How to Set Up Automatic Investing in Australia

What is automatic investing?

Automatic investing means setting up a recurring, scheduled order to buy the same investment on a regular basis — for example, $500 into an ETF on the first trading day of every month. Instead of logging in and placing each trade manually, the platform does it for you on the schedule you choose.

On Selfwealth, this feature is called Auto-Invest. You pick a share or ETF you want to keep buying, set a dollar amount and a frequency, and Auto-Invest places the order for you each time.

The idea behind it is a strategy called dollar-cost averaging (DCA) — investing a fixed amount at regular intervals regardless of the price on the day. More on that next.

Why investors automate (and the honest trade-offs)

The biggest reason people automate is simple: consistency. Regular, scheduled contributions are easier to stick to than ad-hoc trades, and they take the emotion out of deciding when to buy. You're not trying to pick the perfect moment — you're just showing up on schedule.

Dollar-cost averaging, explained

Dollar-cost averaging means you invest the same dollar amount each time, no matter what the price is doing. When the price is higher, your fixed amount buys fewer units; when it's lower, it buys more. Over time, this can smooth out your average purchase price and remove the temptation to time the market.

A simple, illustrative example: suppose you invest $500 into an ETF each month.

• Month 1: unit price $50 → you buy 10 units

• Month 2: unit price $40 → you buy 12 units (with a little cash left over)

• Month 3: unit price $45 → you buy 11 units

You bought more units when the price dipped and fewer when it rose — without having to make a call about it. (This is a hypothetical illustration, not a forecast. Auto-Invest buys whole shares up to your chosen amount, so the exact amount invested each cycle may be slightly under your set figure.)

DCA vs investing a lump sum

It's worth being honest here: dollar-cost averaging isn't automatically "better" than investing a lump sum. Research has generally found that, over the long run and in rising markets, investing a lump sum sooner can outperform spreading it out — because your money is in the market for longer. DCA's real strengths are behavioural and practical: it suits people investing out of each pay cycle rather than a windfall, it reduces the risk of putting everything in right before a fall, and it builds a habit you can actually maintain.

There's no single right answer — it depends on your own situation and goals. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns, and all investing carries risk, including the loss of capital.

How to set up automatic investing with Selfwealth (step by step)

Here's how to set up automatic investing once your Selfwealth account is open and funded.

1. Open and fund your account. If you're new, sign up for a Selfwealth account and complete ID verification. You can trade as an individual, joint, company, trust or SMSF. Add funds via Osko (near-instant) or a standard bank transfer (usually 1–2 business days).

2. Choose a share or ETF. Search for the stock or ETF you want to invest in regularly and open its detail page. Auto-Invest works across shares and ETFs on the platform.

3. Tap the Auto-Invest banner. On the investment's detail page, tap the Auto-Invest banner to start setting up your schedule.

4. Set your amount. Enter the dollar figure you want to invest each cycle — an amount you can comfortably sustain over the long term.

5. Choose your frequency. Select weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Many investors align this with their pay cycle so contributions come out of each pay.

6. Review and confirm. Check the details and lock it in. Your schedule then runs in the background — Auto-Invest places a standard market order after the market opens on each scheduled date.

That's it. You can view upcoming orders in your Portfolio or Order details, and edit, skip or delete an upcoming order at any time using the pen icon (changes apply to the next order). If a scheduled date doesn't exist in a given month — say the 31st in a 30-day month — the order is placed on the last trading day of that month instead.

Make sure your plan actually runs: funding your schedule

An automatic plan only works if the cash is there when the order is due. This is the step most people forget.

Selfwealth accounts settle through a dedicated ANZ cash trading account. You can top it up two ways:

• Osko — near-instant, ideal if you're funding close to your scheduled date.

• Bank transfer — usually 1–2 business days, so allow buffer time.

A simple approach is to schedule your deposit to land a day or two before your Auto-Invest date — for example, set up a recurring transfer for the day after payday, with your Auto-Invest running a couple of days later.

What happens if you're a bit short? If your available balance can't cover your full scheduled amount, Auto-Invest places a market order for the largest number of shares that fits without exceeding your set amount. If your balance can't cover even that, no order is placed that cycle — and you won't be charged brokerage for an order that doesn't go through. Keeping your cash topped up is the easiest way to keep the plan on track.

