Platform comparison · fees as at 5 July 2026
Sharesies vs Kernel
As at 5 July 2026, Sharesies publishes an account fee of "None required" and a managed-fund order fee of "None"; Kernel publishes "None on the Core plan" and "$0" respectively, per each platform's own published pricing.
Fees, side by side
Each figure is read from the platform's own published pricing/FAQ page — linked under every cell with the date it was accessed. Where a platform doesn't publish a figure in those sources, the cell says so; nothing is estimated.
| Fee | Sharesies | Kernel |
|---|---|---|
| Account / admin fee | None required Optional monthly plans at $3, $7 or $15 per month cover set amounts of share-order fees; managed-fund orders do not need a plan. As at 5 July 2026 · Sharesies — Pricing | None on the Core plan Optional paid plans: Plus at $5/month ($50/year) and Premium at $15/month ($150/year) — these lower the US-share FX fee and add features; funds and KiwiSaver carry no member fee on any plan. As at 5 July 2026 · Kernel — Pricing |
| Managed-fund order fee | None Sharesies charges no transaction fee on managed-fund orders; the fund provider may charge a buy/sell spread. As at 5 July 2026 · Sharesies — Pricing | $0 Kernel publishes $0 transaction fees on its funds across all plans; Kernel fund management fees run 0.25–0.50% p.a. As at 5 July 2026 · Kernel — Pricing |
| Share / ETF order fee | 1.9% per order, capped Pay-as-you-go share orders: 1.9% of the amount, capped at $25 NZD (NZ markets), $5 USD (US) and $15 AUD (AU); monthly plans cover order amounts instead. As at 5 July 2026 · Sharesies — Pricing | $0 brokerage (US shares & ETFs) The cost sits in the FX fee rather than brokerage. As at 5 July 2026 · Kernel — Pricing |
| Currency-exchange (FX) fee | 0.5% "0.5% currency exchange fee when you exchange money." As at 5 July 2026 · Sharesies — Pricing | 1.50% (Core) · 0.60% (Plus) · 0.40% (Premium) Applies to US shares & ETFs, not to Kernel funds. As at 5 July 2026 · Kernel — Pricing |
| Minimum investment | None Sharesies advertises investing "with as little as 1¢". As at 5 July 2026 · Sharesies — managed funds | None for funds · $1 for US shares & ETFs As at 5 July 2026 · Kernel — Pricing |
The fund's own annual fund charge (set in its PDS) applies on either platform and is not shown here — see each fund's page, or the fund-fees guide with its fee-band directory. Platform fees change; each platform's own pricing page is authoritative.
Which funds can you actually reach?
Sharesies
This site does not yet track per-fund Sharesies availability. Sharesies' managed-fund shelf is curated rather than open-architecture; separately, the 33 NZX-listed Smart (Smartshares) ETFs tracked on this site trade on the NZX, which Sharesies' share-trading side provides access to.
Browse the Smart ETF range →Kernel
Kernel's shelf is built around its own funds: 27 Kernel-managed funds are tracked on this site (see the Kernel provider profile). Funds from other managers in this site's universe are generally not available via Kernel.
Kernel provider profile →Structural differences
- → Sharesies is a multi-market brokerage (NZX, US, AU) with a curated managed-fund shelf; Kernel's core product is its own range of index funds, with US shares & ETFs alongside.
- → Share-order pricing differs structurally: Sharesies charges a capped 1.9% per pay-as-you-go order; Kernel charges no brokerage and prices the cost into a plan-tiered FX fee.
- → Both publish no required account fee at entry level and no transaction fee on fund orders — the differences sit in plans, FX and shelf composition.
Questions about this comparison
What does Sharesies charge on managed-fund orders?
None. Sharesies charges no transaction fee on managed-fund orders; the fund provider may charge a buy/sell spread. (As at 5 July 2026, per Sharesies — Pricing.)
What does Kernel charge on managed-fund orders?
$0. Kernel publishes $0 transaction fees on its funds across all plans; Kernel fund management fees run 0.25–0.50% p.a. (As at 5 July 2026, per Kernel — Pricing.)
Do the funds themselves cost the same on each platform?
A fund's own annual fund charge is set by the fund manager in its PDS, not by the platform — the same fund carries the same annual charge wherever it is bought. The platform layer adds (or doesn't add) account fees, order fees, FX fees and minimums, which is what this page compares.
Where do the fee figures come from and how current are they?
Every figure is read from the platform's own published pricing or FAQ page and carries that source URL plus the date it was accessed (currently 5 July 2026). Platform fees change — treat each platform's own pricing page as authoritative, and email hello@managedfunds.nz if a figure has drifted.
Is this a recommendation of one platform?
No. ManagedFundsNZ is not licensed to provide financial advice and is not affiliated with any platform on this page. This is a mechanical, dated comparison of published fees and structural facts; which platform suits an investor depends on circumstances this page does not assess.
More platform comparisons
ManagedFundsNZ is not affiliated with any platform on this page and accepts no paid placement. This is general information, not financial advice — read the relevant PDS and consider personalised advice from a licensed financial adviser before investing.