These are services I use, or have used, to manage parts of my own income-investing workflow. They are included because they solve a practical problem such as portfolio record-keeping, brokerage or income diversification. They are not a complete list of available products and they are not recommendations that every reader should use the same providers.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page may be referral or affiliate links. If you open an account through one of those links, I may receive a small benefit or commission at no additional cost to you. This helps cover the cost of running My Income Factory. The existence of an affiliate arrangement does not remove the need to compare fees, risks, features and alternatives independently.
How I assess an investing tool
For an income investor, the headline price or advertised return is only part of the decision. I consider whether the service makes cash-flow tracking easier, whether the fees are proportionate to the benefit, how readily money can be accessed, what happens in a stressed market and whether records are clear enough for tax and portfolio review purposes.
- Portfolio usefulness: does it improve the tracking, collection or analysis of dividends and distributions?
- Total cost: brokerage, administration fees, fund fees, spreads and any less-obvious costs.
- Risk and liquidity: how capital is invested, when it can be withdrawn and what could cause a loss or delay.
- Record quality: whether transactions, income and performance can be reconciled and exported.
- Provider fit: whether the product suits an Australian investor’s portfolio size, tax position and intended holding period.
Services in my workflow
Sharesight
I use portfolio tracking to bring transactions, dividends, distributions and performance into one record. This is particularly useful when an income portfolio contains direct ASX shares, ETFs, LICs and funds with different payment schedules. A tracking service does not replace checking broker statements or tax records, but it can make portfolio reviews and income reporting much more consistent than maintaining several disconnected spreadsheets.
Before subscribing, compare the plan limits, supported investments, tax-reporting features and the amount of manual correction your portfolio may require.
Stake
Stake is one brokerage option for buying and holding listed investments. Brokerage cost matters, but it should be considered alongside market access, order types, foreign-exchange costs where applicable, transfer arrangements, reporting and customer support. Pricing and referral offers can change, so check the provider’s current pricing and terms directly before opening or funding an account.
Plenti
I have used Plenti as one component of an alternative-income allocation designed to produce regular cash flow. Peer-to-peer lending is not equivalent to a bank deposit or government-guaranteed savings account. Returns depend on borrower repayments and platform arrangements, and access to capital can differ from selling a liquid ASX security. I therefore treat it as a limited portfolio allocation rather than a substitute for cash.
La Trobe Financial
I have used La Trobe Financial investment accounts as part of a monthly-income allocation. These products involve exposure to private credit and mortgage lending, so the distribution rate needs to be weighed against credit risk, fund structure, fees, withdrawal terms and the possibility that capital may not be immediately available. Read the current product disclosure statement and target market determination rather than relying on a quoted rate alone.
Important limitations
Products, fees, offers and eligibility rules change. Links on this page lead to provider websites so you can confirm current details. Nothing here is personal financial advice, and inclusion does not mean a product is suitable for your objectives or risk tolerance. Consider alternatives, read the relevant disclosure documents and seek professional advice where appropriate.