Updated Reviewed monthly
Sharesies vs Hatch 2026
Sharesies Sharesies
NZ + AU + US · 1.9% brokerage (caps NZ$25/AU$15/US$5) · 0.5% FX · fractional · NZ$0 min
Hatch Hatch
US only · US$3 / trade · 0.5% FX · whole shares
Two of NZ's most-used investment platforms — solving overlapping but different problems. Here's the fee math, the market access, and which use case each suits.
In 30 seconds: Sharesies and Hatch are both FMA-regulated NZ investment platforms, but they target different investors. Sharesies covers NZ + AU + US in one app at 1.9% brokerage with per-market fee caps (NZ$25 / AU$15 / US$5) + 0.5% FX, with fractional shares and NZ$0 minimum. Hatch is US-only at a flat US$3/trade + 0.5% FX, with whole shares only. For mixed-market or fractional investing → Sharesies. For US-only trades Hatch is marginally cheaper (~NZ$3/trade) but you lose NZ/AU access and fractional.
- Sharesies markets: NZ + AU + US (single account)
- Hatch markets: US only
- Sharesies fees: 1.9% brokerage (caps NZ$25 / AU$15 / US$5), 0.5% FX, fractional, NZ$0 min
- Hatch fees: US$3 flat brokerage, 0.5% FX, whole shares only
- Cost gap for US trades: Hatch ~US$2 cheaper per trade vs Sharesies (US$5 cap)
- Tax: Both trigger FIF on overseas holdings >NZ$50K; Sharesies also offers NZ-PIE Smartshares ETFs
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | Sharesies | Hatch |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | NZX + ASX + NYSE/NASDAQ | NYSE/NASDAQ only |
| Minimum to open | NZ$0 | NZ$0 (US$50 effective) |
| Brokerage | 1.9% of order — caps NZ$25 (NZ), AU$15 (AU), US$5 (US) | Flat US$3/trade |
| FX margin | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Fractional shares | Yes | No — whole shares only |
| Optional subscription | NZ$3 / NZ$7 / NZ$15 per month for fee discounts | None |
| Custody | Nominee | Nominee |
| NZ tax wrapper | PIE (on Smartshares) / FIF (on US/AU) | FIF (above NZ$50K) |
| Regulator | FMA (FSP423884) | FMA (FSP610107) |
| KiwiSaver | Yes (Sharesies KiwiSaver) | Yes (Hatch KiwiSaver) |
Cost math: which is cheaper at what trade size?
Sharesies' US-trade brokerage caps at US$5 above US$264, so on any US order above ~NZ$440 the two platforms differ only by the US$2 brokerage spread (Hatch US$3 vs Sharesies US$5 cap). FX is identical at 0.5%. Hatch is therefore marginally cheaper across nearly all US trade sizes; the trade-off is no NZ / AU access and no fractional shares.
| Trade size (NZD) | Sharesies cost | Hatch cost | Lower-cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ$100 | NZ$2.40 (1.9% + 0.5% FX) | NZ$5.50 (US$3 + 0.5% FX) | Sharesies |
| NZ$250 | NZ$6.00 (1.9% + 0.5% FX) | NZ$6.25 (US$3 + 0.5% FX) | Tied |
| NZ$500 | ~NZ$10.80 (US$5 cap + 0.5% FX) | NZ$7.50 (US$3 + 0.5% FX) | Hatch (~NZ$3 cheaper) |
| NZ$1,000 | ~NZ$13.30 (US$5 cap + 0.5% FX) | ~NZ$10.00 (US$3 + 0.5% FX) | Hatch (~NZ$3 cheaper) |
| NZ$3,000 | ~NZ$23.30 (US$5 cap + 0.5% FX) | ~NZ$20.00 (US$3 + 0.5% FX) | Hatch (~NZ$3 cheaper) |
| NZ$10,000 | ~NZ$58.30 (US$5 cap + 0.5% FX) | ~NZ$55.00 (US$3 + 0.5% FX) | Hatch (~NZ$3 cheaper) |
Illustrative costs at current published fee schedules. Excludes any optional Sharesies subscription plan which can change the breakeven point. FX assumed on full trade notional.
Use-case fit
Suited to Sharesies
- • Mixed NZ + AU + US portfolio in one app
- • Regular dollar-cost averaging (fractional shares)
- • Sub-NZ$100 trade sizes (Hatch costs proportionally more on tiny orders)
- • Want NZ-PIE Smartshares ETFs alongside US ETFs
- • KiwiSaver + share investing under one provider
Suited to Hatch
- • US-only investing (VOO, SPY, QQQ, SCHD, JEPI)
- • Marginally cheaper US-trade brokerage (~US$2/trade lower)
- • Don't need NZ or AU market access
- • Comfortable buying whole shares only
- • Simpler flat-fee structure preferred
These are platform characteristics, not investment recommendations. Consult a licensed financial adviser about your specific circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
Sharesies vs Hatch — what is the difference? ▾
Sharesies offers NZ + AU + US markets in one app with NZ$0 minimum and fractional shares; brokerage is 1.9% with per-market fee caps (NZ$25 / AU$15 / US$5) and 0.5% FX. Hatch offers US-only access at a flat US$3 per trade and 0.5% FX. Hatch is marginally cheaper on US-only trades (~US$2 lower); Sharesies wins on mixed-market access, fractional shares, and any non-US exposure.
Which is cheaper for US ETFs, Sharesies or Hatch? ▾
They are very close. On a US$1,000 US-ETF purchase (~NZ$1,650 at ~0.60 NZD/USD): Sharesies charges US$5 brokerage (capped) + 0.5% FX (~NZ$8.30 each) ≈ NZ$16.60. Hatch charges US$3 brokerage + 0.5% FX ≈ NZ$13.30. Hatch is roughly NZ$3 cheaper per US trade across all sizes — the gap is the US$2 brokerage difference. For mixed NZ + AU + US exposure or fractional shares, Sharesies wins on scope.
Can I buy NZ shares on Hatch? ▾
No. Hatch is US-only — no NZX or ASX access. If you want NZ shares or NZX-listed Smartshares ETFs, use Sharesies, InvestNow, Kernel direct, or a traditional NZ broker.
Do Sharesies and Hatch have the same tax treatment? ▾
For US ETFs, yes — both trigger FIF rules once your overseas-share holdings exceed NZ$50,000 cost-basis. Both deduct 15% US withholding tax on dividends if you file a W-8BEN. Sharesies additionally offers NZX-listed Smartshares ETFs which are PIE-taxed (no FIF).
Sharesies vs Hatch for dollar-cost averaging? ▾
Sharesies is more suited to dollar-cost averaging because of its fractional shares, NZ$0 minimum, and lower per-trade brokerage cap at small order sizes. Hatch requires whole shares and US$3 brokerage on each trade, which compounds on regular small purchases.
Which platform is FMA-regulated? ▾
Both. Sharesies Limited (FSP423884) is FMA-licensed as a custodial service. Hatch Investments NZ Limited (FSP610107) is also FMA-regulated. Both are licensed under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013.
Sharesies vs Hatch for KiwiSaver? ▾
Both offer KiwiSaver schemes. Sharesies KiwiSaver uses a self-select fund-of-fund approach. Hatch KiwiSaver gives you direct allocation to US-tilted funds. Compare the schemes's fees and asset mix directly with the providers before deciding.
Can I move my holdings from Sharesies to Hatch (or vice versa)? ▾
You generally cannot transfer holdings directly between Sharesies and Hatch — they use different custody arrangements. The standard route is to sell on one platform and rebuy on the other, which can trigger FIF cost-basis events. Take advice on the tax implications first.
