Been looking into where to buy shares australia lately, and honestly, it's way more complicated than just picking the first broker you see. The fees, market access, and how you actually own your shares - it all varies so much from one platform to the next.

If you're just starting out buying shares in australia, you've basically got two routes: go for direct ownership where shares sit in your name (CommSec, Stake, CMC Invest do this through CHESS sponsorship), or use a CFD platform like Mitrade for more flexibility and zero commission. The ownership thing matters more than people think - direct ownership means you actually own the stock, but CFDs just give you price exposure.

Fees are the sneaky part. CommSec looks straightforward at $5-$30 per trade depending on size, but throw in their 0.55% FX conversion and it adds up fast. Stake's flat $3 fee up to $30k is refreshingly simple. CMC Invest had me confused at first - $0 on your first ASX buy of the day but $11 after, which is weird if you're an active trader. Mitrade's zero commission sounds good until you realize you're paying spread-based costs instead.

Market access matters too. If you only care about ASX stocks, CommSec or Stake work fine. But if you want US stocks, global indices, crypto, and forex all in one account, Mitrade or Interactive Brokers give you way more options. eToro's somewhere in the middle - solid range, social trading features if that's your thing, but withdrawal fees kill you if you're moving money around.

The usability side is underrated. Stake feels super clean and mobile-friendly. CommSec is more traditional but packed with research from Goldman Sachs and Morningstar. Interactive Brokers is powerful but honestly has a brutal learning curve - probably not for someone just learning to buy shares in australia for the first time.

What actually helped me decide was trying the free demo accounts. Mitrade gives you $50k virtual funds to practice, which is genuinely useful before risking real money. CommSec's research tools are actually impressive if you're into that.

So yeah, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Buy and hold investor? CommSec or Stake. Want to trade frequently without bleeding fees? Mitrade's zero commission is hard to beat. Want everything in one place? eToro or Interactive Brokers. The key is checking what you actually need before committing.