Sharesies Fee Comparison Calculator NZ

This calculator compares the cost of investing through Sharesies, which charges a percentage transaction fee, against a traditional flat-fee broker in New Zealand, based on your order size and how often you trade. Choosing a platform is not just about the app and the features; over a year of regular investing the fees can differ enough to matter, and the right choice depends entirely on how you invest. A percentage-based fee like Sharesies charges is gentle on small orders, which is why it suits beginners and people drip-feeding small amounts, but it climbs as your order size grows. A flat fee per trade from a traditional broker is the opposite: pricey for small orders but cheap for large ones, because the fee does not grow with the amount. On top of that, buying overseas shares adds a foreign exchange cost on both platforms. You enter your typical order amount, how many trades you make a year, the Sharesies transaction fee percentage, any foreign exchange fee, and the flat fee a broker would charge, and the calculator works out the annual cost each way and the difference. Use it to pick the cheaper platform for your style, remembering Sharesies caps its fee on larger orders, so check the current fee schedule. Estimate only, not financial advice.

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Flat-fee broker is about $48 cheaper a year
total platform fees a year for your trading
Sharesies a year$228
Flat-fee broker a year$180

Sharesies caps its transaction fee on larger orders, so check the current schedule. The percentage model favours small orders; flat brokerage favours large. Estimate only.

How it works

The Sharesies cost per trade is your order amount times the Sharesies fee percentage plus any foreign exchange fee. The flat-fee broker cost is simply the flat fee per trade. The calculator multiplies each by the number of trades a year to give the annual cost, and compares the two.

Worked example

On 1,000 dollar orders made 12 times a year, a 1.9 percent Sharesies fee is 19 dollars a trade, or 228 dollars a year. A flat 15 dollar broker fee is 180 dollars a year, so the flat-fee broker is about 48 dollars cheaper for orders this size.

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Frequently asked questions

How does Sharesies charge fees?

Sharesies charges a percentage transaction fee on each order, with caps on larger orders, plus a foreign exchange fee when you buy investments in another currency such as US shares. A percentage fee suits small orders but adds up on large ones.

When is a flat-fee broker cheaper?

A traditional broker charging a flat fee per trade is usually cheaper for large orders, where a percentage fee would be high, but expensive for small or frequent orders. The crossover depends on your order size, so it pays to compare.

Do fees really matter for investing?

Yes, especially if you trade often or in small amounts, because the fee is paid every time. Over a year of regular investing, the gap between a percentage platform and a flat-fee broker can be meaningful, so match the platform to how you invest.