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Bell Direct online share trading platform review
Bell Direct places orders onto the ASX in under a second, so you can take advantage of trading opportunities quicker.
Finder's rating: 4/5
★★★★★
Bell Direct offers an award-winning online share trading platform you can use to trade shares and more on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Bell Direct charges tiered brokerage fees, meaning the more you trade the less you’ll pay.
$15
Standard brokerage fee
ASX
Available markets
Phone, Email, Live chat
Support
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Details
| Type of broker |
Online only |
|---|---|
| ASX products |
Shares Exchange traded options Exchange traded funds mFunds |
| Available markets |
ASX |
| Standard brokerage | $15 |
| Support |
Phone Live chat |
What awards has Bell Direct won?
- Investment Trends – Highest overall client satisfaction 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
- Investment Trends – Customer service 2021
Get $300 free brokerage until 30 June when you move to Bell Direct. New customers who open a trading account and transfer their stocks to Bell Direct will receive $300 of free brokerage until 30 June. All trades completed by close of business 30 June 2022 will be eligible towards the $300 of free brokerage. The brokerage paid will be refunded at the beginning of the month after the order(s) are executed. To access the $300 of free brokerage, holdings must be transferred to a Bell Direct portfolio. T&Cs apply.
What can I trade with Bell Direct?
- ASX-listed equities
- ETFs (exchange traded funds)
- Warrants
- Interest rate securities
- Options
- Managed funds via mFund
- XTBs (exchange traded bonds)
- IPOs
Key features of Bell Direct share trading
| Fees |
★★★★★ 4/5 |
|
| Trading tools |
★★★★★ 3.3/5 |
|
| Research and education |
★★★★★ 5/5 |
|
| Available securities |
★★★★★ 3/5 |
|
| Customer support |
★★★★★ 4/5 |
Margin lending
Increase your investment power by opening a margin lending account. You can borrow against the value of your existing portfolio without selling off assets, which is a tax effective way to access the equity in your investments and increase your investment power.
SMSF-friendly
Implement your self-managed super fund (SMSF) investment strategy using the Bell Direct online trading platform.
Broker research from Bell Potter
Get free access to the minds of the brokers at Bell Financial Group, key measures from Morningstar, ASX company announcements, live business news from Dow Jones Newswires and webcasts of ASX company announcements.
Trading tips
Get suggestions on bear and bull trades from Bell Direct everyday in your email inbox.
Easy tax reporting
Bell Direct provides a convenient end of year report which provides details about your account and transactions for the financial year, as well as estimated dividends.
Mobile-App
Bell Direct also offers an app version of its trading platform meaning you can make trades anywhere using your smartphone.
Free conditional orders
You can place advanced orders for trades to execute when your trigger conditions are met.
Direct Investment Account
You can link a Direct Investment Account to your trading account and automatically settle any proceeds from your trades directly to that account. Transfer funds into the account via BPAY, Electronic Funds Transfer or via cheque and have them ready to trade with when you need them. Funds are available at-call and there's no minimum deposit amount.
1-second trades
Bell Direct guarantees eligible market-to-limit orders are placed onto the ASX within 1 second otherwise your trade is free.
Bell Direct premium service levels
The above features including email alerts, conditional orders, broker research, 1-second guarantee and comprehensive tax reports are all free with a Bell Direct trading account. Depending on your trading requirements, Bell Direct also offers the following premium services.
| Service level | Features | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum live streaming | Live streaming of prices, so you don't need to constantly refresh your page. | $27.50 a month |
| Integrated WebIRESS | Access a constant stream of live market data with WebIRESS, including real-time quotes, market depth and trades. | $79 a month |
What support and information is available with Bell Direct?
Bell Direct offers a range of educational services to help you stay informed with what’s happening in the market. The list includes demos on how to use their tools and insights into the market about different industries.
There are a range of blogs and videos to help you learn, whatever your learning style is. Bell Direct TV gives you insights, updates and trading demonstrations, including daily market wraps and interviews with expert traders and CEOs.
You can get in touch with Bell Direct on the phone, email, live chat or via postal address. Its contact centre is available 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday (Eastern Standard Time).
Fees charged by Bell Direct
Bell Direct offers a straightforward fee schedule for trades conducted online. The more you trade, the less you pay in brokerage.
| Number of trades | Fees |
|---|---|
| Your first 10 trades per month | From $15 / trade |
| Your 11th to 30th trades per month | From $13 / trade |
| Your 31st trade and over per month | From $10 / trade |
| mFund trades (managed funds) | From $30 / trade |
What are the pros and cons of using Bell Direct for my next trade?
Pros
- Eligible market-to-limit orders are placed onto the ASX within 1 second
- Tiered brokerage fees – the more you trade the cheaper it gets
- Free conditional orders
- Free research papers and reports from the affiliated Bell Potter Securities financial advisory team, as well as email alerts
Cons
- Phone orders are expensive
- Can't trade international equities
How do you open an account with Bell Direct?
You can apply online to take advantage of the award-winning Bell Direct online share trading platform. You must be 18 years or older, have an Australian residential address, a valid email address, mobile phone number and bank account to apply.
Once you’ve registered your details, you’ll need to verify your identity to complete the registration process. You can do this by sending a photo of your driver’s licence or passport and bank statement or utility bill to the email address provided to you during the application. Once Bell Direct receives all your information, your account will be opened within 3 business days.
FAQs
6 Comments
March 20, 2020
How much a month for inactive account if I buy shares and just leave them sit for a couple years and do not buy and sell after initial buying?
March 20, 2020
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for freaching out to Finder.
Bell Direct does not have any account maintenance fees. This means if you buy shares through Bell Direct, you will be charged a brokerage for that purchase which depends on your order value and trading frequency but will be charged nothing if you leave them sitting idle in your trading account later.
As of now, Bell Direct has not set any limit for how long an account can be inactive.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Charisse
April 2, 2019
I would like to setup a small share trading portfolio for my son (aged 15)
April 3, 2019
Hi Damien,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder! It’s great to know that you’re setting this for your son. However as it says on our page, the minimum age to set up a trading portfolio, he must be 18 years old and over.
Hope this clarifies!
Best,
Nikki
November 21, 2018
1. Is there a free trial or can the function be used for 1 month paid use only to see if it is suitable?
2. Can data be entered via Exetel or a software direct for testing purposes myself?
November 30, 2018
Hi Cressyfalcon,
Thanks for reaching out to Finder.
Unfortunately, Bell Direct does not offer any free trial account or service.
If you are still looking to compare share trading platforms, you can use our comparison table to help you find the platform that suits you. Some of the share trading platforms on this list may offer free trial accounts so they may be worth checking. When you are ready, press the “Go to site” button to sign up or speak to a representative.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Charisse