What does automatic investing cost?

Selfwealth charges a flat $9.50 brokerage per trade (AU and US markets), with no account-keeping fees. Each Auto-Invest order that's partially or fully filled attracts the standard $9.50 flat fee — you can see the full breakdown on the pricing page.

Because it's a flat fee rather than a percentage, brokerage is worth thinking about relative to your contribution size. On a $200 monthly order, $9.50 is about 4.75% — a meaningful drag. On a $2,000 order, it's under 0.5%. A flat fee rewards larger, less frequent contributions, so some investors choose to invest a bigger amount monthly rather than a small amount weekly. There's no wrong answer — it's a trade-off between the cost per trade and how often you like to contribute.

What can you automate?

You can set up Auto-Invest on shares and ETFs available on the Selfwealth platform, across the ASX and US markets.

When building a recurring plan, many long-term investors look at broad-market or diversified ETFs because a single trade spreads exposure across many companies. Popular Australian-listed examples include the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS), the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) and the iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV). These are mentioned as examples only, not recommendations — what suits you depends on your own objectives, and you should read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before investing.

One thing that sets Selfwealth apart: Australian shares you buy are CHESS-sponsored and registered under your own Holder Identification Number (HIN). That means you hold direct legal and beneficial ownership of your ASX shares — there's no custodian in between. (CHESS sponsorship applies to ASX holdings.)

Automatic investing for SMSF, joint, company and trust accounts

Auto-Invest isn't just for individual accounts. Selfwealth supports individual, joint, company, trust and SMSF accounts, so trustees and couples can automate contributions the same way. SMSF trustees in particular often value CHESS sponsorship and a simple, predictable flat fee. If your automated plan involves an SMSF or trust, the tax and structuring rules can be complex — consider speaking with a registered tax agent or licensed adviser, and see ASIC's Moneysmart for general guidance.

Tips for a plan you'll actually stick to

• Start with an amount you can sustain. A smaller contribution you never have to cancel beats a large one you can't maintain.

• Time it to your pay cycle. Investing right after payday makes it feel automatic rather than optional.

• Keep your cash topped up. Set a recurring deposit so the funds are there before each order.

• Review, don't tinker. You can pause, skip or adjust anytime — but resist the urge to stop the plan because of a scary headline. Consistency is the point.

• Don't chase the perfect entry. The whole reason to automate is so you don't have to.

Ready to automate your investing?

If you'd like to put your investing on a schedule, you can set up Auto-Invest in the Selfwealth app, or open an account to get started. Want the reasoning behind the strategy first? Read more on how dollar-cost averaging works with Auto-Invest.

FAQ

What is automatic investing? Automatic investing is setting up a recurring, scheduled order to buy the same share or ETF on a regular basis — such as weekly, fortnightly or monthly — instead of placing each trade manually. It's a practical way to apply dollar-cost averaging and invest consistently.

How do I set up Auto-Invest on Selfwealth? Open the detail page for the share or ETF you want, tap the Auto-Invest banner, set your dollar amount and frequency (weekly, fortnightly or monthly), then review and confirm. Your orders then run automatically on schedule.

Does automatic investing cost extra? No — Auto-Invest orders use the same flat $9.50 brokerage per trade (AU and US) as any other order, with no account-keeping fees. You're only charged for orders that are partially or fully filled.

What happens if I don't have enough money for a scheduled order? Auto-Invest places a market order for the largest number of shares that fits without exceeding your set amount. If your balance can't cover that, no order is placed for that cycle and you aren't charged brokerage.

Can I pause or cancel automatic investing? Yes. You can edit, skip or delete an upcoming order at any time from your Portfolio or Order details using the pen icon. Changes apply to your next scheduled order.

Is dollar-cost averaging better than investing a lump sum? Not necessarily. Over the long term and in rising markets, investing a lump sum sooner has historically often outperformed spreading it out, because the money is invested for longer. Dollar-cost averaging suits investors contributing from regular income and helps build a consistent habit. The right approach depends on your circumstances, and all investing carries risk.