India has seen an upsurge in the investment sector, particularly in stock investment in the last 5 years.

Youtube, the Internet, and the startup ecosystem in India is the main reason for this surge in stock investment, financial literacy, and interest.

Scam 1992 web series, YouTubers such as CA Rachana Ranade, and stockbroking companies like Zerodha, Upstox, Groww triggered many Indians, not only tier 1 but also from tier 2 and tier 3 cities to invest and earn from stocks.

In this article, I am going to list out the famous online stock broking and trading platforms in India with the details you should know before you open an account.

I am going to talk about basic brokerage and trading terms which you should know about. After that, I will list all the companies with basic details. So you can compare them and can choose the best one as per your need of investment.

Important Terms you need to know before you start Trading.

A. Investment Options:

1. Equity:

Equity is the purchase or sale of equity of a company that is listed on the stock exchange.

For Ex: You can purchase Reliance or Tata shares. That share purchasing or selling is equity purchase or selling.

2. Commodity:

buying and selling of commodities such as Metals, Grains, Energy products, Orange Juice, Sugar, and many other real products the companies either grow, refine or sell to the public for their usage.

For Ex: When you purchase Gold for the purchase of investment during Diwali or marriage time. That is an investment in commodity.

3. Currency:

When you purchase currency of a country wrt to investment, it is known as a currency investment.

For Ex: We always see the price of Dollar wrt INR going up or down. Suppose you purchased $10 when INR to the dollar was low and you converted it to INR when INR to Dollar is high. So basically you invested in Currency.

4. Futures:

are contracts to buy and sell an asset at a set price sometime in the future without regard to its then-current price.

Futures are similar to commodities but in futures, you are purchasing a contract sometime in the future.

5. Options:

Options are the right to buy a security at a specified price sometime in the future. If it is not exercised during the option period it has no value.

B. Terms for Fees - account and Trading :

1. Account Opening Charge:

Fees to open a Demat account on stock broker companies to do the trading.

2. Account Maintenance Charge:

Fees to Stock Broker Companies to maintain your Demat account for trading purposes.

3. Equity Delivery Brokerage :

The Brokerage amount is payable for the delivery of the trade-in or out of the Demat account of the account holder.

4. Equity Intraday Brokerage :

Intraday Trading is buying and selling a set of shares on the same day. Equity Intraday Brokerage is the Brokerage amount payable for the same day (buy & sell) of the trade.

C. Type of Broker :

1. Discount Broker :

A discount broker is a stockbroker who carries out buy and sell orders at reduced commission rates compared to a full-service broker. However, a discount broker does not provide investment advice or perform analysis on a client's behalf, unlike a full-service broker.

2. Full-Service Broker:

A full-service broker is a licensed financial broker-dealer firm that provides a large variety of services to its clients, including research and advice, retirement planning, tax tips, and much more.

These Terms will be helpful when you compare different stock broker companies for trading purposes. Here is the list of the top 21 stockbroker companies that you can use for trading purposes. I have listed out only the important details to compare and come to conclusion which platform to use, let me know in the comment which is your favourite platform.

1. Zerodha

Zerodha is a Discount Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = ₹ 300 ( Equity ₹ 200 , Commodity ₹ 100 )

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹ 300 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = Zero

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.03% or ₹20 whichever is minimum

2. Upstox

Upstox is a Discount Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹ 249 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 2.5% or ₹20 whichever is minimum

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.05% or ₹20 whichever is minimum

3. Groww

Groww is a Discount Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = No

Futures = No

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = Free

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.05% or ₹20 whichever is minimum

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.05% or ₹20 whichever is minimum

4. Angel One

Angel One is Full-Service Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹240 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = Zero

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.25% or ₹20 whichever is minimum

5. ICICI Direct

ICICI Direct is Full-Service Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹700 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.18% on order value

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.018 % on order value

6. 5 Paisa

5 Paisa is Discount Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹45 per month (when traded)

Equity Delivery Brokerage = ₹ 10 per order

Equity Intraday Brokerage = ₹ 10 per order

7. Kotak Securities

Kotak Securities is Full-Service Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹600 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.25% on order value

Equity Intraday Brokerage = Zero

8. HDFC Securities

HDFC Securities is Full-Service Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = Free

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.15% on order value or ₹25 per order

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.15% on order value or ₹25 per order

9. IIFL

IIFL is Full-Service Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹250 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = Zero

Equity Intraday Brokerage = ₹20 per order

10. Motilal Oswal

Motilal Oswal is Full-Service Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹199 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.35% on order value

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.035% on order value

11. Axis Direct

Axis Direct is Full-Service Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = ₹499

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹790 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.50% on order value

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.05% on order value

12. Paytm Money

PaytmMoney is Discount Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = No

Currency = No

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹300 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = ₹0.01 per order

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.05% on order value or ₹10 whichever is minimum

13. Choice

Choice is a Full Service Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹ 200 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.20% on order value

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.02% on order value

14. Edelweiss

Edelweiss is a Full Service Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹ 500 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.30% on order value

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.03% on order value

15. Alice Blue

Alice Blue is Discount Broker.

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹ 400 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = Zero

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.01% on order value or ₹ 15 whichever is minimum

16. Anand Rathi

Anand Rathi is Full Service Broker

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹ 450 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.20% on order value

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.02% on order value

17. Samco

Samco is Discount Broker

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹ 400 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.20% on order value or ₹ 20 whichever is minimum

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.02% on order value or ₹ 20 whichever is minimum

18. Bajaj Finserv

Bajaj Finserv is Discount Broker

Equity = Yes

Commodity = No

Currency = No

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = ₹ 431 per annum

Account Maintenance Charge = Free

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.10% per order value

Equity Intraday Brokerage = ₹ 17 per order

19. Trade Smart Online

TradeSmart Online is Discount Broker

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹ 300 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = 0.07% on order value

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.007% on order value

20. Stoxkart

Stoxkart is Discount Broker

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹ 300 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = Zero

Equity Intraday Brokerage = ₹15 per order

21. Espresso Sharekhan

Espresso Sharekhan is Discount Broker

Equity = Yes

Commodity = Yes

Currency = Yes

Futures = Yes

Options = Yes

Account Opening Charge = Free

Account Maintenance Charge = ₹ 400 per annum

Equity Delivery Brokerage = Zero

Equity Intraday Brokerage = 0.03% on order value or ₹ 20 whichever is minimum

Note: I have tried to take the liberty of using examples and easy words to talk about such a complex topic. However please do your research before you take any decision.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article. If you want to know more about finance and stocks check out the upcoming article here.

Let me know in the comments which is your favorite stockbroker company

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21 Online Stock Broker Companies And Trading Platform In India