Directshares (St.George) Online Share Trading
Compare Online Share Trading Accounts
What online share trading accounts does St.George Bank offer?
Here’s an overview of St.George Bank’s online share trading account(s) based on the information available at the time of writing:
Directshares Standard
This is a free to sign up online share-trading account which St.George Bank says offers full share-trading functionality as well as analysis and reporting tools, charting, alerts, and live chat support.
Directshares Pro
This account includes all of the tools and functionality mentioned above, but adds real-time data, increased charting (forecasting) capabilities, and a wider range of trading instruments. It requires a paid subscription which costs $49 per month at the time of writing. However, if you trade five or more times in the preceding month, St.George Bank says this fee will be waived.
To open a Directshares account, St.George Bank advises that you will need to have an eligible St.George Bank, Bank of Melbourne or BankSA bank account.
Related article: What to look for in an online share trading platform
What trading fees does St.George Bank charge?
Here’s an overview of some of the brokerage and ongoing fees charged by St, George Bank at the time of writing:
First trade:
- $19.95 for trades worth $5,000 or less
- $24.45 for trades worth between $5,001 and $10,000
- $29.95 for trades worth between $10,001 and $28,000
- 0.11% for trades worth more than $28,000
All subsequent trades
- $19.95 for trades worth $18,000 or less
- 0.11% for trades worth more than $18,000
There is also generally a monthly $49 fee charged for Directshares Pro subscriptions.
A range of other fees may apply. Check St George Bank’s product disclosure statement for full details.
For an idea of which online share trading accounts offer outstanding value to traders, based on fees and other factors, view Canstar’s most recent Star Ratings.
What products can I invest in using St.George Bank’s platform?
At the time of writing, St.George Bank allows customers to invest in the following asset types:
- Australian shares
- International shares
- Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
- Options (the right to buy or sell shares & ETFs at an agreed price in the future)
- Warrants
- mFunds (unlisted managed funds providing access to the Australian market, as well as emerging markets and other investments typically not accessible to individuals.)
What markets does St.George Bank offer access to?
St.George Bank does not specify which markets it offers access to, however it does say that it offers the ability to buy and sell shares in 11 international markets as well as companies listed on the ASX.
Is the market data provided by St.George Bank dynamic, real-time, or delayed?
St. George’s says its online share trading platform offers 20-minute delayed data for free to both non-professional and professional investors. St.George Bank offers the following monthly data subscriptions, with fees as at the time of writing:
- Dynamic Data Service (refreshes automatically) – $41.25 for non-professional investors, $96.80 for professional investors
- Live data (requiring a click to refresh) – free for non-professional investors, $96.80 for professional investors
- ASX ComNews (refreshes automatically) – free for non-professional investors, $38.50 for professional investors
What reporting tools are offered by St.George Bank?
St.George Bank offers the following charting and reporting tools to traders using its online share trading platform:
- Over 100 chart indicators and measurements to help you analyse patterns and movements
- Access to Morningstar research to help you compare key metrics across top stocks
Does St.George Bank offer margin loans?
St.George Bank offers traders the ability to take out margin loans as part of its online share trading offering. St.George Bank margin loans offer the following features:
- No establishment fee for individuals/company applicants
- No account-keeping or transaction fees
- A range of acceptable securities
How is St.George Bank’s share-trading platform secured?
St.George Bank says its online share trading platform is secured using measures which include:
- St.George Bank Secure Code third-party verification
- Firewalls
- SSL encryption
Does St.George Bank have a mobile app you can trade from?
St.George Bank offers a mobile app to traders. St.George Bank says its mobile app allows users to:
- Buy and sell shares
- View their portfolio and current investments
- Track stocks and other securities
- Check their order history and trade confirmations
Does St.George Bank have customer support services available?
St.George Bank has 24-hour customer support services available to traders. You can access St.George Bank’s customer service online, by phone, and through the Directshares mobile app.
Does St.George Bank offer CHESS sponsorship?
St.George Bank’s online share trading platform offers traders the option of having their shares CHESS-sponsored. CHESS (Clearing House Electronic Sub-register System) is the system used by the ASX to record shareholdings and manage the settlement of share transactions.
About St.George Bank
St. George Bank was founded in 1937 in the southern suburbs of Sydney as a co-operative building society. In 2008, St. George Bank became part of the Westpac Group. Today it says it has over 2.6 million customers in Australia.
St. George Bank achieved full banking status in July 1992 and two years later it launched electronic banking for its business customers.
