# Westpac Share Trading vs Pearler

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pearler at every 5 days against Westpac Share Trading's every 5 months. Pearler also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Westpac Share Trading's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 25%) and ratings volume (112 vs 4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pearler holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Westpac Share Trading has 112 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Westpac Share Trading's written reviews are positive against 25% of Pearler's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Westpac Share Trading ships an update every 5 months, Pearler every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Westpac Share Trading | Pearler |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (112 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/westpac-share-trading/id960923041/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearler/id1559930798/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **112** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **49.6% of reviews** | 24.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 35 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Westpac Banking Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/299111814) | [Pearler Investments](https://appshunter.io/developer/1559930800) |

## What reviewers say

### Westpac Share Trading

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/westpac-share-trading/id960923041)

Trade stocks on the go with this mobile application. Manage buy and sell orders, monitor watchlists, and access live market data including quotes, charts, and news. Receive personalized stock alerts via push notifications for price changes, dividends, and announcements.

**Highlights:** Place and manage buy/sell orders, Create and manage stock watchlists, View live quotes, charts, and news, Access live market indices and currency rates, Monitor portfolio holdings and cash account balance, Set up custom stock alerts via push notifications

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 📊 Good charting and portfolio tracking capabilities
- 🚀 Fast order execution and same-day transfers
- 💰 Safe and secure platform for investments
- 📱 Accessible mobile app for on-the-go trading

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing issues
- 🔴 Red screen errors requiring app reinstallation
- 🔐 Face ID and PIN authentication not working
- ⏱️ Slow data refresh and delayed pricing information
- 💸 High trading fees compared to competitors

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup and during use
- Blank red screen appearing when opening app
- Face ID and PIN authentication failures
- Login process unreliable and inconsistent
- Portfolio data fails to load with error messages

**Requested features**

- Live share price updates like CommSec app
- Chi-X trading support
- Dark mode option
- Stop loss feature
- Larger font size with system font scaling


### Pearler

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pearler/id1559930798)

This app simplifies investing for long-term financial independence. Discover your style with shares, LICs, and ETFs, or use template portfolios. Build wealth with automated investing and track your progress towards your goals.

**Highlights:** Share, LIC, and ETF investing, Low trading fees, Template portfolios, Set-and-forget Autoinvest, Financial goal tracking, Community insights

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use for beginners
- 💰 Low transaction fees (when prepaid)
- 🎯 Good for long-term investing and dollar-cost averaging
- 📊 Useful educational features and guides
- 🤖 Automated investment options available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent bugs and glitches throughout app
- 🔐 Persistent login and authentication issues
- ⚠️ Poor UI/UX design and navigation
- 🔄 Constant mandatory app updates required
- ⏱️ Slow load times and performance lag

**Reported bugs**

- Login failures and authentication errors
- Buttons not responding or not clickable
- App crashes during purchases and transactions
- Verification email code input not working
- Address field not accepting input

**Requested features**

- Complete UI/UX overhaul with modern design
- Dark mode option
- Back button that returns to previous screen, not top level
- Daily/YTD/annual returns data display
- Ability to see stock price trends and daily changes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Westpac Share Trading free?

Westpac Share Trading is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pearler free?

Pearler is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Westpac Share Trading or Pearler?

Pearler is rated higher. Westpac Share Trading averages 4.6 out of 5 from 112 ratings, while Pearler averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Westpac Share Trading or Pearler have ads?

Neither Westpac Share Trading nor Pearler shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Westpac Share Trading or Pearler?

Westpac Share Trading ships an update every 5 months, and Pearler every 5 days. Most recently, Westpac Share Trading was updated on October 29, 2026 and Pearler on October 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*