trade online shares. In order to trade shares online, you'll need to sign up to an account. Trading platforms can be available on a website or app, and depending on the broker will let you buy Australian or international shares.
Many platforms also let you trade other types of investments, such as index funds, ETFs and more. You can also make use of online tools such as copying high-profile investors, in-depth research on stocks and easy access to data to inform your trades.
A huge benefit of trading shares online is that it's cheaper than a full-service stockbroker.
When you buy shares online, you'll pay a brokerage fee for each transaction, which typically ranges from $3 to $30 for ASX trades as opposed to $50 to $150 for full-service brokers.
An online stock broker lets you buy and sell assets on a number of exchanges including the ASX.
This means you can buy shares, ETFs, LICs, REITs, bonds, hybrids and options through a broker. Depending on the broker, you will be able to buy Australian assets or international. Keep in mind the more you trade the more you'll pay in most instances, with you paying a brokerage fee every time you trade.
Investing is an effective way to make your money work harder for you, especially in a low interest rate, high inflation environment. Smart investing allows you to grow your wealth and beat inflation. At the same time it comes with more risks.
Here are 5 reasons why you might want to invest:
Investors in shares are fractional owners of a business, meaning they will profit based on the future outlook of the business or by getting part of the company paid to them.
There are 2 main ways to make money from share trading:
Share trading platform news: July 2023
Here are some tips to help get you started:
Michael McCarthy
Director, Number13Black
Many investors spend hours reading reports and studying charts to select the “right” share, only to disregard the most important factor – themselves. Every individual’s circumstances are unique. We all have different investment goals, amounts to invest, time frames, existing investments and risk appetites. All of these should be taken into account when selecting a stock.
An exciting new technology start-up or a promising medical research group might suit an investor with a higher risk appetite and many years of investing ahead of them. On the other hand, an investor in or near retirement might prefer a more stable, well-known business that pays a reliable dividend. It’s up to you.
If you're looking to sign up to a stock broker you'll need to follow 5 steps:
When you decide on trading, you have two main options - online stock brokers and full-service brokers. An online broker is cheaper than a full-service broker, but has the downside of having to do everything yourself. So you'll need to decide what works for you.
As with any type of investment, there are risks to trading shares online. Some of the risks remain whether you trade online or not, for example, you can lose some or all of your investment. Other risks are with the online platform you choose to use.
Before you start using a platform, check whether the online broker has a good reputation and is a trusted provider in the community. There are several key details to look out for:
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Hi! What is the best platform that has a stock screener for fundamental and technical analysis and has a good charting software? Thanks!
Hi Jarvis,
Thanks for contacting Finder.
You may refer to our list of online share trading platforms. On that page is a comparison table you can use to find the right platform for you. You can press the name of the brand to be redirected to our review page to know if the features you are looking for are present. When you are ready, press the ‘Start investing’ button to open an investment account. Please read the Product Disclosure Statements/Terms and Conditions when comparing your options before making a decision on whether it is right for you. You can also contact the provider if you have specific questions.
I hope that helps.
Kind Regards,
Faye
how do i transfer stock from one broker to another
Hi Stu,
Thanks for getting in touch!
To transfer from one broker to another will depend on who your bank is. Following, you would need to fill out a broker to broker transfer form.
Fill out your details as well as the details of the holding, then complete and sign the Declaration Section. Email the form to your bank’s department handling this matter. Normally, this type of process is free of cost. The transfer process will be dependent on your bank as well.
Hope this was helpful. Don’t hesitate to message us back if you have more questions.
Best,
Nikki
We just want to make a one of sale of shares. What are our best options?
Hi Charles,
Thanks for getting in touch! As per the information above, there are two main ways to make money from share trading: Capital Growth and Dividends and you can read more information on this above. While we review share trading – we are not in the position to recommend the best platform for you but there are a few ways to help you find the best options as seen below:
– Brokers
– Availability of advice and research options
– Integration with bank accounts
– Access to other markets
– Customer support
Hope this helps!
Best,
Nikki
Hello I had an etrade account but I can no longer log in to check it….can you help as Etrade had been sold off??
Hi Hamish,
Thanks for leaving a question on Finder.
The E*TRADE Australia has already been stopped and is now replaced by ANZ Share Investing. If you are looking to access your ETrade account, please contact ANZ directly for instructions on how to do it step by step.
Please send me a message if you need anything else. :)
Cheers,
Joel
Why are there so many different terms and conditions requiring a check mark when setting up an account with CMC
Hi Girlie,
Thank you for getting in touch with finder.
As a friendly reminder, while we do not represent any company we feature on our pages, we can offer you general advice.
The reason for this is because buying and selling shares involves a certain amount of terms and conditions and this is something that online traders need to be aware of in order to open an account.
I hope this helps.
Have a great day!
Cheers,
Jeni