Stake

Stake lets users, particularly in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand, trade US stocks and ETFs commission-free, addressing a gap where international investors previously faced friction and high fees accessing US markets directly. It runs a referral program offering free stock, commonly searched as "Stake referral code."

What Makes Stake Stand Out

Specifically addresses international (Australian, UK, NZ) access to US stock markets at low cost. Commission-free US stock and ETF trading for eligible international users

Active referral program offering free stock for new sign-ups

Pricing and Plans

Stake is completely free to use — no subscription or payment required, making it accessible to anyone who needs it.

Who Should Use Stake

Stake is best for teams and individuals who need investing platforms capabilities and where specifically addresses international (australian, uk, nz) access to us stock markets at low cost. It may not be the right fit when currency conversion fees apply when moving funds between local currency and usd.

Verdict

Stake delivers on its core promise as a investing platforms tool. Stake lets users, particularly in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand, trade US stocks and ETFs commi... For teams evaluating investing platforms options, Stake is worth considering based on its specific strengths and how they align with your requirements.

Stake Fractional Investing

Stake's fractional share investing enables buying portions of high-priced US stocks like Berkshire Hathaway or Amazon with small capital — making diversified US equity exposure accessible regardless of portfolio size.

Getting Started

These platforms offer free trials or freemium tiers — enabling evaluation of the core workflow before committing to a paid plan. Most users are productive within a day of signing up, with advanced features discovered progressively over time.

Overall rating: 3.8 / 5

Stake is the Australian fintech providing commission-free access to US stocks and ETFs for Australian and New Zealand investors — making the deep US equity market accessible to Southern Hemisphere investors without the high brokerage fees that traditional Australian brokers charge for international trading.

US Market Access for AUS/NZ Investors

Stake addresses a specific gap: Australian and New Zealand investors have had limited access to US equities through expensive traditional brokers (CommSec charges $9.50-$29.95 per US trade). Stake's commission-free model opened the S&P 500, NASDAQ companies, and US ETFs to a generation of Australian investors who had previously limited themselves to the ASX.

The platform provides access to 8,000+ US-listed securities — a depth that dwarfs the ASX's 2,000+ listings, providing diversification opportunities that Australian-only investing cannot achieve.

Stake Black

Stake Black ($9/month) provides premium features: trading after hours (4am-8pm US EST), price alerts, financial data, and increased withdrawal limits. The subscription model monetizes power users willing to pay for enhanced access beyond the free tier.

Currency Conversion

Stake converts AUD (or NZD) to USD for trading at a fee. The conversion rate and fee structure are important considerations for Australian investors who compare Stake's foreign exchange costs against traditional international brokerage alternatives — the conversion fee can represent a meaningful cost for smaller investment amounts.

Overall rating: 3.9 / 5