Sharesies NZ-Founded 3 Markets Sharesies Review 2026
Updated Reviewed quarterly
A widely-used NZ retail investment app with access to NZ, Australian, and US shares from a single platform.
Editorial scorecard
Sharesies — 4 / 5
Retail-friendly platform covering NZ, AU, and US in one account. Strong onboarding for first-time investors; subscription model favours active investors with mid-sized portfolios.
As at 2026-05-04
| Fees & FX | ●●●◐○ 3.5 | Tiered subscription (NZ$0–NZ$15/month) + ~1.9% FX on USD trades — mid-tier on cost. |
| Market access | ●●●●○ 4 | Single account spanning NZX, ASX, and US-listed shares + ETFs. |
| NZ tax fit | ●●●●○ 4 | PIE-eligible Smartshares wrappers; IR3-friendly statements; W-8BEN handled at signup. |
| UX & onboarding | ●●●●◐ 4.5 | Mobile-first; fractional shares; NZ ID flow well-tuned for first-time investors. |
| Support | ●●●●○ 4 | NZ team; chat + email; in-app help articles. |
Five-criterion 1-5 editorial scoring. Overall is the unweighted mean. Methodology →
$1.90
Monthly (Investor)
$1
Minimum
3
Markets
700k+
NZ Users
What is Sharesies?
Sharesies is a widely-used NZ retail investment platform founded in Wellington in 2017. It's designed to make investing accessible to everyone, with a focus on simplicity and low minimums.
Unique among NZ platforms, Sharesies offers access to three markets from one account: NZX (New Zealand), ASX (Australia), and US markets. This makes it convenient for Kiwis wanting diversified exposure.
Sharesies Fees Explained
Optional monthly plans (buy down brokerage)
Plan 1
NZ$3/month
Entry-level plan
Plan 2
NZ$7/month
Mid-tier with deeper brokerage discount
Plan 3
NZ$15/month
For higher-volume users
Plans are optional. The no-subscription option is cheapest for occasional trading. Verify current plan details + brokerage discounts on the Sharesies pricing page before subscribing.
Standard fee schedule (no subscription)
| Brokerage rate (all markets) | 1.9% of order value |
| NZ-market fee cap | NZ$25 on orders above NZ$1,316 |
| AU-market fee cap | AU$15 on orders above AU$805 |
| US-market fee cap | US$5 on orders above US$264 |
| Currency exchange (NZD↔AUD / USD) | 0.5% |
| Minimum to open account | NZ$0 |
| Withdrawal fee | Free (1-2 business days) |
Fee reality check
For a US$1,000 (~NZ$1,650) US-ETF buy: Sharesies brokerage is capped at US$5 (~NZ$8.30), plus 0.5% FX on ~NZ$1,650 (~NZ$8.30) = roughly NZ$16.60 total. Hatch on the same trade is US$3 brokerage + 0.5% FX = ~NZ$13.30 — about NZ$3 cheaper per trade.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Access NZ, AU, and US from one account
- $1 minimum — truly accessible
- Beautiful, easy-to-use app
- Fractional shares on all markets
- NZ-founded with local support
- Auto-invest feature
Cons
- ✕ Higher fees than alternatives
- ✕ Monthly subscription adds up
- ✕ Transaction fees on top of subscription
- ✕ Higher FX spread than IBKR
- ✕ Not the cheapest for any single market
Who Typically Uses Sharesies?
May Suit:
- • Complete beginners with small amounts
- • Those wanting NZ + AU + US access
- • People who value simplicity over fees
- • Investors with portfolios under $5,000
May Not Suit:
- • Fee-conscious investors
- • Larger portfolios ($10,000+)
- • Those focused only on US ETFs
- • Frequent traders
FAQ
Common questions about Sharesies
Does Sharesies cover NZ, Australian, and US shares?⌄
Yes. One Sharesies account gives access to NZX, ASX, and US-listed shares + ETFs. Each market has its own settlement rules and FX where applicable. Sharesies also offers a managed-fund layer (KiwiSaver and non-KiwiSaver Smartshares wrappers) for investors who want simpler PIE-tax exposure.
What does Sharesies cost?⌄
Sharesies uses a tiered subscription: NZ$0/month (free under thresholds), NZ$3/month (NZ$3K cap), NZ$7/month (NZ$30K cap), or NZ$15/month (uncapped). FX margin is ~1.9% for USD trades. Compare against Hatch, Stake, and IB on a per-trade basis at your typical order size.
Are Sharesies shares held in my own name?⌄
No — Sharesies uses a custodial structure. Shares are held by Sharesies Nominee Limited, a regulated NZ custodian, on behalf of investors. This is standard for NZ retail platforms (Hatch, Stake, Kernel all use custody). For sponsored holdings in your own name on the NZ register, see ASB Securities, Jarden Direct, or BNZ Direct Broking.
Can I buy Smartshares ETFs (DIV, FNZ, USF) on Sharesies?⌄
Yes. All Smartshares ETFs trade on the NZX and are accessible via Sharesies' NZ market. PIE-tax structure flows through automatically (28% PIR cap). For wholesale fund classes and InvestNow-only funds, you'll need an InvestNow account — Sharesies covers exchange-listed only.
Summary
Sharesies is one of the most-used NZ retail investment platforms, offering access to NZ, Australian, and US markets from one account with a $1 minimum. Fee structures are percentage-based, which may be a consideration as portfolio size increases.
Sharesies Open an account on Sharesies
NZ + AU + US shares + ETFs in one app. 1.9% brokerage with per-market caps (NZ$25 / AU$15 / US$5), 0.5% FX, NZ$0 minimum.
Opens Sharesies. We don't take any payment for placement or for clicks — see disclosure.
Related platforms + ETFs
Hatch — US-only, marginally lower per-US-trade fees
US$3 flat per trade vs Sharesies US$5 cap on US orders.
Kernel — PIE-tax NZ funds
Cheapest NZ-domiciled passive funds.
Compare all 11 NZ platforms
Side-by-side fee + market-access table.
NZ-listed ETFs (PIE-tax)
Smartshares + Kernel ETFs available via Sharesies.
How to buy US ETFs from NZ
Sharesies, Hatch, Stake all work.
PIE fund explained
PIE vs FIF — the single most important NZ ETF tax decision.
